ina Ha

my hand, her face caught between confu

ing around the metal. Its sharp edges bit int

ght eyes gone dim, holding my hand and telling me again and a

tuary for me, her Dragonless, merchant-born daughter. She had sold off the last of the Winslo

ily was no sanctuary. It was a swamp,

my mother's dying wish-I had poured the fortune she bo

d the thought down. This

leste, opening my eyes. "Hide t

My lady, where can w

ried quickly, and paid no mind to a stepdaughter who shared

n more shame. I shook my head. "We

a woman without family,

father's protection was a boat in a storm, likely to capsize at any hou

irm. "Celeste, I won't let

eady her. She nodded hard. "Yes,

mall satchel and left everything else. It had all been bought wit

to lighten, a sharp

e, nervous. I nodded

er, Lady Eleanor. Lady Virginia was dressed richly, her smile fixed and cool. Lady Eleanor leaned on a cane c

n her voice-only the careful tenderness of a woman

rs you have kept this house, and we have never once forgotten it. That is prec

ry, my lady,"

e genuine concern. "Oh, Seraphina. Think of yourself, child. You are Dragonless. Out there, w

d over my knuckle

where the king commands. That is no slight against you, dear-it is simply the way of the world. Blanca is young, and foolish, and

They would dress my humiliation

nd out of Vir

"and keep the books, and ma

cooled. "You have always understood how a great hous

till choose

s deliberate. Eleanor let it

once against the floor. "Your dowry was long ago woven into the family's assets. There is nothing left to separate, no

llaby, "We are only trying to spare yo

d the last illusion I had held for this

ause they were afraid-afraid I would walk, and tak

my voice steady. "You will not keep a si

he flash of panic she could not quite hide. Eleanor stared at me for a long

e girl," she said slowly. "I would h

t, my lady." I lifted my

ome expecting to soothe me back into my cage with soft words. They

Celeste. "We

th a fierce kind of rel

me, thin and sharp. "You ungrateful-wh