I nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. She was right—he’d expect me to be reckless, to act without thinking, to be predictable. And I wouldn’t give him that advantage, not now, not ever.
We reached the rooms she had prepared. They were large but somber, with dark tapestries on the walls and a fire roaring in the stone hearth. Elias dropped into a chair, rubbing his face. I stood by the window, staring out at the sharp peaks. The sky darkened, and the first stars pricked through the black.
“Rest.” the Ash Queen said. “Tomorrow, we plan. The sorcerer is clever, but even he can be outmaneuvered. You’ll need more than power; you’ll need cunning.”
“I don’t need practice.” I said again, though the firelight caught the strain in my face. “I already know how to control his minions. We just
