2
“Ms. Vance? Ms. Vance, are you alright?”
Elder Kinsman’s voice pulled me back to the present. I blinked, realizing he was now kneeling on the ground before me.
“What are you doing?” I scrambled to pull him up.
“I’m begging you… Shane came to me in a dream last night. He said he was cold. The boy’s been frail since he was a child. Ms. Vance, please, think of it as a good deed. For the sake of an eighteen–year–old boy… save him!”
“I don’t have that power.”
“You do! I know you do!” His fingernails dug into my arm.
Just as I was about to speak again, the sound of hurried footsteps approached the courtyard gate.
Right on schedule:
“Grandfather! What are you doing on your knees?! You–you conniving bitch! How dare you bewitch my grandfather!”
Isabelle Kinsman’s voice was like a shard of poisoned ice. Seeing her grandfather kneeling, she rushed forward and kicked me hard
in the back of my knee. I stumbled but caught my balance, staring at her coldly.
“What are you looking at? You think that pretty face is enough to swindle the Kinsman family? Why don’t you take a good look at yourself in a puddle first? If anything happens to my brother, I’ll peel the skin from your face and feed it to the wild dogs!”
“Isabelle! Show some respect!” Elder Kinsman struggled to his feet with his cane.
“Grandfather, don’t let her fool you! These street magicians are experts at putting on a show! I bet she’s the one who kidnapped Shane, trying to extort us! Just you wait. I’ll chop her fingers off right now and see how she performs her little tricks then!”
Isabelle suddenly leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper in my ear. “Your parents are still out in the countryside, aren’t they? How would you like it if I sent some people to ‘invite‘ them over for a visit? They can see for themselves what a murderous, thieving daughter they raised.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” I shoved her hand away.
“Wouldn’t I? Last time some hack from downtown tried to cross me, I had his parents‘ graves dug up and their ashes scattered to
the wind. Tell me, if I had your parents‘ arms and legs cut off, turned them into living torsos, and shipped them overseas… don’t you
think that would be a worse fate?”
“Isabelle, you’re insane! Those are two innocent lives! If your brother… if he dies… he would never rest in peace knowing what you‘
ve done!”
“My brother? If anything happens to my brother, I’ll make this entire city burn for him! And this bitch will be the first to go! I’ll cut out her tongue, sever her tendons, and gouge out her eyes. Let’s see her pretend to be a Tracker then!”
Elder Kinsman collapsed to the ground, bowing his head again and again, his old face streaked with tears. “Ms. Vance, please, don’t
take it to heart. She’s… she’s just mad with grief…”
Everyone in the city knew how vicious Isabelle Kinsman could be. I knew it better than anyone.
But I had already died once.
1451
1451
Chapter 1
This time, without my help, I was morbidly curious to see how Shane Kinsman would defy his fate. A grim satisfaction bloomed in my chest. The debt she owed me, owed my parents… I would collect it in full, with interest.
Seeing the flicker of a smile on my face, Isabelle’s rage intensified. She shoved me violently against the wall. The impact sent a burst of black spots across my vision.
Isabelle gestured to the bodyguards at the gate. “Take the old man back to the estate. And don’t let him leave without my permiss-
ion.”
“Isabelle! You can’t do this! Only Ms. Vance… only she can save Shane!” Elder Kinsman cried out as he was dragged away.
The courtyard gate slammed shut, plunging the world into silence.
It was just the two of us.
She sauntered over to the small table and picked up the locket my mother had given me, something I’d worn for over twenty years. She held it between two fingers as if it were something foul.
I hear this is the good luck charm your mother crawled up a thousand temple steps to pray for. Peasants will be peasants. No wonder she raised à fraud like you. Clearly a case of no proper upbringing.”
I moved to snatch it back, but she stomped her foot down on my wrist. The sharp stiletto heel ground into bone, and a cold sweat broke out across my forehead from the searing pain.
“What’s the hurry? Aren’t you the great actress? Keep it up. Now tell me! Where did you hide my brother?”
“I didn’t kidnap him.” My voice was shaking, not from fear, but from a deep, burning hatred.
“No? Fine. Name your price. How much to get him back?”
“I told you, I didn’t kidnap him!”
She laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “Playing hardball, are we? Fine. Have it your way.” She raised her voice. “Bring them in!”
At that moment, the courtyard gate creaked open, and I heard a familiar, desperate cry.
