“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
“If you’re anything like Millie, you knowexactlywhat I’m talking about.” Malik’s smile was tight and didn’t reach his eyes. “Because if she saw something like that, she would want to exact some vengeance.”
I quickly looked away. While I was relieved to hear that Millicent would want to do something about this, I didn’t like that Malik suspected where my thoughts had gone.
Without saying anything, I started to make my way to Setti, who seemed to have been watching. I’d always thought the horse behaved as if he understood what was happening around him ina way that wasn’t normal for even the most intelligent horses. And I’d been right, even though I never could’ve guessed why.
As I walked, my gaze moved over the dark, silent homes. A creeping familiarity began to build as I took in each terracotta roof and weathered door.
Wait.
I stopped, looked back to where I’d been standing with Malik, and then turned, scanning the other side of the street.
I was walking before I realized it, heading in Malik’s direction again.
He shoved his hands back into his pockets with a sigh loud enough to have impressed Kieran. “Did you forget something?”
“No.” I skirted past him, spying an alley between two homes. All at once, I thought of Clariza and Blaz—the Descenters who had aided us after we freed Casteel.
Gods, how had I not thought of them until now?
I strode down the alley. Behind me, Malik cursed, and then I heard his boots pounding stone. I quickly passed a small backyard and stepped onto a street untouched by death.
Except that hadn’t been the case not too long ago.
Because when I looked down the silent road, I saw the remains of Descenters’ homes: shattered foundations and half-standing walls. Until the ones near it came into view.
“Penellaphe.” Malik’s steps slowed behind me.
“What’s going on?” Casteel’s voice came next.
“I don’t know,” Malik answered. “She just came back here.”
Casteel moved to my side and touched my arm. “Poppy?”
“Look.” I pointed across the street.
He looked. “Shit,” he muttered. “I thought this area of Stonehill looked familiar.”
“You two are just now realizing this?” Malik asked.
Casteel looked over his shoulder, and Malik muttered, “Whatever.”
As he walked off, my gaze moved back to the foundations. Anger rose when I thought of how coldly Isbeth had ended Clariza’s and Blaz’s lives. There really hadn’t been a reason to. I had already agreed to her deal, but she still killed them to show she could. Sort of like Kolis, killing these people because he could. But therehadbeen another reason.
Isbeth had wanted to provoke me.
And she had.
The ruins were what remained of my reaction. It had happened so quickly. And, gods, the eather had spilled out of me then, a mass of silver-pierced shadows. Within a heartbeat, I had brought the home and the ones next to it down. And I would’ve done far more if Casteel hadn’t calmed me.
“Cas? Poppy?” Emil’s voice reached us. “You okay over there?”
“Yes.” Casteel turned, his eyes meeting mine before flicking to Emil. Kieran appeared behind him. “This is where Malik brought us after I was freed.”
“Damn.” Kieran stared at the ruins. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
A chill swept down my spine. No, it couldn’t be. Somehow, Kolis knew about our ties to this area. And I could think of only one person who could’ve told him. A certain annoying Revenant.
