Celeste gave her a look. “You weren’t supposed to make yourself a target.”
Isla didn’t know why she rolled her eyes, but she did, suddenly annoyed.
That was when the Starling stood. Energy crackled in the room, a sure sign that she was angry. “You need to think long term,” she said sharply, hands in fists at her sides. “Islanders were watching. All the rulers were watching. You beatGrimshaw.You nearly beat the king. Do you mean to make enemies, Isla? Do you mean to become someone the other rulers want toget rid of?”
Isla looked away. “Of course not.”
“Then you need tolisten.We have a plan. Complete the demonstrations without notice. Be the young, inexperienced rulers they already see us as, so the winner of the demonstrations hopefully pairs us up. That allows us to search for the bondbreaker, to work together, without having to hide our alliance.” Isla was surprised when Celeste’s voice broke. She had only seen the Starling cry a handful of times before. “It allows me to spend time withyouwithout making anyone suspicious. To protect you.” A silver tear shot down her cheek. She took a shaking breath as Isla made her way to her friend, instantly ashamed. “I can’t protect you if you won’t listen.”
Isla threw her arms around Celeste, holding her close.
The truth was, if the Starling ruler only wanted to survive and save her realm, she would have abandoned Isla. She knew her secret, after all. It would be easy to share it with everyone else. To guarantee Wildling would die, over Starling, when the time came to choose a ruler and realm to sacrifice.
But she hadn’t. Because they were sisters.
Celeste was a better friend than she deserved.
“I’m sorry,” Isla said. “I promise, I’ll think of the plan. I promise to listen.”
Later, Celeste told Isla that she had searched the Star Isle library.
“It wasn’t there,” she said. One library off their list.
A pang of disappointment rattled through Isla’s stomach. Their plan would have been far easier if the bondbreaker had ended up being a Starling relic.
“I’m going after the gloves next,” she said.
Isla’s head jerked up. She met Celeste’s eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said quietly. “Like you didn’t know this was next.” She dipped her chin. “Like this wasn’tyouridea.”
Of course Isla knew this part of their plan was next. If the bondbreaker wasn’t in the Star Isle library, they would need a way to get into the protected sections of the other isles’ collections.
The gloves were crucial to getting inside them.
This particular type of enchanted accessory was well-known throughout even the newlands—gloves that were able to harness a whisper of a realm’s power. Isla had researched them obsessively, believing they could help her during the Centennial. All she would have to do was capture a bit of Poppy’s or Terra’s ability to wield nature and use them to pretend ...
Unfortunately, the gloves were dangerous to procure. It was said they were made of skinned human flesh. Only dark markets in the newlands would dare sell such a thing—and Isla had searched nearly all of them.
They were rarer nowadays. Not regularly made. Doing so wasn’t typically worth the hassle. The power they held was minimal. Inconsequential.
Unless someone found a very specific use for them.
Isla had suggested the gloves when they needed a way to get into the libraries, as a last resort.
“You look ill, Isla,” Celeste said, frowning at her.
She swallowed. “How are you going to get a pair?”
Her friend studied her. Sighed. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.”
Perhaps shewouldbe ill. “If you have to make new ones, go to the prison. Pick a killer, someone terrible—”
Celeste grabbed Isla’s shoulders almost painfully, bringing her back into the moment, steadying her. “This is my part of our plan,” she said. “Focus on yours.”
Right. Hers. Isla had volunteered to search the other three libraries. Once they had the gloves, her role would truly begin. “Speaking of my role ...” she said. It was her turn to share her bad news about not being able to secure the Sunling clothing.
Celeste’s brows folded together. “That’s strange ...” She pursed her lips. “Though, on Star Isle, the noblesdidtell me suspicious things have been happening since the last Centennial. Sunling has separated itself more than ever from the other realms. They stay mostly on their own isle.”
