“You think I would help her? When she threatens to kill my friend? Without even a trial?” The question popped out of me before I could stop it.

A snort escaped the Ender as he leaned back in his chair. “For justice, I think you will. If Ash is right about you that is. He told me about you and Queen Finley, how you saved her from the usurper in the Deep. Would you truly leave someone you could help behind?”

If Ash was right about me. The words echoed in my brain. I wasn’t sure I was willing to help, not after the Deep. And Finley was a little girl, no matter how much power she had within her, she’d needed someone to help her. Fiametta was a full-grown bitch.

But Brand wouldn’t help me rescue Ash if I said no to his request.

“All right, I will help,” I said, the lie hard on my tongue. Peta tightened her claws into me and I couldn’t look at her, afraid she would see the dishonesty.

She laid her head down on my shoulder. “Dirt Girl, you are going to get us both killed.”

CHAPTER 4

Brand drummed his fingers on the table. “I promised Ash I would remove you from the Pit the second I could. So when you see him, you will have to explain we weren’t able to get out right away.”

“You want me to lie to him,” I said, leaning back in my seat and crossing my arms. Peta snorted and I fought not to cringe. Only moments before I’d lied to Brand and now I was calling him out for the same thing.

Smoke pushed a platter of food in front of me. “Eat, then we can discuss this once you have a full belly.”

With a grunt, Brand dug into the food and I followed his lead, trusting that Peta would say something if I broke some sort of taboo.

The food was nothing short of amazing. Sticky rice covered in a thick, spicy sauce alongside chunks of mango and pork was spooned onto my plate. Within two bites, sweat broke out on my brow, but it was good, the warmth filling me. I ate three plates’ worth before pushing it away and reaching for a pewter cup of what I thought was water. I had two gulps before my tongue registered milk, with ice cubes clinking in it to add to the chill.

“It will soothe the fire in your mouth.” Smoke smiled, her lips curling up at the edges only a little.

“Thank you.” I took another gulp and held the cup up to Peta, tipping it so she could reach the milk. She paused and stared at me a moment before she stuck her head in and lapped it up. Brand stopped eating, his mouth hanging open and his fork halfway to his mouth.

I looked from him to Smoke. “What?”

She dropped her eyes, that small smile ghosting across her lips.

“Nothing.” He shook his head several times and went back to eating. What the hell had I done now?

Smoke let out a soft breath. “Sharing food with your familiar means you have accepted her as your own. It is surprising, that is all. How long has it been, Peta, since your charge actually accepted you?”

Peta pulled her head out, milk clinging to her whiskers in tiny white droplets. “That is enough for me, Dirt Girl.” She didn’t answer Smoke’s question. Though I was curious about Peta’s past charges, it wasn’t high on my priority list.

I tipped the cup and drank the last of the milk, my argument ready. “Brand, if you are truly Ash’s friend, you know he didn’t kill those Enders. You know he doesn’t deserve to die for a perceived mistake that happened years ago. It wasn’t his fault my mother and brother were killed on his watch. That was all Cassava’s doing. He’s a good man and this is wrong on all levels.”

A low grumbling breath escaped the Ender across from me. “Those things are true, but I am tied to this family which is why I need you to help me, I cannot go against Fiametta’s wishes any more than you can go against your king’s.”

“That’s ridiculous, you aren’t a slave,” I snapped. “You’re just using that for an excuse not to do what’s right.”

Brand leaned forward, one eyebrow raised high enough that it nearly touched his hairline. “Have you not gone through your trial with the mother goddess? You must have if you are an Ender.”

I frowned. “Of course I have. What has that to do with this?”

He placed his broad hands on the table. “Then you swore to uphold your family in all things, swore your life to them, and to obey your king no matter what he would ask of you.”

Well, worm shit and green sticks, what did I say to that? I had sworn nothing of the kind. The mother goddess had helped me past the block Cassava placed on my abilities, and sent me back.

I must have been silent too long.

Peta’s claws dug into me. “Dirt Girl.”

I cleared my throat and slowly shook my head. “No. The mother goddess didn’t have me swear to anyone.”

Brand looked at his wife who stared at me. “Then you,” she said softly, “are in a very unique position. You are not tied by those bonds all other Enders are. Brand cannot help you, which is exactly why he needs you. But I can. I am no Ender and have no unbreakable bonds.”

Brand grunted as if she’d kicked him in the balls. “Smoke, we’ve discussed this already. I don’t want you getting tangled in this. Fiametta is ready to blow, and I don’t want her seeing you as an enemy.”

Smoke cleared the plates. “Our queen is always on edge. It is her nature. She is like a mountain perpetually threatening to burst its seams.”

I stood, pushing my chair back, questions swirling, one in particular. “Why would you two help me? I’ve killed four of your Enders.” There, I said it out loud.