Another long silence drags on. His gaze wanders to my mask. “Take it off,” he mutters.

I hadn’t expected an answer like that. He’s buying himself some time to think, distracting me in the process. I shake my head. After all this time, the thought of showing a new stranger my greatest weakness still sends fear through me.

Magiano’s expression flickers, if only slightly, and some of the wildness seeps out of his eyes. Like he knows me. “Take off your mask,” he whispers. “I do not judge a malfetto’s markings, Adelina, nor do I work with someone who hides her face from me.”

When Violetta nods, I reach up and fiddle with the knot behind my head. The mask loosens, then swings completely off to dangle in my hand. The cold air hits my scar. I force myself to stare steadily back at Magiano, bracing myself for his reaction. If I’m going to have my own Elites, they will need to trust me.

He steps closer and takes a long look. I can see the slashes of honey gold in his eyes. A slow, lazy smile starts to creep onto his face. He doesn’t ask about my marking. Instead, he lifts the lower corner of his silk shirt and bares part of his side.

I inhale sharply. A hideous scar snakes its way across his skin, then disappears up under his shirt. Our eyes meet, and a moment of understanding passes between us.

“Please,” I say, lowering my voice. “I don’t know what happened to you in your past, or what your full marking looks like. But if the promise of gold doesn’t entice you enough, then think of the millions of other malfettos in Kenettra, all of whom will die in the next few months if no one saves them. You are a thief, so perhaps you have your own code of honor. Is there a place in your heart where you would mourn for the deaths of all who are like us?”

Something about my words strikes Magiano, and his eyes take on a faraway look. He pauses and clears his throat.

“It’s just a rumor, you know,” he says after a moment. “The story about the queen’s crown jewels.”

“The crown jewels?”

“Yes.” He looks at me. “The Kenettran queen’s crown jewels. I never stole them. I tried to—but couldn’t manage it.”

I watch him carefully. There is something shifting in the balance of our conversation. “Yet you still want them,” I reply.

“What can I say? It’s a weakness.”

“So, what will you do? Will you join us?”

He holds up a slender finger covered with gold rings. “How do I know that you’ll keep your promise, if I do help you get what you want?”

I shrug. “Are you going to spend the rest of your life stealing a handful of jewels at a time and running gambling stands in Merroutas?” I reply. “You said yourself, you wonder what you could have done if you’d known me earlier. Well, here’s your chance.”

Magiano smiles at me with something akin to pity. “The girl who would be queen,” he murmurs thoughtfully. “The gods play interesting games.”

“This is no game,” I say.

At last, he lifts his head and raises his voice. “I do owe you a life debt. And that’s something I never play games with.”

I stare silently at him, thinking back to the night before, when he’d originally met us to pass along his thanks for saving his malfetto companion.

Magiano holds out a hand in my direction. “If you want to take on the Inquisition, you will need a whole host of people at your back. And if you want people at your back, you need to build a reputation. I don’t follow anyone until I’m convinced that they’re worth following.”

“What can we do to convince you?”

Magiano smiles. “Beat me in a race.”

“A race?”

“A little game between us,” he says. “I’ll even give you a head start.” His smile takes on a wicked tilt. “A man called the Night King rules this city. He has many soldiers, as well as a secret army of ten thousand mercenaries scattered throughout the island. You may have seen his men patrolling the streets, with moon-and-crown emblems on their sleeves.”

I fold my arms. “I have.”

“He is the most feared man in Merroutas. They say that every time he uncovers a traitor in his ranks, he skins that man alive and has the skin sewn into his cloak.”

As I imagine the scene, my skin prickles … not just from horror, but from fascination. A kindred soul, the whispers say. “What does that have to do with us?” I ask, raising my voice to drown out the whispers.

“Tomorrow morning, I am going to gain access to his estate to rob him of the prized diamond pin he always wears on his collar. If you can steal it before I can … then I will join you.” He gives me a mock bow that makes me blush. “I only work with the worthy. And I just want to make sure you understand the risks of this mission.”

Neither Violetta nor I am an expert thief. I can disguise us or make us invisible, but my powers are still imperfect. What if we are caught? I imagine us lashed to a pole, our skin stripped from our limbs.

It’s not worth it.

Magiano smiles at my expression. “You’re too afraid,” he says.

The whispers in my head stir, urging me on. The Night King controls ten thousand mercenaries. What wouldn’t you give for ten thousand mercenaries at your service? I shake my head—the whispers fade away, leaving me to ponder Magiano’s offer. This is one of his games. His famous tricks. Maybe even just a challenge for himself. I watch him carefully, searching for what the right answer should be. Can I actually get to the prize before Magiano runs away with it? I don’t know. Power and speed are two different things.