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I pause and swallow down the thickness in my throat. “It does?”

She nods, her bobbed hair bouncing around her face. “And you’re trying to get rid of it. Just tell me who it is?”

Sighing heavily, I say, “Will you report us?”

Her shoulders shoot back, a flat hand flying to her chest. “I would never. We’re friends. But maybe I can help you all.”

The world starts to tilt because I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation. “So, Lian accidentally stabbed Corvin’s aide, and she died again. Thing is, he’d found her in my bed and thought she was there to attack me.”

“Checks out, as no one tells you how extremely fragile the reincarnated aides can be,” Insy says. “So, what’s the plan? Bury her somewhere in the city?”

I nod, and Lian steps up alongside me. “We don’t need your help,” he says.

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, my lord,” she answers. “If an aide vanishes, it’ll be a huge red flag, and then you three will be investigated. They take these things seriously, plus all aides have trackers implanted in them just in case they go missing. They can track them down to wherever you bury them.”

“Fuck!” Corvin says from the doorway, still balancing the body over this shoulder. “So, we’re screwed.”

Insy lifts her chin, grinning with those needlelike teeth, which always leaves me feeling slightly uneasy. “I know someone who can help, if you’ll trust me? He doesn’t live far. In truth, I was on my way there to see if I could catch sight of him.” She giggles, blushing because whoever this man is, she likes him.

“Sounds like stalking to me,” Lian announces, and I glare at him.

“Not everything needs to be voiced,” I whisper.

But he just shrugs, not caring.

“It’s all right,” Insy says. “I admit it because you should see this monster. He’s so cute, and I’ll take any excuse to see him again.” She spins on the spot, her skirt twirling around her thighs, then releases a soft squeal.

“So, this bastard you’ve been creeping after, how’s he going to help?” Corvin asks.

Insy, seemingly ignoring his insult, bounces on the balls of her feet. “He’s a practicing necromancer. Let me take you there.” She rushes ahead of us and vanishes through the basement doorway. “I’m so excited to see him.”

“Can we trust her?” Lian whispers.

I press my lips together with no reason to think otherwise. “Yes.”

“If shit flies sideways, Lian and I will handle it.”

“We don’t have a better option, so I vote for Insy.”

With their agreement, we enter the basement and march toward the far wall, where Insy waits for us.

Leaving the compound behind, we hurry after Insy, who walks fast. We’re several blocks away in a part of the city with fewer lights, and half of the buildings appear dilapidated.

“I met Scratch at the last winter markets, where he was selling potions. The ones everyone buys, though I doubt they work. You know, love spells, curses, that kind of thing,” Insy explains, having spoken nonstop since we left the compound. “From the first moment I saw him, I knew he’d be my husband. That was a year ago.”

“And you’ve been skulking around after him?” Lian asks.

“Leave her alone,” I whisper.

Insy giggles. “Yes, exactly. My grandma always told me, ‘Girl, if you want something, then hunt it down until it’s yours.’ Wise words.”

“Sounds like decent advice,” Lian adds. “My grandmother made it clear that if I didn’t drag my future wife into our court by the hair, then she’d never respect the woman.”

My mouth falls open. “Are you being serious?”

“Of course he is,” Corvin replies instead. “His bloodline is barbaric.”

Lian chortles. “You wound me and are mistaking me for the Ash Clan.”