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I don’t have the words to explain how I felt while we were separated, so I stay silent.
Until I remember what happened before I saw her.
“The hells, Petrik!” I yell.
I spin around and plant my fist right in his face.
“Ah!” we say at the same time. His hands go to his nose, while I shake out my throbbing fingers. I haven’t gotten any better at striking people. It still hurts every time.
“What was that for?” he asks around his fingers. A few drops of blood run onto his upper lip.
“You let me think she was dead!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Why did you hit him?” Temra asks.
“Your face!” I say to Petrik. “You looked about to give me bad news.”
Petrik looks me up and down, taking in my disheveled state. He appears utterly confused.
“Shit,” he says suddenly, and he steps forward, grabs Temra by her arm, and yanks her away from me.
“What the hell?” I ask.
Petrik uses his body as a shield between me and my sister, and I want to punch him again.
“Let go of me!” Temra says to him, trying to shake him off.
“Stop it!” Petrik says. “Ziva, what was the first magicked weapon you ever made on your own?”
“What is going on?” I ask.
Temra tries to sidestep Petrik, but he moves with her. She looks on him with such malice, as though disgusted just by being in his proximity.
“Answer the question, Ziva,” he says.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because I saw you yesterday evening when you arrived at the palace, so clearly there are two of you walking around, and I need to know which is the fake.”
At that, Temra rounds on him. “Ziva came back yesterday and you didn’t tell me?”
“How was I supposed to know she didn’t come to see you?” Petrik asks.
Their bickering is taking off to speeds I can’t keep up with, but my stomach drops to my toes. Someone with my face is walking around.
“Midnight!” I shout, breaking up the pair. “My first weapon was Temra’s shortsword. Honestly, the other me didn’t want to see Temra immediately and that didn’t clue you in that it wasn’t me?”
“You were different, but I thought it was because of whatever Ravis put you through. How was I supposed to guess magic was involved straightaway?”
“Ravis?” Temra asks. “What does Ravis have to do with anything?”
“The cotton spinner is clearly working for him,” Petrik says. “First the linen hiding Serutha’s door, and now this. He must have gotten ahold of her after Kymora was captured.”
“Did you see Kellyn yesterday, too?” I ask.
Petrik nods.
