Klara sat to the side of the rectangular council chamber, silent, as the council questioned Mikhail.

  Just what did you plan to tell them?

  She honestly wasn’t sure. Her earlier bravado had melted in the presence of the impassive council.

  The three council members sat behind a long table at the rear of the room. Sergei sat beside them and the four of them watched Mikhail—standing in the centre of the room—as he gave his defence. Behind Mikhail, two Sentinel keen-eye watchers guarded the room’s only exit. The large, wooden double doors with crisscrossed brasswork were by far the room’s most expensive fittings. Scarlet Sentinel flags hung at intervals along the grey concrete walls, adding to the gravitas of the chamber.

  Even if you say nothing, Mikhail will tell them you knew he was here.

  Klara returned her gaze to the council as Mikhail began the story of how the Alchemists hunted him. She recognised the weathered eagle-eye keeper sitting between two hawk-eye guardians: Natalia Kozlowek, Borovsk’s commander. Only the vigilant himself outranked her.

  “Mikhail Koskov,” Kozlowek Eagle-Eye said, “do you confess to the crime of aimpersonating a Sentinel—an offence which directly resulted in the murder of two Sentinel wardens?”

  “Yes, Eagle-Eye,” Mikhail said.

  “Are you aware that the punishment for this crime is death?”

  Mikhail hung his head. “Yes, Eagle-Eye.”

  Klara’s chest constricted, and she fought for breath. They weren’t actually going to execute him, were they?

  “Good,” Kozlowek said. “Then you will understand the generosity of this offer: if you reveal who knew of your presence here, we are willing to reduce your sentence to a lifetime in the uzhas mines.”

  Still a certain death, just slightly prolonged, Klara thought grimly.

  Well, stand up and defend him, then!

  “Why do you want to know if anyone knew I was here?” Mikhail asked.

  With sudden clarity, Klara realised Mikhail had no intention of telling the council that she knew.

  Kozlowek scowled, clearly indignant at being questioned by a prisoner. But before she could respond, Sergei said, “Any information you give will help us track the Alchemist spy in our ranks.”

  Kozlowek’s scowl deepened at Sergei’s interruption. “That is correct. So I repeat: who else knew of your presence here?”

  Klara couldn’t breathe past the giant knot in her throat.

  “No one,” Mikhail said, staring at Kozlowek. “Not until my father arrived.”

  Kozlowek’s eyes narrowed. “Are you certain no one knew?”

  “I’m certain.”

  Klara fought to keep her face blank as Kozlowek’s gaze flickered to her. Mikhail had chosen to do this. She’d be free to continue training if she just kept quiet.

  “You never informed your sister, Klara Koskova, who you really were?”

  Mikhail never looked from the Eagle-Eye, never looked at Klara. Never gave a hint that he was lying.

  Lying for her.

  Are you really going to let him take this?

  Klara tried to ignore the accusation.

  “As I told you before,” Mikhail said, his voice incredibly calm, “I talked to no one.”

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  Are you going to let him die so you can have your vengeance?

  Blood pounded through her head, a building pressure behind her eyes. Sweat slicked her palms, and she struggled to breathe.

  Fine! I’ll speak up!

  In an instant, her head cleared, and she savoured a deep breath of cool air as her hearts slowed.

  “He told me,” Klara said, her voice little more than a whisper.

  In the silence that followed, Klara could almost feel the shock emanating from Mikhail and her father as their faces reddened.

  “Repeat that,” Kozlowek said.

  “He told me,” Klara said, voice stronger.

  “I see. And you failed to report that why?”

  Klara rose and straightened her coat before saying, “ ‘Fight with Honour. Protect your Family. Speak in Truth.’ The Sentinel Code is what separates us from the Warrior Guild, it is the reason we defend the gates, not anyone else—”

  “I trust you have a point telling us our code?” Kozlowek asked, interrupting.

  “Yes, Eagle-Eye. The point is that I joined the Sentinels because of that code. My father is a Sentinel keeper, my older sister was a Sentinel watcher, and I wanted to honour my family by honouring the code they so strictly followed. But I didn’t.

  “When my family—the accused—came to me in danger and in need of help, I refused. I broke the code by not protecting my family. I told myself it was fine, he wasn’t a man worthy of a Sentinel’s protection. He was a liar, a thief, and a dishonoured. But then I discovered why he was dishonoured. He was dishonoured for refusing to help the Alchemist Guild hurt his mother. He was a thief because his sister refused to help him. He lied because it was the only way he could defend his family.

  “The past few days, I’ve found him to be a man of honour, of truth, and integrity. In training, he fought better in a team than any other warden—including myself. He has gone to great lengths to defend me, his family. And when our squad was in danger, he risked losing himself once more to rage and took strength extract. I realised then that he was a changed man. He had complete control over his anger, and, instead of running, he put his life in more danger and fought with the squad.” Klara glanced at Mikhail who stared at her in dumbfounded silence. “He tried to hide his presence because he knew the danger. I let slip to an Alchemist that he was here.”

  “The name of the Alchemist?” Kozlowek asked.

  Klara hesitated. Despite the evidence, she just couldn’t bring herself to believe Idalie was a spy. She was too sweet, too open.

  “The Alchemist?” Kozlowek repeated, her voice freezing over.

  “Idalie Reinhardt, Alchemist healer.”

  Kozlowek nodded to the guardian on her left, who rose and hurried from the room.

  “What will happen to her?” Klara asked.

  “You should be more concerned with your own fate, Koskova Warden,” Kozlowek said. “There are a few points I wish to clarify: can you confirm you knew that the accused—a dishonoured Alchemist—had forged papers to gain access to the Sentinels?”

  “Yes, Eagle-Eye.”

  “Can you also confirm that you willingly withheld information regarding the infiltration from the council?”

  A leaden weight settled in Klara’s stomach. “Yes, Eagle-Eye.”

  “Are you aware that the Alchemist Guild desperately wants to retrieve Mikhail Koskov?”

  “Yes, Eagle-Eye.”

  “One final question: did you lead a squad of wardens beyond the sanctuary of Borovsk’s walls after informing an Alchemist that your brother was here?”

  “Yes, Eagle-Eye.”

  “I see.” Kozlowek leaned back in her chair. “You claim to honour the code, but you have not spoken in truth and you have not protected your real family, your squad. For someone who claims to venerate the Sentinels, you shock me. You of all people, given your heritage, should know that a Sentinel’s family is the women and men by their side. Not those who stay hidden behind their thick walls, indulging in the luxuries of the world.”

  “Kozlowek,” Sergei said, “don’t do this.”

  Kozlowek rounded on Sergei. “I would strongly caution silence, Keeper. The council has not yet begun on how you’ve flaunted our code.”

  Sergei’s jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed, but he sat back and held his tongue.

  Kozlowek turned back to Klara. “Klara Koskova, you leave me little choice but to dishonourably discharge you for willingly endangering the safety of this nation. Hand over your coat.”

  Klara’s legs buckled, and she staggered. Deep down she’d known this would happen. But it still hurt. Sovereign Sculptor, it hurt.

  She was only dimly aware of Mikhail screaming at the council, swearing and hurling insults at them for dishonouring her.

  Klara caught sight of Sergei’s slack and pale face and offered him a smile as, with numb and shaking fingers, she unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it off her shoulders. Her life fell to the floor with it, landing in a chaotic heap on the cold stone. At least her father didn’t have to worry about her going to Katavsk.

  Klara nearly laughed.

  Without a word, she walked to the door.

  The Sentinel guards already had Mikhail restrained and his coat removed. Judging by his wheezing, they’d hit him in the stomach to calm him down. One guard held Mikhail upright while the other gently took Klara by the arm and escorted her from the chamber.