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that.
    What I really wanted was to be free of her, of her plans, of her control. “Off her leash.”
    I took in a deep breath and stared at the large red planet hovering halfway over the horizon. What did I hope to achieve? What did I think I could do?
    For one, I could talk to Mother. She was the leader of the Ino, the strongest of the seven Families. The El’Asim was a close second.
    No. We had been when my father was alive. I had no doubt that while we might remain one of the largest, we were no longer among the strongest.
    What could my mother do?
    She could convene the Great Families, have a council to—
    Wait. As leader of the El’Asim, I could do that.
    But not as the Knight of Wands.
    Dirt!
    What would I lose by becoming Nix’s knight, her chew toy as Carilyn had so aptly put it?
    I would lose the Families’ trust, their loyalty.
    What would I gain?
    Protection of the Great Families and the tribes. Nix wouldn’t be forced to destroy them in order to find me, to control me.
    But would that stop her? She wanted to control the world. She’d just find some other reason to destroy the cities of the Great Families and the tribes.
    What had drawn me to this idea in the first place?
    Dyna. She thought I could gain Nix’s trust. I shook my head, my lips tight. In order for that to happen, I’d have to trust Nix. That wasn’t going to happen. Ever.
    Would I have the inside edge?
    I snorted, folding my arms over my chest. Not likely.
    Could I negotiate a treaty?
    We weren’t even at war yet.
    Maybe not physically, but in our hearts, we were.
    Metallic heels clicked the stone pavement behind me.
    I didn’t turn. I knew that cadence.
    “There you are,” Nix said as she stood next to me, staring across the waters, blinking at the mist.
    I didn’t acknowledge her presence.
    “Are you considering how to ingratiate yourself into my ranks so I’ll knight you?”
    I watched the water crash against the sheer metal cliff of the city. The more I thought, the more I realized what my answer was. “We both know you won’t.”
    She gave a little “hmm” of approval.
    “I’m leaving.” Was this the right decision? My gut sure felt it was. “Dyna has already said I can do so whenever I wish. You and I both know there’s nothing you can do to keep me here.”
    Her gaze rested on the black tattoos lacing their way up my neck and along my jaw.
    “There’s nothing I can do here, nothing good anyway. You want war. I want peace.” I met her gaze squarely. “And there is absolutely nothing I can do to talk you into giving us peace.”
    She ran her fingertips on my arm, the sun glinting off the moving parts of her gear-work crown. “I’m sure if you put your mind to it, you could convince me.”
    I pushed her hand away and took a step back, staring down at her through narrowed eyes.
    Her eyes widened.
    “You may see me as a toy, Nix, but I am in no mood to be played with.”
    She pursed her lips, her cheeks drawn.
    Her silence was the vindication I needed. This was the first time I’d been able to get that kind of reaction out of her, which meant this had to be right. I turned back to the city. There was nothing to do now except to see if Dyna was serious about securing me safe passage out of there.
    “Synn,” Nix called.
    I ignored her.
    “Synn, wait!”
    I paused, though what I was waiting for, I really didn’t know. There wasn’t anything she could offer me that I’d want. My heart told me what I needed to do. Dyna might have thought being Nix’s knight was the right thing to do, but she was wrong. There was no way I could pull it off. I wasn’t that kind of person, and I wasn’t going to allow her to break me. Not again.
    Her heels tinked on the pavement in a hurried cadence as she came to stand before me. Her red painted nails and her one diamond studded claw flexed as she reached for me. She stopped and flinched, letting her hands fall.
    Was that true vulnerability? Or was she playing me? Again.
    “I