have been twins, but upon closer inspection, their similarities were not really so pronounced. Jinzha was taller, more thickly built, and he carried himself with the air of a firstborn—a son who knew he was heir to his father’s entire estate, while his younger siblings would be left to a fate of squabbling over the refuse.
“I heard you screwed up at the Autumn Palace.” Jinzha’s voice was deeper than Nezha’s. More arrogant, if that was possible. It sounded oddly familiar to Rin, but she couldn’t quite place it. “What happened?”
Nezha rose to his feet. “Hasn’t Captain Eriden briefed you?”
“Eriden didn’t see everything. Until Father recovers I’m the senior ranking general in Arlong, and I’d like to know the details.”
It’s Altan, Rin realized with a jolt. Jinzha spoke with a clipped, military precision that reminded her of Altan at his best. This was a man used to competence and immediate obedience.
“I don’t have anything to add,” Nezha said. “I was on the Seagrim.”
Jinzha’s lip curled. “Out of harm’s way. Typical.”
Rin expected Nezha to lash out at that, but he swallowed the barb with a nod. “How is Father?”
“Better now than last night. He’d been straining himself. Our physician didn’t understand how he was still alive at first.”
“But Father told me it was just a flesh wound.”
“Did you even get a good look at him? That blade went nearly all the way through his shoulder bone. He’s been lying to everyone. It’s a wonder he’s even conscious.”
“Has he asked for me?” Nezha asked.
“Why would he?” Jinzha gave his brother a patronizing look. “I’ll let you know when you’re needed.”
“Yes, sir.” Nezha dipped his head and nodded. Rin watched this exchange, fascinated. She’d never seen anyone who could bully Nezha the way Nezha tended to bully everyone else.
“You’re the Speerly.” Jinzha looked suddenly at Rin, as if he had just remembered she was there.
“Yes.” For some reason Rin’s voice came out strangled, girlish. She cleared her throat. “That’s me.”
“Go on, then,” Jinzha said. “Let’s see it.”
“What?”
“Show me what you can do,” Jinzha said very slowly, as if talking to a small child. “Make it big.”
Rin shot Nezha a confused look. “I don’t understand.”
“They say you can call fire,” Jinzha said.
“Well, yes—”
“How much? How hot? To what degree? Does it come from your body, or can you summon it from other places? What does it take for you to trigger a volcano?” Jinzha spoke at such a terribly fast clip that Rin had trouble deciphering his curt Sinegardian accent. She hadn’t struggled with that in years.
She blinked, feeling rather stupid, and when she spoke she stumbled over her words. “I mean, it just happens—”
“‘It just happens,’” he mimicked. “What, like a sneeze? What help is that? Explain to me how to use you.”
“I’m not someone for you to use.”
“Fancy that. The soldier won’t take orders.”
“Rin’s had a long journey,” Nezha cut in hastily. “I’m sure she’d be happy to demonstrate for you in the morning, when she’s had some rest . . .”
“Soldiers get tired, that’s part of the job,” Jinzha said. “Come on, Speerly. Show us what you’ve got.”
Nezha placed a placating hand on Rin’s arm. “Jinzha, really . . .”
Jinzha made a noise of disgust. “You should hear the way Father talks about them. Speerlies this, Speerlies that. I told him he’d be better off launching an invasion from Arlong, but no, he thought he could win a bloodless coup if he just had you. Look how that worked out.”
“Rin’s stronger than you can imagine,” Nezha said.
“You know, if the Speerlies were so strong, you’d think they’d be less dead.” Jinzha’s lip curled. “Spent my whole childhood hearing about what a marvel your precious Altan was. Turns out he was just another dirt-skinned idiot who blew himself up for nothing.”
Rin’s vision flashed red. When she looked at Jinzha she didn’t see flesh but a charred stump, ashes peeling off what used to be a man—she wanted him dying, dead, hurting. She wanted him to scream.
“You want to see what I can do?” she asked. Her voice sounded very distant, as if someone were speaking at her from very far away.
“Rin . . .” Nezha cautioned.
“No, fuck off.” She shrugged his hand off her arm. “He wants to see what I can do.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Get back.”
She turned her palms out toward Jinzha. It took nothing to summon the anger. It was already there, waiting, like water bursting forth from a dam—I hate, I hate, I hate—