EMBER’S POV

“How’s my money?” he says, by way of hello, and I can hear the smile in it.

“It’s having a wonderful time. It’s making so many new friends.” I watch , across the shop, gravely considering two different enormous ugly vases. “Don’t go in the dining room when you get home.”

A pause. “Why would I not go to the dining room?”

“No reason. The gnomes are having a meeting, and it would be rude to interrupt.”

“…The what.”

“Love you, checking in, everything’s fine, bye.”

I hang up on the sound of him starting to ask a question, and cackles, and one of the guards — Reyes,...