She smirked knowingly. “I work for whoever pays the highest.” In an instant, her demeanor changed, she sighed, and her shoulders dropped. “But right now, I hear a lot of fear and worry, and it’s emanating from those within the palace. Coin isn’t as important as answers are. But that is not your concern, nor your problem.”
“I’d like to help. Is there anything I can do?” I asked.
Saphira studied me for a long moment. “Yes, maybe there is something you can help me with.” She reached into her satchel and pulled out a map that had been folded and refolded many times. She laid it out on the small side table, and I saw all the candle wax and ink stains from hours poring over it. “I don’t think the attacks are random. But I can’t figure out how they are connected. Look at the locations of each attack and tell me, what do you see?” Saphira pulled out a folded map of the seven kingdoms: Baist, Candor, Kiln, Isla, Florin, Rya, and Sion.
I leaned over the worn map and studied the various markings, seeing the faded X of attacks and the darker marks of the most recent. At first, I didn’t see any connection.
“I don’t see anything.”
Saphira bit her lip. “Look closer, Honor.” She placed her hands on either side of the map and waited.
Not wanting to give up so easily, I leaned in and tried to see a hidden connection between the attacks. “They’re not connected by main roads or rivers. The attacks aren’t linked by densely populated cities, either. Most attacks were in the capitals, but others were in small farming communities. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for any of the attacks, nor a hint of where they’re going to strike next.”
“I had feared as much.” Saphira leaned back, and I felt like I’d disappointed her. I stared at the map and tried to look at it through a different set of eyes. Ones not marked by buildings, human icons, and names. I went back to a much older map.
“Wait!” Quickly, I traced my fingers along invisible lines on the map. Ones buried deep in my memories. Ones I knew because they were important to my survival. “The ley lines. Each of these attacks is where one of the ley lines intersects with another ley line. The convergence of the two powerful lines of magic is what’s drawing the attacks.”
As soon as I said it, I knew I was right.
Saphira’s blue eyes widened in surprise. “You’re right. I don’t remember where all the ley lines are, but I’m sure one converges here.” She stabbed her finger at a small village in Kiln.
“It does,” I said.
“I don’t remember where the others meet.”
“I do.” I closed my eyes and ran my fingers over the map, seeing gold lines light up in my memories as I traced all of them and began counting how many times they overlapped and converged. It was like running along a rabbit tunnel, going down hundreds of dark passages that broke off, but knowing that eventually, if I kept searching, the tunnels would converge into one main warren.
“Here.” I opened my eyes and stared where my finger had pinned a place on the map. “It’s where they all converge, and the most magic line trickles down to . . .” I moved my finger to see that it had a blurry section on the map that seemed to move.
“Where is this?” I asked.
My eyes met Saphira’s, and she nodded. “That is Thornhaven sacred hollow”
I sucked an angry breath between my teeth. “Then we need to go there.”
“Impossible. That realm is beautiful and deadly. The veil of magic protecting it is too strong. No one has been able to find the entrance in years.”
I crossed my arms, thinking of the veil protecting the Northern Woods. There were many ways to enter. “We look for a back door.”
Saphira smiled. “Yes, there are always many ways in, but few ways out. The next closest convergence of ley lines is . . .” she pointed at the palace. “Right next door.”
We looked up at each other, then glanced out the window toward the palace. My heart thudded in excitement, and I could see her mind working and cranking out a plan.
“If we can find the point in the palace where the ley lines cross, we should be able to use it to gain access the sacred hollow.”
“What do we do?” I came right out and asked.
“I need you to get inside,” I said.
“Why me?”
“I’ve tried. King Leonel’s paranoia has reached a new high. He has heavily warded certain areas of the palace. Nimm won’t set off the smaller wards as a low-level fae. The king still employs house-elves. But Nimm accidentally set off one of the larger wards.”
Nimm shuddered and pulled down his scarf down to reveal a jagged white scar on his neck.
“He barely escaped with his life,” Saphira said. “But you are the daughter of Eville with no magic. I have to assume that you’re the only one that can get past the wards.”
No magic wasn’t exactly true, but I hoped my curse would nullify the wards enough to not stop me.
“But how exactly do you plan to get in? With all the kings coming, the guards will be doubled or tripled. I can’t just walk in the front door without an invitation. I’m not a noble.”
Saphira grinned and leaned out the window as another commotion came from the streets. I followed her gaze when a colorful wagon came to a stop in front of her inn. A man with a black mustache in a bright red and blue vest and puffed pants stood on the bench and joyfully waved his hat at us.
She waved back and her smile turned up slowly as she looked from me to the colorful man in the wagon.
“Leave that to me. I’ve already thought of a plan. It’s the one group of magic users that are welcomed anywhere.”
“Who?” I asked, leaning out the window to see a caravan of wagons and vardos.
“The Magical Menagerie. How do you feel about small spaces?”
“Not great.” I worried at my bottom lip and wondered what in the stars she had gotten me into.
CHAPTER TEN
Cold fingers brushed against my bare skin, causing me to jump in surprise.
“Ouch!” I hissed, wincing in pain as a needle jabbed me.
“I warned you, don’t move, or you’ll get pricked,” a voice shot out.
“Are you sure you only have a needle?” Keeping my head straight, I saw the top of Amaryllis’s blonde head. She turned me around and adjusted the back of the leotard. She was in the process of altering one of the troupe's performer costumes to fit my lanky frame.
“A needle can be a fine weapon; one for sewing up injuries, making clothes, and also . . .” She tucked the fabric under and pinned it causing the costume to creep up my backside, exposing my cheek. I tugged it down to cover more of my bottom. Amaryllis used the needle and pricked me. “ . . . teaching young girls patience.”
“Yeah, that’s because you gave me half an outfit.” I swallowed and looked at how little clothing I was wearing. This time I tugged up the front of the leotard to cover more of my chest.
A hand snaked through the air and slapped my wrist. “Stop that,” Amaryllis warned.
I never imagined that Saphira’s plan to get me into the palace included the traveling Magical Menagerie. It was owned by my sister Eden’s birth parents, Bravado and Amaryllis De Ella. If I looked past the discomfort and thought about it, it was the perfect cover.