She could use ryuu particles to fine-tune the focus on the spyglass. But Sora hesitated to touch that magic, the very thing that had damned her. Casting a ryuu spell would be like soaking her skin with pure evil.

But the magic itself isn’t bad, she argued with herself. After all, it was the same magic used by taigas—the only difference was Sight, the ability to see the particles and use the magic in even more powerful ways. And Sight had come from the afterlife, where it was supposed to be a gift to taigas for a life well lived. It was only the act of stealing that had cast a wicked pall on the magic.

Besides, she would be using the ryuu particles to protect Kichona, the very thing taigas were supposed to do.

Sora made her decision and called to the emerald dust.

It infused the spyglass, sharpening its focus and allowing her to better scan the short coastline. The island was not much more than two miles long and a mile wide, like a chunk of the cliff Sora was lying on had fallen off sometime in the past, tumbled into the ocean, and decided not to sink but instead floated a short distance away. It was made of jagged outcroppings and scored with narrow fissures that were probably created by water wearing down the rock over the centuries.

Which means there might be caves inside, Sora thought. A perfect place to imprison a deposed empress.

Sora couldn’t see Dera Falls itself, since it was on the eastern side of the island, but Daemon was taking care of that with his flyovers.

They needed to figure out a way to sneak in and out. Ideally, they’d get in, Daemon’s magic would neutralize the Dragon Prince’s spell—assuming he’d hypnotized the empress—and then they would smuggle her out without anyone knowing. Of course, that was unlikely, but so far, Sora hadn’t seen much in the way of guards.

As she continued studying the island, the cloud cover shifted, and a little more light from the moon made it through the fog. The soul pearl strained against Sora’s collar, and she moved her spyglass to follow its direction.

There! Movement at the top of one of the crags.

Crow’s eye. A dozen guards on patrol, marching back and forth. But was she seeing correctly? Sora could make out their general outlines, yet the moonlight seemed to be shining through them. There must be some kind of reflection—maybe off the water’s surface—playing tricks on her.

She squinted and adjusted the focus on her spyglass.

Sora let out a gasp. Her eyes hadn’t been duped. Moonlight was shining through the soldiers, because they were made of bones.

“Skullcrusher and Skeleton,” she murmured, remembering the brothers. The bone warriors were their doing.

How do you fight soldiers who can’t die, because they’re already dead?