The little space between Fairy’s eyebrows crinkled. “It’s probably too risky to go back to the Citadel so soon. I hope they didn’t discover what we did in the shipyards, but just in case, maybe we should try the castle tonight.”

“There’s that locked room near the top that Sora and I couldn’t get into last time,” Daemon said. “Now that I can fly, maybe we can access it from the outside. Do you have your potion that dissolves glass?”

Fairy patted the satchel on her belt, smiling. “I never leave home without my best ones.”

Daemon shifted into wolf form and flew to the Imperial City with Fairy on his back. Technically, he could fly at the speed of light, but it would make Fairy ill if he went that fast, so he tried to go at a less sickening pace. And he knew now how to dim his sparks, so even if he flew slower than the speed of light, Daemon would be able to approach the bloodstone castle unseen.

Unfortunately, Prince Gin’s lair was more populated than the last time Daemon was here. Many of the rooms flickered with candlelight, and the one in particular that he wanted to break into glowed through its two-story windows, a large fire in the hearth. The flames silhouetted eight people inside, sitting formally in a circle.

“That seems like it could be an important meeting!” Fairy shouted into Daemon’s ear over the wind and rain.

“What should we do?”

“Take a closer look, I guess.”

“But how?” Daemon hovered in the air. It was uncomfortable, not having a plan. If Sora were here, she would have mapped out what to do ahead of time. Fairy, on the other hand, had no problem with winging it.

“Fly in,” she said. “We can cling to the walls and eavesdrop.”

It was as good an idea as any. He swooped in toward the castle.

Fairy began to whisper a gecko spell to stick to the wall.

“Wait,” Daemon said. “You don’t need to do that.”

He concentrated on the ledge right beneath the tall windows and imagined it extending itself.

“What are you doing?” Fairy asked.

The stone glowed blue at the ends. Then the ledge began to grow sideways, until it was five feet longer on one side of the windows.

“Making you a foothold.” He smiled and flew over to deposit Fairy on it.

“Wow.” She tested its sturdiness with one foot, then, judging it strong enough, hopped on with her other. “Much better than clinging with a gecko spell.”

Daemon landed on the ledge a bit precariously—it was hard to fit the width of his wolf body and all his paws in a narrow line—and shifted into human form. He was happily covered in a proper uniform and cloak, too. All his practice had paid off.