Isaac, if you have arrived here, you have already made great progress. This is the Vault, which holds magical artifacts. You’ve been led here by one of those artifacts, and they are both useful and dangerous. They must be guarded at all times, for there are some who would use them for terrible purposes, to win wars or even destroy the human race.

Your mother and I wish we could have trained you properly, but it was not to be. You must continue to piece this puzzle together.

You, Isaac, now hold the only key to the Vault.

Isaac pulls away. I hold the only key? To a Vault that holds magical artifacts? But—

“What is it?” Amelie says, interrupting his thoughts. “Have you found the clue? We probably should hurry,” she says. She moves down the room, searching the shelves. “What do you think it could be this time?”

Isaac shakes his head and leans over again and reads,

Now that you are in Rookskill Castle, you should know that your next set of clues can be found in the . . .

Isaac has to turn the page.

But before he can, he feels the movement inside the watch that’s clutched in his right hand as it begins to stir.

Time’s up. One, two, three . . .

Amelie is far away, down the room.

“Amelie,” he shouts. “Come back at once. Now!”

She turns, her eyes wide with panic.

Isaac runs toward her as she runs toward him, the watch’s quick, sweet bell echoing through the room.

. . . nine, ten, eleven, and Amelie dives for Isaac’s free hand just as it rings for the twelfth time. Isaac whirls through time and space, and he has her hand in his as all goes dark.

CHAPTER 37

Moloch

Moloch waits until the Seelie have exhausted themselves with food and drink and dance, and it is deepest night in the Realm of Faerie.

Wyvern snorts, riffling his green scales as if they are feathers. Moloch knows he is impatient to lift into the sky. So is Moloch.

But now it’s time. He mounts and flies Wyvern to the thin place between worlds, where they slip through. Wyvern is sleek and fast.

At last.

Moloch breathes deeply of the human air, the shadows of storms and smokes of war. Ah, misery. It hasn’t smelled so good in the human world in a while.

Wyvern settles on a tall tree in the middle of the enchanted forest that surrounds Rookskill Castle. Moloch will take his own sweet time to find what he’s been searching for, which must be hiding within the castle walls.

Not too much time, though. Moloch is salivating. When he’s found the Guardian, he’ll be the most powerful fae in Faerie.

No. He’ll be the most powerful being in both the worlds.

CHAPTER 38

Isaac

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