All five stopped at the door, and Kai used a key he pulled from the breast pocket of his dark suit jacket.

He jiggled it in the lock, revealing a large room filled floor to ceiling with books. The aroma was different to the library in the museum, which was clinical and cleaned thoroughly to preserve the books. This one smelled of stagnant dust that lived on top and between pages.

A long meeting room table made of cherrywood sat in the middle of the room. Kai disappeared around a corner of shelves; Kellan followed but was stopped by Sunni, who raised her arm to block his path.

Bethan watched Kellan scan the room, likely strategizing possible escape routes if things turned sour. It was rare he acted this way, only when he felt threatened. He looked unearthly and less human; he stared at everything in the room with a sense of superiority. Bethan remembered how he would speak of his home in Zakros, and she dreaded to think he was forced to act like that when he lived in that terrifying court.

Sunni’s airy voice broke Bethan from her thoughts.

‘I heard you visited your parents.’ Her tone seemed almost sweet, but Bethan knew better than to trust it. ‘How are they? The last time we saw them, they were so frazzled.’

‘They’re quite well,’ Bethan replied. She kept her voice calm and collected. ‘Actually, they wanted me to thank you for the potion.’

Bethan lied through her teeth. But the only one who seemed to notice was Kellan, who let a small grin slip through his mask.

Elnora seemed unfazed and almost bored as she played with the ends of her long hair and twirled it around her fingers. Sunni straightened and seemed to like the stroke Bethan gave to her ego.

‘And how are you finding the tea?’ Sunni asked.

She could have sworn she heard Kellan growl. Her eyes flicked to Elnora, who seemed to have concentrated on the conversation.

‘I’m finding it well; it helps clear my mind. But it hasn’t brought back my magic yet.’

‘That is most peculiar.’ Sunni turned to Elnora. ‘Are you sure you’re making it right?’

Elnora looked up. ‘Of course I am, Mama.’

Bethan wanted to glare and unleash her power on her, which would ruin their rouse.

It is a secret she will keep close to her chest for now.

Sunni clapped when Kai returned, holding the Antiphonus. Its small size surprised Bethan, but then she remembered that it was only a personal diary, and it made sense that it would be the size of a notebook. Kai laid it flat on the table in the middle of the room. He gestured for Kellan and Bethan to sit in front of the leather-bound book.

Kellan pulled a chair for her before taking the one next to her, a reminder of his princely tendencies.