Averill shook his head. He seemed to have aged years in a matter of days. “Since they have the castle surrounded, I assume she’s inside, but we have no way of knowing for sure. If she’s in the city, at least Nightwalker is with her,” he added softly, his voice thick with emotion.

“What about the Wizard Council?” Willo said. “Are they under siege in the city with the queen? Are they on Gray Lady?”

Nobody knew.

Willo’s gaze fastened on Dancer, and he knew they shared the same question: Where is Hunts Alone? The seed of an idea sprouted in his mind. If he’s in the city, I might be able to find out what’s happening. I might be able to find out if Cat is there—and safe.

Once the meeting was over, Dancer carried his bedroll a little ways off and spread it out on the ground. He thought of asking his mother to keep watch over him, but she was still in conference with Averill. He laid down, took hold of his amulet, and…

“What are you doing?” Night Bird asked, looming over him, her shape blotting out the web of branches overhead.

“Magic,” Dancer said, propping on his elbows.

She squatted next to him. “Isn’t that the amulet that Elena Cennestre made for Hunts Alone?” She stuck out her finger, nearly touching the Lone Hunter amulet.

Seeing no point in denying it, Dancer said, “Yes. We…ah…swapped.”

Night Bird sat back on her heels. Dancer waited for her to warn him that magic was forbidden on Hanalea. To watch his step—that the Demonai were watching him.

Instead, she said, “I’d like to talk to you about how we could work together.”

He blinked at her, unable to hide his surprise. “Who? You and me?”

She nodded. “To start. But…eventually, I’m hoping that the Demonai—some of us, anyway—could learn to work with the jinx—charmcasters—some of them, anyway.”

Dancer sat up, letting go of his amulet and wrapping his arms around his knees. “I am surprised. What changed your mind?”

“I’m learning that things are not as simple as they once seemed,” Night Bird said. “That there is good in people I thought were evil. And evil in—in some others.” She leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees. “Think what we could accomplish working together, instead of fighting with each other.” She rubbed her nose. “Given what’s happened, I don’t think we have a choice.”

“Does Nightwalker agree?” Dancer asked.

She shook her head. “He would be furious if he knew I’d said such a thing,” she said frankly, looking over her shoulder as if he might have slipped up on them, somehow, all the way from the city.

Although Dancer could think of several things to say, he said nothing. His cousin was taking a huge risk, and he would honor that.