“All right, then,” Han said. He wasn’t sure whether he should get up or stay in his seat. He elected to stand. “You probably know that it’s not easy getting to Aediion. Some wizards think it doesn’t even exist. But it does. The first time I went was in Master Gryphon’s class. But I’ve been there several times since.”

“And always came back, it seems,” Micah drawled, as if he’d rather he hadn’t.

“Well, that’s important, isn’t it,” Han said, tilting his head back and looking down his nose at Micah. “You wouldn’t want to get stranded there. That’d be bad.” He kept looking at Micah until Micah looked away.

“Some people think the key to getting to Aediion is in the amulet you use,” Han went on. “Others think that once you get there, it’s easier the next time. Kind of like you’re breaking a trail you can use over and over.” He looked around the table. “How many of you have tried to go to Aediion?”

Everybody raised a hand.

“How many of you have succeeded?”

“Be honest, now,” Abelard put in.

The hands went down.

“How do we know you’ve been there?” Mordra asked, fingering her amulet.

Han looked at Abelard, who said, “I am convinced of it, and that’s all you need to know.”

Mordra shrugged, and Han continued.

“Today I’ll help you get there, using my amulet and the trail I’ve made,” he said. “I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to go back on your own, but it may make it easier for you the next time.”

This was complete rubbish—a story that he and Crow had worked out together—but Han was a rum liar, and they all nodded, even Gryphon, though he looked a little puzzled.

“Now, we have to be touching,” Han said. “Let’s lie down in a circle.”

He’d asked Abelard to lay out seven straw mattresses in a circle by the window. They all laid down, with their heads nearly meeting in the middle. Han heard some muttering and snorting as they assumed their positions. He helped Gryphon to get down, then lay down on the remaining mattress.

Han knew they felt ridiculous, but he didn’t want vacated bodies toppling over and crashing to the floor.

“See?” he said. “Just like a séance at the Temple School.”

Nervous laughter rippled around the circle.

“All right, everyone touching?” Han felt the buzz of power from Gryphon on one side and Abelard on the other. He guessed they’d wanted to be next to him to make extra sure they wouldn’t be left behind.