Now everyone stared at Bird. She fumbled in her carry pouch and withdrew an object wrapped in deerskin. Coming forward onto her knees, she set it on the ground and unfolded the leather covering.

It was a wizard’s amulet in an old-fashioned style—a tangle of branches and birds in white and yellow gold, some of its fine detail worn smooth with long use.

“And where did you find this?” Averill prompted.

“It was embedded in the rose briar below the queen’s terrace,” Bird said, sitting back on her heels, dropping her hands into her lap. Where once Han could have read Bird easily, now it was difficult to tell what she was thinking.

“Is this familiar to anyone?” Averill asked. “Does anyone know which jinxfl—which wizard carries an amulet like this?”

They all shook their heads. Han rolled his eyes. It wasn’t surprising that none of them had seen it. Most of those present never interacted with wizards if they could help it.

Dancer extended his hand. “Could I take a look?”

Bird nodded, and Dancer lifted the amulet, cradling it between his hands, turning it to catch the torchlight. “This is an old piece,” he said finally. “Though made since the Breaking. Nearly all the flash has been discharged. It’s seen recent use.” He looked up. “I’d guess that somebody’s been seen using this, if we ask around.”

“Who should we ask?” Nightwalker said. “The Wizard Council? Why would they tell us the truth?”

“We will ask the flashcrafters at Demonai Camp,” Averill said. “Perhaps someone remembers renewing the amulet in the past.”

Han took the flashpiece from Dancer and weighed it on his palm. “It’s hard to believe that a wizard would drop his amulet without noticing,” he said, frowning. “Or leave it lay if he did.”

He met Bird’s eyes, and she looked down at her hands, embarrassed to be accusing wizards of a crime in his presence.

“If Queen Marianna ripped it off her attacker, and it fell into the garden below, maybe he couldn’t retrieve it right then,” Elena said, taking the amulet from Han. “Maybe someone was down there.”

Raisa shook her head. “Averill said that nobody saw the queen fall, or found her until Magret missed her.”

“It may not be positive proof,” Nightwalker said, “but it supports what I’ve said all along—we should not be allying ourselves with wizards to fight wizards who may be implicated in Queen Marianna’s death. It puts them in a difficult position—acting against their own kind.” Several of the young Demonai warriors nodded in agreement.

“What do you suggest, Nightwalker?” Elena said, leaning forward.