“Not this again,” Shazi muttered. Beside her, Cecily had grabbed two glass jars and placed them over her eyes, magnifying them to three times their normal size like a Dungwasp.

“Ask me whatever you’d like,” Edwyn told Tadg.

“We were wondering what you knew about the Isle of Roane.”

At this, Cecily lowered the jars. Yasha spilled a vial of Mendijuice all over the table. And even Murph, the only other occupant in the Guild House, stirred from his napping spot by the fire to listen.

“Ah! The Isle of Roane is one of my favorite stories,” Edwyn said. “The mythical island where Lochmordra lives. Sailors and locals have spoken about it for centuries, but it’s been a long time since anyone has actually found it.”

“People have found it?” Viola asked.

“Of course! How else would the story come to be? But the last person was over four hundred years ago, and wherever she said the island was has been forgotten.”

“So do you think it’s real?” asked Barclay.

“Absolutely. But…” Even though the Guild House was practically empty, Edwyn leaned forward and lowered his voice. Barclay suspected this was just for dramatic effect. “The legend is that it’s guarded.”

“Guarded?” Hasu squeaked.

“By monstrous Beasts. And there’s a saying: ‘Not even the sun knows where it lies, and the stars won’t spill the secret.’ ”

Chills crept up Barclay’s spine. He couldn’t tell if the phrase was beautiful or creepy.

“But what does that mean?” Barclay pressed.

“It means that it’s all a great mystery. Maybe it will remain a mystery forever.” Then Edwyn’s eyes roamed over each of them theatrically—as though they all had a secret to hide. “Or maybe it won’t.”

TEN

Within a week, the apprentices had fallen into a routine in Munsey. Days spent with Cyril were usually followed by nights bogged down with homework, while Runa’s lessons meant achy muscles the next morning. By far, everyone’s favorite teacher was Edwyn, who had now twice amazed them with thrilling tales of adventure.

“Do you think he really found an Óirscale?” Hasu asked. “They’re really rare!”

“And expensive!” Cecily said, twiddling her fingers like a pickpocket.

“I don’t see how he could do that with only healing Lore,” Shazi said. When Viola shot her a warning look, she added, “What? It just doesn’t make sense to me. You’d have to jump off a waterfall!”

When everyone turned to Yasha for an explanation of his teacher’s dazzling feats, Yasha asked, “Haven’t you been listening? He uses Lore-enhanced tools. The dorsal fin of a Hookshark makes a great grappling hook, and the vines of a Cordigourd are impossible to break.”

“Dad used tools like that all the time,” Tadg pointed out. “They’re normal for Surveyors.”