“Be mindful of the enemies you make,” Dai She said, his voice soft but menacing.

Markhor’s smile vanished. Dai She may have looked and acted the clown, but his power was undeniably great. “You are right,” he said humbly. “I will not be your enemy. Nor will I be your friend. But you need an accomplice, and in that I am a willing partner. If you want to succeed, I will need to know what we are doing.”

Dai She’s face was a mask of stone, but he knew he had achieved a small victory. Markhor still knew enough to respect his power, and in the end, that might be the only thing that could keep Markhor in line. “Remove the map. Then keep the wand until you are satisfied I am telling the truth. But you must promise to return it to me—for one is useless without the other.”

“You have my word.”

And Dai She explained the plan.

And in the trunk, Randall heard every word.

And he knew he must escape.

As it turned out, they arrived in Chicago with time to spare before their connection to the Southwest Chief. Using Mrs. Verrity’s journal, Coralis found his way to the site of the old train station, the historic Great Hall lined with gigantic marble pillars. “What say we venture into the city for a brisk walk before being cramped up on another train?”

Coralis’s mood had improved since Henry told him the details of the incident with his father. However, Henry had the feeling it was for his benefit. All pleasantries aside, he still held on to a nagging guilt that he had messed up. And with that in mind, he was more than willing to go for a long walk that would shift the focus of conversation.

They meandered along the busy streets, staring upward at the marvelous architecture. They stopped to read plaques outside the Chicago Board of Trade and gawked openmouthed at the amazing public library building. A large sculpted owl gazed down upon them as if they were its next meal, making Henry’s stomach rumble.

“I heard Chicago deep-dish pizza is supposed to be really good,” said Henry.

“Perhaps. It hadn’t been invented yet when I was last here,” said Coralis.

“You’ve been here before?” asked Henry.

“Several times, though the last time was a sad occasion. It was during the Great Fire.”

“What’s so great about a fire?” Brianna squeaked from within Henry’s jacket.