“That’s not what I heard. I heard there was a fire in the Red Hall and they’re looking for whoever set it.”

There were more wild rumors, but in our rush, we didn’t catch them all. No matter what, it was bad news for us.

“Where are we going?” Chenda asked.

I’d led them around several corners, staying clear of the guards swarming through the city. Sweat gleamed on all of us, and my bag weighed painfully across my body, but I didn’t slow. “Nine.”

Gerel shot a heavy glare at me. “We’re avoiding one enemy by going to another?”

“She’s been hiding in this city for gods know how long. She can hide us, too.” I didn’t actually know that was true, but we were out of options. The Chance Encounter was gone, and we had no other allies—or even potential allies—in the city. Not ones with the ability to help us.

And—I didn’t know how to mention it to the others without sounding crazy—I felt a strange and uncomfortable pull toward the empire. Not like I belonged there. No, I belonged here in the Fallen Isles. But like I needed to go there. Find something.

The first dragon.

It wasn’t long before we ducked into the shoe shop where Aaru and I had met Nine that morning. An older woman looked up, startled to see so many people entering, and all of us carrying bags. Hristo and Gerel both had weapons.

“I don’t want any trouble.” Her voice was low, gravelly. She pulled out a leather envelope that rattled with coins. “Take it. This is all I have.”

Hristo’s mouth dropped open. “We’re not here to rob you.”

“We’re looking for someone.” I glanced around the shop; it was the same as it had been earlier—quiet, meticulously clean, with a single narrow walking space—but no imperial spy.

The shopkeeper twisted her hands together and gazed around. “I’m afraid I can’t help you. There’s no one else here. Unless you think shoes have personalities. Some people do, you know.”

I started toward the back room. “No one’s staying here?”

“No.” A note of alarm filled her voice, and she came bustling out from behind the counter. “Why?”

::Nine isn’t here.:: Aaru’s tap came against one of the shelves displaying the shoes.

I stopped in the middle of the shop and sighed. “Sorry. We shouldn’t have bothered you.” If Nine wasn’t here, then she was probably at the Red Hall again. And in that case, I was out of ideas.

We couldn’t go back to the hotel. If the high magistrate knew about the Voice of Idris, then he’d look for someone visiting Anahera—an Idrisi—so hotels would be the first place his guards searched.

The old woman came toward me and whispered, “Are they after you?”

My shoulders stiffened. How did she know? Maybe she was Nine; maybe changing her appearance was something else her magical device allowed her to do. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she said, “they’re rounding up a lot of people. No one really knows why, but everyone can’t be suspects for the explosions. Why, they took my friend Hemi. She owns half of the shops on Revis Avenue, but she’s afraid of fire. She had an accident as a child, you see, and . . .”