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Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. Epigraph
  6. BEGINNINGS
  7. PART I
  8. ONE
  9. TWO
  10. THREE
  11. FOUR
  12. FIVE
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. EIGHT
  16. NINE
  17. TEN
  18. ELEVEN
  19. TWELVE
  20. THIRTEEN
  21. FOURTEEN
  22. FIFTEEN
  23. SIXTEEN
  24. SEVENTEEN
  25. EIGHTEEN
  26. NINETEEN
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. TWENTY-NINE
  37. THIRTY
  38. THIRTY-ONE
  39. THIRTY-TWO
  40. THIRTY-THREE
  41. THIRTY-FOUR
  42. THIRTY-FIVE
  43. THIRTY-SIX
  44. PART II
  45. THIRTY-SEVEN
  46. THIRTY-EIGHT
  47. THIRTY-NINE
  48. FORTY
  49. FORTY-ONE
  50. FORTY-TWO
  51. FORTY-THREE
  52. FORTY-FOUR
  53. FORTY-FIVE
  54. FORTY-SIX
  55. FORTY-SEVEN
  56. FORTY-EIGHT
  57. FORTY-NINE
  58. FIFTY
  59. FIFTY-ONE
  60. FIFTY-TWO
  61. FIFTY-THREE
  62. FIFTY-FOUR
  63. FIFTY-FIVE
  64. FIFTY-SIX
  65. FIFTY-SEVEN
  66. TRICKSTER
  67. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  68. Also by Susan Dennard
  69. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  70. Newsletter Sign-up

“Leave?” She rounded on Leopold. “And what of the noose?” She fished it out from beneath her collar. “If I leave, then Henrick will simply call me right back.”

“Yes.” Leopold steepled his hands. “That is certainly the greatest challenge facing us, but I don’t believe all hope is lost. Not yet, anyway.” He reached for the Truth-lens, clutched tightly in Safi’s right hand. When she did not release it, he let his hand fall back to his side.

“That lens contains your magic, meaning whatever power was carved away from you, some yet remains.”

“Oh.” Safi stared down at the brass-bound lens upon her palm. Mist beaded against it. While she had considered that the device held half her magic, she had not considered that it might mean she was only half a Hell-Bard. “So you think … I can get my magic back?”

“That,” Leopold answered, “I do not know.” He patted the space beside him on the bench. “But if we could somehow gain access to Hell-Bard Keep, I think we might be able to find answers. Unfortunately, they guard their premises and do not welcome outsiders.”

“But Polly.” Safi sank onto the bench and grinned. A real, true grin. “Surely your spies have told you by now that I will train tomorrow with the Hell-Bards. His Imperial Majesty gave me his permission just tonight.”

“Indeed.” Leopold matched her smile.

“Indeed,” she replied. Then she popped the Truth-lens back upon her eye. “Now tell me everything you know about Iseult and where you think she might be.”

SEVENTEEN

All was silent within the cove. After the madness of the escape—after the waves crashing and the ship groaning, after the splash of oars and surge of magic—the cove felt too calm, too still.

No one moved and no one spoke for an eternity. The day’s sun lifted higher and higher while the sailors watched Vivia, still at the tiller, and while Vivia watched the snaking passage behind the Iris.

But no one came down it, and no Windwitches suddenly appeared. Vivia’s plan had worked. For now. And the instant she twisted toward her crew, everyone seemed to collectively exhale. A great loosening of spines, a great drooping of shoulders.

Sotar was the first to speak. “Stow oars,” he called, just loud enough to be heard. Though it was unlikely a shout would carry out of the cove while the tide carried in, there was no telling what lay nearby. Or who, for this was Nubrevna, and Vivia was not welcome here—not as queen, at least.