by Lee Bacon
A chill grips my spine. As long as the Sorceress inhabits the palace, I’ll never be safe.
“Everything okay?” Kara asks.
I take a deep breath and then nod. “Just a bit spooked.”
“Yeah, me too.” Kara shivers. “Hey, Xyler. How much farther is it?”
The cat’s reply comes from a few steps below. “Almost there.”
“Good,” Kara and I say at the same time. Then we set off at a quicker pace. Down the stairs. Through another long passageway. Around a corner. Soon we arrive at a steel grate. The bars that once blocked the opening have rusted away. Xyler easily fits inside. Getting onto my hands and knees, I squeeze inside. Kara follows.
“This pipe leads outside the palace walls.” Xyler’s voice echoes through the tight space from up ahead. “It was once used for disposing raw sewage, but—”
“Wait a moment!” I stop crawling. “You mean this pipe was filled with…with…”
“Poop!” Kara gags. “Ugh! It’s a poop pipe!”
“That was a very long time ago,” Xyler says. “The palace updated its sewage system two centuries ago. This pipe has been abandoned ever since.”
“Oh, so we’re crawling through two-hundred-year-old poop.” Kara casts a revolted look at the curved walls. “Couldn’t you have told us that before we climbed inside?”
“I was worried you wouldn’t follow me,” Xyler admits.
“You may be right about that,” I say.
“This is the only way we’re going to escape the palace without being caught. Although I should probably warn you. We’re about to reach a section that can be a bit…unpleasant.”
“You mean, more unpleasant than mummified poop?” Kara asks.
But Xyler doesn’t respond. In fact, when I glance ahead to where he’d just been, the cat seems to be…
Gone.
“Xyler?” I call out.
No response.
This doesn’t make any sense. A cat can’t just…disappear. I crawl forward quickly, searching for any sign of him. Xyler’s warning chimes ominously in my mind. Unpleasant. What could he have meant by that?
A gust of wind blows through the pipe and my grip on the torch tightens. The flame flaps in the heavy breeze, then flickers out. Everything’s consumed in complete darkness.
Confusion and fear unfold inside me. I scramble forward. But before I even realize what’s happening, the floor drops out beneath me.
And all of a sudden, I’m falling.
As if crawling through ancient sewage weren’t bad enough. Out of nowhere, everything goes dark. Fred lets out a scream, but the sound of his voice quickly fades. I scramble to follow him. But instead of the floor, my fingers grasp only air. All of a sudden, I topple over and plummet into nothingness.
Down and down and down and—
SPLOOSH!
It’s like I’ve just been dumped out of a waterslide into the swimming pool. I plunge beneath the surface. The cold, dark water jolts me into shock mode. Alarm bells blare in my mind. I can’t breathe, can’t see, can’t tell which way is up. For a few panicked seconds, all I can do is kick and flap my arms wildly. Then I remember what Xyler told us. The pipe leads past the palace walls. Which means we must be outside. I know from my little excursion on the balcony that Heldstone has seven moons. Opening my eyes, I notice their light piercing the darkness. With a few powerful kicks, I see them grow brighter and brighter.
Next thing I know, my head breaks above the surface. Cool air fills my lungs. Wiping the wet hair out of my eyes, the first person I see is Prince Fred.
“Nothing like a little late-night dip, huh?” he says, already paddling toward the shore.
As I climb out of the frigid water, I’m grateful that I’m still holding on to the purse. And the magical owl necklace inside. Without the Chasing Charm, any chance of finding my dad would dwindle to somewhere around zero.
On the shore, I catch sight of a miserable lump of wet fur. Xyler. Seeing the cat fills me with sudden annoyance.
“What happened back there?” My wet shoes squelch as I stomp in his direction. “Don’t you think you could’ve warned us we were about to go for an unexpected swim?”
Xyler stops licking himself and glances at me. “I said we were about to experience something unpleasant.”
“Maybe next time you can be just a tiny bit more specific. You know, something like, ‘Hey, guys, just a heads-up, but you’re about to plunge fifty feet into cold water and you might drown.’ Something like that.”
“My apologies. I fell through the opening before I got the—”
“Shhh.” Prince Fred ducks behind a cluster of bushes.
Crouching beside him, I whisper, “What’s going on?”
Before he can answer, I hear a faint noise. Footsteps. Peering around the edge of the bush, I spot four guards stalking in our direction.
Nerves twist inside me. What if they heard me doing a massive cannonball a minute ago?
“Any word on the whereabouts of Prince Frederick?” asks one of the guards.
“Still missing,” says another. “Grand Duke Sturmenburg saw the prince being abducted by a girl—”
“A girl?”
“Must be how she managed to get so close to the prince. Nobody would suspect a little girl of committing such an act of treason.”
One of the guards spits in disgust. “We’ll find her. And once we do, she’ll get a nice, long stay in the torture chamber before she’s killed.”
A shudder breaks across my entire body. The footsteps come to a halt. It sounds like they’re just on the other side of the bush. I hold my breath, but my heart keeps pounding.
“Of course, the king and queen are beside themselves with worry,” one of them says. “They’ve canceled the rest of the Luminary Ball and dispatched every last guard and servant to look for Prince Frederick and the girl.”
“What if the girl’s already left the palace with the prince?”
“The king and queen sent dozens of couriers to alert Royal Guard patrols. And Grand Duke Sturmenburg has personally committed a thousand of his best troops.”
“Worry not. By daybreak, the entire kingdom will be searching for the prince. That traitorous girl doesn’t stand a chance.”
Once the group of guards finally marches away, I turn a determined glance at Kara. “We must return to the palace at once.”
She stares back at me. “You’re kidding, right? We barely managed to get out of there. Now you want to go back?”
“We have to warn my parents!”
Kara shakes her head. “Didn’t you hear what those guys said? I’m, like, at the top of Heldstone’s Most Wanted List. If I go anywhere near that palace, they’ll arrest me—”
“Not if I tell them the truth. I’m the prince. They have to listen to me.”
“You already saw how the Sorceress brainwashes people. She can control what they think. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you say—if you go back to that palace, we’ll both be killed.”
I cast a frustrated gaze into the moonlit water. As much as I dislike it, Kara’s right. There’s no way we’ll make it far enough into the palace to see Mother and Father. And even if we somehow did, the Sorceress could simply climb out of the shadows and reach into their minds, turning them against me.
Kara brings a hand down on my shoulder. “We’ll figure out a way for you to see your parents again. I promise.”
“What about the poison?” I ask. “In three days—”
She cuts me off before I can say anything more. “There has to be a cure. An antidote. Something. We’ll find it. And we’ll bring it back to them.”
I nod, forcing myself to believe her. “The grand duke—the Sorceress…they can’t get away with this.”
“They won’t.”
A sound from below intrudes on our conversation. Xyler clearing his throat. “Pardon the interruption, but we should probably keep moving.”
The cat tilts his head to the right. A cluster of sil
houettes in the distance. More guards are headed our way.
Kara opens her soaked purse and unclasps an inner compartment. Grasping the chain tightly, she removes the Chasing Charm. The little silver owl bursts into the air. Magical metallic wings flapping.
I have no idea where the owl will end up, but I’m certain of what we’ll find when we arrive there.
Kara’s father.
If we manage to stay alive that long.
I peer out into the dark expanse in front of us. I’m nearly as much of a foreigner in Heldstone as Kara. Practically my entire life was spent inside the palace. On those rare occasions when my parents allowed me outside the walls, I was always surrounded by countless guards.
Gripping the necklace, Kara sets off in the direction that the owl leads her. Xyler follows closely at her heels. I cast one final glance at the palace. My home, looming tall and majestic in the night sky.
I wonder if I’ll ever see it again.
The Chasing Charm leads us into the heart of Valpathia, the capital of Heldstone. Once we’re there, I carefully place the enchanted owl necklace in the purse and cast a glance at our surroundings. The broad street bustles with men and women and magical creatures. Vendors push rattling carts through the crowd, hollering about their merchandise.
“Half off all drinks! Mead! Cider! Honeydrop!”
“Potions for sale! Buy two, get one free!”
“Clear up your complexion with Auntie Ebb’s Enchanted Acne Cream!”
I pull Prince Fred behind a pillar, where we won’t be noticed. “Do you have any money?”
“Now isn’t the time to purchase acne cream,” he says. “Even if it is enchanted.”
“Not for that. You need to buy new clothes. You’re not gonna blend into the crowd. Not dressed the way you are.”
Fred glances down at his outfit. Everything’s still damp from our little swim earlier, but that does little to hide the aristocratic attire. The shiny purple coat, the pearl buttons, the frilly lace poking out of his sleeves. He looks like he should be posing for a royal portrait, not wandering through a street market. Especially when you look at what everyone else is wearing. Drab grays, basic browns. He might as well be wearing a sign on his head that says RUNAWAY PRINCE.
“Perhaps you’re right,” Fred agrees. “Just one slight problem…”
“What?”
Fred stares down at his shoes. “I didn’t bring any money.”
“Seriously?”
“I left my coin purse in my room. I didn’t realize we’d have to make such a quick escape.”
I let out a frustrated groan and glance in Xyler’s direction.
“Don’t look at me,” he says matter-of-factly. “Cats have no use for currency.”
“My apologies for the oversight,” Fred says. “I’ve never really been required to carry money. People usually just…give me things.”
Poor little prince. This snide remark is on the tip of my tongue. But before I can get it out, my attention is snagged by a flicker of gold on Fred’s pinky finger. A ring. And it looks expensive.
“Is that real gold?” I ask, nodding to the ring.
A haughty look comes over the prince’s expression. “Of course it’s real gold!”
“Good. Hand it over.”
“Now hold on a second.” Fred touches the ring defensively. “My father gave this to me. It’s been in our family for generations.”
“It won’t do you much good if you get captured.”
“Kara has a point, Your Highness,” Xyler says. “Unfortunately, selling the ring could prove difficult because of the Royal Signet—”
“What’s a royal signet?”
“An engraving of the Royal Family’s coat of arms.” Prince Fred holds out his ring. A crest has been carefully carved into the top.
“If Prince Frederick tries to sell his ring,” Xyler continues, “then everyone will immediately know it’s him. And the whole idea is to avoid being recognized.”
“Then I’ll sell it,” I say.
Xyler gives this some thought. “Such a rare item would fetch a tidy sum on the black market. And with a long journey ahead of us, we could use the money—”
“Fine.” With a sigh, Prince Fred twists the ring off his pinky and shoves it into my palm. “Just take it.”
“I know someone who will purchase the ring without too many questions,” Xyler says. “He’s a fwarf—”
I tilt a questioning glance at the cat. “What’s a fwarf?”
“Half faun, half dwarf. So when you meet him, don’t stare.” Xyler turns his gaze toward the prince. “It’s best if you remain here, Your Highness. We’ll return as soon as we can.”
Fred nods. “I’m not going anywhere. Have fun with the fwarf.”
Xyler leads me quickly through a maze of twisting back alleys. Ancient-looking buildings lean crookedly over cobbled streets. Turning a corner, we meet a stray cat that hisses at us. Xyler replies in a terse tone.
“I just saw a delicious-looking mouse back that way.” He points a paw behind us. “If you go now, you might be able to catch it.”
The stray cat lets out an excited meow and bolts off in one direction. We go in the other.
A minute later, we emerge into a dingy square. Masses of people swarm through a chaos of dirty-looking tents and cobbled-together wooden booths. Smoke and raucous shouts fill the air. A groggy group spews from the open door of a dilapidated shack. It’s impossible to tell whether they’re best friends or about to break into a fistfight. Maybe both.
I turn an uncertain glance down at Xyler. “You sure this is the best place to sell the ring?”
“Unfortunately, yes. The black marketplace might be unruly and dangerous—”
“And stinky.” I pinch my nose.
“But it’s also the epicenter of illegal activity in Valpathia.”
“Well, that’s comforting.”
“Merchants here are much less likely to alert the Royal Guard when someone tries to sell them stolen goods.”
“Fine.” I tighten the grip on my purse. My most valuable possession is inside. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Xyler leads the way through the chaotic mob. Most of the people here are too busy with their own shady dealings to even notice us. A fairy wobbles unsteadily through the air. A dark figure in a robe approaches us, muttering something about “deadly potions at steep discounts.”
“Uh, no thanks,” I say, staggering to catch up with Xyler.
The cat weaves through the crowd, eventually ending up at a tent. Pausing at the front flap, he looks back at me.
“It’s probably best if I do the talking.”
Following Xyler into the tent, I take in my surroundings: Stained burlap walls. Boxes open to display glittering jewelry. Wooden crates stacked in one corner. Framed paintings in another.
“No children allowed!”
The shrill, screechy voice takes me by surprise. An instant later, one of the paintings swivels and I notice the figure holding it. This must be the fwarf. The guy barely reaches my chest. And that includes the horns that poke out of his curly brown hair. For a split second, I think he must be wearing a pair of fur pants. But nope—those are his legs.
“Get out!” the fwarf commands. “This isn’t a nursery. I don’t look after lost children.”
Xyler speaks up. “She’s with me.”
The little furry-legged man’s eyes drop to the floor. “Xyler! Didn’t see you there.”
“Hello, Percival. It’s been a while.”
“Quite a while. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“There’s something we’d like to show you. A spectacular object. Truly one of a kind.”
Xyler gives me a quick look. That’s my cue. Opening my hand, I show Percival the gold ring glimmering in my palm.
The fwarf—Percival—gingerly sets down the painting and steps across the tent. His hooves click against the stone floor. He plucks the ring out of my hand and studies it with his dark eyes.<
br />
“This is the royal signet,” he murmurs. “An exceedingly rare piece. If it’s not a forgery.”
“I assure you, the ring’s authentic,” Xyler replies calmly.
“We shall see about that.” Percival fishes in his pocket and removes a magnifying lens. Holding the ring in front of the lens, he turns it one way, then the other, muttering to himself. “Engraving’s at least two centuries old. Yet the coat of arms remains remarkably intact. Unparalleled craftsmanship.”
Returning the lens to his pocket, he slowly shifts his dark eyes from Xyler to me. He seems to be examining us the same way he examined the ring. Closely, skeptically, coldly. As his attention lands on me, I feel my skin prickle.
“This is quite a unique item, little lass,” he says. “How did it come into your possession?”
Before I can speak, Xyler answers for me. “She works in the palace.”
Without taking his focus off me, without even blinking, the fwarf replies, “I asked the girl, Xyler. Not you.”
Percival inches closer. Any second now, I’m sure he’s going to pull out his magnifying lens and start inspecting me.
“Well, little lass?” He raises an eyebrow. “How’d you get this pretty ring?”
I straighten my shoulders, forcing myself to reply in my most confident tone. “I’m not telling.”
Now both of Percival’s eyebrows are raised. “Is that so?”
I nod. “My lips are sealed.”
“I’m not buying this ring until you tell me how you got your hands on it.”
The fwarf’s harsh gaze burns into me. But I don’t back down. I can’t say exactly why. It’s just a feeling. A glimmer of an idea at the corner of my mind.
“You want to sell your ring, right?” Percival whispers. “So just tell me how you obtained it.”
“No.” The word comes out firm as stone. “I’m not telling. Ever.”