I point at her. “Youare not going anywhere.”
She rolls her eyes. “You want me to stay alone in a castle with no guards? I don’t think so. And I need the distraction.”
How can I do anything when my thoughts are consumed with worry, panic, confusion? When Astra is in the Shadow Lands? I’m trembling and my magic is getting crazier and crazier by the minute. And perhaps I should put all this ice to some use.
“Fine,” I tell Lidiane. “We’ll go, but once I deal with whatever kerfuffle is happening at the Jewel, you’re going to tell me what’s in this note. At least what concerns Astra.”
Her eyes sparkle with a glint of determination. “I never said I wasn’t going to tell you, Marlak. But let’s deal with that dreadful city first.”
Ferer gives me a tense nod, eying his sister. It’s true that staying alone in an empty castle is not a good idea, and yet I still don’t like to bring her with us. One more person for me to worry about.
I point a finger at her again. “When we get there, stay back, away from any confusion. And be careful.”
She waves a hand, seeming annoyed. “When am Inotcareful?”
“When you steal notes, for example.”
“We should go,” Ferer says.
True. We leave the castle’s heart, descend a flight of stairs, and reach the circle near my stepfather’s previous office. In a matter of seconds, darkness consumes us, soon replaced by stars shining above us. Salt tinges the air, from the ocean roaring nearby. We’re facing a huge plaza and a tall wall.
The Jewel.
I haven’t been here in more than thirteen years, always hiding from all sorts of fae who want me dead, such as the council who controls this city.
And yet now here I am—too worried to even appreciate it.
We step out of a circle on the back of the plaza. From here, I don’t see many guards on this side of the gate, and assume they aren’t counting on anyone getting out. Still, I doubt their plan is to keep that gate shut forever.
The guards by the circle pay us no mind as we walk towards the gate. At the same time, my brother and Ziven approach us in brisk steps.
“Can you summon the crown?” my brother whispers.
I glare at him. So he knows that the royal treasure follows me, knows that I can summon it whenever I want, and yet he dared call me a thief during all these years.
“You mean the crownI stole, Renel?”
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then looks me in the eye. “You might be able to compel?—”
“Compel who?” I point at the turrets. “You want me to put on the crown and ask them nicely? I doubt it will work. And I don’t want to waste time or make a spectacle right now.”
Renel swallows and looks away. Disappointed, I suppose.
Ziven opens his arms. “Right? It’s what I said. Let’s just use our magic. I can help.”
I doubt he can do much, but I don’t want to argue. In fact, I just want to deal with this as fast as I can, so I can focus on Astra. “Fine. Help with the gate.” I turn to Ferer. “Watch our back, and keep an eye on your sister.”
She narrows her eyes while Ferer nods. I turn to Renel. “You too, stay with them.”
He gives me a tight smile, the corners of his eyes tense.
I approach the gate and see the trapped fae behind the bars, trying to leave. I think about all the years my brother sat on the throne and allowed the Jewel to become this horror.
Anger, revulsion, disappointment. There are so many feelings coursing through my veins. And then the worry about Astra. This time, I can’t let my magic come out in erratic bursts—I need to be precise.
“Now,” I whisper, not really expecting Ziven to break the gate, but at least letting him know he can try.
I condense some of the water in the air and create ice manacles, locking the feet and hands of the guards beyond the bars, and attaching them to the ground. They yell in confusion, but can’t do much, at least not right away. A regular water wielder could melt my ice, but it would still take a few minutes. I use ice to block the turrets on the outer side of the wall, then lock the hands and feet of guards behind and around us.
