“Eaton, you said this page is a bunch of notes on this constellation? I think Arden was trying to figure out how to harness one of its stars, and I think Garron was helping her.”
“You think Garron fashioned the star into a key for Arden?”
I nod. “Kylian said this was in his family for generations. Probably starting with Garron.”
“Hold on. A key for what?” Zadyn asks.
“The portal, if I had to guess,” I conclude. “Look. This line says it right here. ‘Together, you hold the key. Two halves of a whole will always find each other. You know what you must do’. When I asked the grimoire to show me something that could help us, it chose this page. There has to be some connection. I think we have to find the other half of the star and join them.”
Eaton hums. “A star key. I’ve never crossed anything like that in my research.”
“Would you want anyone to know about a magical key that can lock and unlock the only gate known to Solterre? Think about if it fell into the wrong hands.”
“I think it already has,” Kai says under his breath.
Mar shakes her head. “But what would they need a key for if they had already installed the Guardians?”
“To keep something out, maybe. Something more powerful than a Guardian,” Zadyn mutters.
I snap the locket closed. “When I saw Arden in that tree, I asked her if a key existed, and she just stared at this. Sheknewwhat it was. She warned me not to let it fall into the wrong hands. Maybe this is why.”
“If the other half is out there, we have to find it,” Marideth says.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if Kylian was already in possession of it.” Kai’s voice is grim.
“Two halves of a whole will always find each other,” Zadyn repeats. “I know how to find the other half.”
He moves around to the grimoire and begins thumbing through it. “We need a tracking spell.”
“I saw one earlier—I think it’s here.” I move to his side, finding the page for him. Eaton fetches a large map of Solterre and spreads it before us. I settle into the chair, taking a deep breath.
“I’ve never done this before,” I say, glancing up at Mar.
She offers me an encouraging smile. “Time to spread those wings.”
“Right.” I nod. “Somebody knife me.”
Zadyn draws a dagger, his eyes secured to mine as he takes my hand and pricks my finger. A drop of black rushes to the surface.
Clutching the locket, I recite the words from Arden’s spell and squeeze three drops of blood onto the map. Then we wait. I feel the cool metal heat against my palm, vibrating as the blood on the scroll begins to travel. I flip it open, freeing the star, and the blood moves faster, forming a single black dot across the Praxian Sea.
“It’s in Vod.” I leap to my feet. “We got a lead!”
Finally,something, no matter how small. I turn to Zadyn, high on the rush of the spell, ready to launch myself at him. His smile sparkles with pride, but I stop myself at the last second, holding up my hand to give him the most emphatic high five in the history of the world.
A high five?What is thematterwith me?
“Well, the good news is, it’s in Vod,” Eaton announces. “And the bad news is, it’s in Vod.”
Our smiles falter.
“Alright, so all we have to do is find a way to obtain it,” Dover says brightly.
We shoot him an incredulous look. Easier said than done, I fear.
“I think we’re on the right track,” Zadyn says, “but if this is the answer to the portal problem, why would Kylian put that kind of power in your hands? It’s risky.”
“I believe it’s what they call hubris,” Kai interjects, flipping his onyx waves out of his eyes. “Not that I would know.”
