This was the shade of the woman who had marked up Imperial Library books, if Vi’s theory was right. She plotted the greatest theft in Solaris history right under the eyes of the royal guard and family. Adela had been so confident that no one would suspect her, she even left a paper trail.
“You wanted someone to find you, didn’t you?” Vi whispered into the imaginary face of the young Adela. She could almost envision the teenager smirking back. Adela would want someone to piece together her brilliance.
What good was a history-making theft without leaving enough behind for the bards to spin tales of her infamy?
Vi’s midsection tensed with a phantom pain and she suppressed a shiver, remembering where Adela had gouged her with an icicle. She hated the thought of playing into Adela’s plans. But letting the crown slip through her fingers was not an option.
To the right of the door was a narrow bookshelf. Each of the books on it seemed to contain records of the projects and supplies used by Waterrunners within the Tower. Vi went right for the year 307.
Sure enough, a familiar pale blue ink was neatly scribbled next to various dates throughout the year. The Tower records had been exempted from the systematic expunging of Adela’s identity. Likely, in part, because her name wasn’t actually written anywhere.
Vi focused only on what she assumed to be Adela’s entries.
A.L. — Storeroom duty.
A.L. — Borrowed seven tokens from the storeroom.
A.L. — Training grounds, Waterrunner combat.
A.L. — Storeroom duty.
A.L. — Waterrunner combat.
A.L. — Absent.
A.L. — Storeroom duty.
The combat made sense to Vi. Adela was frighteningly good in a fight. She’d bet the absence was a trip to Oparium to plan her getaway. Perhaps that was when Adela had even purchased a ship.
“What was your obsession with the storeroom?” Vi murmured, replacing the book back on the shelf.
One by one, Vi opened each of the doors on the outer ring of the workshop. Black disks hung by each one, and every room was identical to the last. A single flame bulb hung over a center pedestal that had water in a shallow indent on top. Vi could only speculate as to the function of the rooms, but she was certain none of them was a storeroom.
Working to quell her frustration, Vi went to leave and it hit her. She froze, staring directly across the hall at an outer door markedWaterrunner Suppliesrather than the name of an apprentice of the Tower.
“You arrogant pirate,” Vi said with a small grin.
Luckily, the storeroom was unlocked. Inside were a few shelves on either side covered in all manner of baubles, books, quills, inkwells, and parchment. Vi closed the door behind her and brought a hand to the watch around her neck.
“Narro hath hoolo.”
Taavin appeared before her. “We’re in… a closet?”
“A storeroom, more precisely. I think this was integral to Adela’s plan.”
“How so?”
Vi didn’t appreciate his skeptical tone. But she didn’t begrudge him it, either. “Perhaps she hid the crown here. Or maybe it leads to another secret passage. The palace is full of them.”
“I’m surprised you don’t know every last passage there is.” Taavin folded his arms over his chest.
“I’ve been working on it.” Vi gave him a mischievous grin. “I don’t suppose you can useuncoseto expose any hidden exits?”
“Not in this form, unfortunately.” Taavin looked down at his palms and Vi barely resisted the urge to tell him that she would make him real. One way or another, someday soon, he would have a body and his magic once more.
“It’s all right, help me look.” Vi began scouring the shelf to the right of the door.
“I don’t think we have to look very far.”
