“It has to be Tristan,” said Séverin. “It has to be an honest face. The kind that demands trust.”
Séverin heard a thud as Tristan kicked a table leg. A tiny temper tantrum could only mean he was partially persuaded. Tristan glared at him.
“Will it be during the day?”
“Night.”
“What about Goliath?”
Everyone sighed.
“Goliath has a very strict feeding schedule. He likes his crickets exactly at midnight. Not before or after. Who’s going to feed him?”
“Isn’t Goliath big enough?” asked Laila.
“He’s probably the one eating all the birds in the garden,” said Enrique. “Have you noticed they’re all gone?”
Tristan cleared his throat. “Who will feed Goliath?”
Enrique raised his hand limply. “Me.”
But Tristan wasn’t done. “If I do this,everyonehas to help me with my next miniature project.”
Everyone groaned.
Tristan crossed his arms. “Fine, then I won’t do it—”
“You win,” said Séverin.
Tristan smugly sipped his cocoa.
“Getting the Eye’s location sets us up, but that leaves us with House Kore itself. Their Spring Festival is in two weeks’ time. Tristan is the only one of us who has been to House Kore multiple times for landscaping Forging, so he’ll handle the external layout.”
“What about the invitations?” asked Enrique. “They were delivered months ago.”
“Hypnos will take care of it,” allowed Séverin. “He has to be good for something.”
“Our instruments can’t get past verit stone,” pointed out Zofia.
“She’s right,” said Enrique. “We’ll get stopped at the front door. The only thing that repels verit stone isverit stone. And it’s not like anyone has a spare piece of verit lying around that would throw off the sensors.”
Séverin popped a clove into his mouth.
“Oh no,” said Enrique. “I hate when you do that. Now what?”
“I seem to recall you mentioning some North African artifact that purported similar properties.”
Enrique’s eyes went wide. “I hadnoidea you listened to me.”
“Surprise.”
“But, uh, yes… there’s an artifact I wanted to examine, but it’s being kept under lock and key at an exhibition. It’s part of some exhibit on superstitions from the colonies, but it’s not going to open until the Exposition Universelle.”
“Very well.”
Enrique blinked. “Wait. Do you wantmeto break into the exhibition?”
“Of course not—”
