Chapter 30
My stomach drops, and my mouth goes dry. “The actual world, or somebody’s book?”
“Hard to say. But strangely, it’s not a bad thing in the end. In fact, I think it must happen. Sometimes, creation is born from ruin. Sometimes, you must burn the forest to clear the brush, you know?”
I look down at my old T-shirt from Owain, suddenly feeling as if it’s a portent from the gods. Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Raphael’s footsteps sound behind me, and he stalks closer to the table.
His silver eyes pierce the dim light. He’s taken off his bloody shirt, and he’s cleaning himself off with a wet cloth.
Tattoos wind around his bicep and shoulder and spill onto his athletic chest—grapevines that twine around a sailboat and star.
“Tana. Explain more about how she’ll destroy the world. ”
Tana shakes her head, looking down at the cards again.
She points to the burning tower. “I don’t think it’s permanent.
Frankly, I see worse outcomes if we don’t work with her.
Without Syn, there’s destruction with no rebirth.
I think she’s chaotic, with a dark past. She’s done some terrible things.
But I also think we need her. I think the Fey need her fire to burn it all down and start over. ”
Raphael still grips his bloodstained rag, and his icy eyes cut to me. “What terrible things has she done?”
I pointedly sweep my eyes back to the crimson-smeared rag in his hands, then slowly meet his gaze again.
“Tristan and I were trained by King Auberon in the Undercroft, starting at age eleven. You already know that. We were assassins. Spies also, just like you. Except unlike you, we were teenagers in the thrall of a tyrant. And that’s why I want to stop another person like Auberon from taking the throne.
I don’t know what, exactly, you are working on at the Veiled Court.
But if it means stopping the next tyrant king, I want to be part of it. ”
Raphael nods and returns his gaze to Tana. “Are you absolutely sure this is the right thing to do?”
Tana nods. “I’m certain.”
Raphael stares at her for a weirdly long time, then turns to me. “Will you help us protect the Republic of Brocéliande to the best of your ability?”
“Yes. And does that mean you want to prevent the return of the monarchy?”
He stares at me, still assessing me.
“Because I will help you destroy the next king who tries to take the throne,” I add.
“Good,” says Raphael. “This is a reciprocal relationship. We share information with you, and you share it with us.”
Tana points to the reversed magician card and slides it forward on the table. “This is where you start. I need you to find him. We need his identity.”
I frown. “An upside-down magician.”
“Exactly.” She smiles, as if this is sufficient information.
I wait for her to tell me more. When she doesn’t, I ask, “How do I know when I’ve found the right person?”
But she’s no longer looking at me. She drums her fingertips on the cluttered table, gazing at the cards again. I think she’s lost in thought, possibly communing with a spirit.
Raphael pulls up a wooden chair and sits down next to me.
The firelight wavers over the water on his skin, making his muscles glisten.
“Talan dethroned his own father, but he decided not to take the crown himself. He wasn’t interested.
And yet, his claim remains. And now, someone has abducted him and his betrothed, Nia. ”
There’s a flash of pain in his eyes at that last sentence, and I can only assume that he knows her very well. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would show emotion unless he was completely overcome.
“Nia also has a claim to the throne,” he continues. “But more importantly to us, she’s the Lady of the Lake, and she’s very important to Camelot. Nia and Talan disappeared one night from the island of Avalon. We suspect it was someone from the Veiled Court who wanted to get rid of any competition.”
A cold shiver skims up my neck. “That’s why we brought the prince’s dragon back here. You want her to help find Talan. But who is the upside-down magician?”
Raphael’s eyes gleam. “We intercepted correspondence from someone from Brocéliande, intended for the Veiled Court. The messenger managed to destroy most of the letter before we could read it all, but we have fragments. It included an image of the ouroboros—Prince Talan’s sigil.
Then just a fragment, and we think it says the Order of the Green Knight. ”
“Do you think the captives are still alive?” I ask.
A thorny silence takes hold of the room, and I realize I’ve struck a nerve. Raphael’s jaw ticks.
At last, Tana says, “I believe they are still alive, but we don’t have proof.”
“Anything else you can tell me about this magician?” I ask.
She picks up the card. “This comes up repeatedly when I ask about the Green Man from the Veiled Court. His magic is powerful and rooted in nature.”
I was born from the oaks… “I have someone in mind.”
Raphael’s pale eyes narrow. “But you need to follow the evidence. Don’t get hung up on your first hunch and ignore all the data that doesn’t fit your theory.
Watch everyone. Keep your eyes open at all times, and don’t trust a single person there.
If you do have a lead, get close to him.
Find a way into his room. Find the proof, carefully.
Then find out who he’s working with. We need incontrovertible evidence before we act, because we will only get one chance.
And we need you to be as careful as possible.
If your cover is blown, we’ve got no one else in the Veiled Court. ”
And I’ll be burned to death by dragon fire.
“Understood.” I swallow hard. “But someone there has already figured out I’m not the real Baroness Alis.”
Raphael’s expression darkens. “Who is it?”
“Rion du Lac. You know, the Ruthless Knight who took over Tintagol? He already suspects that I’m an imposter, but he doesn’t have any confirmation.
He’s not telling anyone. He wants to form a sort of alliance with me because the crowds like us together.
He also might be the person you’re looking for. ”
Raphael nods. “Okay. This is good. Find out if you can learn anything from him. Use this alliance to buy his silence and see if you can find anything that ties him to the Order of the Green Knight.”
Just as I’m starting to worry about the time, the door bursts open, and Tristan stalks in.
“Did you make your decision yet? Syn needs to get back before anyone notices she’s gone.”
Raphael stands. “We've told her everything she needs to know for now. Tristan, we need to get her back to the portal, but then I want you to stay here for a few days. No one else can fly Tarasque.”
“Where’s the portal?” I ask.
“It’s out in the lake—the altar in Nimue’s tower.” Raphael looks at me. “I’ll give you a key to open the portal.”
Tristan glares at him. “I thought the Iron Legion was also outside the fortress walls.”
“They’re mostly taking cover within the orchards,” Raphael says. “We’ll take the bridge from Merlin’s library to lead us directly to Nimue’s Tower. We can use the stone walls of the bridge to give us cover for the entire route.”
A muscle twitches in Tristan’s jaw. “Fine.”
Raphael frowns at me. “There’s one more thing I need to impart to you, Syn, before you leave Avalon Tower.
At the Veiled Court, you’ll be safest if you go unnoticed.
You must do well enough that you stay in the trials, but not so well that you set yourself up as a target.
The moment you’re the center of attention, you’re in danger, and people will want to kill you.
Stay in the shadows as much as possible. Understood?”
I understand what he’s saying, but I won’t exactly be staying in the shadows if I get the grail. I’m going to try anyway. “Got it.”
Tristan arches an eyebrow at me, his gaze lingering on my face. He knows that I’m lying, but he’s not blowing my cover.
My fingers twitch as if searching for a hilt. “Listen, Raphael, I know you said we’ll be taking cover using the bridge, but I’ll take a sword anyway.”