Impossible
Chapter fifteen
Lucianna’s stomach dropped. Grimhaven. She quickly assessed the faces of those in the room.
Did they know? Lucianna’s father could have told them, or he could have kept it a secret as he always had.
She could not ascertain any pointed looks or knowing glances.
Wren looked a touch curiously at her, but nothing that indicated any knowledge of Lucianna’s past.
Castien continued his explanation. “Word has come to us that a powerful object has come into King Claudius’s possession.
It’s rumored to be able to tame cryptura, though none of our spies have seen it in action.
Therefore, we don’t know the extent of its power, just enough to tell us that he should not own it. ”
Lucianna did her best to keep her breathing even and expression devoid of any noticeable emotion.
The prince was a Gifted strategist and known to be hyperobservant.
She could not afford for him to be suspicious of her.
It was not as though her past was a threat.
If anything, it was a boon in this situation.
She hated Grimhaven double the average person, if not more.
But her new family might not believe her.
She blinked a few times and tried to focus on the subject at hand, though that was even more terrifying than her past being found out.
King Claudius had killed his own father in cold blood, then fed him to a den of hungry dyrekin, in order to take the throne.
If he could control cryptura . . . the evil that followed would be unfathomable.
Castien gestured to the chaotic collection of words on the wall. As he explained, he traced connections between various words. Lucianna began to see a semblance of pattern in the ink.
“We will need to travel to Grimhaven on an unmarked ship, arrive unseen, and infiltrate the capital without suspicion. Our informants have not yet been able to determine where the artifact is being kept, so we will have to conduct reconnaissance on arrival. But it is my belief that Claudius would keep it close. Not so close as to make himself a direct target, but close enough to allow him to visit it whenever he wished.”
Lucianna nodded to show she was listening. Her mind whirred with all that would need to happen to accomplish such a task.
“The entire capital is heavily guarded, as it’s where the Games take place and the king himself resides.
It will be difficult to pass through without notice, given our status.
But we will do our best.” He hovered a hand over the word guards.
“Wherever the object is will have the highest concentration of guards. It will also be surrounded by alchemists who are studying it to see what power they can derive from it. There will not be a moment where the object is alone.”
Lucianna barely resisted shaking her head in disbelief. This was an impossible task. She had stolen a great many things in her time as a thief, and from incredibly powerful people, too. But nothing of this magnitude.
“So, sail the Tides on a small ship more susceptible to both creatures and pirates,” Finnick drawled from where he lounged.
“Arrive onto an island of bloodthirsty warriors without drawing their attention. Infiltrate the most dangerous city on said island. Get past hundreds of guards and power-hungry alchemists. And steal the orb. Did I cover everything?” Finnick asked, humor lacing his words.
“Don’t forget that once we steal it, we have to make it back out and off the island,” Lucianna added.
Castien nodded. “All before Eventide is over in eight weeks.”
It took two to three weeks depending on how fair the sailing was to get to Grimhaven. That left little time once they got on the island to complete such a complex mission before Eventide was over and they were stranded on the island with no way home.
“And if we get caught . . . ” Lucianna trailed off, her stomach churning.
“We’ll be prisoners of war, as that’s what will ensue,” Castien confirmed her fears.
The room went silent. Lucianna stared at the wall, her eyes bouncing from one impossible task to the next.
“You, my dear cousin, have gone mad,” Finnick laughed.
Lucianna wondered for a moment if her husband would try to convince the prince of why this was a terrible idea.
She should have known better.
Finnick dropped his feet to the ground, then stood and clapped his hands together.
“So, where do we begin? I assume we’ll need a team. As talented as we all are, I doubt our ability to pull this off alone.”
Castien dipped his chin. “Yes. I have a few people in mind, but I want your thoughts.” He gestured to the wall again. “What do we need?”
“Well, we need a ship, of course. And a captain.”
Wren shook her head and added, “Not just a captain. A wayfarer, preferably a Gifted one. Someone who can be useful once we’re there too. We’ll need maps.”
Castien gave his wife an approving smile, the first he’d donned since Lucianna had entered the room.
“I have someone in mind and have sent word for him,” Castien noted.
Lucianna wondered why he was bothering asking them if he had a plan and contacts already, but she didn’t voice her curiosity. She wasn’t sure how welcome her criticism would be.
“We’ll need man power,” Finnick continued. “Someone who can bash through a wall of guards.”
“I’m hoping that Caldwell will be amenable,” Castien said.
Finnick nodded. “He’s a good choice, but he has kids now, you know.”
Castien ran a hand over his mouth, his eyes darting back and forth as if he were reading something in the air.
“We’ll ask. Perhaps he knows someone if he’s unwilling.”
The room went quiet again, save for Wren’s quill in her notebook. Lucianna wasn’t sure if Castien meant to have her opinion too, but they had missed something.
She spoke up. “You need an alchemist.”
Castien’s attention flicked to her. Finnick turned around, his expression inquisitive.
“A Gifted one. Someone who can create poisons, sedatives, distractions. We won’t get by that many guards with hand-to-hand combat and stealth alone.”
“I had a similar thought,” Castien said. “But the only Gifted alchemists I know are high ranking nobles in the Scientists’ Guild. They don’t like to leave their labs, much less get their hands dirty in politics.”
Lucianna hesitated a moment before saying, “I know someone.”
Castien’s and Finnick’s brows rose in tandem.
“Her name is Cora Thornsbarrow. She specializes in chemical reactions. I’ve seen her work—it’s good. But she won’t be easy to get.”
Castien waved a hand.
“We can make it worth her while.”
Lucianna shook her head. “No, I mean she’s not easy to get to. Kept under lock and key by her mother. You could perhaps talk to Lady Thornsbarrow, but the chances are high that she would spread word about our plans quickly.”
The wretched woman loved to gossip, especially if it made her family name look good. She wouldn’t be able to resist telling anyone and everyone that the prince knocked on her door. Even if it meant she’d have to admit that Cora was worth something.
“Can you get to her?” Castien asked.
Lucianna drew in a breath and let it out, then nodded. She’d snuck in to see Cora in the past. On the surface, this would be no different. Except . . .
“You want me to get her out, too,” she stated rather than asked. “If she’s interested, I’m to kidnap her.”
Finnick smirked. “It’s not kidnapping if she’s consenting.”
Lucianna lifted her gaze to the ceiling in exasperation.
“It will look like kidnapping to her mother. Or that she ran away, which would be worse.”
Castien seemed unconcerned.
“By the time we return to the Lucent Enclave, she’ll be a hero. The status she incurs will remove her out from under her mother’s thumb forever. In fact, offer Miss Thornsbarrow just that: freedom.”
Lucianna supposed that all freedom was bought by risking life. If Cora wanted to do so, Lucianna wouldn’t deprive her of the opportunity. It was perhaps the only one the young woman would get.
“If you’re certain she’s the right person for the job, then you and Finn plan to get her tonight. In the meantime, Wren and I will see to securing our captain,” Castien instructed.
Lucianna nodded once. She couldn’t help but stare at the impossible amalgamation of tasks on Castien’s wall again.
Dread crept up her spine. No one mentioned her affiliation with Grimhaven.
So that meant it was likely they didn’t know.
And if they didn’t, her father thought it best to keep it hidden.
Which meant she was to do the same. Her throat pulsed with a dull ache.
If secrets kept piling up this way, it was only a matter of time before Lucianna crumbled beneath their weight.