7. Isabel

Chapter seven

Isabel

A s the Councilors rose and filed out of the Throne Room, I caught High Chancellor Thorn's eye and motioned for him to follow. We wound our way through the hallways, finally entering my private study. I closed and locked the door behind us, then wheeled about. "Where is she, Danai? I can't See her anymore. My Gift has been blind to her presence since she was taken."

"I don't know, Your Majesty. As the Sheriff said, the Constables tried to catch the pair midway between Spoke and Cradle. The whistler arrows they fired to mark their location prompted a chase, and then . . . they simply vanished. My Mages have tried to scry for her using the items you gave us but failed. It is as if someone—or something—is blocking our Gifts."

"I've heard of Enchanted devices that do precisely that. Useful trinkets, they are." I stepped around Danai and sank into one of the leather chairs facing the fire. "Items I personally Enchanted for Alfred offer privacy from eavesdropping and other magical protections, but I have never tried to Shield a person from detection. That would require an incredibly powerful Gift."

"Your Majesty, I am unaware of any other Enchanters in the Kingdom. You are the only one."

The flames danced as I stared. Danai stood silently, waiting. "We need more evidence of Melucian provocation. The King is wavering on a preemptive strike, and I refuse to let Jess's kidnapping stop our plans."

"Perhaps this . . . unfortunate incident is exactly what we need."

I turned to eye him. "Go on."

"If we could find evidence of a foreign Enchanter, some device of Melucian origin, the King would shed all doubt. Regrettably, my people inside Melucia's Guild have gone quiet. The Triad knows we're mobilizing."

I thought for a long moment, then stood and strode to the door, pausing before gripping the handle. "Danai, if I could perform the Enchantment on an object, would your Mages be able to trace it back to me?"

"Possibly, but I don't think so. Enchanting is such a rare Gift. Few understand how it works, much less how to probe an Enchanted item." He shifted slightly, a tick he long failed to hide. "The true question is: Is it worth the risk? Discovery of your involvement would spell disaster for you and the King. "

I stepped away from the door and paced back toward the fire. We were so close. The beginning of a new era was finally within reach. Alfred needed one last nudge. He loved Jess more than anyone—I wagered more than his crown. There was a whole world at stake—a world thriving beneath one banner. It would all be worth it. It had to be.

"We cannot fail, Danai. I will unite this continent, one way or the other. If any of your Mages becomes suspicious, deal with them. Understood?"

He didn't flinch, only bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty."

"Now, leave me. I need to think . . . and try to locate Jess again."

Danai bowed once more and backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I strode to the far side of the study where a set of dusty law books consumed ancient shelves. I reached up and traced my finger along the golden script that still glittered after so many years. There were few places in the Palace that were private, places no servant or maid—or royal child—might discover, but this was one, and it was mine.

I pulled volume twelve halfway off the shelf. It stuck, resting at an odd diagonal to the shelf. Then I reached for volume three, then nine. Once all three bowed before me, a loud click sounded. I pulled volume nineteen, as if to remove it from the shelf. The entire second and third shelves swung open, revealing a large alcove containing a few small leather-bound books, vials of glittering blue liquid, and two velvet bags. I scanned the books, settling on an ancient tome whose faded cover nearly fell apart at my touch, then returned to the chair by the fire.

Two quiet raps at the door startled me from my reading.

"Your Majesty, the Council is reconvening," Danai whispered from the other side.

"Tell the King I will join you shortly."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I waited until Danai's footfalls faded, then returned my attention to the text.

The long-dead language used in the book made my search more challenging. There were too many letters in each word—and far too few vowels. Furthermore, I counted no less than ten different accent marks above, below, and across various letters.

As I was about to close the book and return to the Throne Room, my finger froze on a passage. My heart quickened, and the air in the study grew warm.

The top of the page read, Cl?nf?rdn??n , roughly translated as "Sight Blind."

The steps outlined in the formula were surprisingly simple, though some of the items required were rare and would pose a challenge—at least, for anyone who wasn't a queen.

I smiled and set the book down on a side table, then walked back to the hidden compartment and retrieved one of the velvet pouches. I pulled the silken cord and removed an ornate seal used to embed a crest into wax, one my spies had stolen years ago to prove their proficiency and deep access within Melucia's leadership. I turned it upside down and admired the workmanship required to craft the intricate quill, the symbol of the vaunted Melucian Merchants' Guild. At the time it was stolen, I thought it little more than a trophy reminding me of the incredible reach of the Crown. Now, I saw it in a very different light—as the tiny pebble that would begin an avalanche.

Yes, this will work quite nicely .