I tensed. Why wasn’t the spell working?
“Where we are from is not your concern,” Kull said. “When can we speak to your leader?”
“Outsiders are not permitted to see Jeven. It is forbidden for anyone but…” Her eyes glazed as she peered at us. I finally felt the amulet’s spell working. “Are you outsiders?” she asked again. “Now that I think of it, you do seem familiar.”
“We are here to speak to Jeven,” I said calmly. “Please, can you find him for us?”
“I… I… yes, of course.” She shook her head as if trying to clear away the cobwebs. “I shall return with him shortly.” She turned and dashed away, leaving us alone.
I let go of my pent-up breath. “That was close.”
“I agree. I only hope the amulet’s spell works on their leader.” Kull scanned the room, his face unreadable. “Where do you suppose he keeps the sword?”
“No idea. Were you planning to search for it?”
“That is what we’re here for. I’ve got an uneasy feeling about this whole situation. I’d rather find the sword and escape this place as soon as possible. We’re deluding ourselves to think we can somehow befriend him and hope he gives us the sword out of the kindness of his heart.”
“That’s not what Maveryck said,” I retorted. “He didn’t want us making an enemy of Jeven, but he never suggested that befriending Jeven would lead to him giving us the sword. Besides, we don’t even know where it is, nor have we met Jeven yet. Although,” I said, glancing at the people standing and talking quietly across the room, “I do agree about feeling uneasy.”
The doors on the other side of the room were flung open, and the girl we’d met a moment ago walked into the room. A man, I assumed Jeven, walked behind her.
With the muted colors in the place, seeing him walk inside—clothed in deep red, with hair of the same hue and eyes to match—came unexpectedly. His skin was the color of gray marble, so smooth it didn’t look natural. He was tall and very slender, and his dress shirt with a ruffled collar hung off his frame. His presence was overpowering, and I couldn’t look at him too long. Although his eyes weren’t glowing as brightly as some of the others, they held an intensity that made me shudder.
He didn’t smile as he approached us. Iciness radiated from him, making my insides squirm. The absolute power of his magic set my teeth on edge. Lucretian said he was powerful, so I should have expected this feeling, but still, I shuddered in his presence.
“Why have you come here?” he asked, his voice smooth and silken, almost inhuman.
Kull stood tall, leveling his own intimidating gaze at the warlock. Having been on the receiving end of that glare a few times, I didn’t envy Jeven. “We are travelers,” he said, “from another country, and we are here to send you a warning.”
His eyebrows rose. “Travelers? How were you able to enter my tower?”
“We were permitted,” I said, “because we come with a message about the Regaymor.”
Fear flashed through his eyes at the mention of the nightmarish creatures. “What about them?”
As he asked the question, I could feel the amulet’s powers working. I hoped it held steady as I wasn’t entirely confident Jeven wouldn’t detect the magic. Lucretian had assured us it was too weak to be noticed, and I prayed he was right.
“The Regaymor are growing stronger,” Kull said. “Your wards will not keep them away much longer as the power of the stones fail. There is only one weapon to keep them away.”
“What weapon do you speak of?”
Kull and I traded glances. I wasn’t sure how Jeven would react when we brought up the weapon he kept heavily guarded, but I hoped the amulets would soften his reaction.
“It’s a sword,” I said.
His eyes narrowed.
“I have many swords. Of which one do you speak?”
“The sword from another world,” I answered. “The sword of Dracon.”
He locked his jaw. Anger burned in his eyes. “How do you know of that?” he hissed, glancing guardedly at the gathering. “No one knows of that sword. Come, both of you will follow me.” He turned on his heel and marched out of the room. A few people stared after us as Kull and I followed Jeven into the hallway. Nerves knotted my stomach. I wasn’t sure what he planned to do with us. Bringing up the subject of the sword had been risky, but if we wanted to take it, we had to know its location first. Judging by the sheer size of Jeven’s tower, I wasn’t even sure where to start looking.
He led us into a smaller room and shut the door quietly behind us. Tall vases lined the walls of the circular space, and a fire burned in a hearth across from us, putting off a little heat.
“Where did you hear of that sword?” he demanded.
“It’s common knowledge where we come from,” I answered.
His eyes narrowed. “And where are you from?”
Clearing my throat, I knew a fair bit of deceit was in order. “From a province far away, on the other side of the planet. We have traveled here to deliver a warning. The power of the stone is failing. Only the sword of Dracon can deliver you from the onslaught of the Regaymor.”
“How could you possibly know this?”
“We had a weapon,” I said. “It was a staff, similar to your sword, fueled by the same magic. We used it to drive them away.”
“Where is this weapon now?” he asked.
“It was stolen,” I answered, “which is why we seek your help now.”
His gaze lingered on me too long, as if he were searching my thoughts, assessing my magic. I knew our lies were flimsy at best. Without the amulets, I was sure he would have
