“I know.”
The clamoring grew nearer. Mr. Bailey was almost upon us.
“There’s no time,” I added. “We have to go.”
I pressed on and the door latched behind me. I turned to see that Mr. Wyck had followed. On the other side, furious footsteps grew nearer. I held my breath until they passed into the distance again.
Relief washed through me. I would have continued alone, but I was happy I wouldn’t have to. I held my Faytling aloft to spread the light. “Does any of this look familiar to you?”
He considered the stone wall, the flagstone floor for a moment then shook his head. “Not at all.”
I should have been disappointed. The tunnel could be leading us anywhere. But we were safe from Mr. Bailey, at least for now.
We trudged on through the tunnel. Curving at times, but mostly straight on, and the brick walls never changed. The flagstone floor didn’t, either. Then the floor sloped upward.
Only slightly at first, but then more steeply. I sought crevices in the stone to keep my footing.
“We must be getting close to something.”
I hoped Mr. Wyck was right.
Then we came to the end. A dead end.
No door, just a flat earthen wall.
I stared at it, cursing it silently for now we’d have to backtrack and try a different route.
Mr. Wyck, however, was holding his Faytling to the wall.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to get us out of here.” He touched his talisman to the dirt in front of us and mumbled something softly under his breath.
The wall trembled and cracked. It wasn’t pulling apart as the tree trunk had, but dirt crumbled away in a gentle avalanche. He pressed the wall and what was left there tumbled to the ground, leaving a door-sized hole.
I gaped at the moonlight beyond. “How did you do that?”
He put his Faytling back around his neck. “You’re not the only one who can work a Faytling.”
“I can see that.” I stuck my head through the hole. There were shrubs and leaves and something that looked like part of the castle wall. “Any idea where we are?”
He crossed the threshold beside me. “Yes, actually. I know exactly where we are. Come look.”
I followed him through a shaggy curtain of ivy that drooped over the hole and emerged into the moonlight. I tucked my Faytling beneath my collar.
Above us the moon hung just above the top of the Round Tower.
I breathed in the rosemary, sage, and thyme. “Moat Garden.”
We had emerged from what looked like a mound of ivy against the tower’s base. Even standing just a few feet away, the ivy now completely disguised the opening. When I reached back through, my hand hit solid earth. The opening was gone.
“Strange, huh?”
He watched me, limned in silvery moonlight. Moisture glistened above his brow and he seemed on the verge of leaning in, perhaps to…
I turned, afraid of where my thoughts were taking me.
“Do you think we’re safe?” I was sure we were, but I was desperate to change the subject.
“Who knows?” His words weren’t sarcastic, but soft. Worried, even. “But you should get back inside.”
He was right. Even now my back prickled like someone was watching us. I glanced around, but I could see only shadows.
Was my dragonfly buzzing in the distance?
“Jane, is that you?”
I turned to see a dark figure turn the corner.
“It’s me,” I said, not sure if I should be relieved or worried that Marlie was out at this hour and in this strange place.
“Thank goodness.” She was winded. Frantic.
“What are you doing out here? Why aren’t you in bed?”
She grabbed her side, trying to catch her breath. “I could ask you the same thing. What are you—” She stopped and looked at Mr. Wyck as though seeing him for the first time. “Oh, am I interrupting?”
“No,” I said, perhaps too quickly. “He was helping me get to Fayte Hall.”
“He helped you what?” Concern pinched her forehead.
He stepped forward. “I’m Fayte, Balmoral Fayte, actually.”
“Oh?” I could see she wasn’t sure if she should believe him, and the way she stepped backward didn’t bode well.
“It’s true, and he’s not who you should be worried about. We saw Mr. Bailey at the divining pool. He was Converging, but not with the Lady. The pool, the crystals, they were all red.”
Her features froze. “You’re sure?”
I nodded.
“They were most certainly red,” Mr. Wyck added. “You may not be aware of the significance—”
She sneered. “I fully understand the significance. Thank you.”
I stepped between them and faced Marlie. “That’s not all. I know what he’s doing, or what he means to do. I touched his coat, and it was all there. Perfectly clear in the vision.”
Her eyes glinted with fear. “Is it bad?”
I nodded. “And he saw us. Not our faces because of the robes.” I looked down and realized I still had mine on. Somewhere along the way Mr. Wyck had shed his. I shimmied out of mine, wadded it into a ball, and tucked it under my arm. “He came after us, but we took one of the doors in the tunnel. It led us here.”
“Here?” She looked around. “Did he follow you?”
“Mr. Wyck whacked him over the head with a scroll, so we got a good lead on him. But we heard him enter the tunnel. I’m sure he’s trying to find us even if he isn’t sure who we are or where to look.”
Marlie grabbed her head with her hands. “Then why are you standing here? Get to our room!”
“You two go ahead. I’m going to keep an eye out.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “He’s a desperate man.”
Marlie leaned toward me. “It wouldn’t hurt to have someone watching your back.”
She was right, but I didn’t move. I didn’t want to leave him behind.
Marlie stepped toward the castle and motioned for me to follow. “We need to go now.”
“She’s right.” He looked at me as though he could see everything—my face, my thoughts, my heart.
“I know.” I wanted to say more, but I didn’t know what
