My eyes widened. It all made sense; that’s why the priestess wanted me to destroy the book. “So whoever is behind the attacks on the temples is probably working for Morgana. They are trying to steal the book?”
Maggie nodded.
“Do you know who it is?” I held my breath.
“No,” said Maggie. “Contrary to popular belief, the Alkana do not know everything. But whoever it is must be powerful enough to hide themselves from me.”
“Is there anything more you can tell us?” I said. “We need to know where the book is hidden if we are going to protect it.”
“Go back to the Crystal Castle, Aurora,” said Maggie. “The answers you seek lie there. Your grandmother will need you now more than ever. Morgana is coming, and I fear the worst. If she gets her hands on the Book of Abraxas all will be lost.”
“So are you saying the Book of Abraxas is in the Crystal Castle?”
“Yes,” said the Alkana, “and so is the person who wants to steal it.”
It was as if a switch had been flicked in my mind. “The door!” Now it all made sense. “That’s what my grandmother and the Elders are hiding behind the door in the catacombs—the Book of Abraxas.”
Maggie smiled. “Clever girl.”
“But if someone was searching the catacombs for the door, they must already know it’s there.” I told her about the werewraiths I had encountered in the library. “Why kill the priestesses for the codex?”
“The chamber is protected by powerful magic and the door is sealed by ancient spells,” said Maggie. “Whoever is after the Fae Codex knows that only the codex can tell them how to open it.”
“But why does the door have Illaria’s symbol on it?” I asked.
“According to the codex, that chamber was once part of a massive stronghold destroyed by Dragath in the Demon Wars,” said Maggie. “The Elders had the Crystal Castle built on top of the ruins of Illaria Lightbringer’s ancient fortress, and they hid the Book of Abraxas in the safest place they knew.”
“Is the Dawnstar there too?” I held my breath. I had to know for sure.
The Alkana shook her head, her immortal eyes weary. “No, child, the Dawnstar is not in Illaria’s chamber.”
“Then where can I find it?” I urged her to continue.
“That I cannot reveal. The magic that protects the Dawnstar prevents me from telling you where it is.”
Tristan stepped forward and addressed the Alkana. “Thank you for your help.” He turned to me. “We must return to the castle immediately, Aurora. There is no more time to waste.”
We left the southern mountains at dawn and flew back to the capital. The centaur guards opened the doors to the city as we got off the griffins and walked to the castle.
“Did you know the book was hidden here in the castle?” I said softly to Tristan.
He shook his head. “I had heard stories of a chamber under the castle that supposedly belonged to Illaria Lightbringer. But that door has not been opened for centuries. The queen and the Elders have wards down there to prevent anyone from finding it. I had no idea that’s where the Elders were hiding the book.”
“But I found the door.”
“I don’t know how you did that,” said Tristan. “We must warn the queen. If someone is after the book we must find out who it is and stop them.”
The castle was all abustle when we got there. House sprites, usually so discreet, were running about helter-skelter getting the palace ready for what looked like another feast, which had obviously been planned at the very last minute. Tristan stopped a house sprite to ask him what was happening, and the little fellow jumped when Tristan put his hand on his shoulder.
He composed himself. “A feast, Your Grace. The grand duke, your father, has just arrived. He’s in the throne room with the queen.”
Tristan swore under his breath and stalked off. I had to run to catch up, and he slowed down enough for me to fall into step with him. I smiled. At least we were making some progress—usually he would have stormed off without a backward glance.
“You didn’t know your father was coming?”
Tristan shook his head. “He’s probably heard Izadora has ordered us to marry.”
“Do you think he will be against it?”
Tristan shrugged, but his shoulders were tense. “I will meet with the dowager first; she will know what is going on. I also need to inform her of what we’ve found out. Go and find Penelope, we will need her help. Meet me in the throne room. We must to speak to Izadora together.”
I nodded and went looking for Penelope, but she was not in her room. I wondered why the Grand Duke of the Night Court had come to the palace. It obviously wasn’t a scheduled visit. I knew I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the lure of the secret passage was too much for me to resist.
I found the loose stone and moved it away, listening in case there was anyone coming up the stairs, then turned the handle. Pushing open the door, I entered the secret passage connecting different parts of the Crystal Castle. I found the place where I could see into the throne room and peered through the stone.
“My son will not marry that half-breed,” sneered the grand duke, crossing his arms as he stood before the queen of the fae.
Tristan’s father was a powerful man, tall and well built; I could see his warrior stance as he spoke to the queen. His midnight black hair was long and tied at the nape like Tristan’s, and he wore a silver circlet on his head.
“That half-breed,” said my grandmother, her golden eyes hard, “is my granddaughter. Her powers are equal to that of any High Fae. When she takes off her amulet she is stronger still. You would do well to curb your tongue while in my court.
