She pushed herself to her feet and headed off downthe tunnel. Delgar heard the sound of dwarven voices raised ingreeting. Four days ago, the dwarves working the night shift mighthave passed Honor with a grunt of disapproval. Now, if they knewshe could lead them to a treasure trove of carmite, Delgar wasn’tsure he could stop them from following.
The sooner the elf and her damned dagger were back onthe mainland and deep in the forest, the happier he’d be.
Two days later, the dwarves broke through into theshaft leading to Muldonny’s workroom. Honor tried not to dwellovermuch upon the jumble of human and mechanical remains they foundat the base.
Climbing the shaft proved surprisingly easy. Thecircular pit had been fashioned of rough-cut stones, so handholdswere plentiful and secure.
She and Fox made the first climb. In their packs werefour sets of ropes and pulleys that Avidan had made to Honor’sdesign. Forest elves used such devices to drop quickly from thetreetops, and Honor figured they would also aid a quick descentinto the tunnel once the dagger had been secured.
She passed the rest of the day instructing Fox,Delgar, and Avidan in their use. Under her direction, they climbedthe shaft and rappelled down over and over, until Delgar declaredthat he’d rather jump into the pit without the damned rope thanclimb one more time.
After that, there was nothing to do but wait.
Two more days passed before Vishni intercepted aninvitation for Shavin Insa’amid to return to Muldonny’s manor.
Delgar set to work on the invitation at once,scraping away selected bits of ink with a tiny knife and thenadding some script of his own. He moved the meeting a day ahead andadded a postscript that instructed Shavin to come directly toMuldonny’s workroom.
Fox picked up the invitation and let out a whistle ofadmiration. “I need to start thinking of things we cancounterfeit.”
Vishni tucked her arm through his and beamed up athim. “It’s good to hear you talking about your own work.” She senta pointed sidelong glance toward Honor. “I don’t like being leftbehind.”
“Actually, I think you should come.”
Silence, Honor noted with wry amusement, had athousand difference voices. Vishni’s silence sang withastonishment.
“We don’t know where the dagger is being kept,” shesaid, although she was fairly certain where it must be. Rhendishhad spoken of Muldonny’s interest in elves, and Fox confirmed theadept’s fascination. If the adept knew anything at all about elvencustoms, he would keep elven treasures in the highest placeavailable to him.
“Fox’s description of Muldonny’s manor suggestsseveral possible locations. If it’s in one of the towers, Vishnicould fly up, get the dagger, and bring it to Delgar.”
Vishni pursed her lips and regarded Honor with waryinterest. “I suppose I could do that.”
“She’ll be seen,” Fox protested. “Can you imagine thehunt that will follow if Rhendish learns there’s a fairy inSevrin?”
Honor noted the way the young thief’s gaze darted herway and slid casually aside, as if he was trying to take hermeasure without attracting attention to that fact. She’d seen thisseveral times since Avidan’s meeting with Muldonny. Clearly,Rhendish’s appearance at Muldonny’s stronghold had left Fox withconcerns.
Honor was none too happy about that, herself.Rhendish had plans beyond those he shared with her. She had noteven a breath of doubt about that. But his appearance at Muldonny’smanor so soon before their attempt to retrieve the Thorn raisedquestions she feared would be answered in tears and blood.
For the first time, regret cast a shadow upon thebright light of duty.
These people had given generously of their time andlabor to aid her quest. She suspected that Delgar had impressedupon them the importance of finding the Thorn and removing it fromSevrin. Still, Fox and his small band were risking their lives toretrieve it. Even if their motivation began and ended with theirown survival, she regretted deceiving them.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse ofVishni’s knowing smile.
Apparently not everyone was quite as deceived asHonor had believed.
“My people know of this Rhendish,” Honor said withfeigned regret. “We consider him a dangerous man, no friend to thefey folk. What you say is true-the fairy cannot risk herself forthis task.”
This ploy brought a flicker of admiration to Vishni’sdark eyes.
“
“The decision to fly or not is yours to make,” Honorsaid, speaking over Fox’s protests. “But let us at least agree thatyou will do so only as a last resort.”
A smile tugged at one corner of Vishni’s lips andfound a reluctant echo on Fox’s face. “I’ve heard that before.”
“Yes, but will you listen this time?” Delgardemanded.
No spring morning could match the sunshine inVishni’s smile. “I will do everything Honor wants me to,” she saidsweetly.
The elf and fairy exchanged a look of perfectunderstanding.
They passed the evening quietly and retired to theirrooms early. Honor doubted that she was the only one who lay awakethat night.
The trip to Stormwall Island absorbed most of themorning. Since the sea cave was inaccessible by water except at lowtide, they made their way through a deeply buried passage betweenthe main island and the fortress.
Honor was relieved to see Delgar’s crew gathered atthe work camp, armed for battle and ready to protect the tunnels ifthe plan faltered. By then, her part in the dagger’s retrievalwould be over. It was good to know that her friends would not fightalone.
She touched the padded bag containing the glassdagger Avidan had prepared for her and reminded herself of the harddecisions ahead.
They followed the grim trail of gray dust, all thatremained of the deathwing moths, to the door hiding the openinginto what Avidan called an oubliette-a forgotten place.
Delgar moved the hidden door. He led the way up theshaft, in case his strength was needed to move the metal grate outof the way.
But the grate was already gone. Honor hoped thisindicated that Avidan had already gotten to the workroom and donehis part.
She motioned for the others to hold for her signaland slipped past Delgar into the workroom. The plan was for her toscout and the others to await her signal. Behind her, fairy wingswhispered as Vishni rose to join them.
Avidan was waiting for them.
So, unfortunately, was Muldonny.
Compulsion slammed into Honor’s mind like an angrywave. Her hand went to the hilt of her sword and she leaped towardthe plump, slack-faced man who gazed at her with shining wonder inhis eyes.
Her sword thrust deep under the human’s ribs as ifit, too, was under some evil spell.
The adept looked down at the sword, then at her, witha look of such incredulous betrayal that Honor wished she knew howto weep.
She wrenched the sword free. The adept fell to hisknees. His gaze clung to her face as the life faded from hiseyes.
Avidan spoke, but his words could not penetrate thedespair shrouding Honor’s thoughts.
How did Rhendish know where they were, what they weredoing? Could he see through her eyes, hear what she heard?
She went to one knee beside the man she’d been forcedto kill and caught him in her arms as he slumped. As she loweredhim gently to the floor, her gaze fell upon the ring on the adept’splump hand. A small cry escaped
