A Book of Spirits and Thieves

“Maybe later.”


They reached the bottom of the stairs and moved toward the meager glow of the flickering light about fifty paces ahead. Farrell had come to learn that all these tunnels had been created and maintained by Markus, and that they all connected with one another in an underground maze. One could get from the restaurant to the theater and from the cathedral to Markus’s home, and vice versa, if one knew the proper turns, and there were several entrances hidden all over the city.

“Is she giving you a hard time, Farrell?” Lucas was waiting around the next corner, leaning against the wall. He had a bandage across his bruised and swollen nose.

“Don’t worry, I can handle her.”

Crys stopped walking and stared at Lucas. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“It’s Crys, right?” Lucas grinned. “Really sorry for what happened the other day. I was just playing a part to help out a friend. Then again”—he pointed to his face—“you did break my nose, so maybe you should be the one apologizing.”

She gave him the finger.

“Nice.” He laughed. “So that’s the infamous book, is it?”

“It is,” Farrell confirmed.

“Follow me.” Lucas led them to the spiral staircase leading to the iron door covered in symbols. He opened the door and gestured for Crys and Farrell to go through. “After you.”

Farrell had never been in Markus’s theater when it wasn’t filled up for a society meeting. Today it felt cavernous—larger and more ominous than he’d ever seen it.

Crys drew in a sharp breath. “Becca.”

Farrell followed her gaze to the stage. The curtains were drawn to reveal a pretty blond girl in a hospital gown and bare feet lying on a table, like an image out of a fairy tale. Too bad there were no Prince Charmings nearby to administer magical kisses.

Crys took a step toward the stage but then faltered as Markus moved out of the shadows and stood next to Becca. He wore a tailored suit, black on black. Accompanying him was the man who’d first let Farrell and Lucas into Markus’s study.

“As you can see, Ms. Hatcher,” Markus said, “your sister is perfectly fine.”

“You call this fine?” Crys snarled. “Dad, how could you have let this happen?”

Dad? Farrell and Lucas exchanged a surprised glance.

“You chose this outcome, Crys,” the other man said. “But I’m very glad you’re here to make this right. Give Markus the Codex.”

Crys raised her chin. “Why doesn’t he come over here and take it from me?”

Farrell stifled a laugh before another one escaped. What the girl lacked in common sense, she made up for in guts.

A smile now played at Markus’s lips. A dangerous smile.

And with that smile, Farrell knew, without a doubt, that Crystal Hatcher was doomed.





Chapter 26


MADDOX



When Maddox woke, he found himself in Camilla’s garden, looking up at the stone wheel.

Becca knelt at his side. “Close your eyes,” she said the moment he opened them.

He did as she said.

“There are six guards here. They think you’re still unconscious, so I’d suggest looking that way as long as possible. Camilla is inside the cottage, dead.” Her voice broke, but she kept going. “Sienna is loyal to Valoria. That she’d betray her sister like that . . . it makes me sick. The guards have Barnabas restrained. He’s sitting twelve feet to your left. I wish I could tell you I have a brilliant plan, but I don’t. And, for what it’s worth, I tried to possess a guard, but apparently I can’t even do that. I’m completely useless.”

He went to shake his head, to tell her she’s not useless, when a guard noticed his slight movements and wrenched him up to his feet.

“The witch boy’s awake.” He leaned closer to peer at Maddox’s face. “Warning you, boy. You try any magic and we’ll skewer your bearded friend.”

Barnabas sat on the ground, his hands behind his back. His attention was fixed on Sienna, glaring at her as if he could will her dead with his eyes.

“I can kill you all with a single thought,” Maddox said, his voice raspy.

“Go ahead. Give it a try.” The guard waited, then smirked. “Didn’t think so. Behave yourself or I’ll knock out your teeth.”

“Maddox,” Becca began. “The ground . . .”

He looked down to see that frost now crept across the grass, coating the flowers in delicate sheets of ice. But Maddox had known frost to occur only on the highest mountaintops, not here at ground level.

“Water magic,” Barnabas said. “The goddess has arrived, flaunt-ing her power.”

The ground turned completely white, as if Mytica had fallen into a swift winter that had frozen to death all the fresh colors of nature. Valoria approached from this stark backdrop, her dress fully crimson, her ebony hair flowing over her shoulders.

“Your Radiance,” Sienna greeted her. “Welcome.”