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“Help me?” I replied. “Or help yourselves?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you?—”

“And I’m sure you knowexactlywhat you’re doing,” I cut her off. “Both of you.”

“The stolen ring must be very valuable for someone to go to all this trouble to steal it.” Nero came up behind us, placing one hand on my shoulder, the other on Sierra’s. “That is why you are here.”

“They are like vultures circling around a carcass whenever there is a magical artifact to be found,” I agreed.

“I resent that analogy,” Faris said stiffly.

“You can resent it all you want,” I replied. “It doesn’t make it any less true.”

“What does the ring do?” Nero asked my parents.

Grace’s gaze flickered to Faris, then to Nero. “We have no idea whatsoever. That is why we are here. To find the ring and learn its secrets.”

“You’re about ten minutes too late,” I said. “The ring is gone. And so is the thief who stole it.”

“I found it!” Sierra exclaimed suddenly, like she’d just come out of a trance. She grinned at me. “I know where he sent the ring!”

“Excellent.” Faris slunk forward. He extended his hand toward her, palm up. A small glowing ball rested in it. “Show us.” He tossed the magic ball into the air, and it exploded like a tiny firework.

“A map of the cosmos,” Sierra whispered, reaching toward the sea of glowing dots. She watched them blink in and out like fireflies, her eyes full of wonder. “It’s so beautiful.”

Faris passed behind her, saying in a soft, soothing voice, “Where is the ring? Which world?”

Sierra lifted her hand to point, then stopped herself. “No.” She spun around and glared at Faris. “I won’t tell you.”

Grace glanced at Faris. “She was looking at this one.” She tapped one of the glowing dots, and it rang clearly, a single musical note. “The ring must be there.”

Faris moved in closer, so his eyes were level with the pulsing dot. “That is the world of Palak.”

“It’s a big planet,” Sierra told him, hands on her hips. “Your soldiers will never find the ring. Not without my help.”

Grace gave her a curious look.

“I can track down the ring the djinn took,” Sierra continued. “But I won’t do that if you try to cut my parents out of this.”

“Why would we do that?” Grace said, all sugar and spice.

“It is a powerful artifact. And you are deities who collect power. You want the ring for yourselves.”

Grace chuckled. “Clever girl. Only twelve years old and already you understand the game of demons and gods.”

Sierra stood a little taller.

“But that wasn’t our plan at all.” Grace glanced at Faris. “At least notmyplan.”

“Then what is your plan?” Nero asked.

“We heard you were in danger,” Faris said. “We were concerned.”

I snorted. “You mean, you were concerned that someone might have gotten their hands on powerful artifacts. This literally happened ten minutes ago, and you already know all about it. News sure travels fast.”

Faris turned his nose up at the allegation. “There are many here loyal to the gods.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You mean you have spies here.”