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“I’ll have your little helpers bring the leftover food to you in a bit. I’m sure Tarun and Libb would love to.” She was surprised that nobility knew the names of the boys assigned to attend her. They were part of the lower class.

“I’ll be sure to share with them. They will appreciate the snacks.”

“I look forward to your updates,” he said, dismissing her.

***

Despite being exhausted from spending more time in the library during the day, she still took the time to write down everything she’d learned. It was clear that Syrelle expected results soon and Lore hadn’t any to give. Anxiety was beginning to gnaw at her. What if she never did find any magic books? What if she explored every nook and cranny and came up empty? Lore hadn’t realized until this afternoon what that could mean for herself and Duskmere. They hadn’t said that she would be blamed if nothing was found, but then again, why wouldn’t they blame her?

Lore sat on her small bed, wrapped in her quilt, journaling about everything she could remember from the passage on sprites she’d read that morning. She wasn’t sure how the knowledge of the far-off clan could help her people, but she was determined to write everything down. When she shared this with the elders back home, they would no doubt find more helpful information in this knowledge than she could alone.

Lore’s back twinged and she shifted position, trying to alleviate the tight muscles. Just as she moved, the clouds cleared from the sky and moonlight filtered in through the window, its tendrils casting everything in silver. The light spilled across her bed, and she gasped.

Where the moonlight touched the book, it exploded with starlight. A thousand stars of every color filled the open pages and erased her words. In their place were now constellations swirling across the pages.

She stood up, holding the book. Her entire room was cast in the swirling of the night sky.

Once again, she found herself in the study. An illusion again,though this time she could feel the cold stone of her room beneath her bare feet instead of the carpet.

“Where am I?” she asked, the words escaping in a breathless whisper. “What is this?”

“What would you give us for the power to Know?”The voice came from beside her, behind her, and within her. It was her own voice and no voice she’d ever heard before.

“Know what?”

“To Know. We see that you have a yearning for answers. We can give them to you.”

Lore’s breath hitched. “What would it cost me? I haven’t much to give.” She didn’t haveanythingto give, really.

“We don’t ask for much. Just be ours and we will be yours.”

“Be... yours? Who—or what—are you?”

“Would you like to know how to capture the moonlight and wield it for yourself? How about which mushrooms will give you the strength of a hundred men, and which will put one hundred to sleep with just one taste? To never be subjected to the dark again? Would you like to know if your loved ones are safe all those miles away? We will be the best parts of you and you the best parts of us. All you must do is take us from this place.”

Lore’s mind reeled. “Show me something so I know you speak the truth.”

The room around her changed, wavering and shimmering. Though she could feel the cold stone of Wyndlin Castle beneath her feet, she was simultaneously in the sky, floating above the ruins of a village.

She cried out at what she saw—they weren’t just ruins. It was Duskmere.

Half of the town had burned to the ground. In the other half, buildings were still toppled and she saw people sleeping in the streets. They were dirty. Hungry. Freezing in the icy autumnal night.

She recognized some of them before the view changed.

She found herself inside the shelter and the number of children had tripled. Aunty Eshe slept sitting up in a chair in the dormitory, a baby Lore didn’t recognize asleep in her arms. Dried salty tear tracks marked her cheeks. She muttered restlessly.

Suddenly, the scene changed again, and she could see the town square, or where it should have been. All the shops and buildings surrounding it had collapsed. Their meeting place was no more. It didn’t make sense. If the fae had truly sent masons, supplies, and help, then this area should have been cleared by now and well on to rebuilding.

“What is this? What are you showing me? I told you to show me something true.” Lore sank to her knees.

“Take away their stability and they cannot fight back.”

“Take it away? Who took it away?”

“Take us from this place and we will give you what you seek.”

And then she was alone, hands and knees pressed against the rough floor. She leaned forward, pushing her forehead against the cool stone, and let out a soft sob.