Page 40 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

T hirty minutes later, we headed up the walkway to Nora's cottage for the second time in two days. We'd all agreed it wasn't safe to go back to the palace. Who knew if or when Fenwick would make his next move? In a slick city full of people we couldn't trust, Nora stood out as the exception.

At least, that's what my gut told me. I just hoped it was right.

The cottage door swung open before we knocked, and Brunhilda the cat leapt straight into my arms from the threshold. I caught her and held her close, feeling some of the rising panic fade at her warmth.

Bonnie bent close to inspect the cat from her perch on Duncan’s shoulder, and Brunhilda let out a hiss.

"She sensed you coming before I did," Nora said, arching one brow as she patted the falcon’s head tenderly. “She’s all hiss and no fight. Don’t let her scare you, snowy one.”

“Sorry to bother you again, but can we come in?” I asked.

“Of course.” She stepped away from the door and waved us inside. “I didn't expect to see you until tonight."

"Yeah, well, we didn't expect Fenwick to try to poison us before we even got to the trials, but here we are."

Nora made snick ing sound with her tongue as she closed the door behind us and led us into her living room. We settled onto mismatched but cozy chairs gathered around a low coffee table.

"Poison, hmmm?" she muttered.

Duncan cocked his head as he studied her. "You don’t sound the least bit surprised.”

"Not surprised that he did it, no. Maybe a bit surprised that he didn't succeed—or at least manage to cover his tracks better.”

“Do you think he did it to protect The Wizard, or you think he’s working for Almira?” Hook asked, eyes narrowed.

Nora tucked a loose lock of white hair behind one ear.

“I can’t say for sure. Although I never fully trusted Fenwick, I often questioned where his loyalties lay over the years.

I knew he was wily, though. Always has been.

" She moved toward a roughly hewn table in the back corner of the room, its surface covered with bowls of herbs and vials of various potions.

She paused briefly to peer into a tiny cauldron, roughly the size of a mixing bowl, before turning back to us.

"I'm still finishing up the spell to unlock the trials. Forgive me if I seem distracted. Back to the poison, though. I’m assuming it was milk of the poppy? "

"How would we know?" Billy asked.

"He loves them. Obsessed with his garden. Tell me, how did it feel when you drank it? It makes you feel quite good at first. It's only later that you begin feeling bad if you have too much."

We all shared a look and nodded. We had felt pretty damn good last night. I thought back to Fennwick’s pride when he showed us the crimson field of flowers through the window the first time we met. Had that been a boast or even him subtly taunting us?

I’m showing you exactly how I’m going to kill you, and you fools don’t even know it.

Anger flared in my chest, and I fisted both hands.

“That first morning he was very pushy about getting us to come to breakfast,” Duncan said.

“And then when we were playing cards,” Billy added. “He sent up sandwiches in the mechanical dumbwaiter, but we didn’t eat them.”

“If he is working for Almira, I imagine seeing you on the training grounds only made his mission even more of a priority. Word travelled very quickly that you all,” Nora flicked a glance between the men, “were rather impressive. That’s both good and bad.

He got desperate and rather than be able to point a finger at the kitchen staff or servant, he gave you the drink himself to get the job done.

The fact that he was willing to risk getting caught if his attempt failed this time tells me that whatever he saw while you were sparring made him think you had a chance of passing the trials. ”

It was a dicey silver lining, but I supposed being seen as a credible threat was at least a bit of a morale booster.

Nora's expression darkened. "Where does Fenwick think you are now?"

"We told him we had business in the city.” Hook shook his head, leaning forward to brace his elbows on his knees. “He could have spies watching for us. In fact, he could know we’re here and be on his way right now. What do you think?"

He held Nora's gaze for a long moment, and she broke into a wide grin.

"I like this one," she said, looking my way and shaking a finger at Hook. "He puts his duty above social niceties and politeness. Your mother would be pleased."

Heat flared along the back of my neck but before I could protest that there was nothing to be pleased about, Nora turned back to Hook.

"To answer your poorly concealed accusation, no. I am certainly not one of Fenwick's spies. I'm on the side of The Emerald City, and the people of Oz. Not to mention that I respected and very much liked Harmony’s mother. Which is why I must counsel you not to return to the palace.” She sighed, shaking her head. "If Fenwick’s goal was to stop you from completing the trials, there’s no time or need for subtlety.

The next one will be a full-blown attack. "

"Let him come," Duncan growled, his gray eyes spitting fire.

"Unfortunately," Nora countered, "he wouldn't come alone. The witch has supporters scattered throughout the city here, though I can't say exactly how many. Not to mention, the palace guards will fight for whoever pays most. I’m not suggesting that you couldn’t win if it came to it, but I'd rather spare you the battle, if possible. Especially when you’ll need your strength to face Almira herself. "

"And what about the wizard?" I asked, finally finding my voice and posing the question that had haunted me since we uncovered Fenwick’s plot. "Do you think he was in on it? He didn’t drink the mead we drank…said it was too sweet for his taste.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned a hip against the table, considering for a long moment before answering. "You know, of course, that The Wizard is Lord Fallowell, yes?"

"We do," Billy said with a clipped nod. "We figured it out the day we met him."

"Then you know he's weak. In a perfect world, he would push for Emerald City to be rid of Almira for good, but he's never had the backbone to make it happen. However, I do know he was fond of your mother, and Marin of him. I don't believe he could stomach betraying her, especially after protecting her secrets all these years. He has done a lot of good for the city…or as much as he could without rattling too many cages. I can’t say for sure, but if you ask me, my bet is that he didn’t know what Fenwick planned to do. "

Relief washed over me, and I released a shuddering breath. I didn't know why it mattered so much—it wasn't as if he was actually the Willy Fallowell who raised me—but still, it did.

"You know," she stared thoughtfully at the tiny cauldron as she moved closer to the table again, "If you help me, I’m sure I could finish preparing the spell early. Then I can administer the trials myself, without Oz or anyone else present, before Fenwick is any wiser."

Billy and I exchanged a quick glance, then I looked to Hook and Duncan, who both nodded.

"Okay. Put us to work.”

A few hours later, after clipping herbs, melting wax, burning hair, and scanning spellbooks, we stood around the table staring down at a truly disgusting-looking potion. Thick, viscous, and black, it bubbled and writhed like a living sludge monster.

Billy leaned closer, nose wrinkled. "So…now what? Do we have to smear this stuff on the ground into the shape of a pentacle or something?"

Nora’s eyes twinkled. "No, child. Now that night has fallen, I take you to the graveyard, do the incantation, and then you drink it."

"No, ma’am.” Billy raised both hands and shook her head. “I have a hard and fast rule not to drink anything that looks like it might try to drink me back."

Hook took a decisive step forward to peer down at the cauldron’s contents, his expression blank. "We’re going to drink it, and we’re not going to complain about it. Let's get to the cemetery and be done, before Fenwick realizes we’re onto him, if he hasn’t already."

Minutes later, we moved along the wooded path parallel to the main street.

Nora had provided cloaks, and we’d split into groups to attract less attention.

Duncan and Billy walked ahead, close enough to pass as a couple, while Nora, Hook, and I trailed behind as a trio.

Bonnie had already flown off scouting the path.

Nora assured us the streets would be emptier at this hour, with people home for supper. Once we left the path, the cemetery would only be half a kilometer away.

I squeezed down on my pouch, feeling the coiled whip inside.

With the new and improved tip, fusing the coin from Oz with the Alabaster gold piece and the pirate’s coin Hook had given me…

I knew that the weapon was as ready as it was going to be.

A formidable combination, and one that would be a game changer if I got my magic back.

Not if, I reminded myself. When.

As silly as it was, my success at the forge had me feeling hopeful. The spark had been there, although faint. Maybe once I got the prophecy and the final magical item, everything would fall back into place…

As we neared the city market area, Billy stopped and sniffed the air.

"I smell smoke. And not cooking smoke. Like big fire smoke."

A cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as we all picked up our pace, moving closer to the street to peek out from behind a copse of trees.

Twenty yards away, Smitty and Smithson’s forge was nothing but a smoldering black skeleton of a building, black smoke still rising from the scorched roof.

“No!” I lurched forward, but Hook caught my arm and yanked me back.

"There’s already a whole crowd of people there assisting. Fire looks like it’s down to just embers now. I know you want to help, but we can't risk someone spotting you.”

Nora stepped forward, drawing her hood tighter around her hair.

"Stay here on the path while I go see what's happened."

I sank down onto a tree stump, guilt churning in my gut. Had I done this? Were the bellows I’d created faulty somehow? Maybe I’d overlooked something, rushed the work?—

“This isn’t on you, Princess,” Hook murmured, seeming to read my thoughts.

That was easy enough to say, but the next few minutes dragged on like an eternity as I imagined every scenario, each more awful than the last.

When Nora returned, her face was grim as she tugged back her hood.

“Apparently, there was some sort of explosion.”

I leapt to my feet, pulse hammering. “Are they…are they alright?”

“The younger one is fine. He managed to drag Smithson clear right before it blew. Just a twisted ankle between them and a few superficial burns. They got lucky.”

Thank Gods. But it was starting to feel like luck was a requirement to survive helping me, and that wasn’t good.

“I think it might’ve been my fault,” I blurted.

“No, it wasn’t,” Nora cut in. “When Smitty tried to escape through the front door, it wouldn’t budge. He had to use an ax to hack it open. Someone had barred it from the outside with a metal stake. This was intentional.”

“Fenwick.”

That motherfucker…

“Even more reason to get the trials done immediately. The gloves are off. But maybe him thinking you’re dead will buy us some time.” She dipped her head toward Duncan, “Smithson said, and I quote, ‘make sure you use the sword to cut that bastard fox’s head off.’”

Duncan put his hand to the hilt of the blade, his jaw set tight.

“With pleasure.”

Hook stepped forward, pulled a small bag of gold from his belt, and pressed it into Nora’s hand. “Can you get this to the smiths after the trials? Just in case we don’t?—”

He let the words die.

Good of him not to say it, because after two close calls with Fenwick, we all knew the truth. We were on borrowed time.

We needed to get out of Oz, and fast. Or failing the trials would be the least of our worries…