Matías stood by the window, gazing out over Gaspinn. He and Ford had been sent here to accelerate whatever urgent matters the kingdom faced. They hadn’t expected such promising news so soon the Scrolls of Kosmas had been discovered, and their maps deciphered well enough to narrow the search to a specific region.

  This would please the higher-ups immensely.

  A faint smile touched Matías’ lips at the thought. Yet as the meeting dragged on, irritation crept in. These buffoons wanted them to lead the expedition as the main force. It wasn’t a burden on the contrary, it meant every discovery made along the way would fall under their claim.

  He grew tired of the constant rambling and decided to push the agenda forward.

  “And what,” he asked coolly, “would guarantee that you don’t lose out?”

  He lifted a freshly poured glass of wine and swirled it lazily.

  “Mind you, we stand to gain everything together. Or lose everything together. At this point, stepping back means we all lose. Most likely, we die.”

  It was exactly what they wanted to hear something that made it seem as though their fates were intertwined. As if Matías and his people were bound to the same risk. Soon enough, they began speaking of contracts and shared obligations. He let Ford handle the details.

  Matías took another slow sip.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  He froze.

  An eighth heartbeat.

  For a brief second, he considered the possibility of an intruder in the room but that was impossible. Andrews and Morigan stood idly at opposite ends of the chamber. Though they didn’t possess his heightened hearing, they were thoroughly trained. No enchantment, no concealment spell, should have allowed someone to slip past them unnoticed.

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  The sound came again.

  His eyes shifted toward the wall on his right.

  The next room.

  The realization struck instantly. Without hesitation, Matías thrust his hand forward and unleashed a torrent of flame.

  The wall exploded outward in a violent burst of fire and stone.

  But an even greater explosion followed one that shook the entire hall. The ground quaked beneath them, forcing even Matías to brace himself to keep from losing balance. The tremor lasted only a second.

  Yet it was enough.

  By the time he stepped through the smoldering breach, the adjoining room was empty. The far door hung open, swaying slightly. The intruder was gone.

  Rage tightened his jaw.

  These fools had failed to secure the premises properly. Now someone—perhaps several someones—would know of what had been discussed here.

  Fortunately, nothing about Kosmas had been mentioned outright. If the eavesdropper had heard anything, it would have been vague talk of cooperation between halls—enough to raise suspicion, but not enough to reveal the true prize.

  His thoughts raced, calculating consequences, contingencies, retaliation.

  “Andrews” he ordered sharply. “Morigan, find out what’s happening below. Take most of the guards.”

  The meeting was over.

  Astrid felt it more than she saw it a subtle but undeniable tremor beneath her feet. She had stepped out to get something to eat for the road when it came, that slight shudder in the earth. A moment later, her eyes lifted.

  In the direction of central Gaspinn, a thick pillar of smoke rose into the sky.

  She stared at it.

  What happened?

  She was about to dismiss it, to tell herself it was nothing, but then the realization crept in that was the direction of the city archive hall.

  No. It couldn’t be.

  She shook her head and turned back to her shopping.

  She definitely wouldn’t do something as insane as blow up the halls just because they refused her entry.

  Definitely not.

  Then another thought surfaced.

  The halls were made off-limits today.

  Her steps slowed.

  Definitely not.

  “Hey, Goose! What’s going on over there?” the woman at the stand called to a boy running past.

  “It’s the halls! I hear intruders attacked and blew up the place! Some say it was those fire starters from the harbors, them phantoms!” the boy shouted, barely slowing before disappearing down the street in excitement.

  Astrid didn’t hesitate this time.

  She pulled out a thin strip of metal shaped like a card, runes etched across its surface. She fed a thread of aether into it.

  A line of aether extended outward, pointing.

  Her jaw tightened.

  Astrid started running.