“That’s wonderful!” Mira exclaimed. “Where is he?”
“At a confidence lounge in Merriston,” Cole said. “The Silver something. Jill wouldn’t come with us, even though I tried to convince her, but I know where she is now, so I can come back for her.”
“Good information,” Joe approved. “I met with one of the Unseen. Apparently, the main confidence lounges in Carthage have fallen under heavy government supervision. He warned that it would be too dangerous to hire any of the enchanters working there. He gave me the name of an illusionist who can help us—Verilan the Incredible, a prominent local performer. We’ll go to his show tonight and meet him afterward. Did either of you pick up any leads about a valuable secret prisoner?”
Cole shook his head.
“I heard a lot about the Rogue Knight,” Mira said. “People are also talking about a big threat in the north. People are vanishing. They suspect it’s an Ellowine Carnag.”
“It’s a safe bet that Honor’s power is on the prowl,” Joe said. “My contact thought this illusionist could have some good information for us. He also warned me that Enforcers have started making inquiries about a girl and three boys traveling together, perhaps with an adult male. The contact guessed that I was the adult male in question, and I made no attempt to dissuade him.”
“Did he know who I was?” Mira asked.
“He hadn’t heard your name,” Joe said. “But he had seen a sketch of your face. Sounds like the Enforcers are pretty sure we’re here. One of their best is coming to personally oversee the manhunt. They call him the Hunter. He’s infamous. Most Enforcers limit their work to specific kingdoms. Hunter runs operations in all five. Chances are he has some unusual shaping abilities.”
“Or shapecraft skills,” Cole said.
“Nothing would surprise me,” Joe said. “In short, we need to hurry and disguise your faces, then we need to get out of town.”
CHAPTER
10
ILLUSIONIST
“I love illusionists,” Twitch said, fingers drumming on his knees. “With all the trouble we’re in, I can’t believe we’re on our way to a show.”
“We’re not after laughs,” Mira said. “The right disguises could help us avoid a lot of trouble.”
They had boarded a coach in front of a museum several blocks from their inn. Joe thought the vehicle would help mask their arrival and departure. It was not the same coach they had used to visit the confidence lounge.
“But meanwhile we get a show,” Twitch enthused. “I’ve loved dazzle shows ever since I was little. They make the impossible come true.”
“Illusionists fake the impossible,” Jace scoffed. “They fool your eyes. Big deal.”
“The good ones make it seem real,” Twitch insisted. “You know they’re tricking you, but it looks amazing. The point is to be entertained.”
“Verilan charges a lot for his services,” Joe said. “The show will display the quality of his seemings. Enjoy it. Just don’t forget that the real purpose tonight is to get disguises for Mira and Cole. We need to be alert.”
“I’m excited for the show,” Cole said. “I’ve never seen a magic act done by an actual illusionist.”
“How could you put on a dazzle show without an illusionist?” Jace asked.
“We have magicians in my world even though nobody can shape,” Cole said. “They pull off some cool tricks with just skill and special props.”
Jace snorted. “This will crush anything people can do without shaping.”
“Here we are,” Joe said. “Stay close to me.”
The coach slowed and then stopped. Joe opened the door. Cole exited last.
The mirror surface of the building reflected everything in intense shades of electric light. As he moved toward the front doors, Cole saw his reflection blazing a brilliant green. Everyone in the crowd reflected as a different glaring hue.
Beyond the doors, they passed through a lobby where the floor simulated a pond teeming with decorative fish. Despite the authentic appearance, there was no sensation of wetness as Cole walked across it. This already looked way cooler than the magic shows he’d seen on TV back home. Chelsea had always been into that stuff. He wondered what she would think of this.
In the performance hall, rows of benches flowed up and away from a semicircular stage. The hall was small enough to have no terrible seats, but Joe led them to a prime bench just right of center, about ten rows from the front.
Watching the stage expectantly, eager audience members chatted with neighbors. Cole longed to share in the atmosphere of anticipation instead of trying to wish himself invisible. Everyone who saw his face represented a potential risk. After taking his seat, he hunched forward and lowered his head.
Cole had worried that Twitch’s insectile appearance would draw unwanted attention, but about one in every dozen members of the crowd looked as bizarre as Twitch or worse. A guy just a few seats down on their row had a huge, lipless mouth with triangular sharklike teeth.
Audience members were still trickling in when a guy strode out onto the stage. Though not a large man, his leopard-print vest showed off a chiseled torso and arms. He wore his long, blond hair tied back in a ponytail. His tan skin looked lightly sunburned. The audience cheered.
After absorbing the adulation for a moment, the performer raised his arms to calm the outburst. “Find your seats at your leisure,” he called. “The starting time didn’t apply to you. Nobody is bothered by your tardiness.”
The audience laughed, and he flashed a winning smile. Extending one arm, a large hoop appeared in his hand. When he moved the hoop in front of himself, all portions of him visible through the circle appeared to be a curvy woman. He raised the hoop high off to one side, then swung it down, and a shapely brunette appeared beside him, waving to the crowd. She smiled, but there was no warmth behind it.
“Meet Madeline, my lovely assistant this evening,” the man said. “And I am . . .” He cupped a hand behind his ear.
“Verilan the Incredible!” the audience shouted.
“The what?” Verilan asked, brows knitted in befuddlement.
“Incredible!” the audience roared, Twitch among the loudest.
Verilan and his assistant proceeded to work wonders. Juggled swords turned into clouds of butterflies. Water leaped from one container to another until bucket by bucket and barrel by barrel Verilan created an elaborate fountain. On a huge canvas, Verilan painted birds that came to life and swooped around the performance hall. Madeline and Verilan danced together above a sea of flame. Cole was pretty sure Chelsea would have been on the edge of her seat. Too bad he didn’t have a phone to take some videos for her!
At one point, Verilan called for volunteers. It took a hard scowl from Joe to make Twitch lower his hand. The chosen man was placed inside of a cabinet. Verilan proceeded to fold the cabinet into a tiny cube and swallow it. Later in the show, Verilan carved a huge block of wood until it came to life as the missing audience member. The confused man returned to his seat.
Cole was delighted by the quality and variety of illusions. He could see why Twitch loved dazzle shows. No show on Earth could compare.
After countless marvels, Verilan announced his most dangerous trick. The lighting dimmed. Three empty cages were wheeled onto the stage and spaced with a good distance between each of them. Verilan escorted Madeline into one of the cages. After a blinding flash, a huge leopard replaced Madeline in her cage, and she now occupied a different one. Another flash, and Madeline moved to the final cage, leaving behind another leopard. A third flash removed Madeline from the stage, leaving only Verilan and three caged leopards.
The applause broke up as one of the leopards began heaving against the side of the cage. Verilan tried to keep smiling, but he looked distressed. White foam dripped from the leopard’s jaws. Fluid muscles heaving, the leopard burst from the cage and rushed V
erilan, biting his chest and shaking him violently.
Cole tried to jump to his feet, but Joe’s extended arm held him down. “Wait,” Joe ordered.
Trailing horrible amounts of blood, Verilan tore away from the ferocious leopard. The other two leopards burst from their cages as well. Verilan collapsed, and the leopards pounced, viciously tearing into him until nothing remained but his ruined vest.
Madeline rushed onto the stage carrying the hoop from the beginning of the show. A leopard charged her, and she held up the hoop like a shield. When the leopard sprang through the hoop, it disappeared. Madeline used the same technique to dispose of the other two leopards.
Setting the hoop aside, Madeline crouched over the bloody remnants of Verilan’s vest. Scooping the tattered material together, she molded the rags into a small cube. Then she unfolded the cube into the cabinet from earlier, opened it, and out came Verilan, shirtless but otherwise unscathed.
The crowd went wild. Cole clapped and whistled along with them. Illusion or not, it was the coolest trick he had ever seen.
Verilan reached into the hoop and pulled out a leopard-print vest. After putting it on, he passed the hoop over Madeline, and she disappeared. Waving good-bye, he raised the hoop over his head like an oversized halo and dropped it. As the hoop fell, Verilan vanished.
The cages exploded into flocks of origami birds. As the paper swans, sparrows, owls, and eagles soared overhead, they burst into colorful flames and disappeared. A rotund announcer came onto the stage, thanked everyone for coming, and asked for the crowd to exit in an orderly fashion.
“That was awesome,” Cole said to Twitch.
“Best I’ve ever seen,” Twitch gushed. “That guy can do anything.”
“He’s good,” Mira agreed. “There are limits to how many illusions one person can generate, and how elaborate they can be. Verilan has serious talent.”
“I agree,” Jace said.
“You liked it?” Cole asked, surprised.
Jace shrugged. “I pictured card tricks and dancing lights. Simpler stuff. It was better than I expected.”
“What now?” Mira asked, turning to Joe.
“We wait,” Joe said. “Keep talking to one another. We want to look like we’re casually lingering. Let everyone clear out.”
Cole and Twitch discussed their favorite parts of the show. Cole had seldom seen Twitch so enthusiastic and let him do most of the talking.
Before long the room had emptied except for Cole and his friends. The rotund announcer approached them. “Show’s over, folks.”
Joe stood up. “I have an appointment with Verilan.”
“Do you now?” the announcer said, looking him up and down. “We use passwords for such things.”
“Seeming is believing,” Joe replied.
The announcer unclasped a bracelet from his wrist, and suddenly he was Verilan. “Now you’re speaking my language,” Verilan said with a toothy smile. “And who are these young people?”
“This is your biggest fan,” Jace said, indicating Twitch.
Twitch wilted under the attention. “I really liked the show,” he said softly, avoiding eye contact.
“I aim to please,” Verilan said warmly. “We should go backstage.”
Twitch shot Cole an excited glance.
They followed Verilan to the front of the performance hall, onto the stage, and back into one of the wings. Catwalks crisscrossed above them. Cole passed bulky props, tall black curtains, and numerous ropes that stretched up toward the high ceiling.
Verilan led them to a plain door. Behind it they found an untidy dressing room lit by white globes. Madeline awaited them in her form-fitting stage outfit. They all entered, and Verilan closed the door.
“Are these your after-hours clients?” Madeline asked.
“Yes,” Verilan said. “I understand you want two permanent disguises?”
Joe glanced uncertainly at Madeline.
“Relax,” Verilan said. “We’re a team.”
“For two of the kids,” Joe explained, indicating Cole and Mira. “We need seemings that can withstand scrutiny from skilled enchanters.”
Verilan gave a chuckle. “No seeming is flawless, friend. But mine rival the best.”
“That’s why we came to you,” Joe said.
“My services don’t come cheap,” Verilan said. “Two platinum each.”
“Two each?” Joe exclaimed. “My contact said it would be a lot, but that’s outrageous.”
Verilan grinned. “Nobody made you come to me. If you care to hunt for a better value elsewhere, be my guest.”
“I can pay.” Joe sighed. “Go ahead.”
“Why throw away so many ringers on a couple of kids?” Madeline asked.
“Our business is our own,” Joe said.
“Not if you involve me,” Verilan said. “If my cover gets blown, I become a wanted man. I need to know who I’m working with and why. Are the kids going to be used as spies? Are they fugitives? If they get into trouble, could it get traced back to me? What’s the story?”
The blatant curiosity made Cole uncomfortable. He shared a look with Mira and Joe.
“Knowing the whole story will greatly increase your level of risk,” Joe said. “I’m a member of the Unseen. Can’t we leave it at that?”
“Afraid not,” Madeline said. “We’ve heard the Enforcers are looking for four kids travelling with a grown-up. But we have no details.”
“They’re looking for us,” Joe said. “The kids are wanted. Isn’t that enough?”
“Not if we’re doing business together,” Verilan said. “We prefer the risks of knowledge to the risks of ignorance.”
Joe turned to Mira.
She stepped forward. “I’m Miracle Pemberton, daughter of Stafford, High Shaper of the five kingdoms. I’m the same age I was when my father stole my shaping abilities, faked my death, and tried to lock me away. I’ve lived in hiding for years. We’re on the run.”
Madeline glanced at Verilan. “Could this be true?” She squinted at Mira. “You have the aura of a powerful shaper.”
“I recently got my abilities back,” Mira said. “They’re more useful in Sambria.”
“What about your sisters?” Madeline asked.
“I don’t know,” Mira said. “We’re been hiding separately for years. I’m here because Honor is in trouble. We think she may have been captured.”
Madeline shook her head in astonishment. “Can you verify your identity?”
“Most of the people who knew me are now old or dead,” Mira said. “I still have my royal seal. Each of the daughters had one. My mother smuggled them to us before we were sent into exile.”
Mira produced an engraved golden disk fastened to a chain and embellished with tiny diamonds. It was the first Cole had heard of it.
Madeline accepted the seal, waved a hand over it, then peered at it closely. She handed it to Verilan, who took a long look as well.
Verilan sank to one knee, head bowed. Madeline followed his lead. “Your Highness,” he said gravely. “We had not dared to hope that you survived.”
“It’s the High Shaper’s most closely guarded secret,” Joe said. “You may have shortened your lives by learning it.”
“You tried to warn us,” Madeline said thoughtfully.
“Please, rise,” Mira offered.
Verilan and Madeline stood.
“Who are you?” Verilan asked Cole.
After Mira’s introduction, he felt like any description he gave would sound anticlimactic. “I’m not a princess.”
“He’s a wanted slave who came here from Outside,” Joe clarified.
“He’s with us now,” Mira added. “A trusted ally.”
“This is the wildest news we’ve had in years,” Madeline said with breathless excitement. “I’m in th
e inner circle of the Unseen, but I never heard a whisper of it.”
“We’re very careful about sharing this knowledge,” Joe said. “Their mother kept the secret to herself for a great while. Only recently has she reached out to a few among the Unseen. Many of our most trusted members have no idea. The information is only shared when the need is most dire. I’m serving as her protector.”
“Think of what this could mean to the revolution,” Verilan murmured.
“We’re well aware,” Joe said. “First priority is to secure the other princesses. Do you have any information about recent Ellowine prisoners surrounded by the highest levels of secrecy and security?”
Madeline put a hand to her mouth. “Blackmont Castle.”
Verilan nodded. “In Edgemont. They’re keeping a nameless prisoner there under unusually strict guard.”
“Edgemont is just outside of Merriston,” Joe told Mira. “It’s in line with the marker that initially guided us.”
“Marker?” Madeline asked.
“Until recently, we had an indicator that pointed toward Honor’s location,” Joe said. “It no longer functions.”
“Our best spies only know that the prisoner exists,” Madeline said. “None have managed to confirm the identity. There has been much speculation about what prisoner would demand such extreme precautions. It must be her.”
“It’s our first good lead in some time,” Joe said. “Thank you.”
Cole felt relieved that the lead was near Merriston. That meant finding Dalton could stay his top priority without pulling everyone else off course from searching for Honor.
“It’s the least we could do,” Madeline said. “Your secrets require more trust than I expected. I want to share mine.”
“Are you sure?” Verilan asked.
“Positive,” she replied. “My name is not Madeline. I’m Skye. I change my appearance every few months, as if Verilan keeps hiring new assistants. They’re characters I play.”
“I couldn’t perform the show without her,” Verilan confessed. “I’m the apprentice in this partnership. Almost all the seemings you witnessed tonight were hers.”