Crystal keepers / Brandon Mull.
Cole Randolph ventures to a new kingdom as he continues his search for his friends -- and also pursues his quest to mend what has gone awry with the magic in The Outskirts.
Record details
- ISBN: 1442497076
- ISBN: 9781442497078
- Physical Description: 479 pages ; 20 cm.
- Edition: First Aladdin paperback edition.
- Publisher: New York : Aladdin, 2016.
- Copyright: ©2015
Content descriptions
General Note: | Includes note to readers and a preview of Cole's adventure in Death weavers. |
Target Audience Note: | Ages 8-12. 630 Lexile. 630L Lexile Decoding demand: 99 (very high) Semantic demand: 100 (very high) Syntactic demand: 85 (very high) Structure demand: 87 (very high) Lexile |
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Subject: | Magic > Juvenile fiction. Imaginary places > Juvenile fiction. Friendship > Juvenile fiction. Friendship. Imaginary places. Magic. |
Genre: | Fiction. Juvenile works. |
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Available copies
- 8 of 8 copies available at Evergreen Indiana.
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Crystal Keepers
CHAPTER
1
BUTLER
The sky was getting bright, but the sun had yet to rise as Cole carried his saddle pad to his horse. He tossed it over Rangerâs back, but the quilted pad fell through the horse to the ground.
Cole whirled. âDalton?â
His friend stood a short distance away, arms folded, leaning against a tree trunk. âNot bad?â
Cole picked up the saddle pad and shook off the dirt. âReally good, actually.â He swiped a hand through the horse, feeling only a vague, cobwebby sensation. âThat looks perfect.â
âI moved Ranger last night after you conked out,â Dalton confessed. The illusionary horse disappeared.
âCouldnât sleep again?â Cole asked.
âI tried,â Dalton said. âI couldnât shut down my brain. It took some time.â
âDalton!â another voice called. Taller than Cole and Dalton by a few inches, though not much older, Jace stormed over to them, his deeply tanned face flushed. âWhereâs my saddle?â
Dalton cracked a smile. âIsnât it over there?â he asked, pointing.
Cole followed his finger to where Jaceâs saddle leaned against a mossy log.
âHa-ha,â Jace said. âI already tried to grab it.â
The saddle vanished.
âThatâs two really good seemings at once,â Cole said. âHow long did you maintain them?â
âSince right before you two got up,â Dalton said. âFifteen minutes or something.â
Jace huffed. âGood for you. Maybe you and Skye can set up your own dazzle show. Now whereâs my saddle?â
Dalton looked around innocently, then craned his head back. Cole tracked his gaze up into a tree where a saddle straddled a high branch, and a laugh spurted out before he could hold it back.
âThat better not be real,â Jace threatened. âIâll drop it on your head.â
The saddle disappeared.
âThree seemings at the same time?â Cole asked.
âItâs over by that stump,â Dalton said, nodding toward the one he meant.
As Cole watched, the scarred old stump melted away to reveal Jaceâs saddle. âFour,â Cole said. âAnd they all looked great.â
Dalton shrugged.
âNice waste of time, Dalton,â Jace complained. âWeâre on the run.â
âYouâd do the same thing if you could work seemings,â Cole said.
âIâd make you two walk off a cliff,â Jace said.
âYouâd kill us?â Dalton exclaimed.
âInto a lake,â Jace said. âIâd get two of the highest screams ever.â
âWeâd cannonball in and make two of the biggest splashes ever,â Cole said. âThen weâd come for you.â
âIâd be pretty scared,â Jace said with a snort. âYou guys better hurry up and get ready. Weâre moving out.â
Cole turned to reach for his saddle, but Dalton restrained him. âWait for it.â
Jace hoisted his saddle pad and saddle together, marched over to his horse, and flung them onto its back. The saddle fell through the illusion to the dirt. Jace turned and glared.
âPick up the pace!â Dalton called. âThe horses are this way. Weâre heading out!â
Dalton grabbed Coleâs saddle pad and Cole claimed his saddle. They walked together toward where Dalton had moved the horses. Cole glanced at his friend. They had come to the Outskirts together from Mesa, Arizona. When they arrived, they knew nothing about this world. Theyâd never heard of shaping or the High King or even knew that a place like the Outskirts was possible. A slave trader had kidnapped dozens of kids visiting a neighborhood haunted house on Halloween and brought them to a bizarre new world. Shortly after their arrival they were marked as slaves and scattered across the five kingdoms. They started out aloneâstrangers in a strange land.
But they were gradually figuring things out. Cole had managed to find his best friend, and Dalton had some crazy strong abilities.
âThat was amazing,â Cole said. âBut why go after Jace so hard? Heâs a hothead. Youâre going to get punched in the face if you donât watch out.â
âHe hid my saddle yesterday,â Dalton replied. âIf he wants to make jokes, he has to take them too.â
âI didnât hide your saddle,â Cole said.
âI didnât want to make him the only target,â Dalton said. âI know you can take a joke.â
âRight. Because weâre friends and we get each other. Jace could be a different story. Iâm not sure you want to tangle with him.â
âWhatever,â Dalton said. âWe canât let him think heâs Mr. Big Shot. So if Jace teasesâwe tease him back.â
âI get standing up to him,â Cole said. âBut is it smart to prank him?â
âWhatâs the worst he could do?â Dalton asked. âI mean really. Retaliate somehow? If he does, Iâll get him again. Itâll save us trouble down the road.â
âWhat about when we leave Elloweer?â Cole said. âYou wonât be able to make illusions in Zeropolis.â
Dalton sighed regretfully. âThatâll stink. But all the more reason to get him while I can. If he respects me, heâll back off.â
âOr heâll tease you harder until you cave,â Cole said.
Dalton shrugged. âI wonât give up.â
âItâs risky,â Cole said.
âItâs more risky to let him bug me whenever he wants,â Dalton replied. âWait and see.â
They reached Coleâs horse.
âYou first,â Cole said.
Dalton laid the saddle pad across the animalâs back. âThis oneâs real.â
Cole swung the saddle onto the pad. âYou better mount up too.â
âIf Jace is my biggest problem before we leave Elloweer, Iâll be grateful,â Dalton said, walking away.
Cole gave a nod. âI can agree with that one.â
Shortly after sunrise the Red Road came into view, interrupting the wilderness like a wound. Bordered by maroon curbs, the avenue of seamless red pavement began abruptly and extended to the edge of sight, the only evidence of inhabitants in the otherwise untamed landscape. Cole, Dalton, Mira, Jace, Skye, and Joe had avoided serious trouble since parting from Honor and the former Rogue Knight on their way to Zeropolis. Cole hoped that drawing near to Trillian wouldnât end their peaceful streak.
He looked to Skye, who considered the road warily. He understood her hesitation. The Lost Palace, longtime prison of Trillian the torivor, awaited at the end. As the new Grand Shaper of Elloweer, Skye was about to ask Trillian to become her teacher.
Cole did not envy her. One of the most feared and dangerous beings in the Outskirts, Trillian had been caught off guard by a team of mighty shapers and locked away long ago. Had they failed to imprison him, the torivor probably would have brought the entire Outskirts under his control.
Only a few weeks had passed since Cole first visited the Lost Palace and witnessed Trillianâs enormous power firsthand. Inside his prison, the torivor could rearrange reality almost without limits. Not only had Trillian invaded his mind, but Cole had risked his life and freedom to rescue Miraâs sister Honor from captivity.
As a rule, the people of Elloweer stayed far from Trillianâs domain. Nobody wanted to risk crossing the torivor or the members of his Red Guard, which was exactly why Joe had suggested their little group of fugitives should accompany Skye to the Lost Palace on their way to Zeropolis. Since Skye had official business with Trillian, Joe had been willing to gamble that the nearness of the torivor posed a lesser threat than traveling through more populated regions.
Coleâs eyes strayed to Mira, astride her dappled mare. There was no question that her father, the High Shaper, desperately wanted her back. After stealing the shaping powers of his five daughters, Stafford Pemberton had faked their deaths and tried to hold them prisoner. With help from their mother, the daughters had escaped and survived in exile, never aging after their powers were taken.
Not only Mira had regained her powerâher sister Honor had as well. The High Shaper had first sent legionnaires to apprehend Mira, and then sent his secret police, the Enforcers. He now had to be more frantic than ever to find her. Since defeating Morgassa, Cole hadnât seen any agents of the High King, which suggested that the strategy of heading toward the Lost Palace was working.
âDo we ride on the road?â Skye asked, having stopped only a few paces from where the red pavement started.
âWe donât really need to hide that weâre coming,â Mira reasoned. âHopefully Trillian will be satisfied to learn heâll have a new Grand Shaper to train.â
âI donât know,â Cole said. âTrillian was pretty interested in you and Honor. He can sense people on his road. Is it smart to let him know youâre near?â
âGood point,â Jace said, sitting tall on his horse, his face serious. âLast time, Trillian let you go because he wanted us to stop Morgassa. He might try to retake you and keep you this time.â
âHeâll have more Morgassas to fight if we donât stop my father and his shapecrafters,â Mira said. âTrillian can read our thoughts. Heâll know how important it is we find Constance and my other sisters.â
âWill that matter as much to him?â Dalton asked. âMorgassa was a direct threat. He thought she might be able to take him out. Will he care about problems in other kingdoms?â
âI can tell you one thing,â Skye said. âI wonât work with Trillian if he tries to hold you.â
âHe might not care,â Cole said. âHe can probably find ways to train you whether or not youâre willing, Skye. Iâve met him. The guy can get inside your mind and take over your dreams. Inside his prison, he can do pretty much whatever he wants. He might be more than happy to capture us no matter how we feel about it.â
âWe canât afford to make ourselves easy targets,â Joe said, the only other adult in the group besides Skye. âTaking the road might be a little smoother, but Coleâs rightâwe donât need to let Trillian know weâre around sooner than necessary.â
âWe traveled beside the road last time,â Mira said. âIt wasnât too bad.â
The conversation ended there. Joe and Skye started to parallel the road, and the others followed.
Dalton brought his horse alongside Cole. âSeems like we were just here.â
âIt really does.â
âMinimus was with us last time,â Dalton said. âI wish we had a knight or something.â
âIâm glad heâs with Twitch,â Cole said. âThe bully who took over Twitchâs village wonât know what hit him. But if weâre wishing, Iâd want Twitch here too. Heâs saved my life more times than anyone.â
Dalton nodded. âIf trouble comes, Skye and I can hide us with seemings.â
âHiding is probably our best bet for now,â Cole said.
âAt least until you find your power again.â
Cole forced a smile, but he didnât love the reminder. Not long ago Cole discovered he had the ability to energize magical items from Sambria so they could work in Elloweer. But right before Morgassa died, she had sunk her fingernails into his sides and somehow used shapecraft to separate him from his power. Just after he had learned to recognize and access the ability, it had vanished.
âWe have the masks,â Cole said.
âOnly as a last resort,â Dalton said. âCallista warned that the more we use them, the harder theyâll be to take off. Plus, sheâs no longer around to help if something goes wrong.â
The masks that Callista had given them for their battle against Morgassa could transform them into powerful animals. Looking back at his time as a mountain lion, Cole recalled the experience through a dreamlike haze, running across many miles of Elloweer in a tireless sprint. Dalton was right about the dangerâneither time he removed the mask had been easy.
âLast time we were animals, most of us got badly injured,â Cole said. âJace and I almost died. We might be just as hurt if we put the masks back on.â
âOnly one way to find out,â Dalton said. âNot that Iâm in a hurry to test it.â
âOnce we make it to the Lost Palace, weâll leave the masks with Skye,â Cole said. âThey wonât work in Zeropolis, and theyâre too powerful to leave randomly stashed someplace.â
âAfter that our only defense will be my seemings and Joe,â Dalton said.
Cole looked ahead at Joe. How old was he? Thirty? He hadnât seemed like an amazing warrior or anything, but he was certainly brave and scrappy. Joe had come to the Outskirts from Monterey, California, but Cole didnât know much else about his history.
âThink Trillian will give us trouble?â Cole asked.
âWeâd be dumb if we didnât expect it,â Dalton said.
They spent the day with the road on their left, veering closer or farther as obstacles arose. As night fell, they made camp. Bedullah, a large orange moon, eased up into the sky, outshining the nearby stars.
Cole noticed Mira standing apart from the camp, her eyes on the heavens. He walked over to her. âThis is the biggest moon, right?â
She glanced his way. âBedullah is the biggest Iâve seen. It doesnât show up very often. It makes all the stars fainter. An even bigger golden one used to appear sometimes.â
âAre you looking for your sistersâ stars?â Cole inquired quietly, referring to the heavenly markers that Miraâs mother sometimes used to show her daughtersâ locations.
âEvery night,â Mira whispered back. âJust in case.â
âCanât be easy with the stars and moons always changing,â Cole said.
âIt isnât. Their stars are always the same color and brightness, but they can be in any direction, and they show up against a different backdrop every night.â
âI donât get how the Outskirts have such different skies every night.â
âWhatâs not to get?â Mira asked, her eyes skyward.
âOn Earth the stars have regular patterns,â Cole said. âOne moon circles us. Here the stars can be anywhere. You have over ten moons that show up when they feel like it. Where do they hide the rest of the time? What kind of universe shifts around during the day into something else?â
âThe heavens here have always been erratic,â Mira said. âItâs just how it is. Itâd take somebody smarter than me to explain why.â
âAny luck with the stars?â Cole asked.
âNo,â Mira said.
Cole studied the sky. He had no idea what to look for. Mira kept the specifics of the stars a secret. If anybody ever learned about the celestial lights occasionally used by Harmony Pemberton, it could prove fatal.
âNot seeing the stars is a good thing,â Mira said. âIt means my sisters are safe.â
âIt also means Constance will be hard to find,â Cole replied.
âThen weâll look hard,â Mira said. âHopefully weâll find more of your friends, too.â
Though Cole had found Dalton, he had only crossed the path of one other person who was kidnapped from Mesa with himâa girl named Jill. He had offered to rescue her, but she had been too scared to try to escape her position as a slave at a confidence lounge, where she helped create illusionary disguises so people could exchange secrets anonymously.
There were still so many people to find! He worried most about Jenna, his friend who had also been his secret crush for years. When they were separated, he had promised to find her but hadnât uncovered any clues yet. Would he finally track her down in Zeropolis?
âWho goes there?â Jace shouted.
Turning, Cole saw a form racing toward their camp. Though it was hard to catch all the details in the mellow orange moonlight, the shape of a man glided hurriedly forward, his feet a few inches off the ground.
Drawing his Jumping Sword, Cole raced back toward the center of camp, where the ghostly figure was heading. One foot got caught against a stone, and he went down badly, twisting away from his blade to avoid slashing himself.
By the time Cole was back on his feet, the figure had come to a stop before Skye. Dressed in a dark suit, the balding man stood with stiff posture. Cole trotted toward them with Mira a step behind.
âJepson?â Skye exclaimed.
âThe very same,â the butler replied, smoothing a hand down the front of his jacket. âYour mother sent me to you.â
Cole halted not far from Skye. Though Jepson appeared tangible and solid, Cole knew he had no substanceâhe was a figment, a living illusion created by an enchanter. The stuffy man served Skyeâs wealthy mother. Joe, Jace, and Dalton joined Cole and Mira.
âHowâd he find you?â Cole asked Skye.
âHeâs bound to mother and the person who will inherit him,â Skye said. âHe could find either of us anywhere.â
Jepson gave Cole a superior glance then faced Skye. âDo you wish to converse in front of these . . . people?â
âAbsolutely,â Skye said. âIs mother all right?â
The butlerâs brow crinkled, and his lips quivered. He used a long sniff to collect himself. âSadly, she is not.â His eyes squinted shut, and he shook with sobs. It took a moment before he straightened up and continued. âYou must help her. Lady Madeline has been abducted by a vile ruffian called the Hunter.â
Skye gasped, putting both hands over her mouth. âNo!â
Cole had never met the Hunter but knew about himâan Enforcer who had been chasing them since Sambria. In his pursuit of Mira, the Hunter had captured the slavers Ansel and Secha back in Carthage to wring information from them. The Hunter had a scary reputation. Evidently the trail had led him to Skyeâs home.
âYour mother ordered me to find you,â Jepson said.
Skye dropped her hands. âBefore or after the Hunter seized her?â
âAfter,â Jepson said. âThe Hunter would gladly exchange your mother for a child called Mira. An escaped slave, it seems.â
Skyeâs gaze took in the moonlit landscape. âWere you followed?â
âNot to my knowledge,â Jepson said. His distress won out again as he wrung his hands, tears glistening in his eyes. âThere is no time to waste. What do you know of this Mira?â
âHe was followed,â Joe said, gripping the hilt of his sword.
âYou see something?â Dalton asked.
âThe Hunter wouldnât miss such a golden opportunity,â Joe said. âIf he sent a homing pigeon, it didnât come alone.â
Rattled, Cole squinted into the moonlit dimness beyond their encampment. He saw the shapes of trees and shrubs and the empty expanse of a brushy field, but no movement.
âIs there any chance you were followed?â Skye asked the butler heatedly.
âI suppose,â Jepson replied. âI had no orders to take precautions against such measures. My concern is the safety of Lady Madeline.â
âGet to the horses,â Joe said, hurrying away from the conversation. âSaddle up. We may already be too late.â
They scattered. Cole rushed to his horse, flopped the saddle pad in place, heaved the saddle on top, cinched it, then hopped on one foot while hastily poking the other one at the stirrup. After several clumsy misses, Cole got his foot in place and mounted. Nearby, Dalton fumbled with the straps of his saddle as his horse stamped restively. Cole jumped down and joined his friend, securing the straps while Dalton held the bridle and calmed his horse.
By the time Cole was back on his mare, the others had mounted up as well. Jepson waited nearby, unruffled by all the urgency.
âGo back and check the way you came,â Skye told the butler. âTry to mislead anyone following you. Take them as far from us as possible.â
âYou are not yet my mistress,â Jepson reminded her. âMy instructions are toââ
âDoesnât matter,â Joe interrupted, pointing.
Partially screened by shrubs and trees, at the far side of the brushy field, mounted shapes bobbed in the dimness. It took little more than a glance to see that the shadowy forms were riding hard in their direction.
âEnforcers,â Cole said, a jolt of panic coursing through him.
âLots of them,â Dalton added.
Cole counted at least seven or eight. In Sambria they had encountered three Enforcers and defeated them. But last time Cole and his friends had better weapons and managed to surprise them. There were more Enforcers this time, and they looked ready to fight.
âRide for the Lost Palace,â Skye urged. âUse the road. Jepson, youâve served their purpose. Go home!â
The others turned their horses and started riding hard toward the Red Road. Cole tugged the reins and nudged with his heels, but his horse held perfectly still. He kicked a little harder only to discover that the sides of his mare felt hard as a rock. A quick hand to the horseâs neck revealed the problem.
His mount had turned to stone.
CHAPTER
1
BUTLER
The sky was getting bright, but the sun had yet to rise as Cole carried his saddle pad to his horse. He tossed it over Rangerâs back, but the quilted pad fell through the horse to the ground.
Cole whirled. âDalton?â
His friend stood a short distance away, arms folded, leaning against a tree trunk. âNot bad?â
Cole picked up the saddle pad and shook off the dirt. âReally good, actually.â He swiped a hand through the horse, feeling only a vague, cobwebby sensation. âThat looks perfect.â
âI moved Ranger last night after you conked out,â Dalton confessed. The illusionary horse disappeared.
âCouldnât sleep again?â Cole asked.
âI tried,â Dalton said. âI couldnât shut down my brain. It took some time.â
âDalton!â another voice called. Taller than Cole and Dalton by a few inches, though not much older, Jace stormed over to them, his deeply tanned face flushed. âWhereâs my saddle?â
Dalton cracked a smile. âIsnât it over there?â he asked, pointing.
Cole followed his finger to where Jaceâs saddle leaned against a mossy log.
âHa-ha,â Jace said. âI already tried to grab it.â
The saddle vanished.
âThatâs two really good seemings at once,â Cole said. âHow long did you maintain them?â
âSince right before you two got up,â Dalton said. âFifteen minutes or something.â
Jace huffed. âGood for you. Maybe you and Skye can set up your own dazzle show. Now whereâs my saddle?â
Dalton looked around innocently, then craned his head back. Cole tracked his gaze up into a tree where a saddle straddled a high branch, and a laugh spurted out before he could hold it back.
âThat better not be real,â Jace threatened. âIâll drop it on your head.â
The saddle disappeared.
âThree seemings at the same time?â Cole asked.
âItâs over by that stump,â Dalton said, nodding toward the one he meant.
As Cole watched, the scarred old stump melted away to reveal Jaceâs saddle. âFour,â Cole said. âAnd they all looked great.â
Dalton shrugged.
âNice waste of time, Dalton,â Jace complained. âWeâre on the run.â
âYouâd do the same thing if you could work seemings,â Cole said.
âIâd make you two walk off a cliff,â Jace said.
âYouâd kill us?â Dalton exclaimed.
âInto a lake,â Jace said. âIâd get two of the highest screams ever.â
âWeâd cannonball in and make two of the biggest splashes ever,â Cole said. âThen weâd come for you.â
âIâd be pretty scared,â Jace said with a snort. âYou guys better hurry up and get ready. Weâre moving out.â
Cole turned to reach for his saddle, but Dalton restrained him. âWait for it.â
Jace hoisted his saddle pad and saddle together, marched over to his horse, and flung them onto its back. The saddle fell through the illusion to the dirt. Jace turned and glared.
âPick up the pace!â Dalton called. âThe horses are this way. Weâre heading out!â
Dalton grabbed Coleâs saddle pad and Cole claimed his saddle. They walked together toward where Dalton had moved the horses. Cole glanced at his friend. They had come to the Outskirts together from Mesa, Arizona. When they arrived, they knew nothing about this world. Theyâd never heard of shaping or the High King or even knew that a place like the Outskirts was possible. A slave trader had kidnapped dozens of kids visiting a neighborhood haunted house on Halloween and brought them to a bizarre new world. Shortly after their arrival they were marked as slaves and scattered across the five kingdoms. They started out aloneâstrangers in a strange land.
But they were gradually figuring things out. Cole had managed to find his best friend, and Dalton had some crazy strong abilities.
âThat was amazing,â Cole said. âBut why go after Jace so hard? Heâs a hothead. Youâre going to get punched in the face if you donât watch out.â
âHe hid my saddle yesterday,â Dalton replied. âIf he wants to make jokes, he has to take them too.â
âI didnât hide your saddle,â Cole said.
âI didnât want to make him the only target,â Dalton said. âI know you can take a joke.â
âRight. Because weâre friends and we get each other. Jace could be a different story. Iâm not sure you want to tangle with him.â
âWhatever,â Dalton said. âWe canât let him think heâs Mr. Big Shot. So if Jace teasesâwe tease him back.â
âI get standing up to him,â Cole said. âBut is it smart to prank him?â
âWhatâs the worst he could do?â Dalton asked. âI mean really. Retaliate somehow? If he does, Iâll get him again. Itâll save us trouble down the road.â
âWhat about when we leave Elloweer?â Cole said. âYou wonât be able to make illusions in Zeropolis.â
Dalton sighed regretfully. âThatâll stink. But all the more reason to get him while I can. If he respects me, heâll back off.â
âOr heâll tease you harder until you cave,â Cole said.
Dalton shrugged. âI wonât give up.â
âItâs risky,â Cole said.
âItâs more risky to let him bug me whenever he wants,â Dalton replied. âWait and see.â
They reached Coleâs horse.
âYou first,â Cole said.
Dalton laid the saddle pad across the animalâs back. âThis oneâs real.â
Cole swung the saddle onto the pad. âYou better mount up too.â
âIf Jace is my biggest problem before we leave Elloweer, Iâll be grateful,â Dalton said, walking away.
Cole gave a nod. âI can agree with that one.â
Shortly after sunrise the Red Road came into view, interrupting the wilderness like a wound. Bordered by maroon curbs, the avenue of seamless red pavement began abruptly and extended to the edge of sight, the only evidence of inhabitants in the otherwise untamed landscape. Cole, Dalton, Mira, Jace, Skye, and Joe had avoided serious trouble since parting from Honor and the former Rogue Knight on their way to Zeropolis. Cole hoped that drawing near to Trillian wouldnât end their peaceful streak.
He looked to Skye, who considered the road warily. He understood her hesitation. The Lost Palace, longtime prison of Trillian the torivor, awaited at the end. As the new Grand Shaper of Elloweer, Skye was about to ask Trillian to become her teacher.
Cole did not envy her. One of the most feared and dangerous beings in the Outskirts, Trillian had been caught off guard by a team of mighty shapers and locked away long ago. Had they failed to imprison him, the torivor probably would have brought the entire Outskirts under his control.
Only a few weeks had passed since Cole first visited the Lost Palace and witnessed Trillianâs enormous power firsthand. Inside his prison, the torivor could rearrange reality almost without limits. Not only had Trillian invaded his mind, but Cole had risked his life and freedom to rescue Miraâs sister Honor from captivity.
As a rule, the people of Elloweer stayed far from Trillianâs domain. Nobody wanted to risk crossing the torivor or the members of his Red Guard, which was exactly why Joe had suggested their little group of fugitives should accompany Skye to the Lost Palace on their way to Zeropolis. Since Skye had official business with Trillian, Joe had been willing to gamble that the nearness of the torivor posed a lesser threat than traveling through more populated regions.
Coleâs eyes strayed to Mira, astride her dappled mare. There was no question that her father, the High Shaper, desperately wanted her back. After stealing the shaping powers of his five daughters, Stafford Pemberton had faked their deaths and tried to hold them prisoner. With help from their mother, the daughters had escaped and survived in exile, never aging after their powers were taken.
Not only Mira had regained her powerâher sister Honor had as well. The High Shaper had first sent legionnaires to apprehend Mira, and then sent his secret police, the Enforcers. He now had to be more frantic than ever to find her. Since defeating Morgassa, Cole hadnât seen any agents of the High King, which suggested that the strategy of heading toward the Lost Palace was working.
âDo we ride on the road?â Skye asked, having stopped only a few paces from where the red pavement started.
âWe donât really need to hide that weâre coming,â Mira reasoned. âHopefully Trillian will be satisfied to learn heâll have a new Grand Shaper to train.â
âI donât know,â Cole said. âTrillian was pretty interested in you and Honor. He can sense people on his road. Is it smart to let him know youâre near?â
âGood point,â Jace said, sitting tall on his horse, his face serious. âLast time, Trillian let you go because he wanted us to stop Morgassa. He might try to retake you and keep you this time.â
âHeâll have more Morgassas to fight if we donât stop my father and his shapecrafters,â Mira said. âTrillian can read our thoughts. Heâll know how important it is we find Constance and my other sisters.â
âWill that matter as much to him?â Dalton asked. âMorgassa was a direct threat. He thought she might be able to take him out. Will he care about problems in other kingdoms?â
âI can tell you one thing,â Skye said. âI wonât work with Trillian if he tries to hold you.â
âHe might not care,â Cole said. âHe can probably find ways to train you whether or not youâre willing, Skye. Iâve met him. The guy can get inside your mind and take over your dreams. Inside his prison, he can do pretty much whatever he wants. He might be more than happy to capture us no matter how we feel about it.â
âWe canât afford to make ourselves easy targets,â Joe said, the only other adult in the group besides Skye. âTaking the road might be a little smoother, but Coleâs rightâwe donât need to let Trillian know weâre around sooner than necessary.â
âWe traveled beside the road last time,â Mira said. âIt wasnât too bad.â
The conversation ended there. Joe and Skye started to parallel the road, and the others followed.
Dalton brought his horse alongside Cole. âSeems like we were just here.â
âIt really does.â
âMinimus was with us last time,â Dalton said. âI wish we had a knight or something.â
âIâm glad heâs with Twitch,â Cole said. âThe bully who took over Twitchâs village wonât know what hit him. But if weâre wishing, Iâd want Twitch here too. Heâs saved my life more times than anyone.â
Dalton nodded. âIf trouble comes, Skye and I can hide us with seemings.â
âHiding is probably our best bet for now,â Cole said.
âAt least until you find your power again.â
Cole forced a smile, but he didnât love the reminder. Not long ago Cole discovered he had the ability to energize magical items from Sambria so they could work in Elloweer. But right before Morgassa died, she had sunk her fingernails into his sides and somehow used shapecraft to separate him from his power. Just after he had learned to recognize and access the ability, it had vanished.
âWe have the masks,â Cole said.
âOnly as a last resort,â Dalton said. âCallista warned that the more we use them, the harder theyâll be to take off. Plus, sheâs no longer around to help if something goes wrong.â
The masks that Callista had given them for their battle against Morgassa could transform them into powerful animals. Looking back at his time as a mountain lion, Cole recalled the experience through a dreamlike haze, running across many miles of Elloweer in a tireless sprint. Dalton was right about the dangerâneither time he removed the mask had been easy.
âLast time we were animals, most of us got badly injured,â Cole said. âJace and I almost died. We might be just as hurt if we put the masks back on.â
âOnly one way to find out,â Dalton said. âNot that Iâm in a hurry to test it.â
âOnce we make it to the Lost Palace, weâll leave the masks with Skye,â Cole said. âThey wonât work in Zeropolis, and theyâre too powerful to leave randomly stashed someplace.â
âAfter that our only defense will be my seemings and Joe,â Dalton said.
Cole looked ahead at Joe. How old was he? Thirty? He hadnât seemed like an amazing warrior or anything, but he was certainly brave and scrappy. Joe had come to the Outskirts from Monterey, California, but Cole didnât know much else about his history.
âThink Trillian will give us trouble?â Cole asked.
âWeâd be dumb if we didnât expect it,â Dalton said.
They spent the day with the road on their left, veering closer or farther as obstacles arose. As night fell, they made camp. Bedullah, a large orange moon, eased up into the sky, outshining the nearby stars.
Cole noticed Mira standing apart from the camp, her eyes on the heavens. He walked over to her. âThis is the biggest moon, right?â
She glanced his way. âBedullah is the biggest Iâve seen. It doesnât show up very often. It makes all the stars fainter. An even bigger golden one used to appear sometimes.â
âAre you looking for your sistersâ stars?â Cole inquired quietly, referring to the heavenly markers that Miraâs mother sometimes used to show her daughtersâ locations.
âEvery night,â Mira whispered back. âJust in case.â
âCanât be easy with the stars and moons always changing,â Cole said.
âIt isnât. Their stars are always the same color and brightness, but they can be in any direction, and they show up against a different backdrop every night.â
âI donât get how the Outskirts have such different skies every night.â
âWhatâs not to get?â Mira asked, her eyes skyward.
âOn Earth the stars have regular patterns,â Cole said. âOne moon circles us. Here the stars can be anywhere. You have over ten moons that show up when they feel like it. Where do they hide the rest of the time? What kind of universe shifts around during the day into something else?â
âThe heavens here have always been erratic,â Mira said. âItâs just how it is. Itâd take somebody smarter than me to explain why.â
âAny luck with the stars?â Cole asked.
âNo,â Mira said.
Cole studied the sky. He had no idea what to look for. Mira kept the specifics of the stars a secret. If anybody ever learned about the celestial lights occasionally used by Harmony Pemberton, it could prove fatal.
âNot seeing the stars is a good thing,â Mira said. âIt means my sisters are safe.â
âIt also means Constance will be hard to find,â Cole replied.
âThen weâll look hard,â Mira said. âHopefully weâll find more of your friends, too.â
Though Cole had found Dalton, he had only crossed the path of one other person who was kidnapped from Mesa with himâa girl named Jill. He had offered to rescue her, but she had been too scared to try to escape her position as a slave at a confidence lounge, where she helped create illusionary disguises so people could exchange secrets anonymously.
There were still so many people to find! He worried most about Jenna, his friend who had also been his secret crush for years. When they were separated, he had promised to find her but hadnât uncovered any clues yet. Would he finally track her down in Zeropolis?
âWho goes there?â Jace shouted.
Turning, Cole saw a form racing toward their camp. Though it was hard to catch all the details in the mellow orange moonlight, the shape of a man glided hurriedly forward, his feet a few inches off the ground.
Drawing his Jumping Sword, Cole raced back toward the center of camp, where the ghostly figure was heading. One foot got caught against a stone, and he went down badly, twisting away from his blade to avoid slashing himself.
By the time Cole was back on his feet, the figure had come to a stop before Skye. Dressed in a dark suit, the balding man stood with stiff posture. Cole trotted toward them with Mira a step behind.
âJepson?â Skye exclaimed.
âThe very same,â the butler replied, smoothing a hand down the front of his jacket. âYour mother sent me to you.â
Cole halted not far from Skye. Though Jepson appeared tangible and solid, Cole knew he had no substanceâhe was a figment, a living illusion created by an enchanter. The stuffy man served Skyeâs wealthy mother. Joe, Jace, and Dalton joined Cole and Mira.
âHowâd he find you?â Cole asked Skye.
âHeâs bound to mother and the person who will inherit him,â Skye said. âHe could find either of us anywhere.â
Jepson gave Cole a superior glance then faced Skye. âDo you wish to converse in front of these . . . people?â
âAbsolutely,â Skye said. âIs mother all right?â
The butlerâs brow crinkled, and his lips quivered. He used a long sniff to collect himself. âSadly, she is not.â His eyes squinted shut, and he shook with sobs. It took a moment before he straightened up and continued. âYou must help her. Lady Madeline has been abducted by a vile ruffian called the Hunter.â
Skye gasped, putting both hands over her mouth. âNo!â
Cole had never met the Hunter but knew about himâan Enforcer who had been chasing them since Sambria. In his pursuit of Mira, the Hunter had captured the slavers Ansel and Secha back in Carthage to wring information from them. The Hunter had a scary reputation. Evidently the trail had led him to Skyeâs home.
âYour mother ordered me to find you,â Jepson said.
Skye dropped her hands. âBefore or after the Hunter seized her?â
âAfter,â Jepson said. âThe Hunter would gladly exchange your mother for a child called Mira. An escaped slave, it seems.â
Skyeâs gaze took in the moonlit landscape. âWere you followed?â
âNot to my knowledge,â Jepson said. His distress won out again as he wrung his hands, tears glistening in his eyes. âThere is no time to waste. What do you know of this Mira?â
âHe was followed,â Joe said, gripping the hilt of his sword.
âYou see something?â Dalton asked.
âThe Hunter wouldnât miss such a golden opportunity,â Joe said. âIf he sent a homing pigeon, it didnât come alone.â
Rattled, Cole squinted into the moonlit dimness beyond their encampment. He saw the shapes of trees and shrubs and the empty expanse of a brushy field, but no movement.
âIs there any chance you were followed?â Skye asked the butler heatedly.
âI suppose,â Jepson replied. âI had no orders to take precautions against such measures. My concern is the safety of Lady Madeline.â
âGet to the horses,â Joe said, hurrying away from the conversation. âSaddle up. We may already be too late.â
They scattered. Cole rushed to his horse, flopped the saddle pad in place, heaved the saddle on top, cinched it, then hopped on one foot while hastily poking the other one at the stirrup. After several clumsy misses, Cole got his foot in place and mounted. Nearby, Dalton fumbled with the straps of his saddle as his horse stamped restively. Cole jumped down and joined his friend, securing the straps while Dalton held the bridle and calmed his horse.
By the time Cole was back on his mare, the others had mounted up as well. Jepson waited nearby, unruffled by all the urgency.
âGo back and check the way you came,â Skye told the butler. âTry to mislead anyone following you. Take them as far from us as possible.â
âYou are not yet my mistress,â Jepson reminded her. âMy instructions are toââ
âDoesnât matter,â Joe interrupted, pointing.
Partially screened by shrubs and trees, at the far side of the brushy field, mounted shapes bobbed in the dimness. It took little more than a glance to see that the shadowy forms were riding hard in their direction.
âEnforcers,â Cole said, a jolt of panic coursing through him.
âLots of them,â Dalton added.
Cole counted at least seven or eight. In Sambria they had encountered three Enforcers and defeated them. But last time Cole and his friends had better weapons and managed to surprise them. There were more Enforcers this time, and they looked ready to fight.
âRide for the Lost Palace,â Skye urged. âUse the road. Jepson, youâve served their purpose. Go home!â
The others turned their horses and started riding hard toward the Red Road. Cole tugged the reins and nudged with his heels, but his horse held perfectly still. He kicked a little harder only to discover that the sides of his mare felt hard as a rock. A quick hand to the horseâs neck revealed the problem.
His mount had turned to stone.