Ravenous (26 page)

MY DREAMS ARE BROKEN BY AN EARTHQUAKE. I REEL BACK INTO THE
pillows, taking in my surroundings.

They include one laughing sister jumping on my bed.

As my pulse slows to a normal pace, I scowl. “What are you doing, Delia?”

She stops bouncing and her smile fades. “Why are you so dirty?” she asks.

I glance in the mirror by my dresser and realize I was exhausted enough that I forgot to wash my face last night. It still bears the marks of the black dust from the hidden room in the library. “I had an urge to garden last night and went out after everyone else was asleep.”

She frowns. “Midnight gardening? You are very strange, Rose.”

“What are you doing here?” I sit up, swinging my legs over the edge of my bed.

“It's time for breakfast.” She rolls her eyes. “Mama and Papa sent me to get you. You're late, you know.”

Heat floods my cheeks. How late did I sleep? How long did we spend in the hidden room? I cannot recall. “Let me get dressed. Tell them I will be there shortly.”

Delia curtsies as I frantically search for an appropriate gown. “Don't forget your face.” She sticks out her tongue, then disappears into the hallway.

I splash water and lavender soap on my cheeks and scrub until I cannot see any more dust in the mirror. I just hope I don't suffer too close an inspection by our parents. Mama has a knack for noticing even the slightest speck of dirt.

Without waiting for my maid, I throw a dress over my head, tying the sash as I race down the stairs to the dining hall. All I can think is how glad I am that the book is tucked under my mattress. Nowhere else would have been safe from Delia this morning. My thoughts remain with the book more than my family when I reach the breakfast table.

“Rosabel, nice of you to join us at last,” Papa says, with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. He is a kind man, but years of fearing the wizard have worn him down, and he is too weary to manage a true smile.

“We hear you had some late-night gardening,” Mama says, and I give a sharp look at Delia. She stares at her plate, chasing a piece of bacon with her fork.

“I—yes, I did. I'm trying to get a special new seed to grow. I thought watering them at midnight might help.”
The chair squeaks when I pull it out to sit down. “I'll have to see if there's any progress after breakfast.”

“Watering plants at midnight?” Mama frowns. “Where would you get an idea like that?”

I smile to cover my uneasiness. “I don't recall. Must have read it in a book, I suppose.”

“We spent all day in the library yesterday,” Delia says.

“Really?” Papa raises an eyebrow, his suspicion that I'm disobeying them in some way no doubt rising with it.

“Yes, I wanted to know more about the seeds and the plant they'll grow into.”

“Which plant?” Mama asks. I squirm in my chair, placing a biscuit next to the eggs on my plate.

“Crown-of-Roses. Ren brought me the seeds, but they're quite stubborn.”

My parents exchange a glance, and Delia's mouth—open to speak—snaps closed. She looks as though she's swallowed a rotten egg. I'd almost forgotten I told her another name yesterday.

“Never heard of those,” Mama mutters.

“Well,” I say, scrambling for something believable, “they are rare.”

Truth, or at least part of it.

“Did you find what you were looking for, sister?” Delia stabs a piece of egg.

“Not yet. I'm still looking.” I turn to Papa. “When was the library built? Some of those books are very old, and I wondered where they came from.”

Surprise lights Papa's eyes. I have not always shown
much interest in the library or history, but today it is my favorite subject.

He chews thoughtfully before answering. “The room housing the books was built by King Henler, well over two hundred years ago. Many royal families since then have used it and added their own knowledge to it.”

“Is there . . . is there anything dangerous in there?” I clear my throat. “I mean, there are a huge amount of books, and many other things in nooks and crannies.”

Papa frowns. “I'm not sure I catch your meaning, my dear.”

Mama, on the other hand, does, and she bristles. “You mean books about magic.” She throws her napkin down. “If that is what you seek, you shall be disappointed. Once the wizards began to make a nuisance of themselves, Bryre's king had the good sense to clear all those books out.”

“Too much temptation, you see,” Papa adds. “Besides, now there isn't any magic to be conjured. Even if they did exist, they'd be of little use. All the magic that once was has been sucked out of the land by the wizards, and now they take it from each other.” He shakes his head. “It is a sad, messy business, magic.”

Something icy radiates from the base of my spine. “Good thing then they got rid of all those books.” I cover by beaming at Delia. “That means I have nothing to worry about if Delia helps me in my research again.”

Mama doesn't appear convinced, but Papa seems quite happy with my words. “Good—I am glad to hear you are educating yourself. It will serve you well later on, when you rule this city.”

“Though you would do well to read up on history, too,” Mama says. “Gardening will not get you far when you are queen.”

I swallow. I've been ducking my tutor lately. Mama must have caught on to that. Maxwell isn't the brightest, but he certainly does drone on about history.

“Of course, Mama. I want to ensure my education is as broad as possible.” My education would be helped considerably by being allowed to leave the palace, but I bite my tongue. I fall back into idle chatter instead. Before long, breakfast is over and Delia and I are dismissed.

I want nothing more than to head back to my room and read the book hidden under my mattress. Delia, however, has other ideas.

She stops me outside the dining hall and folds her arms over her chest. “What are Crown-of-Roses?”

I do my best not to flinch at my lie. “They're the same as the
bano magus
, just a newer name, that's all.”

Delia frowns, but the set of her shoulders relaxes. “Are you going to the library again today?” she asks hopefully.

I shake my head. “I must study. Maxwell gave me a lot to read last week, and I've been putting it off.”

She pouts. “Then what am I going to do all day?”

I pinch her arm playfully. “Why don't you try doing your own lessons, hmm? Mama would be proud. Aren't you supposed to have lessons with Maxwell today, anyway?”

“I'd rather hunt for the
bano magus
or Crown-of-Roses or whatever they are.”

“If you must, but I won't be accompanying you today.”

“Fine.” She stomps off down the corridor in a most unprincessly fashion, and I smother my laugh for fear she will hear.

I duck down the hall and into my room, locking the door behind me. The book is in my hands in seconds. The black cover shows no sign of a title in the sunlight, but the moonlit one is still imprinted on my memory.
The Origin of Wizards.

Yes, I do believe this will contain the information I need.

I draw the curtains across the windows, blocking out the sun.

The pages shimmer when I open it. As long as I keep the pages out of direct sunlight, the ink shows up nearly as well as in the moonlight. I settle into a chair, tuck my legs underneath me, and begin to read.

The knock on my door rips me from the pages that have held my full attention for longer than I expected. With hurried hands, I shove the book back under the mattress, smooth my skirts, and open the door.

Ren's smile and freshly-baked-bread scent greet me.

I shoo him inside and shut the door, locking it from the inside. I am jumpier than usual. The last chapter I read was about how wizards can enthrall humans and force them to do their will. Usually the humans do not even know what they have done. The enchantment makes them forget.

“Have you found anything in the book?” he asks.

“Yes, much, in fact.” We settle onto the window seat
together, our knees touching. His eyes glitter with curiosity. “The Wizard's Bane is not a plant. It is an ancient stone that absorbs magic. It is rumored that these stones were coughed up by the first volcano, then hoarded by fire dragons ever since.”

The spark in his eyes fizzles out. “But there are no more dragons. The wizards got them all.”

“That is the tricky part,” I say, sighing. “That and finding a volcano.”

“And getting into said volcano without being burned alive.” Ren pushes off the window seat, frustration all over his face. I catch his hand on reflex and twine my fingers with his. Gooseflesh breaks out on my skin.

“Don't get discouraged yet. I was thinking it might be time to ask Old Mae. Perhaps she has heard something by now. Was she there when you went to market yesterday?”

Ren shakes his head.

“We must find her and ask her as soon as possible.”

A mischievous smile creeps over Ren's face. “You want to sneak out again today, don't you?”

“More than anything, but we must be extra careful. Delia has been nipping at my heels.”

“Then we should get moving before your sister realizes you're missing.” He pulls me up, and we sneak through the halls into the back garden.

“Wait—I want to check on my Crown-of-Roses seeds.” Together we enter the maze of hedges and wander to the hidden plot in the center. The sunflowers on the eastern side reach higher every day, and now they peek over the
tops of the hedges. Sunlight paints the petals of my roses a pale gold and pink, and the morning glories stretch in their daily ritual, blooming blue and bright. Everything is bursting with life—except the small patch of dirt where I planted the Crown-of-Roses.

“Nothing.” I frown at the brown spot marring the rest of my green garden.

“They must be duds,” Ren says. “The old woman gave you bad seeds. That's the only answer. Everything else has at least sprouted.”

“Perhaps they require more time below ground than most.” I'm not convincing myself, but it seems to work for Ren.

“Let's ask. If they need special care, she should've said so when you bought them.”

We leave the garden behind for the old fountain and the passage it hides. I keep a constant eye out for Delia and listen for shouts from servants who may be looking for me. Mama would be so disappointed if she knew I was breaking her rules yet again, but I must.

“Do you think the king and queen will check up on you?” Ren asks.

I bite my lip. “I fear they will. Mama was especially suspicious at breakfast. I had to tell Delia I did some midnight gardening to explain the black dust on my nose.”

“Midnight gardening?” Ren laughs.

I try not to join him. “Mama didn't approve.” I sigh. “I hadn't even read the book yet.”

“Delia's determined to know everything you do. She looks up to you.”

I twist my hands as we reach the old fountain. “I know, I know. And I love her dearly. But she can't keep a secret like we need her to. Maybe when she's a little older we can take her to the market with us.”

Ren moves the cherub's arm and the passage opens. “Only if your parents don't lock you in your tower for good first.”

I give him a weary glance. “That isn't funny.”

His face is grave for a moment too long. “No, it isn't. But if they get desperate enough, I wouldn't put it past them. Desperate people do crazy things. That's how you got into this whole mess in the first place.”

“Don't remind me.”

I grow silent and sullen until we step out of the church and into the sunshine of the market. Perhaps I am part plant—I need sunlight to flourish. Hiding me in the dark will only make me wither and die. If only I could make my parents understand that.

“There she is.” Ren points to the familiar shape of the flower-and-plant cart.

The old woman sits on her stool, humming and tapping her fingers along to a melody only she can hear. When she sees us, she waves.

“Good afternoon, my dearies,” she says. “What brings you back today? Already looking for new seeds, hmmm?” She grins and one crooked tooth hangs out over her bottom lip.

“Not today. We wondered”—I steal a glance at Ren—“if you learned anything more about the Wizard's Bane. We
may have found something, but I'm not sure it's possible to pursue.”

She raises a gray eyebrow and rocks back and forth. “Oh my, no, I haven't heard much. Slipped my mind, really. It's like a sieve these days.”

I fend off my disappointment with another question. “We found something in the castle. A book with a title that only shows up in moonlight.”

I had hoped for a reaction, but she just blinks, waiting for me to continue. “I read it—well, most of it—and found a reference to Wizard's Bane. The book says the stones originated in volcanoes and can absorb a wizard's magic. It also says that fire dragons hoarded them, and they could only be found in their lairs, which are hidden deep in volcanoes.”

“That does pose a problem, doesn't it?” she says. “Fire dragons have been extinct for a hundred years at least. They were one of the first breeds to go.”

I sigh. “I was afraid you might say that. Do you think one of the Wizard's Bane stones might still be around, though? We'd hoped you might know where we could find a fire dragon's lair.”

“One we won't die trying to reach,” Ren adds.

The old woman's eyes brighten with mischief. “You're going to sneak out of Bryre, are you? Oooh, the king will be hopping mad!” She jumps around on one foot, puzzling Ren and me exceedingly. She claps her hands together. “I may know just the thing, though no guarantees the Wizard's Bane will be there.” She leans closer and whispers. “To the south, at the far end of the mountain range, is another
country. I've heard a dead volcano rests there. It spewed up the whole range to begin with long, long ago. If any Wizard's Bane remains in this region, you'll find it there.”