After returning to her estate and eating dinner, Liliana read alone in her room. It was late at night, after the servants had gone to bed, when she suddenly looked up in realization.
“Oh.”
She set her book on the table and quickly changed out of her pajamas, slipping instead into the simple dress she wore when traveling. Then, using magic, she created a map only she could see. It showed the position of a man moving under cover of darkness.
“Looks like Gildo made his move.”
Her prediction had come true—much to her own satisfaction. After watching how the mercenary carried himself at the Kenneths’ manor, she had suspected he was plotting something, so she had dispatched one of her invisible birds to shadow him. She doubted he would give her an honest answer if she asked directly, which was why she intended to meet him at his destination. She felt an uncharacteristic rush of excitement and, upon pressing her hands to her cheeks, noticed a smile creeping across her face.
I should be able to help him, at the very least. Especially since the marquess’s people are headed elsewhere.
Though Gildo had mentioned Entrepôt, it had been little more than a bluff. He meant to search elsewhere, and Liliana doubted he could face their current enemy alone. Not to mention, even rescuing Georg wouldn’t stop the abductions.
She waited for Gildo to slow down, ready to teleport. About half an hour later, the light marking his position on the map stopped moving. Liliana switched to watching through her invisible bird just in time to see him dismount his horse and tie its reins to a nearby tree.
Are those the slums of eastern Hudore?
Liliana had never been there—they weren’t even within walking distance of her estate—but she had learned about them as part of her crown princess education. They were the worst in the city, and anyone foolish enough to bring a coach or horse there was all but guaranteed to have it stolen. Even ordinary commoners avoided the area, and it was safe to say Marianne and Billy had never set foot near it either.
In truth, Liliana wondered if the slums really were the right place to look. It made a certain kind of sense—they were a hotspot for kidnappers and other criminals—but she doubted they would find any buildings there that matched the hex’s clues.
Gildo had no such reservations. He moved with purpose until he reached the back of a dilapidated church. A weather vane jutted from its tower, but the roof wasn’t blue.
Now’s the time.
Liliana turned invisible and teleported to him. The stench of rot and ammonia hit her at once, so sickening that she immediately cast a purification spell over her surroundings. She revealed herself just outside Gildo’s reach.
Sensing the new presence, the mercenary reached for the sword at his hip—then froze in wide-eyed astonishment. “What?!” he blurted, as if unable to say anything else. He recovered quickly, strode toward her, and hissed, “The hell are you doin’ out here?!”
Liliana didn’t scold his language; she only watched him with a smile. Gildo looked around, searching for escorts.
“Wait... Don’t tell me you came alone.”
“I’m not alone,” Liliana said sweetly. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
She spoke without hesitation, having decided to reveal that she could talk. He would be more likely to trust her if he believed she had merely pretended to be mute than if he knew she could use magic without incantations. Besides, silent spellcasting was her trump card.
Gildo stared at her. He was clearly conflicted, but one emotion rose above the rest: disbelief that she could speak at all. Eventually, he let out a deep sigh and scratched his head, irritation plain on his face. He shot Liliana a reproachful glare, yet she didn’t even flinch.
“So you were lyin’ about losin’ your voice?”
“Not exactly. I really was mute a year ago.”
“Then you could speak durin’ that swarm.”
So he had noticed that she had repelled the swarm with the highest level of light magic. Liliana didn’t answer immediately, but she knew she owed him an explanation.
“It’s true that I got my voice back, but I’m telling only certain people. For my protection.”
“For your protection. Really?”
“Really.”
Gildo frowned. Liliana remained elusive.
“Please keep it to yourself,” she added. “The only other people who know are Petra and her boss.”
“Petra? Oh, that mage.” Gildo was uninterested in other people, but even he seemed to remember her—much to Liliana’s surprise.
“Anyway, about why you’re here,” she began.
“This ain’t somewhere you ought to be,” Gildo cut in, unimpressed. He clearly didn’t want her involved.
“Is that so? Because it seems to me you might need a helping hand.”
She meant it, but Gildo bared his teeth. “Why would I?” he growled.
“Say you find yourself in need of magic...”
The mercenary looked away bitterly. Olga was good at magic, but Gildo couldn’t use it at all—something Liliana had learned after hiring him. He was all muscle. With his unmatched skill in melee combat, he might hold his own against an average mage, but not against one truly accomplished. He seemed to know it too, for he clicked his tongue sharply. The sound might have intimidated most people, but Liliana remained calm.
“Do you know why I’m here?” he asked.
“To rescue Georg, right? I’m sure you have other concerns, though.”
“You knew that and still came? Jeez... What even are you?”
“Just the daughter of a duke.”
“Yeah, right,” Gildo muttered through gritted teeth. He was clearly fighting the urge to shout.
“Anyway,” Liliana said with an amused smile, “what brings you here?”
“Exactly what you think. Rescuing Georg—and the others, while I’m at it.”
He sounded convinced that he would find other victims too. It was plausible, but Liliana couldn’t tell what his certainty was based on. She doubted he would explain even if she asked, so she chose a different question instead.
“Do you know Georg?”
“Nope.”
Liliana could hardly believe it. Gildo was braving the slums for a boy he wasn’t even acquainted with. It was unusual for a mercenary who normally steered clear of trouble. She had heard that northerners looked out for one another—perhaps that explained it.
Not that I can relate.
A sudden ache of longing rose in her chest, but she forced it down.
“I’ll follow under a cognitive impairment spell,” Liliana said. “You won’t need to protect me. Enemies won’t even realize I’m here.”
“All right,” Gildo replied as he started forward. Then he looked at her over his shoulder. “Wait—won’t that mean I won’t be able to see you either?”
“I suppose so.”
“Then stay visible. I don’t wanna accidentally hit you.”
“And here I thought a fighter of your caliber could find me from my presence alone.”
“I normally would,” he said. “But with your cognitive impairment magic? I wouldn’t bet on it.”
“Very well,” Liliana said. She wasn’t convinced, but she saw no reason to argue. “Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
“Don’t mind me when you start throwin’ offensive magic. I’m built well enough to withstand the average spell.”
Gildo sounded remarkably confident for someone who had just admitted he might not even be able to perceive her. He didn’t elaborate, and the two of them lapsed naturally into silence.
The mercenary resumed the lead, and they entered the church together. Liliana watched for traps made with magic or hexes, while Gildo stayed alert for weapon-based attacks. The building was vast, with two floors aboveground and some below.
After confirming there were no traps between them, Liliana hurried up to Gildo. “This can’t be the place my hex told us about.”
“Well, it was exactly the place that came to mind,” Gildo said with a smirk, like a child pleased with a prank he’d just pulled.
Liliana said nothing, prompting him to continue. She already knew he had deliberately misdirected the search at the marquess’s manor—she just hadn’t understood where he meant to go.
“The blue roof, harbor, and water wheel are all part of a mosaic,” he said. “The only one in this church.”
Gildo pointed. Though the church’s stone walls were all a dull gray, one bore a vivid mosaic of a blue water mill in a port city. Liliana’s eyes widened at the sight.