Eireen wasn’t up yet in the morning. Lindell had a quick breakfast and left a note that he was going to the museum. Cory was already there when he got there. It wasn’t long before Eireen came upstairs, pale, her brows furrowed. Lindell thought he even saw fear in her eyes.

  “What happened?” Lindell asked.

  “Someone saw Nevyn in the city,” Eireen said. “They threatened to call on the witch hunters. Nevyn and I will have to hide in the forest for now. I don’t want to lead witch hunters here.” She shook her head. “Maybe I shouldn’t have risked coming, but I wanted to see you.”

  Lindell pulled her close.

  “Nevyn told me the witch hunters know about the gods and their full priests being demons,” Eireen said. “They likely wouldn’t approve of you either.”

  “I would just tell them I’m cursed,” Lindell said. “I’ve been walking around without a cloak. I’m sure most of Shale has heard about my appearance by now, but so far no one has threatened to call on the witch hunters.”

  Eireen smiled a little. “I’ll be in the forest.” She set off back toward the stairs.

  Hopefully there weren’t any witch hunters in Shale, none that would spot Eireen on her way to the forest. He worried about Eireen while he and Cory continued to pack away artifacts. Hector came by later in the day, while the two of them were taking a break downstairs.

  “Have you spoken to Bazza?” Hector asked.

  “Not yet,” Lindell said. “He hasn’t been by the museum. He didn’t want to see us packing away the artifacts.”

  “Or help…” Cory muttered.

  Hector sighed. “Kath has been keeping an eye on him, but she can’t prove her suspicions.”

  Did Kath believe Bazza was out to destroy Oenum? Maybe with the embers he could be a threat, if he wanted to be, but what could he do alone without a weapon like the embers? Lindell still didn’t know what to think of what Hector had told him before. He did know things weren’t over yet, even with the museum closing.

  “And Irwin?” Lindell asked, his heart clenching when he thought again of Ricliri.

  “He will be locked away in the dungeon for the foreseeable future, pending a trial,” Hector said. He looked around. “You’ve been packing?”

  Only two crates were packed downstairs.

  “We started with the upstairs, where all the dangerous artifacts are,” Lindell said.

  Hector sighed. “They were gathered together?”

  Lindell nodded. “So far none of the ones on the first floor have magic.”

  “And so far none of the artifacts are missing,” Cory said. He was looking through the ledger.

  “Can I help?” Hector asked.

  Cory closed the ledger. “Could you help me move the crates to the office of Phoenix? It’s still just me, Wallace, and Vedrix. Wallace is helping Kath, likely with finding out more about Bazza. Vedrix is around Shale somewhere, but not at the office.”

  Hector nodded. “I’ll help.”

  Lindell started packing away the downstairs artifacts while Cory and Hector moved crates from upstairs. After the others had gone home, Lindell did some more packing upstairs. The sooner this was done and the artifacts were with Phoenix, the sooner he would feel at least a little better. The sun was setting when he stopped to rest. He looked around at the upstairs halls. Lindell didn’t have many memories of living there. He had been young when his and Hector’s parents were killed.

  He and Hector had lived with their uncle elsewhere in Shale for a while. An elderly uncle who had soon passed. He had left the house to Hector, and Hector and Lindell had lived there for a long time. Lindell wandered the upstairs halls until he came to the stairs to the attic. They were hidden in a dark corner, barely visible. He hadn’t even known there was an attic. Dread clenched at him. Were there other artifacts up there? Worse ones than on the second floor? He started up the narrow stairs.

  He breathed out when he saw the attic was empty, just dusty floorboards and a dusty window. Lindell turned to go but noticed one of the wall boards by the window was loose. He saw the corner of a box in the space behind the board. He knelt beside the board, moving it aside further. His breath caught. The box didn’t look as old as it should, with no tarnish on the silver inlays. The lock had an odd glimmer to it. Lindell stared at the box, feeling ill. His heart pounded, loud in his ears. He could see the magic, could feel it.

  “Lindell! Are you here?” Bazza’s voice echoed up from below.

  Lindell tensed. He thought quickly, knowing what he had to do. He moved the board back into place, all the way this time, then hurried back down to the second floor. He met up with Bazza near the stairs to the first floor.

  “You’re breathing hard,” Bazza said.

  “I was packing stuff away,” Lindell said, feeling bad about the lie, but not wanting to tell the truth.

  Bazza had dark circles under his eyes. “We need to talk, at my house.” He turned and headed down the stairs.

  Lindell hoped the box would be safe where he’d left it. It had been there an unknowable time already and hadn’t been found. His parents really had found Rimlek’s Embers and protected it. Was Hector right? Was that why Bazza’s father had killed their parents, and had he really? More than that, Lindell feared why Bazza really wanted to find the embers. He wasn’t actually the last member of the Flame of Ivra, was he?

  Lindell followed Bazza downstairs and out of the museum, hoping this wasn’t a mistake. At his house, Bazza led Lindell straight to the study, where he lit a fire in the hearth before sitting in his usual chair. Lindell sat in the other chair, more nervous and uncertain by the moment.

  “You look worried,” Bazza said. “More than that.” He frowned. “It’s what’s happened to you, isn’t it? We’ll find a way to fix it.”

  Lindell shook his head. “That’s not it. I…” He had to know. “Hector has a theory about who killed our parents.”

  Bazza raised a brow. “Who does he think did it? He can’t accuse me of it. Unless he thinks I was capable of murder as a child.”

  “He believes your father killed our parents,” Lindell said.

  Bazza’s expression was carefully blank, but Lindell saw that coldness in his eyes again. “Do you believe it?”

  A terrible silence hung between them.

  “What happened in Luna at the beginning of last year?” Lindell asked.

  Bazza looked away. Lindell waited, but Bazza said nothing.

  “Have you been looking for Rimlek’s Embers all this time?” Lindell asked.

  Now Bazza stared at him. He looked like an entirely different person. The way he sat, and that chilling look in his eyes. “You know where they are. You may not have known before, but you know now.” He sighed. Even the way he spoke was different. Harder. He had none of the warmth he’d had a moment ago. “At first, I was just after the embers. I thought you might know where to find them, might lead me to them, but then I truly started to think of you as a friend. It’s time to drop the act. It’s been exhausting.”

  “You’re a member of the Flame of Ivra,” Lindell said, the words coming out quiet.

  Bazza smiled bitterly. “I’m the last of the Flame of Ivra. My grandfather was the founder of the group, and my father led them for years.” The smile faltered. “Yes, my father killed your parents. They refused to give him the embers. They knew where it was.” He moved to the edge of his chair. “There is so much we can do together, Lindell. Join me. We can find a way to undo what that spirit’s magic did to you.”

  Lindell shook his head. The words wouldn’t come.

  “We’ll find a way,” Bazza said. “We’ll return you to normal.”

  “It can’t be undone,” Lindell said, trying to focus. “I don’t want it undone.”

  Bazza frowned hard. “Then the magic must have affected your mind as well.”

  Lindell stood. “It hasn’t. And I won’t help you. I won’t help you end Oenum!”

  Bazza stood, rage in his eyes. “I had hoped to avoid killing you, but you will tell me where the embers are before that happens.” He crossed to the mantle and took an ornate looking dagger. “This will do…” he muttered.

  It was hard to take all of this in. Bazza wasn’t anything like Lindell had thought he was. The man he’d thought was his friend was planning on torturing and killing him. Bazza turned to look at Lindell, dagger in hand, a horrible mercilessness in his eyes. He lunged. Lindell moved to the side, the dagger barely missing him. A blast of water hit Lindell in the chest, throwing him against the bookcase behind him. Several heavy books landed around him, barely missing him.

  He had no idea how strong Bazza’s magic was, or what he might do with it. Bazza took a step closer, dagger glinting in the light of the fire. Lindell was breathing hard. His magic was responding to his fear, getting wilder. Books flew off the shelves above him, straight at Bazza, who moved away quickly. Lindell was on his feet and running, knowing it wouldn’t take long for Bazza to figure out that had been an illusion. The illusion hadn’t been intentional.

  He ran from Bazza’s house and down the alleyway outside. A blast of water hit him from behind, throwing him to the ground and knocking the air out of him. He rolled onto his back. Bazza put his foot on Lindell’s chest, pressing hard. He still held the dagger. For a moment, as he stared down at Lindell, there was something that might be regret in his eyes. The sound of voices came from around the corner, at the other end of the alleyway. It could be anyone, but it could be knights keeping watch.

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  Bazza sighed. “We’ll have to cut this short. Hector probably knows where the embers are too.” He frowned. “And I want to know how he survived his wounds. I was certain they were fatal.” He knelt, one foot still on Lindell’s chest, making it even harder to breathe. “I’ll try to make it quick.”

  Bazza brought the dagger down toward Lindell’s chest. A flash of red threw him off. Lindell felt the magic go past above him. It felt wrong, not like normal magic. Bazza was on his feet quickly, picking up the dagger he had dropped. Lindell stumbled to his feet. Cory, his corruption released, moved between Lindell and Bazza. That magic before must have been Cory’s, must have been corrupt magic.

  Lindell looked back the way Cory had come at the sound of someone running toward them. It was Wallace and Kath. When Lindell looked back at Bazza, he was already gone. Cory hadn’t gone after him. He breathed in sharply, pulling back his corruption before he turned to face Lindell.

  “He’s the last member of the Flame of Ivra,” Lindell said. The words felt horrible, along with the knowledge Bazza really would have killed him if Cory hadn’t shown up. “He wants to use Rimlek’s Embers against Oenum.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cory said.

  “He might go after Hector,” Lindell said. “We need to warn him.” He hesitated. “There’s something at the museum I need to retrieve.”

  “I’ll take knights to Hector’s house,” Kath said.

  “Cory and I will go with you to the museum,” Wallace said. “Are you sure this can’t wait?”

  “It can’t,” Lindell said.

  The three of them hurried to the museum. Lindell was relieved to find the doors locked. Bazza had probably searched the museum before, but the loose board in the attic had kept the embers hidden. Cory and Wallace followed Lindell to the attic without a word. Lindell moved the board aside and took the box from its hiding place.

  “Is that…” Wallace tensed. “It is.”

  “Rimlek’s Embers,” Lindell said. “I found it here earlier. Bazza doesn’t know. He wanted to talk at his house, and that’s when he… He’s after the embers.”

  “We’ll go to the office of Phoenix,” Wallace said.

  Wallace and Cory walked on either side of Lindell on the way to the market crescent. The crescent was empty this time of night, all the stalls gone for the day and the shops closed. Cory unlocked the door to the office of Phoenix. Vedrix came to stand in the doorway of the back room. He came closer, staring at the box.

  Wallace stared at the box as well, then he looked at Lindell. “I think you should tell us everything Bazza said.”

  Lindell nodded.

  There was a long table in the back room, with benches on either side. The four of them sat at the table while Lindell told them everything. He had set Rimlek’s Embers on the table between them.

  “Can you destroy it?” Cory asked Vedrix.

  Vedrix had been staring at the box for a while now. “I cannot destroy the box and the embers at the same time. Not without risking releasing the embers. The box must be protected. I will decide on a more permanent solution later, but for now the box will remain here, and I will guard it.”

  A knock came from the front door in the other room. Wallace went to get it, coming back with Kath and Hector. They decided Hector and Lindell would both stay at the office of Phoenix for the night. While Wallace, Cory, and Vedrix talked to Kath out in the front room, Lindell and Hector sat alone at the table in the back room.

  “Kath told me who Bazza is,” Hector said. “What happened?”

  Lindell told Hector what had happened at Bazza’s house. He didn’t want to have to repeat it again, but Hector should know.

  “He’ll be after you as well,” Lindell said.

  Hector frowned at the box on the table. “So that is Rimlek’s Embers. I had thought the box would be bigger.” He sighed. “I’m glad it’s safe, but it should have been better hidden.” He shivered. “It was in the museum this whole time, with Bazza.”

  “It probably was well hidden back when our parents first hid it,” Lindell said. “The board must have come loose at some point. I’m just glad Bazza didn’t go up there and see it.” He stared at the box. “I should have seen the truth. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe he really was up to something. I feel like such a fool…”

  “You wanted a friend,” Hector said. “Bazza played that role and manipulated you. You didn’t want to believe your friend was a liar.”

  “I refused to see what was right in front of me,” Lindell said. Silence settled between them. He hesitated, looking at his brother. “Bazza said he thought you were fatally wounded in Luna.”

  Hector sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I was, but can we please not talk about it right now?” He looked at Lindell with sadness in his eyes. “I’m not ready to talk about it.”

  Lindell nodded. “But will you tell me someday?”

  “I will,” Hector said.

  The two stayed at the office of Phoenix that night with Cory. Cory, his parents, and his sister were the only members of Phoenix who lived at the office, but right then his parents and sister were away on a case in Skarn. Cory helped set up two cots in the back room. Lindell lay awake practicing his illusions. They were getting more solid, lasting longer. At last, weariness from the day and from using magic pulled him into sleep.

  -- --

  In the morning, Lindell and Hector went to the museum with Cory and Wallace to finish packing away the artifacts and taking the boxes to Phoenix. Lindell had the ledger with him, to make sure nothing was missing while they were packing the artifacts away. He checked the ledger again. All the other artifacts were still on the table where the seed had been. They hadn’t packed away anything in this room yet. Lindell closed the ledger. He had no doubts about who had taken it. He found Wallace just about to pick up another crate out in the hall.

  “An artifact is missing,” Lindell said.

  Wallace let out a long, drawn out sigh. “What is it?”

  “A seed in a vial,” Lindell said. “A seed that was meant to restore the desert of Oenum. Nevyn talked to Vedrix about it.”

  “Vedrix mentioned that. Bazza must have taken it.” Wallace shook his head. “He can’t have done it last night. The knights were guarding the museum all night, all around it.”

  “What happened?” Cory asked, coming up the stairs.

  “The seed is missing,” Lindell said. “I should talk to Nevyn and Eireen.”

  Wallace nodded. “We need to know how dangerous the seed is. I’m sure Nevyn would know.”

  Cory went with Lindell. The two of them found Nevyn and Eireen easily out in the forest, but Lindell wasn’t sure they would have if they hadn’t heard the two talking.

  “The seed was taken,” Lindell said.

  Nevyn and Eireen stood from where they’d been sitting on the forest floor.

  “Bazza?” Eireen asked.

  “Likely,” Cory said. “What can the seed do?”

  “In the desert it would grow a forest swiftly,” Nevyn said. “In a city… I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be good. It could easily destroy Shale.”

  “Can we find it by its magic?” Eireen asked.

  “No,” Nevyn said. “Iterna could find it, but there’s not time for her to come. We must find it.”

  “Is the museum guarded?” Eireen asked.

  “Hector and Wallace are taking crates to Phoenix,” Lindell said. “The knights guarded the museum all night.”

  Nevyn nodded. “Good. We don’t want Bazza to have even more weapons.” He set off toward Shale without another word.

  Eireen stayed for a moment. She looked at Lindell. “Hector told me about Bazza.”

  “I shouldn’t have ignored that something was going on at the museum,” Lindell said. “And now he has another weapon.”

  “We’ll get it back,” Eireen said, hugging him tightly before she hurried after Nevyn.

  Lindell and Cory went back to the museum and continued packing things away. They were almost done with the second floor. Wallace and Hector were still moving crates from the museum to the office of Phoenix. There were enough crates that some of them were being stored in the back room. Lindell felt bad for making the office more cramped than it already was. He and Cory worked in silence, finishing the last two crates.

  “We should take these downstairs, so Wallace and Hector don’t have to come up for them,” Lindell said.

  A strange creaking came from somewhere below. It had been too loud to be the house settling. The creaking came again, followed by grinding, rumbling, and the sound of breaking wood. The house shook. A tree branch burst through the floor right next to Lindell’s foot, breaking through the boards and throwing him to the side. Cory pulled him to his feet quickly as more branches came through the floor.

  The floor cracked and broke all across the room. The two of them reached the doorway just as the trunk of a huge tree demolished the room behind them and part of the floor in the hall. More branches came through the floor in the hall as the two of them ran for the stairs. At the top of the stairs, a large branch burst through the floor right behind them, sending the two of them tumbling down.

  They hit the wall on the first landing, but both of them got up quickly, running the rest of the way down the stairs and out of the museum. There was a crowd outside, watching the tree destroy the museum. Lindell looked back just in time to see the entire building collapse around the massive tree. Without a word, Lindell followed Cory to the office of Phoenix at the market crescent. Wallace and Hector were standing out front the office, staring at the tree, which was visible over the roofs. It was still growing.

  “What is that?” Hector asked. “Where is it?”

  “The museum is gone,” Lindell said.

  Vedrix came to stand beside them, staring at the tree without expression, then he looked at the rest of them. “We need to talk.”

  Lindell, Cory, Vedrix, Wallace, and Hector gathered at the table in the back room. Crates took up most of the room.

  “I found Nevyn and Eireen as soon as the tree surfaced,” Vedrix said. “Nevyn told me the tree will spread its roots and will destroy Shale.”

  “How do we stop it?” Wallace asked. “It’s a bit big to cut it down.”

  “The seed has to be extracted from the roots of the tree and put back in the vial,” Vedrix said. “I suspect Bazza has the vial.” He looked at Lindell. “He likely intended for the tree to kill you, and anyone else in the museum.”

  Hearing that hurt. Lindell had known Bazza was prepared to kill him before, but apparently he was going to keep trying. What would he try next? Lindell took the ledger from his pocket and set it on the table. He looked through it quickly.

  “What are you looking for?” Hector asked.

  “The tree hit the last two crates of artifacts upstairs,” Lindell said. “I want to see what they were.” He found the page at last and showed it to Vedrix.

  Vedrix read through it calmly, then closed the ledger. “I think the tree will have destroyed those artifacts, but I will go check the area around the museum. You and Hector should stay here for now. Wallace will stay with you in case Bazza tries anything.”

  Lindell didn’t want to know what else Bazza might try. He’d tried a good old fashioned dagger, then had gone straight to demolishing a building. At least none of the other artifacts had been missing, so he didn’t have another to use against them. Had he destroyed the vial that could contain the seed? Even if he hadn’t, they would have to find him and get it back from him. The knights had been keeping watch of Bazza’s house, but he hadn’t returned. He could be anywhere in Shale.