Things had not gone as they were supposed to.

The plan had abruptly changed when Mouse, Crow and Fox had stepped through the portal first, supposedly to tell Warder that they had returned and that Alex’s group was going to accompany them to the safehouse.

Time had passed, then Crow came back, speaking to Rat quickly in their secret tongue before scurrying back to the portal.

The lone thief looked stricken, then turned to Alex and the others.

“Erm, I’m sorry…but, Warder said we can’t bring you to the safehouse.” Rat shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes darted above his cowl, refusing to meet Alex, Theresa, Claygon or even Brutus’. In his hand, he clutched a bottle of potato wine and three small, silver cups. “Uh, would you, uh, like to have that drink here?”

Theresa watched Alex, his jaw clenched, looking like steel. “What did he say?”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” Rat apologised, switching to common. “I meant to say that Warder…would like to meet you all here instead of you coming to the safehouse.”

“What’s going on?” Alex asked, suspicion growing. His eyes flicked to the walls and door, looking for signs of movement or anything else he might have missed. Was this a trap? “One minute you tell us that we’re supposed to come with you…then your three friends—” He counted off Mouse, Crow and Fox on his fingers. “—go into the portal, disappear for ten minutes and now you tell us that we can’t come with you? I don’t like the way this is looking. Warder’s going to give me what he owes, right?”

“He is, he is,” Rat promised. “It’s just that…well, you can go anywhere with Kelda’s ability, right? So, you could come back to our safehouse anytime you wanted, and we wouldn’t be able to stop you. So he only wants to take precautions. Here, here, we should be drinking, not arguing.

Alex watched the Guild member closely, reading his body language. There was nervousness there; by the shifting of his weight, the twitches of discomfort in his face and a light trembling in his hands. The young wizard looked at the glasses closely, watching the man pour.

Before the thief could offer him or Theresa a glass, he reached out and took two, one for himself and one for his partner, watching Rat’s reaction all the while. The man’s demeanour didn’t change.

“You want me to drink first?” Rat asked, taking a long sip from his glass. “See? No poison.”

Alex took a small sip, watching the thief’s body language

The liquor burned the tongue.

“Harsh stuff,” Theresa said.

A smile—hidden behind Rat’s cowl but visible in his eyes—sprang up on Rat’s face. “See, it’s like I said, you saved us, so I wanted to share a drink with you. Enjoy it, it’s good stuff! It’s harsh because it gets you good and drunk, which is what liquor is supposed to do, not—”

The portal flared below.

An image of Warder leaving the doorway flashed into Alex’s mind.

“Your boss is here,” the young wizard drained his drink.

Rat’s nervousness instantly spiked.

Alex leaned to the side, casually reaching for the aeld staff as Warder appeared in the secret passageway.

“Hello,” Theresa’s voice was flat

“Hello,” Warder said, clutching a folded sheet of parchment under his arm. “You did well.”

“Indeed we did, boss,” Rat said.

Warder’s head tilted toward the direction of Brightfire, seeming to be listening to the sound of alarms going off. “You were not seen? Nor discovered?”

“No,” Rat assured him. “They didn’t see us at all.”

“They got us with dust that outlines your form,” Alex said. “But we never broke invisibility. They’ll have no idea who any of you are…nor any of us.”

“Excellent,” Warder said. “And did you kill any of their guardians?”

“No,” Alex said. “Some of them are going to have a long, tough journey back to the city, but no one died.”

“It was a bloodless operation,” Rat confirmed.

Warder nodded. “The Founder would be proud.” He grinned behind his mask, his gem-eyes gleaming. “She was not one for unnecessary bloodshed, not only for herself—for…obvious reasons—,” He looked pointedly at Alex. “—but for the members of the Guild as well; she thought that killing made things messier.”

He chuckled darkly. “I tend to have a different view. Killings might make things messy in the short term, but they also have a way of closing loops and tying loose ends. A dead enemy is one that can never come looking for you, after all.”

‘And a dead ally is one you never have to pay,’ Alex thought, keeping his face a mask of neutrality. ‘Is that what you’re about to try to pull? With Claygon standing here?’

As Warder reached down to his belt, Alex began drawing on the aeld staff’s power. Just in case.

The red-eyed man opened a pouch tied to his belt…

…producing a single, copper and zinc coin with a red mouse stamped on its face.

“As agreed, I hereby award you the Coin of Silent Friends,” the thief said, “Making you a friend to the Guild. Congratulations.”

Alex slowly took the coin, turning it over between his fingers. It looked authentic.

“Thank you.” The Thameish wizard showed Warder the coin. “I take it you have an idea of what I’ll be asking for?”

Warder bowed, his grin growing. “Of course, and I am eager to oblige.” He turned, unfolding the parchment, sticking it to the back wall as he had done with the one of Sorkovo and Brightfire. This map was larger and much more detailed, showing the entire Irtyshenan country.

Four circles, drawn in red ink, outlined four separate areas.

The first was somewhere in a forest near Kymiland.

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The next was in a range of southern mountains.

Another lay in the tundra to the north.

The last was a spot on an island off the eastern coast of the Empire.

“What’s this?” Theresa asked. “Four circles?”

“Yes, the Founder’s sanctum is in one of those four locations.” Warder bowed. “I must apologise for not being able to give you more precise directions, but the Guild of the Red Mouse was never granted the exact location. Members who lived in her time were aware that it does lie in one of these areas…but they never visited on their own accord since it was simpler for her to teleport them there.”

Alex’s insides curdled.

‘Is this…a trick…father?’ Claygon asked. ‘I thought…they would have specific information…about…where her sanctum was…’

The young wizard watched Warder’s body language closely, looking for any sign of treachery. He found none. The masked thief seemed to be sincere, almost apologetic.

‘So we went through robbing the library just to have things narrowed down to…four locations?’ Alex thought. ‘…something’s not right here. I think he’s telling the truth, but I don’t like the way this feels.’ His eyes scanned the four areas on the map circled in red, ‘This gives us an idea of where to search, but…why four places? Why would Kelda not tell her own Guild the exact location, why give them four different places where her sanctum could be. I think we need to talk to Birger about this.’

“Are you satisfied?” Warder asked. “This map is a copy; you can take it with you when you leave the city.”

“Thanks, I suppose…” Alex said, cautiously. “And you have no other information?”

“I wish the Founder had been less secretive with the early members of the Guild,” Warder said. “But I’m afraid this is the best that can be done.”

Alex watched him for a long moment, then smiled, filling the smile with sincerity…though it did not touch his heart. “Thank you for the map Warder, it should help us.”

“You’re most welcome,” the gem-eyed thief said. “I only hope you’re able to find the Founder’s sanctum; it would be a boon to us all.”

Alex’s smile remained fixed. “I’m sure it will. Well, let’s get going. We’ve got a sanctum to find.” He said to Claygon, Theresa and Brutus.

###

A fire crackled in Birger’s hearth.

It cast long, flickering light across the cottage’s walls, extending the shadows of those sitting around the table.

Birger’s was long, bent and writhing as the old firbolg hunched over the table, his hands clasped before him.

Bjorgrund’s and Claygon’s were imposing, filling the end of the cottage with ominous shadows.

Brutus’ looked threatening, all three heads grew and shrank like the forms of some possessed beast.

Alex’s and Theresa’s seemed to hesitate, wavering back and forth like two turbulent souls, matching the emotions stirring inside them.

Spread across the table was the map that Warder had given Alex, the four locations marked for all to see.

“Why?” Alex asked Birger. “Why wouldn’t Kelda just tell them exactly where her sanctum was? It doesn’t feel right to me.”

“You’d think she’d tell the people she trusted,” Bjorgrund said.

Silence gripped the room for a moment, until Birger spoke, breaking it, his eyes coming alive in the firelight. “She was a woman of secrets…but this seems odd even for her. Why wouldn’t she give the Guild only one location? Why four?”

“Warder didn’t seem to be lying,” Alex said. “And I’m damn good at seeing through someone’s lies.”

“So was Kelda, so that doesn’t surprise me.” Birger examined the map. “It’s odd to me…though…unless…”

“Unless what?” Theresa asked.

Birger made a sour face. “Listen to me, and you listen good. Kelda wasn’t some ball of dirt; she was no bandit queen. She put together the Guild to help herself and in return, she could help the members…sure, she flouted the law, and spit on the will of tyrants, which meant there was a nobility to her.” He gave Alex and Theresa a grave look. “She wanted those noble values infused in the Guild, and that meant members must have the sense of honour, fairplay and restraint that she did. I got no such sense coming off that Warder. Not at all.”

“So you think he lied?” Theresa asked. “About where the location is?”

“I don’t know,” Birger’s eyes were flashing. “But there’s only one way to find out.”

He pointed to the forest near Kymiland. “This location isn’t that far from here. We could go and have a look around later tonight.”

Theresa looked at Alex. “We still have time before we have to be back home. What do you think?” she asked

The young wizard frowned, deep in thought, considering the situation.

He imagined his little sister, probably sound asleep by now. Even taking the time difference into account, there were still hours before she would have to wake up for school. It might be best to use the time they had as efficiently as possible.

“If Warder’s trying something,” Alex said. “The longer we wait, the more time he has to do whatever it is he’s up to. Maybe we should start looking tonight; if we find her sanctum, we’ll have fantastic news for Selina, Professor Jules and everyone else back in Generasi. I have plenty of energy to teleport us there and back…so, yeah, I say we do it.”

“Might I come with you?” Birger asked, gripping his crutch. “If we could find Kelda’s sanctum…oh, I’d be so grateful to see it again.”

“Do you think it’d be safe leaving your cottage this late?” Theresa asked.

“With the strength of the ward that we now have around our home, thanks to the wizard you hired, it should be just fine,” Birger said. “I always knew I was an amateur when it came to warding, but it’s still…it’s actually humbling seeing how he worked, and how much better this new one is compared to my old one.”

“Alright, then it’s settled, we’ll go to that first location on the map, search for a few hours and if we don’t find the sanctum, we can bring you back then head home.”

“Sounds exciting,” Bjorgrund said.

“Indeed, I cannot wait to find her sanctum,” Birger said.

“If we find it,” Theresa said.

“Alright, then let’s get ready.” Alex stood up. “I’ll put flight magic on us, then teleport us ther—”

He paused.

Wavering shadows played over a crossbeam running along the ceiling.

For a moment, he thought he’d seen something move. He stayed completely still, looking up, squinting at every inch of the crossbeam, finding nothing but flickering shadows cast by sprigs of herbs hanging from the rafters.

###

The forest was similar to Kymiland’s.

Within those woods, tree trunks were thick, gnarled and old…but here, instead of leafless, bare canopies, most of the trees were of fir and cedar, tall, and dense with needles, some carpeting the snow beneath them.

Alex and his companions silently floated through the evergreen forest, the young wizard watched the map. They kept close to the ground, flying at a slow, steady pace, all eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, searching for any hint of Kelda’s sanctum.

Though they’d been carefully looking for hours, they’d found nothing, no caves, or hidden doors.

“Does any of this look familiar, father?” Bjorgrund asked.

“No, none of it does, son.” Birger shook his head. “I have not travelled much this way even in all my wanderings, and what little I remember of this place has changed.”

“I wish…Warder…had been more helpful…” Claygon said.

“Me too,” Theresa agreed, looking at Alex. “You’re frowning. Something on your mind? You look a little lost in thought.”

The young wizard shook his head. “I just keep getting the feeling that we’re missing something. Why would there be four locations? Did she have more than one sanctum and just not tell anyone? If so, why would she have lied? There’s something odd here—”

Suddenly, Brutus’ six ears perked up as his heads began looking in every direction, growling.

“What is it?” Theresa asked. “What is it boy?”

The cerberus barked, then floated to the ground, paws crunching snow. He pressed his noses to the ground sniffing and whining.

“Looks like he smells something!” Theresa said excitedly, floating down beside him. She took in the spot he was sniffing. “…I think he’s definitely found something. Look at the snow here…it’s been disturbed.”

Her head turned, eyes scanning. “Yes…it’s definitely been moved, it almost looks like…we’re in some sort of curve or maybe a circle?”

“A circle?” Alex frowned, checking the map. “Careful, if it’s been recently disturbed, it might be something that Warder did…but that couldn’t be, how would he get here so fast?”

The sound of digging grew faster as Brutus sniffed the earth, digging frantically.

“Well, this is strange,” Theresa said.

“What?” Alex asked.

The snow should be deep around here…but where Brutus is digging it’s shallow, maybe a few inches…and the dirt underneath it isn’t frozen. It’s loose and visible. Like someone dumped a bunch of soil here then used snow to cover it…maybe someone buried a body here…” Tension grew in her voice. “What in all hells is going—Wait? Does anybody hear that? Something’s moving behind us…hold on…”

Theresa whirled. “In front of us! All around us!”

Brutus’ snarled, baring his fangs.

“What?” Alex looked around. Something was moving between worlds, but what—

“In the name of our god, I sanctify this circle!” a voice he would never forget cut through the trees.

Alex’s blood turned ice cold.

He reached for the Traveller’s power.

“In the name of Uldar: the power of the Traveller is null in his area of sanctity,” another foul voice cried.

There came an impact with no sound.

And what felt like a blacksmith’s hammer slammed into the Fool of Thameland’s chest.