Quima paused, eyes narrow. “There is more to my order than you can imagine, Miracle. Without us, your father would be the least competent in a long line of High Shapers.”

“Who helped him?” Mira asked.

“You’ll learn nothing more from me,” Quima said. “Mira, I’m no less dedicated to my cause than you are to yours. Let me show you how it’s done.” Closing her eyes, she made a tight fist.

“What do you mean?” Liam asked.

Quima opened her hand, revealing a pinprick of blood on her palm. “My ring hid a poisoned needle.”

“You’d have to be careful with one of those,” Liam said.

“I’ll be dead in minutes,” Quima promised. “No matter what methods you might have to extract what I know, they won’t work before I’m well out of reach.”

“You may be right,” Liam said. “But surely you’ll share some last thoughts. Some dying hints. You don’t want to go out with a fizzle.”

Quima gave a wide, evil grin. “If you wish. Carnag was weak. It was weak because it was docile. With a little more time, I could have overcome that tendency. The others will not be as frail.”

“What others?” Mira asked. “Is this happening to all my sisters?”

“That won’t be a mystery for long,” Quima said. “They have distinct shaping styles. Their powers will take form differently. None will be as pathetic as yours. And the semblances that arise from your sisters are only the beginning.”

“What will come after?” Liam asked.

“You’ll know when it arrives,” Quima said. “Assuming you’re still alive.”

“I feel whole,” Mira said. “My father no longer has a share of my power.”

Quima shook her head, as if Mira was missing the point. “Your father is the least of your problems. But even Stafford has not yet outlived his usefulness. His talents wane, but his authority remains. And he stole powers once . . .”

Cole felt a surge of fear. “My friends! The High King was looking for slaves with shaping powers.”

Throwing her head back, Quima laughed grandly. The genuine delight gave Cole chills. “You have friends among his slaves? Friends with shaping talent? They will learn of shapecraft. The experiments reserved for them may teach us all new lessons.”

“What experiments?” Cole asked, fear flaring into anger.

Quima shook her head.

“Tell him what you know,” Liam said.

“Or what?” Quima laughed. “You’ll kill me? Too late. You’ll get no more from me.”

“What about your part in this?” Liam asked. “Carnag. Did you form it with your shapecraft?”

“The power became a semblance because of shapecraft,” Quima said. “All part of a larger plan than you could possibly guess. Its creation wasn’t my doing, but I helped steer Carnag in the right direction.”

“Did you steer it with shapecraft?” Liam asked. “Or with counsel?”

“Use your imagination,” Quima said.

“But you were planning to take control of it?” Mira asked.

“I had control!” Quima said. “I should have taken full control.”

“That would have required Mira’s compliance?” Liam asked.

“No, I was just being polite,” Quima said. “We’re done. I fell short of my aims and failed my order. It is a small failure, inconsequential in the long run, but I’m ready to pay for it. Any second the symptoms of the poison will start.”

“Yeah,” Liam said. “About that . . . I shaped your poison. I’m really good at analyzing substances. And changing them. I’m rather amazing, actually. You stabbed yourself with honey. If your palm could taste, it would have been delicious.”

Cole couldn’t resist laughing at the stunned look on her face. Jace joined in, and even Twitch covered a snicker.

“Impossible,” Quima retorted breathlessly.

“For some shapers, maybe,” Liam said. “Kind of routine for me. My boss will really want to talk to you, so I’m going to make sure you don’t harm yourself in the near future.”

He waved a hand, and a golden strip of fabric emerged from the ground and bound itself around her mouth. She strained against the cords that held her.

“I know you like hiding in private rooms, so I’ll give you one,” Liam said. Quima sank into the ground as if it were quicksand. Liam glanced at Mira. “Now we can really talk. Don’t worry, I’m putting her deep.”

“What are you going to do with her?” Cole asked.

“Like I promised, I’ll take her to Declan,” Liam replied. “He’ll be very interested to speak with her.”

“Do you think you can find out what the High King wants to do to my friends?” Cole asked.

“Hard to guess,” Liam said. “Declan may have the best chance.”

“Maybe he wants their power,” Mira said.

“That’s what I thought at first,” Cole said. “But Quima made it sound like there was more to it.”

“She may have been trying to scare us,” Liam said. “Everything she told us could have been a lie.”

“I have a feeling it’s not just a bluff,” Mira said.

“Me too,” Liam said. “We’ll see what Declan can get out of her.”

“He’s safe?” Mira asked.

“Safe enough,” Liam said. “We had to leave most of what he built behind. Lyrus couldn’t come with us, so we left him in charge of the defense of Cloudvale. I’ve never seen him happier. The legion will have a very unpleasant job ahead of them. It’s possible that once they confirm we’ve fled, they’ll retreat.”

“What now?” Mira asked.

Liam glanced at the sky and looked around. “We find Bertram, send your captured legionnaire on his way, then wait for Joe to catch up. He had a message for you that he wouldn’t share with me.”

“Any hints?” Mira asked.

“I expect it’s important.”

Chapter 35

THE MESSAGE

Cole hunched on a stool outside of a beautiful cottage. A soft wind carried the scent of leaves and wildflowers. The autocoach waited nearby, Bertram sitting contentedly inside.

After traveling a considerable distance from where Carnag had fallen, Liam and Mira had shaped the cottage in less than an hour, complete with beds, furniture, a big fireplace, paintings on the walls, and a garden out back. This was the second afternoon after the cottage had risen.