“As soon as he’s arrested, word will spread and the source will disappear. Also only Third Magician Irys is legally allowed to obtain information that way, and she’s still in Moon lands.” Zitora handed Pazia a large money bag. “Make sure the diamonds you buy are real then return to the Keep. I’ve assigned another magician to follow the supplier.”

With no need to disguise ourselves, Pazia and I set off for the meeting. Ulrick hadn’t been happy about staying behind at the Keep.

“She’s no friend of yours,” he had said. “If you get into trouble, she’s going to protect herself first.”

Good thing the conversation had been interrupted by the arrival of the kiln from Booruby. Distracted, he had skipped his lecture on safety, settling for a promise from me to be extra careful.

My thoughts centered on trust as we hurried to Elita’s store. She had said to arrive before the lamplighters lit the back alley. The troop of lighters was already out on the streets, shimmying up the posts with their flaming sticks.

The door opened after our first tap. Hustled inside, we entered the same room as before. Elita waited with a man of average height and weight, although I would never forget him. His pure white hair was buzzed close to his head and was in stark contrast to his midnight skin. Elita introduced him as Mr. Lune.

Six diamonds sparkled on the velvet-covered table. They ranged in size from a thumbnail to a cherry. We all hunched over them as if they possessed a magical attraction.

“May I?” I gestured to the stones.

“Certainly. They’re as genuine as the mountains they were mined from,” Mr. Lune said.

“The Emerald Mountains?” Pazia asked.

“Nice try, sweetheart. I’m not stupid enough to tell Vasko’s daughter where I found my diamonds.”

I picked up the smallest one. It was a round stone with the bottom cut to a point. Numbing cold soaked into my skin where the diamond rested on my palm. My mind’s eye filled with a frozen and flat wasteland.

As I checked the others, my bones ached with cold. The snowy vision stayed and a few wooden structures came into focus. The wood, peeling and gray, appeared weathered by many storms. The buildings leaned as if constructed during a strong wind. Piles of snow decorated their roofs and icicles hung from the windows.

The gems were authentic. I signaled Pazia with a discreet gesture.

“How much?” Pazia asked Mr. Lune.

“For which one?”

“For all.”

Shock and then gleeful greed blazed on Mr. Lune’s dark face before he smoothed his expression into mild interest. His first amount was so ridiculously high, even Elita couldn’t suppress a huff of amusement.

Pazia handled the brisk negotiations. Feeling had returned to my palm and I wanted to see what would happen if I touched all six diamonds at once. I laid my hand over the gems on the velvet. Ice pierced my skin and spread throughout my body, driving the heat out. Once again the white expanse formed in my mind. This time I concentrated on the structures, searching for any clue to their location.

Gray smoke billowed from a chimney rising above the only stone building. Footprints tracked between doorways. Another set of tracks ringed one small shack. These resembled snow cat paw prints, which ended in a scuffed mess stained pink.

Unable to endure the icy grip on my body, I pulled my hand away from the diamonds. I glimpsed a deep pit before the vision melted.

Rubbing my arms, I shivered. The gems had been mined from the northern ice sheet above the Territory of Ixia, a vast expanse of snow and ice almost as big as Ixia. Mr. Lune had lied about the mountains.

“…pay Elita and the two agents who brought you here, plus my workers, there’ll be nothing left,” Mr. Lune said.

“I know how much miners are paid. My offer is more than generous,” Pazia countered.

The negotiations launched into another round. My thoughts shifted to Ulrick. He would be worried if we delayed too long. A deluge of emotions swirled in my chest. The thrill of holding his hand, the wonderment over his attraction to me, the annoyance about his protectiveness, and the worry we lacked a certain spark all churned. I shied away from the last thought. Since our brief touch in Zitora’s office, I couldn’t think of sparks without thinking of Kade.

“…five golds per carat, and if you can find me six more diamonds over ten carats from the same mine, I’ll up it to six,” Pazia said.

Mr. Lune blinked a few times. “Six more diamonds that big? They’re hard to find. Their rarity increases the cost more than a gold. The other gems will cost you twelve golds a carat.”

They haggled. A wild glint shone in Pazia’s eyes. She enjoyed the verbal battle. She offered a flat rate of nine golds per carat if he could secure six more large gems.

“Deal.” Mr. Lune shook Pazia’s hand.

She counted out twenty golds as down payment for twelve diamonds. Mr. Lune would send her a message when he returned, and they would complete the exchange.

By the time we left Elita’s shop, all the Citadel’s stores had closed. The taverns remained opened. Bursts of laughter and measures of music formed pools of warmth in the cold night air. Pazia walked through them without notice. She reviewed the bargaining session with glee, detailing the finer moments.

Her enthusiasm was infectious, but I kept watch for strangers following us or worse—someone I recognized.

She ceased her chatter and placed a warning hand on my arm. “Around the corner…a man…” Pazia pressed her lips together.