Page 102 of Triumph at Pemberley

Frederica shook her head. “The fae said it directly. ‘My true name is…’ and then the name. Unless she is the first fae to be able to lie, it is true.”

“Astonishing. She must be truly desperate. Well, let us see that Artifact. Put it on the ground, but without touching it directly.”

She set it down and gingerly pulled down the sides of the cloth bag, revealing a sculpted archway made of stone inlaid with silver and onyx. It was barely larger than her hand.

Quickthorn paced slowly around the Artifact, studying it from all angles, bending her snout close to it as if smelling it. studied the Artifact. “It has a faint trace of the Gwynedd Nest in it, so it was likely created there. A good sign, I suppose. Perhaps someone there can tell us more about it.”

“I suppose you have to tell them about it, then.”

“Yes, if I ever want them to accept me. To accept us.”

“Then we have little choice.” Roderick would probably inform them anyway.

Roderick was waiting for her when she returned to the house. As soon as they were alone, he raked his hand through his hair. “What were you thinking, to go past the wards?”

Frederica stalled. “I assumed that they would let me cross again.”

“That is up to the dragons, but you should not go beyond the protections in any case. What if you had been captured?”

“I had Sutton with me. And fortunately, no one troubled us at all.” Now, to break it to Roderick. Gently. “You read the journals of Iorweth the Bold, who created the dragon Gates, did you not?”

“What does that have to do with this? Of course I did. I translated them for Elizabeth.” He looked out the window. “Hard to imagine now a time peaceful enough for me to take on a task like that again.”

“Did he happen to mention whether he used an Artifact when he opened the Gates?” This would go so much more easily if he had.

“Yes. Taliesin the Seer created it for him. Why?”

It was now or never. She unwrapped the Artifact she had set on the table. “I think this may be it.”

He leaned down to peer at it. “Good God. It certainly looks like the sketch he made, as much as I can remember of it. Where did you find this?”

Best to delay that question. “Apparently the Wicked King stole it from Iorweth to stop him from making more Gates.”

“He stole it? When Iorweth was still alive?”

“It seems so, which raises the question of what happened when Iorweth tried to open that final Gate, the one that failed disastrously. I wonder if it was because he no longer had the Artifact.”

Roderick’s brow furrowed. “If the Wicked King left a fake Artifact behind, that might explain it. Or perhaps Iorweth was confident enough to try it without the Artifact.” He frowned. “But it would mean that someone else might be able to open Gates safely with this. Someone like Elizabeth.”

That was a surprise. “You know?”

“That it is her Forbidden Talent? I had guessed. That is why I gave her Iorweth’s journals.”

“She has been trying to learn to use it, under Rana Akshaya’s guidance. They think a new Gate could allow them to trap Napoleon, but she has had no success so far. Perhaps because she does not have this Artifact.”

Roderick groaned. “Why does everyone insist on playing with fire? Cerridwen should know better than to allow this.”

“Cerridwen’s visions tell her otherwise.”

Her husband sank down onto the bed, noticeably pale. “Why did you not tell me she was attempting this?”

“Elizabeth asked me not to. She has not even told Darcy, for fear he would forbid it.”

“As well he should! Does she have any idea of the danger?”

“She is well aware of it – and of the danger Napoleon brings. But perhaps with this Artifact, it will not be so risky.”

“If it is truly what you say it is.”