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Surely, it must be worth something.
Surely, it must be the manuscript he was talking about.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Think.”
I flip through the pages, but they really are completely blank. There’s nothing there. It’s not like there’s invisible writing on them because there’s just...not.
“Why isn’t there anything here?” I whisper.
“Because you didn’t unlock the words,” a tiny voice says from beside me. My eyes go wide and I jump, turning to see who managed to sneak up on me. “Hello,” says a little boy. He must be around ten years old. He’s got a big smile and a mop of brown hair and big, bright blue eyes.
“Hello,” I whisper, wondering how he managed to see me. I used the amulet. It shouldn’t be possible. Then he smiles and winks at me.
“I’m a dark fae, too,” he says. He points at my necklace. “Your amulet won’t work on me.”
“But dark faes are banned from the city,” I whisper. “How are you here?”
“What? No, we aren’t,” he shakes his head. “That’s just something Wyatt says to the other towns. He started a rumor last year so no one would try to come in while he came up with his evil scheme to overthrow the king. He also started a rumor that we’re at war with other kingdoms, that we’re having a famine, and that there’s a drought. Oh,” the boy lowers his voice. “And he says the king likes the ladies.”
I stare at the kid, blinking.
Then I don’t say anything at all.
Am I dreaming right now?
Seriously, what’s going on?
“Let’s start with something simple,” I finally say. “My name is Rose.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says. “I’m Greg.”
“Greg,” I reach out, shaking his hand. “How do you know about a plot to overthrow the king?”
“Oh, lots of dark faes know,” he says. “Wyatt arrested my mom and dad last year. That’s when he decided to ban anyone new from coming to town. He started a rumor that no dark faes can come to Dark Falls. He also said no vampires, no shifters, and no demons, of course, but that’s all a façade.”
Do I want to know how a little kid knows a bit word like façade?
“Uh, okay,” I say.
“Basically,” Greg comes over and sits beside me on the bench. “If you weren’t in the city last year, you can’t get in now. People think the king is a real asshole for instituting these policies, you know. They don’t realize he has no clue!” Greg holds his hands up like he just can’t believe it, and if it wasn’t such a serious situation, I might be tempted to laugh.
No, seriously, what kid talks like this?
“If your mom and dad are gone,” I ask. “Where do you live now?”
“With Luther,” he says solemnly. “But he was taken today.”
So that’s how this kid found me.
“You followed me,” I say.
“Yeah,” the kid has the decency to blush, at least. So he knows it’s creepy to follow people. That much is good, I guess. “Sorry about that, but you took the book, and well, I don’t think you would have taken it if Luther didn’t tell you.”
“Didn’t tell me what?” I ask.
“About it. You know, it’s got all of the antidotes in there. All of the recipes for the potions and everything: they’re all in there.”
“Anquan?” I dare to ask.
