A Crystal of Time (The School for Good and Evil The Camelot Years #2) - Soman Chainani Page 0,105

spot Rhian will look for us—”

“No,” said Sophie tersely. “Now answer my question.”

“Let me see your Quest Map. It’ll show me where everyone is.”

“No, it won’t,” said Sophie, pointing at the swan crest on Agatha’s dress. “Not as long as it thinks you and the others are first years. When Robin and I escaped together, he told me you switched crests to fool the Snake’s map.”

“But his map will still show you and Tedros! You two don’t have crests! That means Rhian can still see you! He can find us, wherever you’re taking us! There is no safe place in the Woods—”

“Aggie, do you trust me?” Sophie said.

“Of course—”

“Then stop changing the subject. Have you learned anything new about Rhian and Japeth?”

Agatha’s chest tightened. She needed to know what had happened to Robin, the Sheriff, and the rest of their team. She needed to know how she could possibly elude Rhian, with his map tracking her and Tedros’ every move. . . .

But Sophie’s stare was unyielding.

Agatha took a deep breath.

She told Sophie what she’d read in Sader’s book while Sophie told her what she’d endured at Rhian’s side, Agatha peeking back every so often at her prince. They moved stealthily, three silhouettes against the forest, taking cover at any sound of horses, but never seeing them appear. Agatha’s gut gnarled with hunger and she needed water, but Sophie distracted her with more questions.

“So you’re telling me that if a hundred rulers destroy their rings, Rhian will claim the Storian’s powers,” Sophie prompted. “Lionsmane will become the new Storian. Anything Rhian writes with it will come true, no matter how Evil. He can kill me with a penstroke. He can kill all of us. He’ll be invincible.”

“That’s what Sader’s prophecy says,” Agatha replied.

“But plenty of leaders still have their rings,” said Sophie. “They challenged Rhian at the Council meeting. Not everyone is ready to declare war on the school.”

“After what we just did on the battlefield, that may change,” Agatha muttered.

“Wait a second . . . Robin had a ring!” Sophie exclaimed. “At the meeting. He flashed it at me. That means we’re safe. He’d never burn it!”

“Must have been a fake or you saw wrong. Sherwood Forest isn’t an official kingdom,” Agatha dismissed. “First-year geography test in Sader’s class, remember? Robin can’t have a ring.”

“But I swear I . . .” Sophie deflated, doubting her memory. “So there’s no one we can count on? No leader who will hold the line?”

Agatha gave her an empty look.

“How badly was Rhian beaten by his men?” Sophie asked, trying to sound hopeful. “There were a lot of them. Maybe he’s . . .”

“Snakes don’t die that easy,” said Agatha. “Speaking of snakes: you said Japeth used you for your blood. Your blood heals him, but not Rhian?”

Sophie shook her head.

“But they’re twins,” said Agatha. “How can you heal one and not the other?”

“The more important question is what they’ll do with the Storian’s powers if they get them,” said Sophie. “I heard Rhian say there’s something specific Japeth wants. Something they both want. And it can only happen when the last ring is destroyed.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait. Rhian said something to me. The night I had dinner with him. That the day would come when the One True King would rule forever. That it would come sooner than I thought. That our wedding would bring everyone together.”

“Your wedding?” said Agatha.

“He said it to the Mistral Sisters too. That they had to keep the kingdoms on his side until the wedding.” Sophie paused. “So I must be part of this also. Whatever Rhian’s planning to do with the Storian’s powers . . . He needs me as his queen.”

Agatha mulled this over. “And he said a ‘pen’ picked you?”

Sophie nodded. “Doesn’t make the slightest sense.”

“More riddles,” Agatha agreed. “But if Rhian needs you for his plan, one thing’s for sure.” She looked at her best friend. “He’s coming for you.”

Sophie paled.

They didn’t speak for a moment.

“No Dovey. No Lesso. No way to Merlin . . . ,” said Agatha finally, almost to herself. “We need help, Sophie.”

“Almost there,” said Sophie vaguely.

Agatha peered at her. “You smell funny. Like you rolled around in dirt.”

If Agatha expected a retort, it didn’t come. Instead Sophie just sighed.

Agatha glanced back at Tedros, head bowed, listening to everything the girls had endured while he was in prison. Without a shirt, he trembled as a cold gust knifed through, his pained breaths thinning. . . .

An arm draped across