“No,” Jace said. “If this torivor is half as powerful as everybody says, you won’t get away from him because you have wings. He’ll either let me come back or he won’t. Same with any of us. I’m the one who stepped onto the road. It makes sense that I keep going.”
“Jace, don’t,” Mira said. “Honor is my sister. I should take the risk.”
“If she goes, I go too,” Minimus said staunchly.
Jace gave Mira a lopsided smile. “You’re too valuable to risk, Mira. The torivor wanted your sister, so he’ll probably want you, too. He may not care about keeping me.”
“He may not care about killing you,” Cole said.
“It’s okay,” Jace said calmly. “I’ve felt useless since we left Sambria. At least this is something I can do. It’s just another sky castle to survive.”
“You don’t have your rope,” Mira said.
“I made it through my first missions without it.” Jace started walking toward the open gate.
“Be careful,” Skye said, her voice quavering.
Jace paused where the Red Road became black beyond the fence line. Cole held his breath. He had a sick feeling the next step could be the end of his friend. He wanted to call out for him to stop. Hands over her mouth, Mira looked away, but her eyes were promptly drawn back.
Jace glanced at Mira and gave a casual salute, then stepped forward.
And vanished.
Cole looked to Skye. “What happened?”
“Hard to say,” Skye replied. “There are powerful enchantments here. I can sense the energy. Everything we see could be a seeming. Or maybe I’m sensing the enchantments that imprison the torivor. We can only wait and see if Jace returns.”
“That was really brave,” Dalton said.
“Jace has no shortage of courage,” Mira replied.
Cole picked up a pebble. Approaching the fence without stepping onto the Red Road, he tossed the pebble underhand through the open gate. The stone disappeared as soon as it crossed the fence line.
“I think it’s an illusion,” Cole said. “I think he’s okay. We just can’t see him.”
“Either that, or everything that enters gets vaporized,” Twitch said.
Mira glared at him.
“What?” Twitch exclaimed defensively. “It’s one or the other. We were all thinking it.”
“What’s our next move if Jace doesn’t return?” Dalton asked.
“I’m going after him,” Mira answered.
“You mustn’t hand yourself over to Trillian,” Skye said. “Without a daughter of the High King, the revolution is doomed. I’ll go in before you will.”
Jace stepped out from the open gate onto the Red Road, seemingly materializing out of nothing. “Hey,” he said.
“What happened?” Mira asked.
“The torivor wants all of you to step onto the Red Road,” Jace said. “Unless you do, there won’t be any bargaining.”
“You talked to him?” Skye asked.
“No,” Jace said. “One of his servants. I’m not supposed to explain.” He turned and walked back through the gate, vanishing.
Mira stepped onto the road. “Come on,” she said to the others. “This is why we came.”
“Or this is how he’ll destroy us all at once,” Twitch murmured.
“His servants can probably attack us whenever he wants,” Mira said.
“At least Trillian seems willing to talk,” Skye said. “I wasn’t sure we could hope for that much.”
Cole walked onto the Red Road, as did the others. There was no sensation to indicate the road was magical or had any effect on them. Cole noticed that Twitch stayed near the edge of the road, one foot on the curb, slightly crouched, ready to jump. They waited tensely.
Jace returned. “The torivor wants Cole and Mira to enter with me.”
“Do you think they should?” Skye asked.
“I’m not supposed to give details,” Jace said slowly. “But who cares? I think it would be stupid for Mira to come. It looks beautiful once you step through. It might all be an illusion, and it could absolutely be a trap.”
“I’m coming,” Mira said, walking toward the open gates.
“No,” Cole said, grabbing her wrist. “We don’t have to give this guy everything he wants. I’ll go. You stay.”
“But—” Mira began to protest.
“You have to stay back,” Cole insisted. “What if getting you is all he cares about? We won’t have any room to bargain.”
“There’s no telling what the torivor might want in exchange for Honor,” Skye said. “But, Mira, Cole is right. Putting yourself in his power will only weaken our position.”
Mira paused. The reasoning seemed to sink in. “You may be right.”
Jace folded his arms. “Cole, if you’re coming, we should go. They’re waiting.”
Stomach fluttering, Cole walked to where the Red Road ended. He glanced over at Jace. “Why me?”
“They didn’t explain,” Jace said. He stepped forward, vanishing.
Cole looked back at Mira and nodded. He waved at Twitch and shared a look with Dalton. Then he stepped forward.
The sensation was like passing through a membrane made of static electricity. It was only vaguely tangible, but left the hair on his arms standing up.
The scene before him changed dramatically. The Red Road extended before him, its color so rich and vibrant that Cole felt he was seeing true red for the first time. The grounds around the keep were now composed mostly of huge crystals streaked with veins of light. Elegant groves of trees huddled around clear ponds. A flock of birds wheeled overhead in synchronization, as large and bright as kites. The castle had changed into a gleaming monument of pearl and platinum.
Three figures confronted him. A woman sat astride a chestnut stallion as broad and beefy as a bull. Her hair was like molten silver, and her beauty so flawless that she seemed more a work of art than a person. Two brawny men stood on the ground near her, clad in snug, cunning armor made from overlapping rings of varied size. The men carried long halberds with elaborate heads, and the woman wore a dagger at her slender waist.
“Where is Mira?” the woman asked, her voice clear and resonant.
“She’s not coming,” Cole said.
The woman closed her eyes for a moment. “This does not please us.”
“She sent me to hear what the torivor wants,” Cole said.