The will-o’-wisps drifted across the room to the door. I was sure that no one would notice because it looked random to me even though I knew where they were going.
“Let’s get closer to the door,” Clarence said. “Edrinda go first.”
She made her way to the dartboard as Reardon started his show.
“Real Folk gathered tonight,” Reardon’s rich voice carried across the room, silencing individual conversations. All eyes were on him.
I followed Edrinda and felt Clarence step in behind me.
Reardon continued, “I thank you for your indulgence in listening to my poor creations.”
A laugh and a smattering of applause was the response. Will-o’-wisps disappeared through the door. The three of us were casually leaning against the wall beside the door; no one paid any attention to us. I listened as the bard started his song, a deep resonance building between the clear notes of Meredith’s flute and Reardon’s tenor.
The wisps reappeared and gave the signal. Then Edrinda slipped through the opening. I followed and move away to give Clarence room.
Through the door was a staircase that dropped into the dark. A wisp floated in front of Edrinda. She nodded at it and I watched as the stairwell illuminated. We ran down the twenty or so steps to find ourselves facing a long corridor. The walls were brick and it was damp. I could only see about five feet in front of me until a second wisp zoomed past my ear and lighted the way.
Edrinda held a finger up to her lips then leaned in to whisper. “Try to be quiet. There are no Sidhe in sight, but there may be guards on the other side of their door.”
I nodded and gestured her forward.
The three of us made our way down the corridor and I realized we were passing under streets and buildings for two, maybe three blocks. Eventually, a second door came into focus. It was plain oak but it looked solid. There was a heavy latch on the door and I when I looked at it from the corner of my eye, I could see a shimmer of a spell.
I couldn’t help wonder why Fionuir would keep the amulet outside the court. I hoped Maeve was right and the loose brick was on this side of that spell. It looked powerful and complex and unlikely to let us in without send out an alarm.
I tapped Edrinda on the shoulder and pointed behind me. I needed room to test the bricks. She didn’t look happy about moving but did take a step to join Clarence. Both Kobolds stood well into my personal space. It wasn’t worth arguing with them. I just started searching.
Maeve had told Olan that I would be able to find the brick easily. Unfortunately, we had two different definitions of easily. I didn’t see a brick with a label that read “look here” or one painted in white. I would have to work it out.
If it was obvious to Maeve, maybe it was about my point of view. I was currently facing the Sidhe door. If Fionuir wanted to access the amulet, she would be facing away. I turned around and stood as close as I could to the door without touching it. From this angle I could see two bricks slightly out of line, one on each side of the door.
I didn’t put much faith in my ability to open both without a problem. And as I waited three other bricks seemed to shift out of place. Okay, clearly this was a trap, unless the Sidhe kept lockers like a bus station. I had a flash of Sidhe lined up opening their lockers and trying to hide their treasures from each other. That was clearly wrong.
It was probably an illusion spell. I pulled a chestnut seed out of my pocket and breathed on it before tossing it into the air. As it spun back to earth, the illusion broke and the bricks all faded back into alignment.
A wisp slid onto my head. “I can penetrate the brick if that will help.” It had a clear voice like a child of six or seven.
Just what I needed, a will-o’-wisp exploding behind the brickwork. I thought back at it, “No, not yet. I am not sure that is safe.”
It floated off my head.
I touched the wall to my right and ran my fingers up and down pressing on each brick in turn, the bricks were cool and none yielded. I tried again on the left hand wall. Nothing.
I closed my eyes to concentrate better. This should be easy. What had Olan told me? Yes, Maeve said it was close to the door. If I was Fionuir would I want to step out into this dampness? Only if I had to. She would want to open the door and reach her hiding place without coming into the corridor.
I turned my back to the door and pretended to open it. Left hand on the door, right hand to the wall. I hadn’t tested the bricks right next to the door. Now I ran my fingers up and found a loose brick about two thirds of the way up. My fingers tingled as a sealing spell warned me off. That wasn’t going to stop me. I had a little book that gave spells used by thieves in the middle ages. In anticipation of tonight I had memorized it. I whispered the spell into the space where the mortar would have been and waited. The tingle subsided and I stuck my fingers into a hole that appeared in the side of the brick.
Something pricked my finger but the brick came loose. The wisp must have moved away because the light faded, but I saw the amulet and pulled it out of the hole, put the brick back in and slipped the small rock into a pocket.
The wisps had now fled the length of the corridor and we were in pitch dark. I reached out and touched a spiky shoulder. “Go,” I whispered and held onto a spike as the Kobold led me back to the stairs. I knew we couldn’t rely on the wisps.
We made it to the top of the stairs with no major injuries. I had stubbed the same toes three times on the way up. I could hear Reardon, but someone had closed the door because there was no light coming through. I gave a quick pat to the shoulder in front of me before I spoke. “I don’t know why the wisps left, but someone should have a quick peek before we step into the room.”
I assumed the shoulder belonged to Edrinda, because she spoke. “Quinn, what are you talking about? The wisps have already given the all clear.”
Chapter Thirty
Clarence left me with Edrinda while he brought Lionel. Between the three of them they got me back to Cate’s place.
“I’ll make some tea,” Lionel said.
“You have blindness curing tea?” I heard Clarence ask.
“No, but tea is always a good idea.”
Someone touched my arm and led me a few steps into what I thought was the living room. “Sit,” Clarence said, giving me a gentle push.
I felt the couch hit the back of my legs so I sank into the cushions. I was left alone. I could hear them talking in the kitchen. Well, I could hear that they were talking and the sound came from where I thought the kitchen was. They carefully kept their voices low, but I could still cast simple spells even though I was blind. I cast a spell of hearing and their voices became as clear as if they were standing beside me.
“He can’t see how will he cleanse the amulet?” Clarence asked.
“I can do it,” Lionel said.
“Maybe we can find another wizard to do this, what about that spirit wizard, Joaquin what’s his name?” Clarence said, ignoring Lionel.
“He’s in Bolivia,” Edrinda said over the sound of the kettle boiling.
“I can do it,” Lionel’s voice rose a bit.
“What about Orville Mueller?” Clarence suggested.
“Maybe. I can ask around,” Edrinda said.
“I can do it,” Lionel shouted. “If you don’t think I can, we should bring Olan into it.”
Neither Kobold answered.
“That’s the best suggestion,” I called from the living room. “Can someone find Olan?”
“No need to find me, I’m here.” Olan must have landed on the couch because I felt a breeze across my fingers.
“Where have you been?” I turned to where I thought he was.
“Scouting around, but now I’m over here.” His voice came from the opposite direction to where I faced.
“Great, tease the blind wizard.” I turned to face him and felt another breeze. “Stay in one place.”