Celiath had met up with Stelakar eventually and discussed things away from the ears of Tikanie and Miraque. "Every single bone in my body is telling me this is a mistake," Celiath had said. "We should try to set our own terms for this."

Stelakar, however, had gotten news that Yialun would be leaving the Court the next day, presumably to deal with some sticky affairs in his home. "That sounds like it's a lie," she had continued, "but I don't want to take that chance. It could be true, and we don't want to lose our chance to meet him. It's the only place where we know he's going to be. Maybe you're just letting your fear get to you, Celiath, and that's why you don't want to do it."

Celiath had not responded, but a response was echoing through her head at that moment: Well, yes, I'm scared. It is common sense to be scared of someone who's stronger than you, more powerful than you, and already prepared. I'm scared, but I have to do it. I'm scared, but I have to do it.

Luckily, Miraque had not insisted on coming; she was too concerned with her own position in the Court, according to Stelakar. Celiath was glad about this, since she did not even want Tikanie there. The girl from Thora Mountain just didn't understand what was happening.

How did things get like this? Last week, if someone I know had been writing a Neopian Times story starring us, I would have been that girl. I would have been the desperately loyal one who wants to get in on the action. And now…I'm the lead character.

Celiath began to pace the hall, looking into her reflection in the many mirrors. A hundred Celiaths walked back and forth in that hall. She looked down, slightly scared by those pairs of eyes asking her if she was doing the right thing and saw yet another Celiath in the mirror charm. Why had Stelakar asked to meet her in the mirror hall anyway? It might have been the only place in the Court both of them knew, but it definitely made Celiath nervous.

Stelakar was eating, but Celiath paced the mirror hall because she was far too nervous to eat. She also thought in the back of her head that she might see something interesting that would help them on their quest. Her twin probably would not have understood this, but it was part of the way Celiath thought. And what do I expect to see? Yialun weaving his traps for the other advisors? The purple Techo who misguided me? Briata with a warrant for my arrest?

There was someone coming. Celiath heard the footsteps. She looked up and saw Kierre walking quickly.

"Celiath!" the starry Shoyru said, hurrying toward her. "Why are you here? The meeting is over, and someone who shouldn't see you probably will. Let's go somewhere safer."

She led Celiath off through the halls and up a stair. "What happened in the meeting?" Celiath asked.

Kierre sighed. "Do not get me started on the meeting. Absolutely nothing got accomplished, of course. The entire outline of the meeting was the Queen talking about various unimportant civil issues and delicately dancing around Cairhel. Every time one of my allies or I tried to bring up the issue of the Cairhellin or the Yin Kador, Yialun or Thiell always had some new issue, suggested a break, anything to get us from talking about them. And it worked." She rolled her eyes.

"Why was I the one with the noble blood who has to be on this council?" Kierre looked up at the ceiling. "I'm so bad at dealing with all this political intrigue. I can feel the kingdom falling around me and I can't do anything." Celiath opened her mouth, but Kierre continued speaking. "I can't go with you, Celiath. There's nothing I could do for you and Stelakar. I don't have your magic, your weapons, or even a glib tongue."

Celiath thought of Tikanie for a moment. "Perhaps loyalty is enough, in this world."

Kierre closed her eyes and then opened them again. "You see, Celiath? I'm falling into Yialun's trap. I know I am, and I still can't get out of it. That's why it has to be you and Stelakar. You just got here. You weren't even born in Larkani. The trap can't catch you the way it's caught me."

And has the trap Kierre's talking about caught Tikanie? Celiath asked herself. I don't think it has. So maybe she has some hope…

"I have to escape," the Shoyru continued. "The walls of this castle just keep closing in on me. I'm trapped. Trapped in the belief that I can't make a difference, that no matter what I do I can't stop Larkani from falling. Maybe the Yin Kador are the lucky ones. They can still do something, even if they can't set foot on Ral Mirean. Ral Mirean. Who would want to set foot in a place like this?" She closed her eyes and opened them.

"What's your plan, Celiath?"

She took a deep breath. "First of all, we've already lost surprise. Yialun and I have already been introduced."

Kierre made an exasperated noise. "Why? Stupid courtiers. Continue."

"And he's set up a meeting of sorts. South Tower, sunset. I was waiting for Stelakar. She's eating. I'm far too nervous. She insists on going. There was a rumor that Yialun's leaving Ral Mirean tomorrow. I think it's false, but Stelakar's convinced that it's true. There's someone else who insists on coming with us, a courtier from Thora Mountain. She's the one who introduced me to Yialun." Celiath flicked a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. "And I don't even know what we're going to do once we get there."

She raised her left wrist to her eyes, dangling the ten charms there. Then she rubbed the ten imprints with her other hand, which still hurt almost as much as they had that morning. Why?

Kierre sighed. "What a mess. I wish…No. I have no idea what to wish for, even if there was any hope that it could be granted. I might wish for the wrong thing and get it."

Celiath held up the empty circle, and Kierre regarded it questioningly. "That's a Yin Kador symbol, isn't it?" she asked. "For what might be. Well, if my wish has any power at all, I wish that Larkani would heal itself somehow."

"Celiath? Where are you?" Stelakar's voice came from the mirror hall. "You said you were going to meet me here, and you wouldn't break something like that. Why…"

"Go," Kierre said to Celiath. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Celiath walked out the door and into the mirror hall. She tried to avoid staring at the hundred Celiaths and walked to Stelakar's side. Now a hundred twins were reflected down both sides of the hall. Stelakar turned around, still engaged in her speech, and saw Celiath. "Hello! I thought that he had gotten you."
"Not yet," Celiath said. "Are Tikanie or Miraque around?"

Stelakar yawned. "I haven't seen Tikanie, but I've been around Miraque pretty much all day. She's hard to shake. I think she's matched me up with one of the courtiers who lives here. All I know about him is that his house is probably right next door to Thiell's in the local garbage dump. What is it with Tikanie? I definitely don't understand her. She flips just because…Yialun's been taking credit for the game of NeoQuest II?"

"Exactly. Why would he take credit for NeoQuest II? He's trying to get the person behind the notes. In other words, me. I've told you, it's a trap."

"And I've told you, we've got to do it."

Celiath sighed. There wasn't much of a point arguing with Stelakar. Besides, she was right too. They had to take the risk. "Sunset's coming, I think. We'll have to go soon. And I suppose if we're going to do this we need Tikanie to guide us there."

Kierre's words kept echoing through her head. "I'm falling into Yialun's trap. I know I am, and I still can't get out of it." That is exactly how I feel. I'm not as apathetic as Kierre…it's Kierre's apathy that inspires me! Kierre, and Riensi, and all those other people who are caught in the trap somehow.

Another thought occurred to Celiath. Who was Yialun in NeoQuest II? Probably Mostanio. Celiath didn't even need the missing notes for that. There were a few lesser evil characters, like the High Priest and the wizard Cenero, but Yialun had to be Mostanio, the one behind it all.

More footsteps were coming. Celiath turned her head and spotted Tikanie. "Sorry, Seleika," she said. "I got caught up in something. Hello, Stelakar."

"Something like what?" Stelakar asked.

"Oh, I was just talking to Miraque. So, we're going to the South Tower?"

Celiath raised her eyebrows. "We sure are. How close are we?"

"Well," Tikanie said, looking around the mirror hall, "the South Tower isn't far away from here, I think. We should get there at about the right time, I think. I'll lead."

Tikanie started walking through the halls, followed by Stelakar and then Celiath. Not much I can do now, is there? Do we even have a plan if Yialun actually comes? Celiath thought back to some of the books and Neopian Times stories she had read. If it was like a Neopian Times story, I suppose the evil dark faerie would be behind this whole thing. Since it's NeoQuest II…I wish I knew what Irefen said!

And I don't want to die here.

Celiath was dimly aware of going up a set of stairs. She looked at the charms again. Would any of them be useful in this march toward doom? Celiath hoped that Tikanie didn't know where she was going. If Tikanie didn't know, then it would solve all of Celiath's problems. They would miss the meeting, Stelakar wouldn't be upset with Celiath, and it would throw Yialun off course. Why can't Stelakar see that Yialun was lying when he said he was going to leave Ral Mirean tomorrow? Except if we don't come, he really will leave Ral Mirean, won't he?

No good can come of any of this.

She heard a bird chirping outside and pitied the bird for a moment, then shook herself. Kierre, were you really that confident I wouldn't get caught?

"Can you keep telling the story?" Tikanie asked, drawing closer to Celiath. "This way."

"Where was I?" Celiath asked, not quite sure.

Tikanie narrowed her eyebrows. "I don't remember. In the beginning, do you know why she was exiled from Thalemkan?"

Celiath started to answer, then stopped. If she had been writing the story, she would know exactly how it went. "Eldkori explains it pretty well, I think. She was causing trouble for the Duke by trying to get things to change." Then she realized Tikanie didn't know about the beginning part of the story. "Then Rimor explains why the nobles were worried enough to do that. I suppose you could start the story from the middle like Yialun probably did, but you'd be leaving out a whole lot. Like the whole problem with the scroll."

Tikanie looked confused. "You don't know about the scroll…" Celiath sighed. "I don't think that I really mentioned the scroll in my outline for the story after it's used to summon Rimor. But she finds it on her way to Ginased and has a hard time opening it. First the wizard needs his wand to open it, and she has to take it from an evil Duke. Then she has to find someone at the Temple of Rimor to get it translated for her. After that, she goes to another town for someone who knows what it means, but Nique doesn't trust her and sends her off on another quest."

Stelakar turned around. "Celiath," she said with a sigh. "I might want to play—I mean, read that story sometime. Please don't give it all away."

Celiath immediately responded, "I didn't say anything that…"

Stelakar sighed. "Yes, you did. Tikanie, where do we go now?"

"Up the stairs," Tikanie said. "We're almost there."

Stelakar led then up the staircase that was on the other side of the tower room that they were in now. Through a window, Celiath caught a brief glimpse of the sunset before following Stelakar and Tikanie up the spiral staircase. There were words written in the stair rail, but Celiath could not read what they said. It glittered dimly with blue/gold power, as if the magic that had been used to create the castle was fading. Celiath thought she saw a bit of dark green, too.

Are the Cairhellin doing that? Celiath wondered. Or is it just because the Yin Kador have left Ral Mirean?

She remembered that Yialun was waiting at the top of the tower, and her limbs froze again. There was no one behind Celiath to tell her to keep going, and they might not notice if she went the other way. But that's not an option. She made her feet move and kept following Stelakar and Tikanie. Stelakar's gotten past her fear; you've got to get past yours.

And I can't make her do it alone. That's why we're here together. There was a reason why I was summoned. I must have the bravery to save Larkani somewhere in me.

The stair ended at the top of the tower. Stelakar and Tikanie emerged first. Celiath continued, seeing no signs of danger in the way the other two were acting, and looked around the room. Paintings covered the walls, and Celiath realized that there had been others on the lower walls of the tower. There was no sign of Yialun or anyone else.

Stelakar positioned herself by the end of the stairs, waiting. Celiath went to examine one of the paintings, this one of a calm-looking Uni sitting on her throne. Queen Delethia III of House Cantalla, an inscription read. 1355-1409.

"Tikanie," Celiath asked, "what's today's date?"

"Hmmm?" the faerie Gelert said. "Oh. It's the fifth of Hantien Luvi, 1479. The Spring Festival's coming soon."

Celiath narrowed her eyebrows. The date was completely unfamiliar to her. She glanced back at the portrait of Delethia III, who had probably been the queen who made an alliance with Minyarad to defeat Cairhel. There were two other portraits to the right of Delethia's: a tall green Lupe labeled King Ereming of House Cantalla, 1409-1454, and then a striped Aisha with a thoughtful look. Queen Fierrey of House Cantalla, 1455-. Celiath walked over to the portrait of Queen Fierrey and examined it more closely. Shadows were falling over the picture, making it look more dramatic. The striped Aisha was dressed in blue and gold robes with a large tiara on her head. A brown curl fell in front of her right eye. She was small for an Aisha, Celiath observed.

Celiath blinked and saw two other figures in the picture: Riensi and Yialun. Magic was filling the picture: red violet sparks came from Riensi's hands, a dark green aura outlined Yialun, and Fierrey extended both her hands to reveal a blue ball in her left hand and a golden one in her right. When she blinked again, the picture was back to normal. Then a thought leaped into Celiath's head: Did Irefen look like this? She couldn't remember what Irefen had looked like after her death in NeoQuest II, though.

There was a window right next to the portrait of Fierrey, facing directly south. Celiath looked out it and saw the island of Ista Mirean, a large one, as well as the ocean. Cairhel is to the south, she remembered. That kingdom was invisible, but Celiath knew it was there. She turned her head to the right and saw a small slice of the sun sinking into the sea. Celiath blinked her eyes, and the sun was gone, like the sea had swallowed it.

She turned away from the window. Tikanie looked sleepy, Celiath noticed. But it's not that late. Celiath turned her left wrist to see the charms illuminated by the light that was still left in the sky. Hantien Luvi is the final month of winter. The nights are longer than the days, so it can't be late enough to go to sleep here. Then another thought popped up as Celiath lowered her hand: Maybe every single person in this castle is under a spell of some sort. Tikanie shouldn't be sleepy. Stelakar is even more eager for adventure than she usually is. And I don't think I was this cautious before I got here. Then there's Kierre, who says she's fallen into the trap, and is so pessimistic.

No, it's just your imagination.

Are you sure?

She looked down and noticed that the eye with the turquoise iris was glowing again, like it had the night before. Since it didn't look like anyone would be coming up the stairs anytime soon, Celiath thought about the days. Today was the fifth. That meant she had arrived at Ista Kaderyi on the fourth. And she had spent…two or three days on the boat. So it had been the first of Hantien Luvi when Celiath had arrived.

"Stelakar," she asked, whispering. The Eyrie turned her head. "When did you get to Larkani?"

"Hmmm? Oh…I think it was a couple days ago. I spent a day in the castle before you came."

"So time runs slower here than it does back home," Celiath said. "It's been four days since I got here, but I don't think that a day has passed back there yet."

Stelakar shrugged. "What can I say? This place is just plain weird." She looked at Tikanie, but it appeared that the faerie Gelert was asleep. "And why is she sleeping?"

"I have no idea," Celiath said, putting her head in her hands. "I'll go with the easy explanation of a spell. I'm betting he doesn't want anyone else involved."

Stelakar looked at Tikanie again. "I agree."

Then Celiath thought of something else: It can't be easy to put everyone in this castle under a spell. In fact, it's probably impossible if you're just one person. So maybe there's more than one Cairhellin agent here. Well, it shouldn't be necessary for everyone in the castle to be spelled. Only the really important ones or the ones who have come into contact with the Cairhellin. They could have a seer like Alianyi.

Or…it seems that the magic users here have various specialties. Riensi makes things, and Alianyi is a seer. What does Yialun do?

Celiath examined the charms again, ready to use one. The mirror could probably be used as a defense against most magic attacks. The mask…Celiath might be able to disguise herself with it. The raindrop was a symbol for the water element, like Alianyi had said, but Celiath wasn't sure how to use it. She rotated the bracelet and saw the hummingbird. Speed, Alianyi said. I'll see what that does. And as for the empty circle…Celiath picked that up. It glowed turquoise for a reason Celiath didn't know. She turned the bracelet to the book and picked that up.

It glows with Kierre's wish. And those images you see in it are possibilities of what might be.

She smiled and thought, Thank you, before turning back to the empty circle that glowed with the wish. There was an image inside the circle now, of mist, fog, the ocean, and something Celiath vaguely recognized as the castle, still flying the banner of Larkani.

"The Castle on the Sea!" a strangely accented voice exclaimed. Celiath looked around, but didn't see anyone but her and Stelakar. Glancing back into the empty circle, she saw a Koi in a fishing boat, staring at the castle. "I never thought I'd see it! They say that he who finds the Castle…"

Then Celiath saw a street in a strange city and heard a voice that spoke with Yialun's accent: "They must have been lying when they said the treasure was here. The old books do lie. And this one was written by a Larkan in the year we took over…"

"…if my wish has any power at all, I wish that Larkani would heal itself somehow…" Kierre's wish echoed.

"CELIATH!"

She looked away from the empty circle and saw two figures, Stelakar and Yialun. Stelakar was struggling to get out of Yialun's grasp, her back to the stair rail that glowed dark green now, her wand useless several flights down the stairs. Celiath's anger at seeing her sister helpless immediately moved her frozen right hand to a charm on the left hand. She didn't even check to see which one it was before she cast her hand forward and opened it. A stream of turquoise light flooded out from her hand.

Yialun fell back several steps, knocking a portrait of one of the monarchs who had reigned before Delethia III off one of its supports. Celiath used that time to examine the charms and selected the rainbow and the raindrop, pinching them together before releasing them at Yialun. Then she took the hand and sent that in the direction where Stelakar's wand had fallen.

Celiath turned her head to the right to see a dark green aura fading around Yialun. It didn't look like her last attack had affected him. What was his particular gift? Celiath turned her bracelet again. The book, to find out, and the mirror to defend myself…She took the charms and looked up for Stelakar. Where was her twin?

He can read thoughts.

A dark green ball appeared, heading for Celiath. She focused on the ball, dropping the book and holding the mirror out to catch it. If she understood the colors correctly, the dark green would change to her own turquoise and it would bounce back…but the ball kept heading toward her, growing bigger and bigger. Celiath turned her focus to the mirror. Small turquoise flashes began to appear, but they didn't stop the ball. It reached her left hand and engulfed the charm bracelet, then filled her entire field of vision. Celiath blinked a few times, holding on, and looked for the turquoise glimmer of the eye. Something had snuffed it out.