Chapter 15

Vitorcine explained Aly's secret way out of the castle. It was one they had never thought of before. It was so obvious, that no one would ever think of it.

She walked out the back door.

Taybur was silent, and then he started to fume. How could I have been so stupid? he thought. He left the room to go yell at the guards that were supposed to be guarding the back gate. Then he was going to fire them, and move new people to the gate, with the threat that if they didn't do a better job guarding the entrance than the last guards, they weren't going to live to regret it.

Dove sat down in a chair and sighed. Everything was coming together, but it was depressing to hear how obvious the answers were. She hoped that the Trickster wouldn't choose to show his displeasure (which he undoubtedly was experiencing) by speaking or showing up again. That last time put us behind more than I thought it would.

"Well?" Dove asked. "How are we going to get Aly back? How does knowing how she got out of the castle help us find her?"

"It doesn't." Vitorcine answered. "But it helps us to focus exclusively on how to get her back. Now that we don't have to worry about invaders attacking us, we can focus without worrying."

Dove raised an eyebrow. "Are you just as good as Aly?"

Vitorcine smiled. "Not even close."

Ysul signed to Vitorcine, "I can try to track Trick through the other darkings."

"That sounds like a good idea," Vitorcine said, "Go. I'll explain."

Ysul nodded and walked out the door.

"Where is he going?" Numair Salmalin asked.

"To try to track Trick," Vitorcine answered.

"That's a good idea. I'll try to help." Numair walked away. Daine Salmalin shook her head and followed him with a wave to Dove's people.

"Do you need any more help?" George Cooper asked.

"I think we have it covered," Chenaol said. "Now that we're all on the same page and everything."

George nodded and dragged Sir Alanna away saying, "Now you are going to sleep or I'm going to be forced to do something nasty."

Alanna mumbled something inaudible.

The visual speaking spell blinked out.

Nawat took a chair at the round table, and others followed suit.

And the Copper Islanders began to plan the rescue of their spymaster.