“Now tell me, how is it that now, after eons, you and your guild can find Nismera’s palace?” She lifted her hand, and darkness coalesced on her palm. It swirled and then dissipated like smoke, leaving an envelope in its wake. She handed it to me, and I broke the red wax seal, keeping it closed. It was an invitation, and as I read the overly intricate and fussy writing, my heart began to thunder. “Because it’s not a secret, my lord.” The assassin queen said. “She’s sent word to every corner of the realm to come watch the execution of the Would-Be Queen.”

