Page 30 of The Princess of Portals

“Red’s right,” Conner said. “It’s not just the General who’s under investigation. It’s the whole Castle. If you ask Altair to make you a truth serum, he will want to know why. I’m not sure we should tell anyone what we’re up to. Knights gossip, and if the traitor has ears in the Castle…”

Kato finished Conner’s sentence, like they were one mind. “Word will get back to the traitor.”

“Someone else needs to make us the truth serum,” I said. “Someone who doesn’t mind breaking the rules and withholding information from the authorities.”

“Why are you looking at Kato?” Conner teased me. “He’s the perfect Knight. Following the rules and disclosing information to the authorities is written into his DNA.”

“He’s always kept my secrets. And yours too, Conner,” I reminded him.

Conner’s impish smile faded, and his face took on an oddly serious look. “That’s true.”

“Can you do it?” I asked Kato.

“In terms of Alchemy magic, I can make enchanted weapons, but my potion-making skills aren’t up to brewing a potion of this complexity.”

I wasn’t surprised that Kato had gravitated toward weapon-making. There were so many spells out there. Too many for any one person to learn them all. People tended to focus on what interested them. And Conner was right. Kato did like using his sword. I’d seen him with it. He was really, really, really good. Even in Shadow Fall, without his magic, his swordplay was superb.

I considered our problem. “There might be someone who can help us with the truth serum. Someone who doesn’t mind bending the rules and thinking for himself.”

“Ren,” Conner said.

“Yes.”

Conner’s jaw tightened and his eyes drew together. “Ren is…”

“Very weird,” I offered.

“Eccentric. I was going to say eccentric.”

“He is that,” I agreed. “But he’s also kind of brilliant. And that’s why some of the most powerful people in the Many Realms are after him. I know he can make the truth serum. The only question is: will he?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

CHAPTER 4

TRUTH OR POISON

Cloaked beneath an invisibility spell, Conner and I headed for one of the many Rebel hideouts in the city. This particular hideout was in the Market, the district just south of Killfield, on a lovely road lined with blooming jacaranda trees.

I looked up at the purple canopy, smiling. “They’re so beautiful.”

“Most years, they’re done flowering by December. The flowers are hanging on longer this year,” Conner said. “Maybe they were waiting for you.”

“Waiting? For me? Why would they do that?”

“Maybe they didn’t want to miss all the fun. There hasn’t been a dull moment since you arrived at the Fortress.” He winked at me.

I tried not to laugh, but that didn’t work out so well. “All right, funny guy, which one is it?”

I scanned the houses: all very grand with leafy gardens and Federation-style architecture. I’d read all about the pre-Curse suburbs that now made up the Fortress. A lot had changed since the Curse hit, but not these houses. I tried to single out the Rebel hideout—and failed.

“Ok, I give up,” I said.

Conner had done a good job hiding his secret lair. I had no idea which house was his.

“This one.” He led me to a perfectly-normal-looking house that blended into the neighborhood of other perfectly-normal-looking houses.

That was one way to hide a secret base from the Watchers. Without his help, I certainly never would have figured out which one it was.