The bookshelf section popped open a few inches.

  Winnie stepped back as Cricket gripped the shelf’s edge and pulled.

  It swung open to a small room with a table and a few filing cabinets on the other side.

  “Damn, Cricket, we found it.”

  “Did you ever doubt me?” Cricket smirked.

  “Come on, we’ve got to find the files that prove Kane’s a chanter, then we can get out of here.”

  Cricket entered then Winnie followed. He started with the filing cabinets while she shuffled through the papers on the table. There was so much here, and they didn’t have long to mine the most damning evidence.

  She found several mentions of magical experiments and eventually discovered one detailing the spells Kane personally used on his prisoners. She found another description of the Harvester as a concept to capture magical energy from chanters.

  Winnie scooped everything into a bundle and looked over at Cricket. He was still only halfway through his files. Winnie pulled out her radio and dialed Morgan. She had to check in and see how much time they had.

  “Top floor checking in on progress,” Winnie said.

  No answer.

  She waited a few seconds and repeated her request. “Top floor checking in on progress.” She turned to Cricket and shrugged.

  “Maybe this room is shielded or something,” Cricket suggested. “Try from outside.”

  Winnie nodded and held the radio to her mouth as she walked back into Kane’s office from the hidden room. “Top floor to communications, come in, Morgan. Are you there?”

  “I don’t think your friend will be answering, Ms. Durham.”

  Winnie froze and turned.

  Nils Kane stood there flanked by a dozen Red Leg guards. Two of them held Victor and Danny — both with their hands cuffed and mouths gagged. Their eyes conveyed the words their mouths could not. They implored her to run, do anything she could to get away.

  Since Kane and his Red Legs blocked the room’s only exit, Winnie didn’t see escape as an option. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for something, anything she could use to escape or defend herself.

  Her gaze settled on the strange sculpture and the sword hilt jutting from its body.

  The sculpture was only a few feet away.

  Kane must have seen her eyes dart to the sword.

  He laughed. “Oh, don’t be fooled by that, my dear. It’s an old art piece that’s been in my family for years. That old sword won’t come free, no matter what you do. Believe me, I’ve tried. Unfortunately, my dear, there’s nothing you can do.”

  “I won’t just go along without a fight, Kane.”

  “I didn’t think you would.”

  Cricket charged from the small room, trying to reach Kane.

  With a slashing motion, Kane sent flows of magic coalescing around Cricket, forcing him to the floor. “Are there any more traitors in there, my dear?”

  Winnie shook her head.

  She reached out with her mind, drawing in as much magic as she could, wove a fist of air, and sent it at Kane.

  He laughed, and faster than she thought possible, wove a counter spell and batted the magical punch aside.

  “My dear, you can never best me at battle. I’m much more accomplished at my use of magic than you.”

  Nils pulled in magic for a counterstrike. Winnie could see his undeniable power. It was daunting. At the last instant she managed to draw in enough strength for a magic shield. It blunted but didn’t stop Kane’s attack, striking her with enough force to knock her down.

  Winnie tried to stand, rebuild the shield, which had shattered under the Director’s blow. But before she could rise, another strike slammed her between the shoulders, driving her to the floor and knocking the wind from her body.

  Winnie couldn’t stop him.

  At least not with her magic.

  She didn’t know what to do, but refused to stay down.

  She’d fallen behind the sculpture and she used the rough-hewn rock to find handholds to pull herself slowly back to her feet while Kane moved into position.

  As Winnie pulled herself up, her hand grasped the hilt jutting above the back of the throne. She yanked it in an effort to regain her feet and felt the blade shift a bit in the stone.

  She managed to stand, then turned to see Kane drawing fresh magic for what must be an even more powerful attack.

  Without thinking, Winnie pulled upward.

  The blade slipped free of the stone with no resistance.

  Kane stood frozen, staring in disbelief.

  Then he suddenly swung his arms towards her, releasing his massive attack. Winnie cried out and held the sword in front of her, reflexively slicing the air between herself and Director Kane.

  The blade somehow cut through the waves of advancing magic, parting them as the bow of a ship might split the waves.

  The magic slid harmlessly past her, dissipating into nothing.

  Kane fell backwards when he saw what she did with the sword.

  His eyes were crazed, his expression almost concerned as he stared. “Give me the sword, Winnie.”

  “I don’t think so,” Winnie said. “This sword might be our ticket out of here.”

  “That sword has been in my family for centuries. It belongs to me.”

  Kane gestured with one hand at the Red Legs behind him. Two of them unholstered their sidearms and pointed them at Victor’s and Danny’s heads.

  “Release the sword or I’ll have your friends executed in front of you. You have until ten to decide. Ten … Nine … Eight … Seven …”

  Winnie looked from Kane to Danny and Victor. Both shook their heads, telling her to not give in.

  But how could she not?

  They might live if she turned over the sword, though they’d surely all be executed as traitors eventually anyway.

  Kane continued to count down as Winnie agonized over her answer.

  A woman in a dark blazer and skirt entered the room behind Kane and the Red Legs, drawing her attention and distracting Kane. He glanced over his shoulder then turned back to Winnie, smiling.

  “She’s no help for you, my dear. That’s my assistant, Maria. She already knows what I’m capable of doing. Now where was I? Ah, yes. Five … Four … Three … Two …”

  Kane never reached one.

  Maria shouted a single word, pulled a gun from under her blazer, and fired at the two guards aiming pistols at her friends.

  “Talisman.”

  Chapter 43

  Winnie stared, confusion washing across her.

  She’d been about to give the sword to Kane when the woman burst into the room. Her well-placed shots dropped the two guards about to execute Danny and Victor and her single shouted word seemed to have an even stranger effect.

  Four of the Red Legs from the group’s rear pulled out their pistols and started shooting the guards in front of them.

  Danny and Victor fell to the floor as bullets started flying.

  Winnie was afraid they’d been hit by one of the bullets, but she saw Victor wrestling to free his hands with the keys from a downed guard’s keychain. Danny was trying to push himself away from the action on his belly.

  A bullet whined past her head. She dove behind the stone throne to avoid the crossfire.

  After a few seconds of rapid-fire pistol shots careening around the room, the shooting stopped and Winnie poked her head up around the throne.

  All the guards were down, save three in the back. They must be with the woman who’d freed them. Victor had managed to free himself and was unlocking Danny’s cuffs. The woman was barking orders to the three guards still standing. “Get all the wounded Red Legs cuffed so we don’t have any wannabe heroes. I’ll see to our charges.”

  She circled around the pile of moaning and writhing bodies on the floor to approach Kane, crouched to the floor, as shocked by the events as Winnie.

  “Get up,” the woman said, gesturing with her pistol. “Don’t try any magic or I’ll have to kill you, no matter what Artos wants me to do.”

  “Maria?” Director Kane said. “You’ve served me so well. How could you betray me like this, after so many years? What is Artos paying you?”

  “Nothing, you fool,” Maria said with a loud burst of laughter. “Not all of us are sheep waiting for slaughter by you and your kind. There are middlings like myself who know what you are. Now we have what we need to discredit you once and for all. With the recordings I’ve made of you casting spells and trying to murder that girl, you’ll be finished once and for all.”

  Maria walked to the bookshelf then reached up to retrieve a book.

  She pulled it down and flipped it open. The interior was cut out; a camera was secreted inside, capturing video through a hole in the spine. Maria removed the camera and looked over to Winnie, still crouched behind the sculpture.

  “You can come out now. We don’t have much time. There are only a few of us in the building, and my other compatriots are working to free your friends. We need to leave. Now.”

  “What about him?” Winnie pointed to Kane, thinking of all the people who’d died at his hands. Thinking of Cait. “Why can’t we kill him? He deserves to die for all that he’s done.”

  “No argument from me, but I have strict orders from Artos. He’ll be a martyr if we kill him. Those who dislike or distrust chanters will use it as a rallying cry to enact more rulings against you. He must live to be discredited.”

  Winnie approached Kane, crouched on the floor. She leveled the tip of her blade to his throat. One thrust would end the world’s greatest evil.

  One jab and this could all be done.

  “Daughter,” Kane said, looking up at her with a sinister stare. “Would you kill the man who gave you life, Guinevere?”

  “What are you talking about?” Winnie said. “Are you insane?”

  “I suppose I don’t blame Ellie for not telling you about me. Once I became the Director, she couldn’t tell you your father was a monster.”

  “Don’t listen to him, Winnie,” Danny called out. “He’s lying.”

  “But, dear,” Kane said, standing, “you know that I’m not.”

  Winnie kept the blade leveled at the base of his throat as he stood, struggling to absorb his words.

  “I’ve never lied to you, and I’m not lying now. I didn’t know myself until last year,” Kane explained. “Your mother pled with me to spare you. She’s a remarkable woman, you know. Ellie always knew what I was capable of. I think that’s why she ended our relationship before telling me about her pregnancy.”

  “It’s not true,” Winnie whispered.

  Her arm quivered with the effort of keeping the heavy blade extended.

  The burn of exertion crawled up her shoulder and across her back. She had to kill him soon, before she ran out of strength to do it.

  Winnie tensed her muscles, prepared to deliver the killing thrust.

  Victor stepped forward and took her by the arm. “Maria’s right, Winnie. You can’t kill him now. He’ll face his retribution, just not today. We must go before he reclaims the upper hand and we’re captured. We have more than what we came for.” Victor gestured to Maria’s camera and Winnie’s sword.

  Danny reached down and slid a nightstick from a guard’s belt, then took two steps and smashed it onto Kane’s head. The Director’s eyes rolled up in their sockets and he fell to the floor at Winnie’s feet.

  “You said we couldn’t kill him, not that we couldn’t knock him out. He was stalling to keep us here. Like Victor said. We need to jet.”

  Winnie turned to Maria. “Where to?”

  “The north stairs. They’re being watched by my men.” Maria turned to the three standing guards. “Pick up Garcia. He’s still alive — we might be able to save him once we’re clear.”

  Two of the three picked up their groaning companion and dragged him towards the door. Maria followed. Winnie and Victor helped Cricket to stand. He was woozy but could walk. Danny dropped his night stick, picked up two pistols, then handed one to Victor to replace those that were taken away. The four of them left the room, following Maria and her compatriots to the north stairs and freedom.

  Winnie caught up to the woman and her trio of Red Legs, and overheard Maria on her phone.

  “I have her. She’s well … yes, yes. I have the evidence we need. I’ll bring it to you as soon as we get everyone out of the building … yes, I’ll tell her.”

  Maria hung up the call then turned to Winnie as she pulled open the stairwell door. “That was Artos. He says you did excellent work today.”

  “Yeah, but he saved the day,” Winnie admitted.

  “You didn’t know your group was betrayed before you ever got here. There was still a good chance you’d succeed. My team and I were just the backup.”

  “We were betrayed?” Winnie said. “By whom?”

  Maria shrugged, letting go of the stairwell door as Danny passed her then started downstairs, leaving her and Winnie in the rear.

  “I’m not sure. Somehow Kane got word of your little raid and set his trap. Artos is still digging into it.”

  “Artos and I need to talk about his running plans behind my back. We should’ve known his plans.”

  “Why? So the spy in your group could expose my team as well? It was better that he keep it all to himself until you needed to know.”

  Winnie couldn’t argue with the logic even though she was annoyed at being kept out of the loop. She wondered what she’d say the next time they saw each other as she trudged down multiple flights to the ground floor, periodically joined by a Red Leg from their side every couple of floors.

  When they reached the lobby, Winnie saw Tris, Morgan, Garraldi, and the rest of them clustered by the stairwell, waiting.

  “Winnie,” Maria said. “Go out that door and board the bus that’s pulling up right now. It will take your team back to your rendezvous. Just tell the driver where to drop you.”

  “What about you?” Winnie couldn’t believe the woman was going to stay.

  “I’ll be taking another way out. I have one more thing to do. There are a lot of people here for the open house.” She held up the video camera. “I’m going to make sure this gets played on the building’s broadcast monitors before I leave. That should send the first arrow sailing into the Director’s downfall.”

  “Well, make sure you give yourself enough time to escape.”

  “I will.” Maria pointed to the sword. “Keep Excalibur safe. There’s more to be done before we can properly heal the world.”

  Winnie looked at the sword. It felt odd to be walking around with such a blade in these modern times. “I still need to figure out what it’s for.”

  “Artos is the one who told me. He should be the one to tell you.”

  “Oh, I plan on having a long talk with Artos when I get back to Baltimore,” Winnie assured her. “Be careful. I hope we see each other again.”

  “Time will tell.”

  Maria waved to her group of Red Legs then started back up the stairs.

  Garraldi opened the stairwell door. Bright sunlight streamed in, causing him to squint as he looked outside. “The bus just pulled up, boss. We should go.”

  Winnie nodded and gave one last glance up to the middling rebels who’d rescued them from certain ruin. Then she followed her team out of the headquarters building into the bright light of midday, carrying a magical sword. She needed to get back to Baltimore. Artos had a lot of explaining to do. Maybe this sword she’d pulled from the stone — the one Maria had named Excalibur — belonged to someone else, someone not of this world.

  It was time to seek out the Fae and the Lady, Brigid.

  Winnie had found the talisman they sought.

  Epilogue

  Artos, Danny, Morgan, and Victor watched Winnie climb down into the crater. The moment she passed over the edge, there was a shimmering.

  She looked farther away, as if she’d crossed into another place.

  Then she approached the pool at the center, with faint lights from the Fae flitting and hovering around her. She carried Excalibur in a scabbard and belt angled over one shoulder across her back.

  “It’s remarkable, you know,” Artos remarked.

  “What is?” Victor asked.

  “That all of this has come full circle. It took a long time but the world is finally on a path back to where it belongs.”

  “You act as if it’s all over and done with,” Danny said. “Kane took control of the Capital and has rallied the Army to his cause. Our plan to discredit him worked to a certain extent, but he almost seems stronger than ever now that he’s disbanded the Assembly and sent the senators back to their districts.”

  “We won a battle, but the war is far from over, Artos,” Victor said. “Kane has the Army on his side, and that’s a powerful ally. They’ve dug in around the capital — there’s no way to get him out without going through them. We don’t have the resources to face them head-on. It’ll be a bloodbath if we try, and he knows it.”

  “I’ll agree that the war isn’t over,” Artos said. “But you don’t give Winnie enough credit. You’re her champion. You should have more faith.”

  “I have faith, and a practical mind. She needs to understand what we’re all up against.”

  Morgan looked at Artos. “You speak about my sister as though she’s some sort of legend. But she’s only a girl trying to stand up for what’s right.”

  Artos shook his head and smiled at Morgan. “She’s far more than that, my dear. Winnie’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. The true once and future queen.”

  He turned and stared down at Winnie’s distant figure, seemingly far away through the shimmering curtain of air surrounding the crater.

  “She’s much more than that,” he murmured again to himself. “Winnie Durham is the Queen of Avalon.”

  Book 4 - Stolen Destiny

  Chapter 1

  Winnie Durham stood at the lake’s edge, looking out over the mist-covered waters. Shores to the left and right were lined with tall trees, bushy with deep, green leaves. She glanced down at her hand, surprised to see the subtle sheen from Excalibur.