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the element of surprise. They had to be wary of earth court spies.
    “Can I do that kind of spell?” Noli asked.
    Steven thought for a moment. “I have no idea. I know nothing of sprite magic.”
    “The sprite says we have lots of magic.” Noli closed her eyes. “We deflected cannonballs when the cannon ship was after the Vixen’s Revenge.”
    “What?” He knew little of what had happened when she was aboard her brother’s airship while he and James were off on a fool’s errand for his mother. An errand he’d owed her for his poorly worded bargain to free Noli, which had enabled his mother to turn Noli into a sprite in the first place. An errand that had caused him to be far from home when Brogan sent earth court guards to kill his father.
    Noli’s eyes snapped open, boring into him. “If the cannons hit the ship, we’d be dead. I had to use magic to keep us alive.”
    “I understand. I’d do the same. But you need to be very cautious about using magic in the mortal realm.” Steven’s heart thundered so hard it roared in his ears. She’d done what ? That sounded complicated, considering she’d never had a single magic lesson.
    He had promised to teach her how to defend herself with magic.
    But Noli’s behavior was worrying him. She’d been odd ever since the sprite had taken up residence in her head, and now it seemed to be getting worse.
    James let out an impatient huff, legs waggling as he draped them over the side of the chair. “Noli, you said you know what the artifact is?”
    “Oh, yes. It’s a staff of great power.” Her eyes closed again. “When it was in one piece, the land didn’t need a mortal girl with the Spark to be sacrificed every seven years. She had enough nourishment from the staff … ” Noli sighed, eyes opening, a frustrated look on her face. “I’m having trouble recalling everything. But the staff was also terrible. So terrible that the Bright Lady herself tore it apart and flung it into the mortal realm. If Brogan reassembles it, it could be disastrous.”
    Steven racked his memory, trying to recall any stories about a staff. “There’s no staff in the story Father tells … I … I mean told … about why we have the sacrifice.”
    The very idea crawled under his skin, making him want to recoil in dismay. A staff powerful enough that it fed the magic composing the Otherworld itself. A staff misused so badly that the Bright Lady herself tore it apart and cast it into another realm.
    “She said no one remembered the real story—especially the monarchs.” Noli frowned.
    “Who?” James rubbed his chin, frowning. “I’ve never heard anything about a staff.”
    “Me neither. I wish we could find Quinn,” Steven replied. So far there’d been no word and he was beginning to worry. “Noli, who told you all this? Kevighn?”
    Not that he’d believe the likes of Kevighn Silver.
    “Kevighn knows what it is, but he didn’t tell me.” Noli’s lower lip stuck out in a petulant pout. “You don’t believe me.”
    Steven put an arm around her, bringing her to him. “How can I believe you when I have no idea what you’re talking about? It makes sense, and we know the pieces compose a powerful artifact. However, this staff isn’t something I’ve ever heard of. Who told you about it?”
    “I … ” Her face contorted in puzzlement. “I’m not sure. I think it was the Bright Lady.”
    His heart fell. Yes, it seemed as if the sprite’s grip on Noli was increasing once again.
    James looked over from his perch, legs still dangling over the chair. “Why?”
    Noli leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “A voice—and not the sprite—spoke to me when Brogan came onboard the airship to retrieve the artifacts from Vix and Jeff. She said I couldn’t permit Brogan to have it. I … I stole a piece. The voice also spoke to me in the tree. Well, I believe it was the same voice. She told me about the staff and directed me to keep it safe.”
    A noise of disbelief escaped