The Thief Queen's Daughter Read Online Free PDF

guessed what your answer might be. Here are ten garnets, gems each worth the price of admission to the Market. Many people prefer to carry precious stones rather than coins or scrip, and almost every merchant will accept them as payment. This should get you and your friends inside the Gated City, and give you what my father used to call ‘walking-around money’ as well. But again, I caution you to be careful. Hang on to those tokens, stay together, and remember it is far more important for you and your friends to get out safely than to bring me any information that might risk your lives.”
    “I understand,” Ven said, struggling to remain calm and losing the battle. He tried to keep from wiggling, but couldn’t manage to stand still.
    “Good.” The king closed the box, wrapped it in the burlap again, and slid it back into the cubbyhole. “Take the glowing stone with you. Perhaps you will be able to find out more about it in the Market.”
    Ven held the translucent stone up to his eye. Inside it was a series of lines and squiggles that looked like flaws in the stone, with a larger one that was starburst-shaped, but nothing else that he could see. The light seemed to grow brighter when he held it near the king, and to dim when he moved away.
    “The light stone used to glow for my father the way it does now for me,” said the king. “When I was working on breaking the code inside the box, it looked the same in my hand as it does now in yours. It wasn’t until I was putting it safely away in this hidden vault that I noticed it was glowing gold.”
    “Hmmm,” said Ven. “Perhaps that’s another clue to the riddle.”
    He opened the drawstring bag and put the stone inside. As soon as the bag was shut, the light disappeared, and they were in darkness again.
    “Why did you ask if I knew anything about music, Your Majesty?” he asked as he followed the king back out of the sharply turning tunnel.
    “Because the lock that opens the wall we came in is a musical one,” King Vandemere said. “The holes you press to activate the lock are the musical notes that spell out ‘Long live the king.’ I know it’s silly, but that’s how the Nain stonemason set it up.”
    “That makes sense,” said Ven.
    King Vandemere stopped in the dark next to the wall where they had entered. “This is how you open it,” he said, placing Ven’s fingers in a series of patterns, then twisting his hands in opposite directions as he had done outside the wall. “I want you to be able to find this place if you need to, Ven. You are the one person in the world besides me now who knows it exists.”
    The king stopped and looked away, thinking aloud. “Understand this, Ven—because as king I cannot send you into the Gated City, you are beyond my official protection there. But you always have my refuge and aid when I am able to give it to you. If you want to hide something, or hide yourself, this is a fine place to do it. And if something should happen to me, make sure you get the things that are stored here out and hidden safely away.”
    Ven stopped, his excitement suddenly choked off.
    “What could happen to you?” he asked nervously. “You’re the king.”
    Vandemere looked at him intently. “Kings are subject to the same perils that any other person is subject to, and some that no one could even imagine. I’ve told you that this magic is fragile; it can easily be destroyed or, worse yet, put to evil use. And I suspect that out there in the world are forces that would like to see that happen. It’s always wise to have a backup plan with something this important.”
    Ven exhaled. “That makes sense, too,” he said.
    “I have to get back into the throne room,” said King Vandemere. “You should return to the garden and wait to be summoned. But just remember everything I’ve said to you in here, Ven, and don’t be offended by anything else you hear from me today. I am doing what is best for you, and for us all. Not even a