Getting to Canya wasn't as easy as they'd hoped. After Youlden stepped into the room and saw Maverick awake, it was only a matter of time before the others showed up. Roman, Finny, and Helena joined Youlden, all exclaiming over his recovery.

Finny checked Gwen's pulse, her face drawn. Noelle knew why – Gwen seemed to be getting paler, her pulse slower, and there was nothing they could do.

"I'm awake," Maverick said, ignoring Helena's pleas for him to join her at a meeting. "She should wake up, too. Shouldn't she? They got the poison out of both of us." His face screwed up. "But she drank more."

"She couldn't have poisoned you then." Roman stood, shoulders tense, his eyes on Gwen. "Not unless it was a suicide mission. Why would she drink more if she knew it was tainted?"

"We need her to wake up," Finny said. "She's the only one who might know what happened."

"But if she doesn't," Helena said through gritted teeth. "We still need to be planning our attack. It's only a matter of time before the Army finds us. We're too exposed."

"Exposed?" Noelle cocked her head at Helena. "We're hidden behind mountains."

"But Phoenix and her friend knew where we were. She hasn't come back. Anything might have happened to them. She may have given away our location."

"She wouldn't," Noelle, Mav, Youlden and Roman said together before sharing a grin.

"There's nothing we can do for Gwen," Helena said, focused on Maverick. "But there is something you can do for the Militia."

"He just came out of a coma," Finny said, squaring off in front of Maverick. "He's not going anywhere until I'm sure he's safe."

"Finny-"

"As his Watcher, I'm going to have to put my foot down. He's still pale. Now get out. All of you." She shooed them toward the door, pinching Noelle in the arm as she ushered her out. Noelle flinched and glanced up at her in time to see Finny wink.

Nodding, Noelle followed the others out. To Roman's immense disappointment, Helena focused on him and Youlden, carting them off toward the war room. Noelle waited until they were out of sight before doubling back.

Finny let her in before she even had to knock. "I could see you had a mission. I know my Maverick."

He was dressed now, a determined look in his eye. He took Noelle's hand in his own and marched toward the door. "It's time to take a visit to the dungeons."

Finny rubbed her hands together. "It's about time things got interesting."

Maverick paused, eyeing her. "How much do you know that you aren't telling us?"

"I'm a Watcher, not a teller. Let's just say it's about time you figured this much out."

"You said plenty to Laina and me when we were in Treywick."

"I had to get the ball moving."

Noelle stifled a giggle as they stepped out into the hall, all three of them creeping along.

"What time is it, even?" Maverick asked, glancing out the window at the dark sky.

"Early morning. Sun should rise in an hour or less." Finny squinted around a corner. "Move quickly. People will be waking up for morning training or chores."

The skittered down the hall, trying to be as silent as possible, until Finny brought them up short.

"Someone's coming. Go. I'll slow them down."

Noelle's heart raced as she and Maverick turned down an empty corridor. They moved without trouble, not meeting anyone this early until they reached the main level.

"I told you I'm not doing it!" A figure rounded the corner and both Noelle and Maverick froze, eyes wide.

Roman stopped short at the sight of them, mouth popping open. He glanced between them as Helena's voice sounded from around the corner.

"Roman, we need you!"

A tense moment followed as they stared soundlessly at each other. Noelle grimaced, pleading with Roman without saying anything. His gaze dropped to Maverick holding Noelle's hand and he gave a curt nod, taking a step back as he put a finger to his lips.

"Fine. Fine, I'll come, but as soon as Maverick is better, he's taking over." Roman raised his brows at Maverick, who nodded, his mouth tipping into a grin. "This is the last meeting."

"Last, I swear," Helena said from beyond. "With Maverick awake, he'll be taking over."

"We're going this way, right?" Roman's voice retreated down the hall. Noelle and Maverick peeked around the corner, watching as Roman and Helena moved away from them. Roman glanced back, winked, and continued moving Helena along.

"He really has been doing a lot in your absence," Noelle said as they ran the opposite direction. "He hates those meetings, you know."

"I know. I didn't love them either, but they're necessary."

They reached the lower levels within ten minutes, tiptoeing through until they reached the doorway to the cells. A guard stood sentry, and Maverick beckoned for Noelle to follow him.

"Excuse me," he said, squaring his shoulders. The guard's eyes widened and he jumped to attention. "I need to get by. I want to speak with a prisoner."

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." The Guard opened the door, allowing them to pass without question.

"I guess it pays to be a future king," Noelle said with a smirk. Maverick gave her a little shove.

"This place is a labyrinth," Maverick said, staring at the many hallways. "How are we supposed to find her?"

"Wait." Noelle put up a hand to silence him. "Listen."

"Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock."

"What is that?" Maverick asked.

"This way."

Noelle followed Canya's voice through the cells, Maverick behind her.

"Noelle..."

"Trust me." Noelle came to a stop in front of a dark wooden door with a small window in the top. She unhooked the latch on the window, pulling it open to see inside. She was just tall enough to rest her chin on the opening if she stood on tiptoe.

"Tick tock." Canya sat along the far wall right across from the door, the light from the torches shining in and forcing her to squint. She cocked her head to the side. "Time's running out. They're not going to make it."

"They?" Maverick ducked down to smoosh his face in beside hers.

Canya arched a brow, eying Maverick. "You survived. She'll be so disappointed."

"She? She who?" Noelle glared at Canya. "Narissa? Is that who you're working for?"

Canya looked away, smiling. "Wakey wakey, the heir of Braskey. Or does the heir still sleep?"

"I'm awake. Sorry to disappoint." Maverick glanced at Noelle. "I don't think this was a worthwhile trip."

Noelle clenched her jaw. "Canya, did you poison Maverick's juice? Or did you get someone to do it?"

"Wasn't me who put the lily in the pot." Canya held both hands up and wiggled her fingers. "They need the heir to disappear."

"Narissa and Bainon," Maverick said.

"I wish Phoenix were here." Noelle pulled her head free and dropped back down to flat feet, her calves aching. "She'd be able to tell if Canya was telling the truth."

"The phoenix left the building," Canya said from beyond the door. "And the boy? Did he survive?"

Maverick glared through the hole in the door. "He did. You failed."

"I didn't fail. He's the key."

"The key to what?" Noelle asked.

"The key to the end. The gifted child of a gifted parent – the answer to the riddle."

"Are you the riddle? Start making sense." Maverick pointed at Canya through the hole. "What does Trey have to do with any of this? Is your mistress angry he's still alive? Angry that you failed?"

Maverick jerked back as Canya's face appeared in the window, eyes wild. "I never fail. But you will, if you don't hurry. Tick tock. They're getting closer. The heir on the throne or the traitor gets the crown."

"The heir will be one the throne," Maverick said. "I'll be on the throne."

Canya tilted her head to the side, grinning at him. "You're not the heir they're worried about. The eldest gets the crown."

Noelle's eyes widened. "Eldest heir?"

"The eldest is the firstborn of the eldest," Canya sang.

"Tarvril's son," Maverick said, turning open mouthed to Noelle. "His son would have to be around twenty-three to have been conceived before Tarvril's death. Older than me."

"So there's still an heir to the throne with more right than you?" Noelle grabbed onto her long dark braid and tugged. "How do we find him?" She turned back to Canya. "Where is he? Who is he?"

"He he he he," Canya giggled and then slammed her palms against her side of the door. "Ha ha ha! You'll be the heir soon if they have their way. One down and one to go."

"What's happened to Tarvril's son?" Maverick asked, slamming his fist into the wooden door and cracking it.

Canya bit down on her lower lip, her grin maddening. "Tarvril doesn't have a son."

Noelle's hair stood up on end and she put a hand on Maverick's arm as he opened his mouth to speak.

"The heir is in danger," she said to Canya, who nodded.

"Her time is running out. Tick tock. Tick tock." Canya's eyes flashed as she stared at Noelle with mounting excitement.

Comprehension dawned on Maverick's face as he realized what Noelle already knew.

"Gwen."

Buh-BAM! How many of you expected Tarvril's heir to be a girl? Come on...none of you. Because you were all convinced it was Roman. Muahahaha.

Do you believe Canya? Do you believe Gwen is the heir? Some of you were thinking Harold might be Tyrella's son, making HIM the heir, but you forgot Gwen's much older than he is.

All right. All the things. Now. Also, tell me what your opinion of Canya's cryptic message about Trey is. What does it mean? What is he the key to?

Can't wait to hear what you think!