The Poisoned King

Irian explains the palace is made of sphinx stone, a nearly living material. Anja Trevasse, who died six months prior, bequeathed it to Fidens Nighthand. Nighthand, a giant-like Berserker who feels no fear, appears. He embraces Christopher, greets Anya, and shakes Irian’s hand, blushing intensely. Inside the hall, a newborn longma colt approaches. Irian explains it was born in flight three days ago, but fell into the sea when its wings proved too small. She feeds it from a bottle.

At a feast prepared by Nighthand, Anya tells her story. Irian promises to devise a plan but insists that Anya stay safe on the islet. Anya suggests that Jacques could free her father with his fire, but the dragon shamefully admits he exhausted his flames on the island of Arkhe. Anya asks to accompany Christopher to meet Sarkany.

Irian tours them through the palace, now a refuge for magical creatures. They see a baby roc, a golden unicorn foal, an aging phoenix, and a cluster of kankos—twin-tailed, miniature foxes. Irian explains that the palace was once a school, and its legendary library has vanished. Ratwin reveals that ratatoskas spread word of the refuge and guide creatures there. Nighthand returns with Naravirala, who is ready to fly them to the dragon island of Edem. Naravirala explains she fears whatever is killing the dragons could destroy the whole Archipelago.

Naravirala lands on the dragon island of Edem, refusing to go closer to the dragons’ cave. As they climb, Anya tells Christopher about her father’s belief that those who worship gold are cursed. At a plateau, a massive blind dragon emerges, breathing towering columns of flame. It attacks at every sound but ignores wild cattle entering the cave. Christopher proposes using a plan from the story of Odysseus.

Anya and Christopher mount two cows and join the herd entering the cave. Anya swings beneath her cow’s belly to hide from the blind dragon. Inside, she snaps a phoenix feather for light, alerting the dragon, which chars them slightly with its fiery breath. They flee into a smaller cave, and Christopher uses a sphinx tooth to speak ancient dragon language, calming the beast. The dragon leads them to a vast chamber containing five dead dragons. He identifies the largest as Sarkany.

Anya realizes the same poison killed her grandfather and the dragons. Christopher discovers the poisoned lake, and Anya takes a cloth sample of the water. She deduces that Claude poisoned the dragons to steal their gold and buy an army of mercenaries. The blind dragon explains that the poison was placed upstream. After the clan died, men came and stole mountains of gold. He describes dragons as guardians of gold, as humans inevitably become poisoned by their love of the precious metal. He reveals his name is Arach and predicts that, like his family, he will soon die of the poison. Christopher closes the eyes of each dead dragon and respectfully recites their names. Anya swears she will kill the man who poisoned Arach’s kin. Arach tastes Anya’s necklace and reveals it is a rare loquillan made of dragon obsidian. He commands Anya to use the loquillan’s powers to exact revenge.

Naravirala, waiting outside the cave, corrects Anya’s belief that loquillans foretell one’s destiny. She explains that they reveal the future the holder dreams of, which is one of many possibilities. Gallia warns that loquillans can drive humans mad, prompting them to pursue fates that they believe are predestined. Anya ignores these warnings, clasping the loquillan possessively.

Back at Glimt, Naravirala’s son, Belhib, reports that a young sphinx has been found dead, and his mother must return to her clan. Before leaving, she heals the burns Anya and Christopher received from the dragon’s fire. Later, Christopher notices the dragon’s saliva has revealed writing on the loquillan. Gallia identifies it as possibly Kentavian, and Irian suggests they need a dictionary. Anya convinces everyone to search for the palace’s hidden library.

The group searches the palace. In the salon, Anya notices a painting of a unicorn at a garden door. They realize it is an actual door, but cannot open it. Anya fetches rascovnic and rubs its juice on the hinges. A tremendous grinding erupts from beneath the floor. The door opens, revealing a dark hole.

Walls shoot up from the hole, rising to form a tower-like library. A harpy named Aellope introduces herself as the librarian. She explains the library was hidden underground a century ago to protect it from the Trevasse family. A talking mouse, Meri, appears as the assistant librarian. He fetches a Kentavian dictionary and a notebook for them to use. Using the dictionary, they translate the loquillan’s inscription: “Twelve pearls for the future, / Time torn open in its youth, / I offer man or creature / One version of the truth” (173).

Aellope demands a book in exchange for the notebook. Anya offers the black snakeskin book she stole from Claude. The harpy reacts with horror, identifying it as a banished book of poisons. Jacques reads the title, Cursed Substance: Distillments to Slay Even the Dragon. He notes that one of the ingredients for dragonsbane, a poison fatal to dragons and humans, is the blood of a newborn gagana. Anya realizes that this is why Claude ordered the soldiers to find Koo’s egg.

Reading the book’s inscription, “EST HIC LIBER MUSEI METROPOLITANI ARTIUM” (173), Aellope explains it must have been stolen from the Metropolitan Museum in New York, in the Outerlands. Anya recalls being told there is a way between the worlds that opens there. When Jacques discovers an antidote recipe, Christopher wants to make it immediately and distribute it to all surviving dragons. However, Anya wants to find the 12 pearls that unlock the loquillan’s powers. Nighthand points out that their goals align, and they agree to pursue both. Anya volunteers to gather pearls while Christopher begins the antidote.

At a lagoon, naiads appear and bring Anya armfuls of oysters. She collects 12 pearls and places them on the loquillan, but nothing happens. Nighthand grinds the pearls into dust using flint. Anya makes a paste and rubs it on the obsidian, concentrating on saving her father and taking revenge on Claude. Still nothing happens. Nighthand advises her not to let Claude’s evil consume her. Jacques summons her back to the kitchen.

Jacques reads the antidote ingredients, which include a somulent leaf to be picked at midnight. They gather the other items: herbs, a feather from Koo, scales from Jacques, kanko fur, and various waters. The final ingredient is the blood of a human who is “innocent of heart” (190). Anya refuses, confessing murderous thoughts about Claude. However, Jacques suggests an alternative translation: “brave of spirit” (191). Koo pecks Anya’s finger, and her blood drips into the bowl. Koo pecks Christopher’s hand, adding his blood. They mix everything into a deep green paste.

Unable to sleep, Anya goes to pick the somulent leaf at midnight for the antidote. She wanders into a walled garden and encounters a chimaera with three heads: one of a lion, one of a goat, and one of a snake. The three heads argue as the snake wants to eat Anya, but the lion and goat refuse. Anya asks the chimaera to smell her poisoned cloth samples. The creature reacts with horror, confirming the poison contains the eye of a chimaera and is dragonsbane.

Anya overhears Nighthand confessing to strange symptoms whenever he is in Irian’s presence. Ratwin explains that Nighthand is in love with Irian. Nighthand protests that Berserkers cannot love because love is allied to fear, which they do not feel. Ratwin encourages him to tell Irian, but Nighthand refuses. Anya reflects that she will gladly experience fear for her father’s love.

Irian and Nighthand must leave immediately, having received word about an undisclosed item they are searching for. In the garden, a horned manticore attacks, confirming that Claude sent it to kill Anya. The creature weakens and screams, admitting it is dying from eating a poisoned dragon. Anya offers the antidote in exchange for information and safety. The manticore reveals her father’s trial was expedited, and he will be executed in two days. If she returns, Claude has ordered her capture and death. After drinking the antidote, the manticore recovers and lunges at Christopher, declaring it only promised not to harm Anya.

They flee as the manticore chases them. Christopher tells Anya to climb a tree while he draws the beast to a woodshed. Pretending to surrender, Christopher twists his obsidian blade in sunlight, multiplying the light and blinding the manticore. Its tail strikes the shed and becomes embedded. Christopher stabs it. As Christopher turns to wipe his blade, the manticore prepares to strike him from behind. Anya leaps from the tree and drives her knife into its neck, killing it. By the river, they acknowledge that, having saved each other’s lives, they belong to each other.

Unable to sleep, Anya climbs to a tower roof and stares at stars her imprisoned father cannot see. Overcome by despair, she whispers that she cannot go on. Christopher finds her and lies silently beside Anya. His presence calms her. She tells him she must return to the castle. Christopher reminds her of the manticore’s warning: She will not get into the castle alive. Suddenly, an idea strikes Anya, and she tells Christopher she knows what must be done.