War of Power (The Trouble with Magic Book 3) by B. J. Beach

haven’t seen for years.”
    While Karryl shifted piles of books, Evalin crossed to a wide bookcase against the far wall and stood peering up at the top shelves. Not seeing what she was looking for, she moved along to the next one.
    A short while later she turned to Karryl. “I think I see it.” She gestured towards a corner of the room. “Would you bring over those library steps?”
    Karryl went to fetch the set of high, platformed steps while Evalin unlocked and opened the wide diamond-paned doors of the bookcase. Standing on the steps she began to ease out a long flat volume which lay across the tops of other books. Gradually she worked it towards her until she could grasp it in both hands, then carefully passed it down to Karryl. Opened out, the long, fairly narrow but weighty book took up the entire width of the space he had cleared.
    He watched fascinated as Evalin slowly turned the pages. “In this book is a record of the ancient burial grounds in the city, going back to a time before the palace was built where it is now.”
    Karryl was puzzled. “I thought no records existed of ancient Vellethen.”
    Evalin held up a finger. “And you’d be right. This particular volume is fifty percent observation and fifty percent speculation. I believe it was compiled not long after the original palace was completed, but we may just be lucky enough to find what we’re looking for.”
    Stunned, Karryl stared at the book. “You mean, you think the way to the artefact lies through a burial ground?”
    There was a mischievous twinkle in Evalin’s eyes. “Indeed I do, and I’m also thinking that the bones in the riddle will not be any old bones.”
    Karryl folded his arms and frowned. “Who do you think it could be?”
    Evalin gave a knowing smile as she bent towards the page she had just turned to. “This looks promising.”
    Together they studied the yellowed vellum sheet. The left hand side nearest the spine was taken up with two short widely spaced lists of names neatly written in an old style script. The remainder of the page showed a carefully drawn map, while a rectangle near the top right-hand corner contained a depiction of a crown. Below that again, and nearer the centre of the page was a cluster of irregular round-edged shapes which Karryl took to symbolise two groups of trees. A finely drawn double line led diagonally from the rectangle with the crown to the bottom of the page. From this line, two other narrower ones led round the trees, each line ending in a square containing five dots arranged in a circle.
    Karryl pointed to them. “What are those?”
    Evalin placed a finger on one of the squares. “That is the ancient symbol for a burial ground, the five dots representing the five humours that were at that time believed to leave the body at the time of death.”
    She moved her finger across the page. “Now, I’m thinking that this is the old road up to the palace.”
    Karryl looked closer and pointed to the bottom of the line. “And this is the top of Broad Street. The present road veers off from there and curves round to the right.” He traced a line in the air just above the page. “The smaller burial ground seems to be almost directly in line with the place where I think Keril’s house once stood. It’s a pity those trees aren’t there anymore.”
    Her eyes still fixed on the details of the map, Evalin murmured “Why’s that then?” before looking up.
    Karryl grinned at her. “Well, then I could look for a copse with a corpse.”
    Evalin feigned annoyance but her eyes twinkled. “I’m glad you can keep a sense of humour. I’ve a feeling you may need it.” She leaned over the page once more, her smile hidden as her dark hair fell forward. “There’s something here I think you should see.” She pointed to the last entry on one of the lists of names.
    Karryl bent to look where she was pointing, straightened up, and then bent to look again. “It could be. If I’d been named