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Informationen zum Autor Leslie Vedder Klappentext Fi, her partner Shane, and Prince Briar Rose set out for the hidden city of Everlynd, hoping to break the curse, decipher the book code, and defeat the Spindle Witch. Leseprobe 1 Fi fi slipped through a narrow gap in the rock, sucking in a breath to squeeze between the towering russet slabs. High sandstone walls rose around her on both sides of the thin gully, which cut a tight, zigzagging path between sheer canyon walls. She cursed as her sleeve snagged in a spiny cactus. It wasn't even really her sleeve-the creamy silk blouse had originally been Briar's. A hundred-year-old blouse wasn't Fi's idea of good traveling gear, but her own shirt was in shreds after the fight in the Forest of Thorns, so borrowing Briar's had been her only option. He'd kept his velvet coat and his short-sleeved undershirt, while she took the impractical antique. It fit her more like a tunic, belted at the waist. Her companions weren't looking much better. Shane's dusky-red coat was infested with burs, and there was a long black smudge up the center of Briar's shirt like he'd been dragged on his stomach. Even the Paper Witch looked a little worse for wear after a week of hard traveling through the wilds of Andar. Fi glanced at the quickly rising sun, already too warm on her tan skin. Her short brown ponytail clung to her neck. If it wasn't so hot, she could have at least kept her coat on instead of tying it awkwardly around her hips. Without it, the bell-shaped sleeves were a menace. Fi eyed the cactus. It didn't look like it was going to budge. With a horrible ripping sound, she tore the sleeve free. A few rocks slid out from beneath her, skittering and popping down the sloping path and almost clobbering Shane in the head. Shane shot her a glare. "That time, it was definitely on purpose." The huntsman's ash-brown hair was looking more than a little unkempt in its braided bun, and her fair cheeks were definitely sunburned. Fi winced. "Still just an accident." Just like the last time, and the time before that. "Well, why don't we switch places, and we'll see how many rocks I accidentally kick down on you," Shane grumbled. She lost interest in Fi as her wedge heel stuck in a fissure between the stones, almost bowling her over when she yanked it free. Fi rolled her eyes. "Even you would not be able to squeeze past me right now." Three days ago, when they had finally left the wastes behind for the high bluffs rising out of the desert, Fi had felt nothing but relief. The Paper Witch had called this place the Sunset Narrows. She thought she could see why. Battered sandstone slabs rose around them like a labyrinth, some of them spear-point sharp, others smeared with black dust like scorch marks. By day, they were a dull rust color, but the sinking sun set them on fire, the scarlet light blazing in every craggy rock face until they glowed. She had underestimated the narrows part, though. The maze of stone passages didn't make for easy traveling-even Shane could barely wriggle through the tightest gaps, and Fi's knees and elbows were purple with bruises. It was a good thing the Witches of Aurora's line were tall and willowy, or she had a feeling they would have lost Briar and the Paper Witch a few forks back. "Need a hand?" Fi looked up. Briar was just beyond the next bulging rock, reaching down to help her up. His pale skin had a slight rosy color, and his golden hair was messy from the climb. "It's better to go over, trust me." He jerked his chin at the gap along the wall, which barely looked wide enough to stick a leg through. Fi hesitated, then kicked herself for hesitating. "Thanks." His hand was warm around hers, the once-smooth skin rough with new blisters already turning into calluses. Briar shot her one of his dazzling smiles, hold...
