Jesse turned a somersault off a low tree branch, splashing into the lagoon. The sky was fading into night now, and the moon a thin silver sickle above them. Anna sat with her feet in the water, sending ripples cascading out over the surface. She had been listening to Jesse’s spirited account of his adventures on the sea.

“It was funny, you know, Sis. Father’s ships always go north. But this time I know he can’t have gone north because no one packed any winter gear. He must have sailed south, following Reina’s map. Or maybe even east. I don’t understand it though, I mean why would Father change something he’s been doing for years and years?”

“That is strange…Father’s gone north with Matanza for as long as I can remember. Of course, he never explains why things are set that way, but you’re right. There must be a reason…”

Jesse swam to where Anna was sitting on a grassy outcropping of land and held up a coin. Anna took it from him, using the pale starlight to examine it. It was silver, perfectly round with scalloped edges. An elaborate letter G had been embossed in the center, with a motif of flowering vines. The reverse side was an emblem of a shield. Anna made room for Jesse, who pulled himself up out of the water and sat next to her, dripping. He pointed a finger at the letter G.

“It’s a coin from Guillare. Father always comes back with these, when he’s been north. He plunders the coasts, usually the big port towns. I was down in the cargo hold—“

‘Spying? Oh, Jesse.”

“Not spying! And anyway, I found that coin last winter, before we left. Father had told me to clear out the cargo hold, so I went down there and started carrying the chests that were left out to the cave. It took forever, and one of the chests must have had a broken lock, because coins suddenly started spilling all over the place.”

“And this one is from that chest?”

“Aye. But look, I have one more thing to show you.”

Anna puzzled over this information, wondering what her brother was trying to tell her. Jesse, whose pockets had always seemed bottomless, pulled out yet another coin. He held it up to the weak light, and the moon’s reflection in the water showed that it was a different coin. Anna leaned closer, and saw not a letter G but the javelin and scroll of Leiden, the desert empire in the south.

“Leiden…? So Father did go south…”

“I told you, strange things are going on…but wait, did you open your present? You’ll never guess where I found it. “ “Spying in the cargo hold, I suppose. Or did you go exploring in Father’s cabin this time?” Anna had, in fact, forgotten about the gift entirely. It was still wrapped in one last layer of crumpled paper in her pants pocket. As she resumed peeling the paper away, Jesse swung his legs impatiently.

“Actually, it was in the cave. You know, the one Father uses as a vault? I found it a long time ago, but I decided to wait for your birthday. Hurry, I want to show you what it’s for!”

The paper fell away, leaving a small golden piece shaped like a triangle that had been rounded out slightly, with curved sides. A strange four-petaled flower had been etched in the middle, inscribed in a circle of what appeared to be words in a foreign alphabet Anna had never seen before. She held the piece in her palm, then gasped as Jesse unclasped her necklace. The loss of its familiar weight around her neck made her shiver slightly.

Anna watched in a somewhat confused silence as Jesse turned the necklace’s pendant over and over in his hands, as though trying to figure something out. Suddenly, he gave a small triumphant noise and took the piece from Anna’s hand. “Look, Sis.” And with a gentle push of his thumb, Jesse fit the tiny golden piece into Anna’s pendant. “I knew it! I knew it would fit!”

“I don’t understand, little brother…how? I’ve had this necklace since I was born. It’s always been this way. So why does the piece fit?”

“Well, I can’t explain it. But I knew as soon as I saw it just lying around in Father’s cave that it was part of your necklace. Or could be. It was the right shape.” Seeing the expression on his sister’s face, Jesse threw his hands up. “Well, you like it don’t you? It’s very pretty. I think it’s a locket too, you should try it. I’m pretty sure I saw little hinges. They’re the craziest hinges too, so small. You can barely tell…anyway, we’d better get going. The wind’s colder.” Jesse stood up and held a hand out. Anna smiled, and took it. He helped her to her feet and soaked her with a hug. “Happy birthday, Sis.”

“Thanks, little brother…” Anna dangled the pendant by its golden chain, admiring it in the moonlight. “It’s beautiful. And I can’t explain, but it makes the whole thing seem…I don’t know, more complete? I never felt like anything was missing before, but now that you’ve put that piece in, it does seem like it should always have been that way.” She gave Jesse a grateful smile. He grinned.

“It’s always good to see you happy, Sis. Now, let’s get back before Father sends Luke out after us.”

“Go on ahead, I’ll be along in a bit. I want to put this back on.”

Nodding, Jesse set off in the direction of the house. Anna could hear him pushing stray branches away as he went down the path. Absently, she ran her fingers over the pendant. She must have stumbled upon a hidden clasp, because quite suddenly the piece sprung open and Anna could hear a faint clockwork whirring. Nearly dropping the necklace in surprise, Anna steadied herself and held it closer to her face. Jesse had been right; it was a locket. But instead of an empty place for a picture, there was a small glass disk the size of a fingernail. Inside it, an arrow was spinning round and round...

“A...compass...? But then, why is it spinning...?” Anna wished she had more light to see by. Just as she was about to close the locket and follow Jesse back home, a thin beam of light suddenly shot out of the pendant. Anna watched it vault across the sky, her heart pounding. In less than a minute, it stopped...and another beam of light had risen to meet it! Terrified, Anna fumbled with the pendant, wanting desperately to cut off the source of the light. But as she struggled to snap the hinged half shut, she saw in the presence of the brighter light something she missed when the locket had opened.

There, engraved opposite the compass, was a single word: Sarah