“I don’t like it either, but we don’t have much of a choice,” Warren said.
“What if it takes longer than thirty days to find these enchanted books, huh? ‘Oh well, we tried, guess we’re dead, anyway’?” Cassidy griped.
“He has a point,” Emron said, folding his arms.
All eyes were on Warren. He’d gotten them into a fine mess this time.
“I don’t know. I doubt they would ask us for our help—” Warren started.
“Ask? They shoved a sword in my face and said, ‘drink this or die,’” Cassidy tossed his hands in the air.
“I still wish I could have punched him in the face too,” Vallerie said, waving her kitchen knife.
“I would have loved to see that,” Cassidy said.
“And we’d be dead,” Emron huffed.
“At least death would have been quick. Now I have to wait a month to die,” Cassidy said.
“Can we focus?” Warren asked, rubbing his face.
Guilt and frustration bubbled within him. Hearing his friends’ casualness over dying crushed him.
“I don’t think they would bargain our freedom to let us die,” Warren finished.
“Warren’s right,” Vallerie agreed. “We’re just taking a minor detour.”
“I suppose.” Cassidy slumped deeper into the couch.
Warren was grateful for Vallerie’s support, but making the citizens of Fortitude wait any longer for their rescue burned him. What if they were too late? What if they found the beacon only to return home to empty streets? Warren pictured Isabel lying motionless in some back alley, a torn doll on the ground near her. He held his face in his hands, itchy facial hair pricking his palms. He might have just doomed hundreds more innocent lives by trying to save him and his team. He had to be the worst general in history.
Emron sat next to him and slid the map to where he could see it better. He mumbled about it looking like a death trap. The kingdom lacked any sensible construction. Streets meandered aimlessly, sometimes leading to nowhere. Markets and housing districts mingled together. The city was a mess even if it wasn’t falling apart.
“Food’s ready,” Vallerie called.
She had managed to make a decent meal from the meat. She’d sliced the deer venison into strips and seasoned it. Paired with the bread, it made for a filling dinner.
No one spoke as they ate. The silence didn’t shock Warren. Most of the team hadn’t slept or eaten in twenty-four hours. And the sleep they had gotten since the start of the journey hardly counted. After eating, everyone picked a room and went to bed.
Varied galaxies surrounded Warren. He floated through freely among stars. What is this place? He turned in an awestruck circle. Purple, green, blue and red expanses brought color to space.
Crack!
Darkness erupted around him. It lashed out at the galaxies like a rabid animal. The image of a white throne tumbling to the ground flashed into his mind, then drowned in darkness.
Warren gasped.
The ceiling boards stared at him. Only a dream. His hand bumped the wound on his head as he rubbed his scruffy face, and he flinched a little.
His mind drifted to the woman who had helped him in prison. What was her name again? Lillian.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and cool wood floor greeted his bare feet as he stumbled into the kitchen and dug around for something to eat.
As he ate a slice of bread and cheese, Cassidy limped in. His moppy hair accented his sleepy demeanor as he squinted at Warren.
“Good morning,” Cassidy yawned, plopping down next to him.
Warren slapped his friend’s hand as it neared his plate. “Paws off.”
Cassidy groaned, heaving himself out of his chair and hobbling into the kitchen.
“How’s the leg today?” Warren asked.
“Feeling like sunshine.” Cassidy grumbled. “Yummy, stale bread and fuzzy…whatever that is in the corner.”
“Decisions, decisions,” Warren said, analyzing the contents of his own plate. He wasn’t entirely sure it wouldn’t kill him.
Cassidy leaned against the pantry door frame, twiddled his fingers about his lip as if there were actually a choice for breakfast, and then took the stale bread.
“We really need to do some shopping.” Cassidy frowned at the bread.
“I’ll add it to the list.”
They sat in silence, trying to work up an appetite for the dried food.
“You know, I haven’t slept like that since I could beat you in an arm-wrestling competition,” Cassidy said.
“You’ve never beaten me in an arm-wrestling match.”
He knew the remark was a ploy to get him into a match, and he didn’t see a reason to avoid it.
“I have so! Bet I could beat you right now,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy put his unbandaged arm on the table.
“Fine,” Warren said, accepting Cassidy’s challenge. He grabbed his friend’s hand. This would be over quickly.
Warren pressed against Cassidy’s arm. But victory didn’t come so easily. Cassidy shoved back, locking their arms in a perfect stalemate. Warren grinned, pushing harder—forcing Cassidy’s arm to give a bit. But his friend fought to regain his lost ground. Warren worked Cassidy’s hand closer to the table. Then, with a tremendous shove, Cassidy pushed his arm back to the upright position.
Warren watched his hand dip closer to the table. A victory for Cassidy meant endless ridicule for the rest of his life.
They battled back and forth, one gaining some leverage just as the other took it back. Warren had worked Cassidy’s arm within a few inches of the table when Emron appeared from the living room and smashed Cassidy’s hand down, claiming the win for Warren.
“Aww, come on! That’s not fair,” Cassidy complained.
“You’d’ve lost anyway,” Emron shrugged. “Would not!”
Emron snorted.
Vallerie walked in, well-groomed and organized, as always. “So, what’s the plan?”
“After breakfast, we’ll head for the library and see what we can find,” Warren answered shoving away the stale food in front of him.
Breakfast ended shortly after, and the team separated to find clothing. Warren set his helmet in a chest at the foot of his bed with the rest of his gear. He stared at it, fighting the urge to put it back on. Dents and scars covered the armor, many of which he had no recollection of receiving. Shaking off the temptation, he left his quarters and waited for the others in the main room.
Two hours later, the team approached a tall, wide building. Above the giant double doors hung a gold sculpture of four books on a shelf. The skillful artwork surpassed all Warren had ever seen. In neat calligraphy, each book title was carved into the corresponding book’s spine.
Warren pulled the door open on the right. If the detailed exterior hadn’t taken his breath away, the interior of the colossal building did. Books lined every wall from floor to ceiling. The dozen pillars that held up the roof were packed with books. In the center of the room stood three marble tables, which stretched across most of the room.
Only a handful of scholars, engulfed by stacks of books, occupied the tables, pausing only long enough to scratch notes onto a pile of parchments.
“That’s a lot of ground to cover,” Cassidy whistled.
“Spread out and see what you can find.” Warren headed to the wall on the right.
Combing over the bottom row of books first, Warren’s brow creased into a deep scowl. There were hundreds of them. Every once in a while, he stopped to scan the contents of a book before putting it back. Through his peripheral vision, he saw someone studying the same bookshelf. Turning, he recognized Lillian as she ran her finger over a row of titles.
Her posture had changed since the last time he’d seen her. She no longer bowed submissively, and she moved her hands freely. Her blonde hair coiled in a loose bun and, in the light, Warren noticed the soft freckles scattered across her face. He approached her without thinking. Once he was wit
hin a few feet of her, she turned and jumped, nearly dropping a book. Warren held up his hands. She stared at him, pale as snow.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” Warren rubbed the back of his neck.
“Wh-what are you doing here?”
“I could use some help finding some information,” Warren said.
Lillian eyed him skeptically.
“I’ll ask someone else. Sorry to bother you,” Warren bowed his head.
“Wait,” Lillian said as he turned away.
She clutched her book against her chest.
“I’ll help.”
She didn’t want to, Warren could tell that much, but she didn’t seem to want him to ask someone else either.
“Uh, okay. I need information on five magic books,” Warren said.
“Do you know their titles?”
“No, I don’t think they’d be listed here. They're more like relics.”
Lillian nodded. “Follow me.”
She led Warren to an upper level of the library. Old scrolls and books gathered in small piles on dusty shelves around the room.
“I never got to say thank you for taking care of my injuries.”
“I didn’t even finish.” Lillian exhaled, examining a scroll on a nearby table.
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“I…”—she stopped—“never mind. You’re welcome.”
Warren’s brow knit together. Why was she being so hard on herself?
“You seem to know your way around this place,” Warren commented, following her to the back of the room.
“I’ve worked here for a long time,” Lillian said distantly.
“I mean no disrespect, but why?”
“Why not,” Lillian said. She tilted her head to the side as she scowled at a book.
“It just seems like your skill as a healer would be better used other places.”
Lillian paused. For the first time since they’d entered the room, she seemed to react to him.
“Well, you’d be the first to think so.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not what you’d call healer material.” Lillian pulled a few books off a shelf.
“Says who?”
Lillian swiped a hair behind her ear and pressed her lips together. Warren realized he’d struck a nerve, but before he could apologize, she said, “I’m only a simple woman with nothing to her name.”
“Nothing to your name? You have a gift.”
“If only that were true,” Lillian sighed, standing on her toes and reaching for a book on the top shelf.
Warren pulled it down for her with ease. Lillian finally looked at him. Beyond miles of empty sea in her eyes, he glimpsed something else. Her gaze fell to the ground before he identified it, but it seemed warm and alive.
“Thank you.” Lillian tucked the rebellious strand of hair behind her ear again, exposing her freckled face.
“My pleasure.” Warren smiled.
“Why are you so kind to me?” Lillian met his eyes.
The look returned. Hope.
“Why shouldn’t I be? You’ve done nothing to deserve disrespect.”
“You can’t possibly know what I do and do not deserve,” Lillian whispered, glancing to the side.
“Well, for all the help you’ve given me, I’d like to think you deserve a lot more kindness than you’re given,” Warren said.
Her gaze flicked back to him. Her mouth parted slightly like she wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say. Whatever she was thinking about, she left it there as she located another shelf to rummage through. She pulled a few more scrolls from the shelf and added them to her collection. Before she gave him the stack, she paused.
“Why were you in prison?”
Warren rubbed the back of his neck. “My team and I aren’t from here. I guess we got off on the wrong foot with your laws.”
Lillian nodded, she seemed...relieved? Why would she feel relief? Whatever her reason, he wouldn’t get the answer.
“If what you’re looking for isn’t in here, then there’s not a record of it,” she said, handing Warren the tall stack of books and scrolls. Their hands connected, and hers lingered beneath his, until she slid her hands out. It had only lasted a heartbeat; he could have imagined it.
“Thank you. You saved my team a lot of time,” Warren said.
Lillian smiled softly, “If you need anything, let me know.”
“I will.”
Warren followed Lillian downstairs and gathered his team, while she wandered off to help someone else.
Cassidy gave him a bewildered look as he approached. Warren mouthed later at him and nodded toward the tables.
After tracking down the others, they sat down and split the stack of texts between the four of them. Page after page, they sifted, noting each location as they read. It would take hours of tedious work, but would be worth it if they cross-referenced the locations mentioned in the text and figure out where they were going.
10
B y the time Warren finished reading, he felt as if he had swum through enough ink to drown. Vallerie and Emron were finishing their last pages, while Cassidy sat blank faced staring at a wall. Warren tapped on the table, pulling the team’s attention in his direction.
“Cassidy, what’d you find?”
“Most of the texts were speculation, but I did find four references to an anomaly caused by a magic book in the northern mountains.” Cassidy winced as he stretched.
“I found the same.” Vallerie rested a hand on Cassidy’s arm, who shot her a reassuring glance.
“I’ll ask Lillian what she has on that in a minute. What else?”
“Anyone come across anything on a labyrinth?” Emron asked.
“I did,” Cassidy said. “S’posed to be guarded by some sort of demon.”
“Anything specific about this demon?” Emron asked.
“Sadly no, just several warnings of its presence. And I was so excited to find out what it was,” Cassidy sighed.
A nearby scholar glared at Cassidy and moved farther down the table. Warren gave him an apologetic look.
“All right.” Emron crossed his arms.
“Vallerie?” Warren asked.
“Not much. Most of what I read was more about the books themselves than what happened to them, but there were one or two references about a witch on a small island.”
“I saw nothing on that. Cassidy?” Warren asked.
“Nope.”
“Emron?”
Emron shook his head.
“Good to know.” Vallerie nodded. “Nothing else stood out. What did you notice, Warren?”
“Mostly what we already know, but with a few additions. I found several documents about the book that was lost in an ambush. Apparently, while transporting it to the city, the caravan ventured into adrax territory and were ambushed.”
“I found a map of adrax fort,” Emron added.
“That sounds pretty convincing to me,” Vallerie said.
“We have a winner,” Cassidy cheered, waving a finger in the air.
“Shh,” a cluster of passing scholars hissed.
Cassidy rolled his eyes.
He’s going to get us thrown back in prison. Warren shook his head.
“That isn’t all,” Warren said. “I don’t think there’s anything to this, but a nest of giant spiders in the east came up a few times in my reading. Anyone else?”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Cassidy groaned, running a hand through his hair.
“Cass?” Vallerie watched her husband.
Cassidy hesitated. “Yeah, I had a book on that. I blew it off. But it looks like that’s a winner too.”
“There’s too much information to ignore it,” Warren said. “I’ll cover the cave. Vallerie, I want you to look into the adrax. Emron, you’ve got the labyrinth, and Cassidy, I need you to clear the nest.”
“I’m better with puzzles. I should take the labyrinth,” Cassidy argued, speaking too loud
again.
Warren waved his hand downward to warn Cassidy to whisper.
“If half of what I read is true, you stand a better chance of taking out the spiders than Emron.”
“What about the adrax?” Cassidy whispered desperately.
“Vallerie is better at infiltration. Besides, you can’t take on an army by yourself,” Warren disagreed.
“And the cave?” Cassidy said.
“I have two working legs. I can climb without a crutch. Putting you against anything right now isn’t ideal, but you wouldn’t stand a chance anywhere else,” Warren said.
Cassidy scowled. “Fine.”
“Let’s see if we can find any additional information. Meet back at the table when you’ve found something.” Warren stood.
Scanning the library for Lillian, Warren found her with an arm full of books, staring hard at a cover. She thumbed across the spines of several other titles until she found the slot for the one in her hand.
Warren cleared his throat as he approached.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” Lillian asked.
“In part, I need some information on a few locations.”
“What locations?” Lillian moved to the pillar closest to them and put away the text on top of her pile.
“An unnatural cave in the northern mountains, a nest of giant spiders to the east, a labyrinth south of the Fire Mountains, and any adrax encampments in the area.”
“Those are extremely dangerous places.” She shifted her books, and the stack brushed her chin.
“I can hold those for you,” Warren offered, with an outreached hand.
“I couldn’t,” Lillian refused.
“It’s the least I can do after all of your help,” Warren persisted.
Lillian pursed her lips. “Only while I find your books.”
He nodded and took the load from her. Following her to the last pillar on the left, he waited while she scanned the rows before pulling four books and three scrolls from different spots.
“I hope this is only for research,” Lillian said.
Warren half-smiled.
“You’re not planning to go to these places, are you?”
“Well”—Warren tried to gesture with his hands that everything would be fine, but with two arms full of books, he dropped everything with a loud crash.
The Ajoiner Realm (Defenders of Radiance Book 1) Page 9
