by Sam Dogra
I tugged at his sleeve, reminding him to keep in character.
“…yes, my lady.” I didn’t need to see his face to know he was grimacing.
Ryan dropped to the paved stones, but didn’t hand over the reins. Navinka flashed a disapproving stare.
“I’d like to see Cielo’s taken care of myself,” Ryan said, rubbing the white horse’s cheek.
“You told me these two can be trusted,” Navinka said. “Despite their…less than adequate etiquette, I’m sure they will not let any harm befall Cielo.” Adam gripped Sandy’s reins a little too tight, and the mare flinched. Navinka ignored it. “I cannot keep my tutor waiting.”
Ryan sighed. Knowing that arguing would only aggravate things, he passed me Cielo’s reins. The muscles in my arm stiffened, but I made sure our fingers didn’t touch.
Navinka encircled her arm around Ryan’s, and they set off down the road. The Binding snarled, and it was all I could do not to jump across and tear them apart. Nonetheless, my arm still jerked in reflex, and Cielo grunted, hurt from the pull on his bit. I stroked his mane.
“Sorry boy,” I said. Cielo nuzzled my shoulder.
“You can play with him later,” Adam said, removing my hand from his waist. “If you don’t go after them now, they’ll get too far ahead.”
“What?”
He rolled his eyes.
“You do remember the Vault of Knowledge is a mile across town, right?”
My heart leapt to my throat.
“Why didn’t you say so?!” I thrust Cielo’s reins into his hand and disentangled myself from the stirrups. Before I bolted into the snow, I looked back to him. “Can you manage the horses yourself?”
Adam waved his hand.
“Please, I’ve had to look after the Bane regiment’s mounts. These three won’t be any hassle.” He bent down and gave my hand a squeeze. “I’ll be waiting for you. Stay out of trouble, yeah?”
I stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
“Of course. See you later.”
Tightening my scarf, I sped off down the street. Through the falling flakes I spotted the clock tower in the near distance. It marked the entrance to the Vault of Knowledge, Begara’s esteemed library. Back when I came with Fiona, we’d gone on the tour, marvelling at the books and ancient carvings dating back to the Era of the Goddess. They also had a wing dedicated to holy relics recovered from the shrines. That day I’d almost broken a vase, if not for Fiona’s quick reflexes…
I shook my head. I’d never missed my sister as much as I did right now. So many questions I wanted to ask her, so much uncertainty I couldn’t face without her support. But she was miles away in Estovan. Much as I was struggling, I’d have to find my own strength to carry on.
The snowfall grew heavier, so it was easy to stay out of sight and follow the prints to the Vault of Knowledge. Soon I was upon the library, and I waited behind the gate as Navinka and Ryan ascended the entrance steps. Navinka didn’t so much walk as glide, practically floating across the stones. Ryan’s pace matched perfectly, his head held high and shoulders square. Heck, they might as well have been practicing for the wedding aisle.
Acid bubbled in my throat, and I swallowed. Why did the curse always choose these moments to eavesdrop on my thoughts? Before it would send me on a tangent, I studied the library. The iron and sandstone goliath stood in the shadow of Mount Ymir, the largest peak in the Furosta Mountains. It had been constructed about four hundred years ago under Queen Helena, who wished to house the city of knowledge far from the seat of royal power. Just as well, as my original plan to get to Viens had been so rudely quashed.
I crept to the nearest pillar, glad for shelter from the wind. Scholars were scattered beneath the heated porticoes, clutching books and quills. Some read quietly, while others chatted with friends, or sipped hot drinks. I trudged past them to the main doors, swallowing back my jealousy, and pushed through the glass panels.
The warmth was delightful, and I rested against a copper pipe. I wasn’t too worried about being spotted. I was young enough to pass as a student, and if anyone asked annoying questions, I was confident my healing knowledge would be about on par for a second year. Otherwise it was a twenty-five silver coin fee; a bit out of my reach given that my ‘investments’ were still in Aronzo’s care.
Keeping an eye out for Navinka, I stepped into the main hall. The varnished floor bore the stag and shield emblem of House Kinslet, and multiple passages and staircases branched into the library sections. I caught sight of the healer’s archive, and spent a long moment staring, wishing I was here because I wanted to be, not because I had to be…
A light touch brushed my shoulder, and I squealed. Heart doing overtime, I spun around. Ryan stood behind me, looking puzzled.
“Goddess, don’t sneak up on me like that!” I snapped.
“Sorry,” Ryan said, swiftly removing his hand. “I called your name, but you didn’t answer. I didn’t know how else to get your attention.”
My eyes darted around the hall.
“Where’s Navinka?”
“Upstairs with her tutor,” Ryan said. “She said she’ll be at least a couple of hours.” He pointed to the east passage. “The books about the Binding are on that side. Shall we?”
He offered his arm. I hesitated, knowing that if I took it the spell would burst into life again. But if I didn’t, I’d hurt his feelings.
Deciding to err on the side of caution, I ignored the gesture and headed towards the left-hand corridor. Ryan followed, though I was too ashamed to check his expression. Surely he would understand why I had to act like this. Then again, with our Binding totally inconsistent with its compulsions, he might not. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation. If I touched Ryan to placate the spell’s demands, my emotions would spiral out of control, and if I didn’t, I’d get physically abused until I relented.
He didn’t know how lucky he was to escape the curse a second time.
The scent of leather and old pages were thick as we stepped into the ancient history section. Rolling ladders stood at the bookshelf’s edges, and desks, candle-lamps and chairs were strewn about every corner. They didn’t call it the Vault of Knowledge for nothing; this area alone rivalled the entire Lanaran archive. Two hours would not be nearly enough time to comb through everything.
I walked down the first row, scanning the spines. Ryan took the aisle ahead, and everything fell silent again. Most of the books were too generalized, or didn’t date back far enough, but with so many to check through, it would be easy to overlook what we needed. My eyes began to blur, and I wiped them in frustration. This would take ages, and we hadn’t even started reading yet.
“Hello there, you look a little lost. May I help?”
My ears pricked up. That voice sounded familiar. I turned to the edge of the row, where a chubby scholar perched on a ladder. His bald head glimmered in the candle-light.
I gasped. It was the scholar who’d shown me around the Lanaran archives! What was his name again?
“Bergundy?”
“Elle, is that you?” Bergundy asked, stepping back to ground level.
“Sure is,” I smiled. “Fancy meeting you here!”
Bergundy grinned.
“Well, after your visit in Lanaran, I was so inspired by your drive for learning, I thought I would spend some time quenching my own thirst for knowledge,” he said. “I see you have not curtailed your endeavours, either. Truly admirable!”
“Ah, you know how it is.” I flicked a loose strand of my hair. “But the Vault is more extensive than I imagined. It’s taking me a while to find what I want.”
Bergundy nodded.
“Perhaps I may be able to point you in the right direction,” he said. “Are you still after information on the Binding spell?”
“Yes.” I had to quell the urge to tackle him in a hug. This was perfect! With a scholar to guide us, we’d find what we needed in no time. Especially since asking the library staff would result in bothersome que
stions regarding the entrance fee.
Bergundy led the way back to the master corridor. Ryan was nearby, flipping through a dusty tome.
“Ryan, I’ve got a friend to help us,” I said.
Ryan closed the book.
“Oh?”
“This is Bergundy. I met him back in Lanaran. He’s in charge of the archives there.”
“A pleasure,” Bergundy said, managing a small bow.
“Likewise.” Ryan shook the scholar’s hand. He leant closer to my ear. “You went to the Lanaran archives?” He was frowning slightly.
“Preliminary research,” I muttered under my breath. “I thought I could find a way to break the spell.”
Ryan huffed.
“Why were you so quick to turn your back when I suggested the same, then?”
“Because I didn’t find anything useful, and I didn’t feel like gearing myself for disappointment again.” Goddess, why wouldn’t he let this go? I’d agreed to come along in the end. He had nothing to complain about.
Bergundy started to look uncomfortable, so I shot Ryan a warning glance. We could argue later.
“So, Bergundy,” Ryan said, catching the hint, “do you know if there’s anything on the Binding spell’s origin here?”
“That there is,” Bergundy said, his smile returning. “Come this way.”
We followed him to the back of the row, where he began picking out books, seemingly at random. Soon he’d gathered a pile of about twelve, and he dropped them onto the nearest desk.
“These I think would be the most relevant,” he said. “The two rows here are all concerned with the Binding in some way, but these focus on its creation.”
“Thank you.” That must’ve saved us several days of searching.
“I will be around this section regardless,” Bergundy said. “Please, don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”
“You’re very kind,” Ryan said. Bergundy nodded, before he waddled back to the front rows.
Ryan sighed.
“I guess it was lucky you met him after all.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I said. It had been a tiring journey. No wonder we were both a bit short-tempered. “Come on.”
We took a pile each and sat at the desks. Fortunately the texts were much easier to skim through than that paper in Lanaran, and I lapped up the words. However, while I gleaned a lot of interesting information, it wasn’t quite what we were looking for. I read another rendition of the Tale of the Binding, more on the theory that the spell had a physical location somewhere in Azaria, and further details on its laws.
Then I came across a chapter on the Goddess Jewel. I rubbed the page between my fingers, trying to get past the first paragraph, but I couldn’t. It stirred too much bitterness. Besides, it probably wouldn’t tell me anything Ryan hadn’t already mentioned, and I knew that avenue was closed to me anyway.
I snapped the book shut and reached for the next one. As I grasped the spine, something sparkled across my eyes. I blinked. A trick of the candle-light, perhaps. Then my vision blurred, and I wiped a stray tear. Surely I hadn’t been reading for that long?
The blurriness changed to a stream of gold. I froze, and the book in my hand dropped to the floor. The objects around me took on a honey-coloured halo, and my mouth went dry. No, it couldn’t be…not here!
“Eliza?” Ryan peered up from his leather-bound folio. “Is everything alright?”
“Fine, just fine,” I said quickly, rubbing my eyes. I took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in my ribs. I had to stay calm. “Found anything yet?”
“Not really,” Ryan said. “Nothing I haven’t read about before, anyway.” He glanced to the clock at the end of the passage. “You?”
“About the same,” I said, still rubbing.
“We’ve got an hour, we can keep going.”
I nodded, removing my hands from my face. To my dismay, the golden shimmers didn’t go away. They continued to glisten off the shelves and wall paintings, leading back to the main hall. I bit my lip. This was bad, really bad. It meant more of the strange runes were nearby. Memories of my previous encounters came to mind, and I shuddered. Those things made me so ill. I didn’t want to read them again, and definitely not in such a public place.
Picking up the fallen book, I flicked back to the first page. If I ignored the golden haloes, maybe they would leave me alone. After a few attempts at reading, though, I had no such luck. The bright sparkles kept swirling across the text, making it impossible to see. I screwed my eyes shut. It was giving me a headache.
The pain spread deeper, and I gripped my temples. Still the flashing spots wouldn’t leave me alone, and I groaned silently. I’d not be left in peace until I read the cryptic symbols, and the longer I delayed, the more it would hurt.
I pushed my chair back and stood up.
“I’m going to get some water,” I said, trying not to make my distress too obvious. “Want anything?”
“I’m good, thanks.” Ryan glanced to me, brow raised. “You sure you’re okay? You look a bit pale.”
“Reading too fast, probably,” I lied. “I’ll be back soon.”
The golden speckles flew around like tiny fireflies. I spent a moment fighting down dizziness, before I followed them along the corridor, past Bergundy, and back to the main hall. There the spots swirled together, concentrating towards the ceiling. I looked straight up.
A beautiful icon of the Goddess in her two-winged form had been painted there. She sat on a river bank, letting water flow from her hands to the dried earth. My eyes drifted to her tiara, where a single jewel was missing, then to her outstretched palms. Between them an unusual design had been cut into the marble. Almost like…
Before I could finish the thought, the rune burst into brilliance. I stood there, mesmerized, listening to the gasps of the scholars as they too witnessed the spectacle. The white fire condensed into shape, and its meaning came with sudden clarity.
“Secrets.”
The rune vanished. The room went spinning, and I collapsed. I hit the varnished floor, clutching the side of my head. My eyes were burning. Someone rushed to my side, placing a supportive hand on my back.
“Miss! Are you alright?”
I managed a nod, my mouth too dry to speak.
“Get her some water.” Multiple footsteps scattered, and I crawled to a sitting position. I was so dizzy, the pain in my eyes unbearable. It was as if someone had thrown chilli powder into my face, and even though the tears came in droves, the irritation remained.
Still, while I couldn’t see properly, my ears were fully functioning, picking up the excited chatter of the scholars.
“She read the Holy Rune!”
“How could she? No-one’s been able to read them for a thousand years!”
“We saw it come to life! It had to be!”
“We must inform the Dean at once!”
“How did she do it?”
“Eliza!”
Ryan’s voice broke through the babble, and I forced my eyes open. My vision had returned, but everything appeared double, and it was painful to focus for long. He shoved past the awestruck scholars and gripped my shoulders.
“What happened? Is…” His words stuck in his throat as his eyes met mine. Inside I shivered. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Your eyes…” Ryan shook his head.
“What?” I grabbed his coat lapels. “What about my eyes? Ryan, tell me!”
“They’re…” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “They’ve turned gold.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
‘With renewed strength she welcomed the dawn, embracing its promise of brighter dreams to come...’
—Tale of the Binding
I let go of Ryan. My whole body began to tremble, and for once it had nothing to do with the Binding. My chest felt so tight, I couldn’t breathe. Ryan wrapped his arm around me
, but he might as well have been a figment of my imagination. My eyes…what had happened to my eyes?!
“It’s alright,” Ryan called to the crowd. “She fainted. I’ll take care of her.” He bent closer to my ear. “Can you walk? There’s a reading alcove nearby. It’ll be more comfortable. And more private.”
His voice broke through my terror, and I clung to it; a thread of hope in an ocean of darkness.
“I…I’ll try.”
I slid an arm around his waist, and he hoisted me up. By some miracle, I forced myself to walk, and we stepped towards a glass door. Inside were furnishings and lighting for reading. It was also empty—no doubt because of the interesting light show I’d provided. Some scholars followed tentatively, but Ryan’s assurances got them on their way again. The library staff began dispersing the other onlookers, and soon we were left alone.
As we came to the door, I caught my reflection. Ryan was right. My midnight-blue irises had become an iridescent gold.
Really not my colour at all.
Ryan guided me to the couch, and I lay down and closed my eyes. My headache was improving, but the dizziness was still bad, and I was so very tired.
“What happened?” Ryan sat beside me, his hand around mine. I sighed, and rolled onto my back.
“Runes,” I whispered.
“Runes?”
“I’ve…I’ve seen them before,” I said. “In the Lanaran shrine, and in Dhjerba.”
“Eliza, I don’t understand.”
I shifted position, so I was against his shoulder. I wouldn’t have to speak above a whisper this way. Oddly the curse didn’t stir, allowing me to think.
“Remember…that night when the shrine was on fire,” I said. “Those men came after me…and Cielo. I went to hide inside…the ruins. There I saw golden speckles…so I followed them. Four runes appeared…and then I passed out. Didn’t wake up…until we were in Lanaran.”
Ryan gasped.
“Then in Dhjerba,” I continued; it was getting easier to keep the words flowing, “after I left you and Cielo at the vet, I thought an Amaranthite was chasing me, so I hid in one of the churches. Two more runes appeared there, and gave me a horrible stomach ache.”
