Muse Unchained (The Last Library Book 3)

by Jill Cooper

Timothy backed up and ran back into the living room. “It’s time to go, Dani.” He rushed to the table and placed the gifts into his satchel on top of the paint to hide it from view.

  “What? But you just—.”

  He grabbed Dani by the arm and helped her stand. Surprise and shock lined her face, plus intense worry. Timothy was sorry for that, but he had to get her out of there. He had to get the paint to the Minister of City Affairs as fast as possible. Now that he knew Scott’s secret—and he knew the lengths Alessa would go to keep the lie going—he couldn’t risk Dani being close with them any longer.

  “All right. But, what’s going on, Tim?” Dani’s wide eyes met his as he ushered her toward the door.

  “Wait! You can’t leave!” Scott ran into the living room with the nearly one year old baby on her hip.

  “I’m sorry we need to retreat in such haste. Please, have a good night and accept our thanks.” Timothy pushed Dani outside and slammed the door shut.

  Dani regarded him with her hands on her hips. “Timothy Richardson, what’s—.”

  “Get on and I’ll explain later. Hurry!” Timothy aided her steps up onto the carriage. Light cast behind him as the door to the Mayor’s home opened.

  Dani righted herself on the seat and as he tried to join her, someone grabbed his satchel and yanked Timothy back. Dani shrieked as Timothy lost his footing and fell to the ground. But he held onto the strap of his bag and struggled to his feet.

  “What’s in the bag?” Scott asked. “What did you see? You’ll answer me!”

  Timothy pushed Scott back. “You’ll stay away from me and my wife. You’ll not be seeing us again.”

  “You’re making a grave mistake,” Scott whispered. “You won’t survive the year without neighbors and friends here in Beantown. We know so much. We could’ve been lifelong friends if you just… if you’d just look the other way.”

  Timothy didn’t think so. He backed up onto the carriage, and without another thought, he gripped the reigns of his horse. “Yeah!” Timothy gave a tug and they were off to the races. He didn’t slow down and he didn’t look at Dani.

  Not even as she started to cry.

  ****

  “I don’t understand.” Dani chased her husband through the house toward the bedroom. “Make me understand, please. Alessa’s my friend. All of them are. I like having people to talk to.”

  Timothy didn’t answer her. He just sat down on the chair and started to take off his boots. His head down, Dani couldn’t get a read on him like she usually did.

  Frustrated, she squealed and slapped her hips with her hands. “I wish you’d talk to me! Don’t shut me out. Don’t act like your father. We’re alone out here and now we are really alone.”

  “They aren’t who they pretend to be, but I’m going to take care of it.” Timothy stood up, holding his satchel close to him like it was important or carried something very special.

  “They’re nice people. They helped us so much. We wouldn’t have survived this winter without the extra food they supplied us. You know that, Tim.”

  “They stole that baby.” Timothy said red faced and angry. “They stole him to keep their relationship a secret. Scott’s not a man. He’s a woman. They’ve been lying to everyone, to you. It’s been going on for years.”

  Dani couldn’t believe it. She went slack jawed. “You can’t have figured all that out in one night. They didn’t… Ben’s their baby.”

  “He’s Lucy Tanger’s baby,” Timothy whispered. “You know how good Alessa is with herbs and supplements? Scott was breast feeding the son. I saw it with my own two eyes.”

  Dani’s breath warbled as she tried to comprehend everything he had just said. “It… That’s impossible. They’re nice people.”

  “They wanted us to think that, sure. Give us presents. Be extra nice to us. Keep us from suspecting what was so close by.”

  “What do we do now that we know? What do we do?”

  “You don’t worry about a thing other than keeping our baby safe. You sleep and I’ll watch over you. In the morning, I’m leaving early to meet with the minister.”

  Dani sat on the bed and her heart skipped a beat hard enough to hurt. “Oh Timmy… You can’t… Not the ministers.”

  Timothy held up a finger to quiet her. “They stole a baby to keep their secret. Do you really want to see how far they’ll go?”

  Dani didn’t. She really didn’t think Alessa or Scott could hurt her. Would they really go that far? She felt so lost, more lost than she had since leaving Rottenwood.

  Dani’s shoulders rocked back and forth with a sob. Timothy wrapped his arms around her as she cried and Dani felt like her world was crumbling.

  All over again.

  Chapter: Tarnish Rose

  I gasped for breath, opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the ceiling of my room. “Abby, you’re awake.” George smiled at me from the bedside and took my hand. “Thank the workmen, I thought… we all thought… it was touch and go there for a while.”

  When I struggled to sit up, I was hit in the side with pain all over again and realized how fatigued I felt. “George… Ella and the others, where is everyone?”

  “Arguing about what to do with Ana, most likely. She betrayed you and everyone fighting for freedom against Creighton. We’ve tried questioning her to find out how much he knows, how she contacts him, but she says she’ll only talk to you.”

  I glanced down at the white bandage covering my side. “I wouldn’t trust that. She probably just wants to try to kill me again.”

  “I wouldn’t let you go in there alone.”

  “Ella and Sebastian? I need to talk to them. We need to plan our next move.” I gripped the post of my bed and struggled to my feet with a groan. I swayed as my vision spun and George was at my side to steady me.

  “You’re not ready yet, Abby. You need rest.”

  I shook my head. “There’s no rest to be had if Creighton is already moving toward us. If he’s in the unforgiven lands, there’s no time for me to recuperate. It doesn’t matter what condition I’m in. I’ll try to heal myself with my books… Where’s my staff?” I asked and bent down to grab my leather breast piece laying on the floor.

  By the time I realized it was sliced through, it was already in my hand. I cursed the luck of it all and threw it back down.

  “We’ll get you another made,” George said sweetly.

  There wasn’t time. There wasn’t time for any of it. “If you could help me down the stairs. We have much to do and I don’t want to appear weak in front of our friends.”

  “Oh, Abby. Even hurt, you’re never weak. I think you may be the strongest person I’ve ever known. If only…” George sighed. “If only my mother could see the type of woman you’ve become.”

  I smiled at him as he took me by the arm. “If I haven’t said it recently, I love you, George. I’m glad you’re here by my side. I draw strength from you, even if you can’t see it.”

  He kissed my cheek and I felt his belief in me and himself. Now was time to forge a different future, a new time. The end of Creighton was drawing near.

  ****

  My cloak was cinched tight across my waist as I entered the war room. I heard a rush of passionate voices, and as I turned around the corner, I saw them. My friends, gathered around the large table all stood to attention.

  Muse held her hand up, but it was Ella who rushed to me first. “Oh Tarnish. You’re not dead. You’re up. She’s up everyone.” She hugged me too tight and I groaned from the pain. She winced. “Sorry. But I’m glad to see you’re not dead.”

  “We all are,” Sebastian said and hugged me warmly. “Tarnish Rose back on her feet. Nothing will stop us now.”

  “Except for this blistering pain in my side,” I said and forced a smile. “Where are we?”

  “Same place we were before. Right outside the old New York City,” Ella led us back over to the table and I took my spot beside her and directly across from Muse.

  “
You’re back on your feet, or good enough for the time being. Creighton has entered our realm and he moves quickly. He has an army with him of hunters and battle trolls,” Muse said. “He’s taken Imagination and not left much behind in his wake. Their blood coats his feet, he’s ready to take everything.”

  I nodded. “Where will he go first?”

  “The McGee homestead,” Ella said and sounded so certain I did a double take. “They’re a symbol of freedom. If they fall, like Haven did, he knows the remaining settlements and scavengers will all bow before him.”

  “Then that’s where we move the tower. That’s where we go to ready our defenses and destroy him. Sword against sword.” I turned toward Ella and met her fearful eyes head on. “I can’t do it without you. I’m not strong enough to destroy the ancient Villain. It must be contained somewhere.”

  Ella nodded but tears puddled in her eyes. “I know what I am now. I know my purpose, even if I don’t remember every detail, but what you’re asking me to do, it’ll kill me. That much I know.”

  “You won’t die, Ella,” Muse said. “You will be reborn and assume your true version of yourself.”

  “With stinky books?” Ella scrunched up her nose. “No thank you, lady in the pretty dress.”

  “Ella,” I said as a realization hit me, “do you remember where we stayed when we first found you in New York City? You chose a bookstore as your home.”

  “Coincidence,” she said hotly.

  I shook my head. “I don’t think it was a coincidence. Not at all. You chose it because of the books. Because of who you really are.”

  “Great, I’m a bookshelf. You really know how to cheer a woman up, Tarnish Rose.” She gave me the once over. “But I’m glad I didn’t let Ana kill you. Real glad.”

  “So it’s settled then? We will move the tower toward the McGee homestead, and there we will have our final stand. We will face Creighton and protect all those he wishes to destroy.” Muse gestured to my golden staff, laying on the table.

  “I don’t think I can do it on my own.” I looked to Ella. “If you would help me get the staff up the stairs to my throne, we can move the tower. Together.”

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Ella muttered and she grabbed the staff, doing what I said. It only took a few moments to plunge the staff into its hole and turn it. A moment later, the tower blinked from existence and we flew toward our destination.

  “If she’d like, I can give the Library clarity. I can remove the blockages from her mind so she’ll remember everything. And you, too, will share in that knowledge of light.” Muse faced us both, her hands folded across her middle.

  Ella shook her head. “Not yet. Let me enjoy being me a little bit longer. I’m not ready to… I’m just not ready.” She blew past all of us and raced out of the room. I would’ve rushed after her, if I could have. Instead I teetered, but managed to hold on until Sebastian came to my rescue and helped me down the steps.

  “She’ll come around. She’ll be okay,” Sebastian said, but I had to wonder if it was really true. She was going to give her life, far as she knew it, for the quest, to free the word. Everyone here was playing a part, but Ella might’ve had the biggest sacrifice of them all.

  Chapter: Homestead

  Snow covered the ground, but everywhere was the proof of life that the world had begun to change. Blades of green grass poked out beneath the snow, the sun burned hotter than ever before, and Henry heard music coming from his daughter’s room.

  He buttoned up his shirt in the room he shared with Claire. When he heard the sound at first, he wasn’t sure what it was. Henry followed it and it led him to where his children slept. His daughter was blowing through a metal tube, closing her hand around the other side, changing the sound it made.

  Claire sat on the bed opposite of their daughter with child-like wonder on her face. Henry loved her more than the day was long, and while they were sharing a bed again, it had been too long since he had touched her. Just a hug would be fine with him. He missed his wife deep in his very soul.

  “Isn’t it pretty, Henry?” Claire asked and clapped her hands together.

  “It sure is.” He smirked and gave his daughter a wink. “I never knew you could make sounds like that.”

  “Me either, but this morning, it just hit me. I guess that’s what they call inspiration. I want to do more with sound and colors. Maybe even put on a play.” She giggled as she hopped off her bed and placed her metal tube inside the top drawer of her dresser.

  “You can do all that, but after school. Miss Penny will be waiting outside soon to take you.” Claire hopped off the bed and met Henry at the entrance. “And you need your breakfast.”

  I nodded. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched my daughter brush her long red hair, so much like her mother. “Maybe the kids can walk to school today. It’s only three doors down. Maybe it’s time… we let them have a little bit of room to grow.”

  Claire held her breath and gazed at their daughter. Fear puckered on her face so Henry stroked her fingers with his to bring her back to him. It worked. She gazed up at him with a small nod. “All right. To school and back, but when I say back, I mean right back. No playing outside until I’ve inspected your grubby little faces.”

  Their daughter cheered. Henry had to squish beside Claire so she could run by to go tell her brothers.

  “It’s the right move. The right time,” Henry said.

  “I know you’re right. It’s just hard to let them go.”

  Henry thought of kissing her sweet lips, how they puckered just so, but when the wail of the crying baby started, Claire broke away to go tend to his needs and left Henry alone. It left him brokenhearted. True, this was how it often was with a new baby in the house, but this time was different.

  The fighting. The arguments. Henry just wanted a sign from Claire that they were making it and she was still his beloved. She wasn’t yelling at him all the time so that was something, but it wasn’t enough to combat the pain he felt whenever he looked at her.

  He headed downstairs and put the bowls and spoons on the table for breakfast. The coffee was already steeping in the press pot, so he threw down some handwoven placemats when the bell out front rung.

  Someone was at the gates.

  Henry grabbed his thick down jacket and slipped it on as he was already running down the steps of the farmhouse. “Who goes there?” He yelled up to the watch tower as he approached the city wall.

  Alfred leaned down and gave him a shout, but Henry knew the answer wasn’t good. The young watchman was as pale as Henry had ever seen.

  “A man in a bowler hat, Mr. Henry! He identifies himself as a minister. A minister.”

  A minister? Impossible, if the Temptress lived. If it wasn’t a joke or a game of deception, it meant Tarnish Rose had won a big battle, but it also meant that their very way of life was now threatened by the dark lord himself.

  ****

  Markus met Henry at the gate as they drew it open. Henry held his breath as the old man came into view. He wore a pinstriped gray suit, had well polished shoes, and a walking staff in his hand. Henry met him scowl for scowl and his hands curled into a tight fist.

  “Whatever you’re selling, we don’t want any.”

  “Minister of City Affairs,” he said with a tip of his hat. “Or will be, after I finish saying what I need to say.” He spun the walking stick in his hand and stepped forward.

  Markus held his hand out. “You’ve come far enough.”

  “I’m here to discuss things with the mayor of this place. Which of you is him?”

  “I am,” Henry said and proudly stepped up. “You’ll direct yourself to me and no one else.”

  “Fine then. I appreciate the direct approach, so heed my words when I tell you that the Dark Lord Creighton has breeched the Barbaric Lands. We have defeated Temptress at her own game and now the land she protected is ours.”

  Henry’s lips twitched and anger rolled in his eyes. “You defeated Tempt
ress or was it Tarnish Rose?”

  The minister’s lips puckered, but he said nothing else.

  “That’s right, we know her. We all know her. Every person you come in contact with over here knows her and considers her a friend. So, before you attempt to lie to me again—.”

  “The Dark Lord Creighton will rule this land. You will kneel before him and you will worship him. You will follow my rules of law or you will be killed slowly, painfully, for all to see. Then we’ll watch how mighty your people are. We’ll see if they still call Tarnish Rose friend.”

  “We will never bide by your laws.”

  Henry glanced behind him and saw his wife running up behind them. Her wild red hair blowing in the breeze, she fought to put on her sweater as she reached his side. “We were born free and we shall die free, no matter if it is today or a hundred years from today. I will never kneel to the evil lord.”

  The minister’s expression didn’t change. “Your red hair, your blue eyes, you would’ve been dead the day you were born under my watch.”

  “Get out of here and take your rules with you. They’re not welcome here,” Henry said. As Claire drew closer to him, he put his arm around her.

  “As you wish. You have two days before Creighton reaches your city gates with his dark army. If you don’t hang a white flag from your watch towers, everyone inside will be devoured for his power. Don’t try to put up a fight, it only makes him hungrier.” The minister turned and started his way back out the way he came.

  Claire picked up a few pebbles buried in the snow and hurled them at the minister, but in that moment, he disappeared, as if he had never been there in the first place. She gasped. “He moves like a cloud. He uses magic.”

  “We have a lot to plan for,” Markus said. “A lot to do.”

  Henry nodded. “Claire, honey, while Markus and I get everyone assembled, why don’t you take the children to school?”

  No one should’ve been alone right then. Least of all children.