by Jill Cooper
But she was in pain. Calling out and crying more as each hour passed.
Timothy wished he had someone to talk to, ask some advice, when the door blew open and the Minister of City Affairs strolled in.
“Mr. Richardson, you’ve been busy.”
“She attacked us,” Timothy rushed to the minister to explain. “She had a knife and my wife’s labor is progressing. I didn’t know what to do. I’m sorry—.”
The minister held up his handkerchief. “I can see the butcher knife still in her hand. Don’t worry, I can clean this up for you. We won’t hold it against you. I guess you just saved me and the death hunters a bit of work.” The Minister of City Affairs chuckled like it was some sort of joke.
In her chair, Dani called out in agony and Timothy’s heart stuttered to hear how much worse it was growing.
“Oh my, that doesn’t sound good, even for a woman in labor, does it?” The minister shook his head. “Oh, have you had time to consider my offer to move into our home office, as it were? Work for the ministers full time and leave all this behind?”
With a dead woman on the floor and Dani struggling through her contractions, there wasn’t much to think about. Timothy nodded. “We accept your offer, Minister. Gratefully.”
The minister laughed. “Very good. I knew you’d see the light, Mr. Richardson. Help your wife up. There’s a carriage outside waiting to take us back to town. It won’t take nearly as long as that old rickety one you’ve been riding around in.” He headed outside to wait and Timothy rushed to Dani’s side.
She was covered in a blanket, her head tossing back and forth. Timothy grabbed her arm and helped her up. Dazed and confused she blinked her eyes. “Where… Tim?” She groaned and stopped moving, grabbing her belly and bore down.
“Not yet, Dani. Not yet. We’re moving somewhere more comfortable. So we can get you some help. The baby isn’t coming naturally. We need to get you some help.”
Dani shook her head as they stepped outside. “Not the ministers. Please, Tim…”
“Now now, Mrs. Richardson. Wait until you see how comfortable our beds and homes are.” He took her hand and patted it, helping Timothy get her inside the plush carriage that awaited them. Inside, the walls were plush velvet and a bed waited for Dani with white and black toss pillows.
Timothy helped her lay against them as the carriage sped down the road. Dani’s eyes were tired as they met his. “We can’t accept their help. It isn’t right, Timmy.” She groaned, gripping the sheets.
Timothy stroked her hair and held her head down as she shrieked in pain, arching her back. He just hoped they made it to town in time.
The First Curator
The forces of darkness, of Creighton, were gaining on us. And I raced toward the library. It had to be protected, it had to be fortified. If Creighton got his hands on the secrets, if he got his hands on the last tomes of books and artwork that had been saved, he would destroy it all. With their destruction, his victory would be complete.
I couldn’t let that happen.
As I got closer to the library, I could hear the thunderous footsteps of Creighton’s army and men coming behind me. I ran up the marble steps and stared at the giant oak towers that towered over me. On either side of me were marble pillars and stone lions. Against the doors was a golden plaque, and while I could still read it, the letters seemed to dance around more than they used to.
All those that seek knowledge, enter here. Everyone is welcome.
I thought of all those inside who were helping the cause or hiding from the death hunters and ministers. They had to be protected and they had to get out of the library. I threw a glance behind me, able to see Creighton coming, either side of him flanked by reapers and an army of men on horseback.
How could they betray us? One of their own? I grieved for what it was we had lost.
So I ran. I pulled the doors open and entered the grand library. Two marble staircases went up and down. I chose the one that went down and ran down into the main part of the library. It was six doors wide, all open. In that room, were aisles and aisles of books, but more importantly, there were people.
Some sat with the books, others napped with their heads down, but none of them were safe.
“Hurry,” I said with a clap of my hands. “Creighton is coming to destroy the library. You all must flee at once. Follow me. Quickly and quietly.”
I made my way to the great fireplace as chairs groaned across the floor and a rush of footsteps behind me. We came to the emerald fireplace and I pushed on the lion’s head. They clicked in place and then the fireplace swiveled open, revealing a deep and dark staircase spiraling down into the escape tunnels.
Teddy, oh dear Teddy, had spared no expense when crafting this place. He knew what was coming far before anyone else did.
“Quickly. Take the tunnels far and wide. Do not return to this place.”
One by one, they all entered and I touched their backs, met their eyes, and in some cases, touched the children’s heads. Outside, I heard a clang as the enemy arrived. As the last person in line came up, our eyes met. “You don’t need to do this, Magenta.” Ella gripped my hand. She was the best librarian I had ever met.
She was more than my friend. She had become like a sister.
“I do. The last stand. It gives these people a chance to get away, so maybe the rebellion will survive and we’ll find a way to defeat him. I’m not powerful enough. I’ve tried. Something else is missing.”
“My life is this library. I won’t have it fall into enemy hands.” Ella’s cheeks puffed up as she held her breath and I reached forward and stroked her lovely braids. “I won’t leave it or these books to that monster.”
“You’ll die if you stay. Are you prepared for that?”
“There’s another way.”
I struggled to take a breath as her words knocked me for a loop. “How?”
Ella nodded her head toward the grand desk against the wall in the room. “In the spell book that Archie found before his death. We can find a way to save the library, protect it from Creighton so he can’t find it, and send him from this cursed place.”
“How?” I demanded to know. If there was a way…
“It won’t be without sacrifice. It’ll take both of us to play our part. Allow us to wait for others to come. Those that would be strong enough to destroy him.”
“Quickly.” I followed her through the aisle until it twisted and we went up another level. “We don’t have much time before he breaches the doors.”
****
Ella stood with me in the grand balcony and I lifted my staff up into the air. Thunder crackled and lightning shot down and hit my staff. The intense electricity flowed through my fingers and it was a struggle to hold on, but I did. I grit my teeth and groaned as the power flowed through me.
“Ella, I can’t,” I moaned, my hands burning and my eyes watering from the pain.
“You can. You have to.” She placed her hand on top of mine, the electricity jumping into her hand and her body seized back and forth. “It’s for… those who are not us.”
The door smashed open. “We have you now,” Creighton said as he rushed toward them. His skeletal hand gripped the hilt of his sword as he pulled it free.
“Now or never!” Ella cried.
I lifted my staff up and the electricity flowed from it into the library. The stones began to crumble. Bit by bit it began to fall apart around us. Ella stood with her eyes closed, head thrown back, arms extended as the gray, black, and gold mist flowed into her.
I’m sorry, Ella. My good friend. To curse her like this. To… The ceiling crumbled and the balcony crashed, we both fell to our likely demise when I heard Creighton call out in pain. With any luck the spell worked, and sent him back to the hell hole he crawled out of.
****
Memory stripped to nothing more than a shallow need for vengeance, the Temptress awoke on crumbled pieces of stone. The dried up ground was cracked and charred, like a g
reat battle had happened here, but Temptress could barely remember what. She heard screams in her head and saw battle after battle, but none of it made sense.
Except for the golden staff. When she saw it laying beside her, the Temptress knew it was hers and she needed to protect it. She picked it up and gave it a spin. Pulling herself up on the ground, she nearly tripped over the body of a young woman.
A blond who appeared asleep. The Temptress tilted her head to the side to study her. “Ella,” she whispered. She was important.
Keep her close. Protect her. But never allow her to cross the barrier.
That voice…
The Temptress cried out in surprise at the sight of a dragon flying overhead. She knew that dragon, but who was it? What did it want?
“I’ll kill you if you get closer,” The Temptress yelled, holding her staff defensively.
Ella stirred on the ground. She sat up and her eyebrows pinched together with confusion. “Who the hell are you?”
The Temptress went down on one knee in front of her and gave a little smile. “I have a proposition for you… How would you like to come work for me?”
Chapter: Tarnish Rose
The knowledge of the sacrifice of Magenta and Ella stayed with me through the night. I knew Magenta had become the Temptress, but I hadn’t realized she had done it on purpose to protect the world and give it time to defeat Creighton. Such a sacrifice, one that invited death and bloodied her hands.
I rose early the next day and ate breakfast before anyone else was up. It gave me a chance to change the dressing of my wound. It was healing but not nearly fast enough for my tastes. Stretching made my skin felt like it would tear, like I was covered in leather instead of skin.
“Try putting oil or lotion on it. It’ll help with the scarring and aid you in movement.”
I turned around and saw Ella standing at the mouth of the war room. “I wasn’t sure if you’d speak to me before we arrived.”
“Reckoned we should. I remember things no person should. My behavior… embarrasses me beyond riches.” Her head down, Ella sighed and stared only at her boots.
I approached her and leaned back on the table. “What happened went as you and Magenta planned. Minus the scavenging, I suppose. No one suspected for a moment who you were. Not her. Not Creighton. You’ve been here and safe.”
“Unaware of how much time had passed. Unaware that I should’ve been helping instead of destroying. I might never live this down, Tarnish.”
“No one holds it against you.”
“But I do.” Ella’s voice was rich with anger. “I do!” She poked herself in the chest. “I felt fear, panic. I mocked you and everyone at every turn, meanwhile the library… It’s alive in side of me. It gives me an advantage and I didn’t know.” Her face crumbled as she turned around and covered her face.
“Oh, Ella,” I whispered. “If you had known, if Temptress had gotten to your power before we freed the ancient spirit, if it was destroyed before we were ready to defeat Creighton, we would’ve been left with nothing. You know. You helped make the decision.”
“Except maybe it was the wrong one. How many people suffered and were destroyed because of my cowardice? Because of Magenta’s? You are strong. You don’t back down. You have what Magenta and I never did. What will I be when you remove the relic from me?” Ella closed her eyes and tears streaked down her cheek.
I slipped my arm around her shoulders. “I wish I knew for sure, but I don’t. I only know what I saw in the vision. A strong, smart woman willing to do anything to stop the forces of evil. Even destroy what she loved more than anything.”
“And if I don’t survive? If I die when we conjure the full power of the library to defeat Creighton?”
I bit my lip and considered what it would be like, how I would feel in that moment. “Then I’ll grieve for the rest of my life.”
Ella’s lip trembled. “I don’t deserve your kindness, but I thank you. I’m so glad… we’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Of the best kind,” I whispered. “Even if I did tie you to a chair.”
Ella wiped her tears away. “I did try to kill you… more than once. I guess it was my job to toughen you up.”
“I guess it was.” I rested my forehead against hers and we fell quiet. I listened to the tower shake as it snapped into place on land and sunlight streamed in through the window.
“It’s time,” Ella whispered. “We have to start making preparations to defeat Creighton.”
“Let’s wake everyone. We have so much to do.”
****
We left the tower and headed toward the gates of the McGee homestead. George was on my left, Sebastian on my right. The rest of the group filtered behind us with Muse. She had drawn quiet the last few hours and I worried something might be wrong or not as it should be.
I stopped at the center gate and glanced up at the watch tower, the hood of my robe flapping in the breeze. Lilith gazed down at me with a wide mouth expression of surprise.
“Hello, Lilith. Do you think it’d be all right if you let us in?”
She nodded, and shouted down to someone. “It’s Tarnish Rose. Open the gates.”
The gates began to swing open and I stepped inside first as I heard fast footsteps charging across the snow. I stood tall to be greeted by none other than Henry. Winded, he bowed at the sight of me. “We feared the worst when we saw the tower appear before us. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Tarnish. Sebastian. Your party has grown.” Henry’s eyes ticked across the group but they stopped when they fell straight away on Ella.
I lifted my hand. “She’s with us now. Sure as Sebastian. Sure as you are. I need her if I’m going to defeat Creighton.”
Henry’s face showed his confusion and he deserved a better answer, but for now introductions had to be swift.
“It’s true,” Sebastian answered. “She’s surprised even me on our journey. We wouldn’t have got your children out alive if it wasn’t for her.”
“The news shocks me. However, they wouldn’t have been taken if not for her, either.”
Ella stepped forward. “I’m sorry. I was only half a person before. I don’t know what else I can say.”
“Say you’ll help protect the people that live here and you won’t trick us. Say you’ll be ready to die to protect the free.” Henry’s eyes filled with anger. “Creighton is already moving across the terrain. His minister was here to offer us a deal. He’ll return tomorrow night. If we don’t fall on our knees in worship, we’ll be destroyed.”
Sebastian sighed. “That doesn’t leave us a lot of time.”
I shook my head. “It would be best if we got preparations under way. Robbie, Beatrice, see to the watch towers. Do what you can to bolster the defenses. We’ll need traps, trip wires for when Creighton’s army attempts to breach the wall.”
“You really think it’ll come to that?”
I sighed. “I really hope it doesn’t come to that. Let’s do our best to protect your people.” With a nod, I dismissed Robbie and Beatrice and they hurried to their assignments.
“We are strategizing in the farmhouse. If you’d care to join us.”
I did at that, but first I turned to Ella. “Claire will be inside, and it’s best if she doesn’t see you. I know you’ve changed, but she won’t care.”
Ella’s nose flared and the tip of it turned bright red. “So what would you have me do then? Loiter out here or maybe play some hopscotch?”
I lowered my glower at her. “You know I think higher of you than that. Check on the horses. See that they’re armored and fed. We’re going to need them if we have any shot of defeating this enemy.”
****
When we entered the farmhouse, I was surprised to see how many people were gathered around. Many of them I recognized, such as Francesco, Mel, and Penny. Sebastian twitched beside me to see her and I hoped he’d steady himself while we go through what needed to be done and said. On the table, many maps were laid out, and based on
a quick glance, I thought I knew what they were preparing for.
I couldn’t say I blamed them, given the circumstances.
“She’s returned,” Henry said, gesturing to me. “And she’s brought friends.”
“Not nearly the numbers we’ll need,” Mel whispered.
Muse met his eyes head on. “Have you so little faith in the curator? Would you like to hear the tales of what she’s done? Shall I recount them for you?” Her fiery spirit had returned, at least for a little while.
I placed my hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get it done. I haven’t come this far, and done this many things, to let him stomp me out.”
“Oh Tarnish,” Claire cried. I searched for her and saw her running down the staircase. “It’s really you.”
Stepping forward, I smiled. “It is me. It’s—OOF!” I yelped as she crushed me in a hug and I embraced her back.
“Thank you for coming. Thank you for bringing my children back,” she whispered and kissed my cheek over and over again. “Do you want food? Drink? Any of you?”
“We’re fine,” Sebastian said. “We just are ready to get down to business. There’s much to plan for.”
I returned to the table and traced the map with my fingers. “You plan to hide the children in the caves of this mountain ridge?”
“Women and children,” Francesco said. “Henry’s orders.”
“Orders his wife disagrees with,” Claire said hotly.
“I agree with his wife. We need every able bodied adult to fight. We need everyone. Some will need to protect the children, that is a given, but not all the woman can go into hiding.”
“Creighton will want the children,” Muse said. “They must be well cared for.”
“I will go,” Penny said and raised her hand. “I love the children more than my own life. I will protect them no matter what happens.”
