Journey to the Library [The Library Saga]

by Amy Cross

  "So let's get this straight," she says after a moment. "You, the most naive human who has ever entered the Library, managed to escape from a grave-robber."

  I nod.

  "And then you begged in the aisles of Papyr, one of the Library's poorest cities, and in a few hours you made enough money to be able to rent a room at one of the very few hostels around these parts. Is that the gist of what you're telling me?"

  "That's right," I reply.

  She laughs. "You know what? That story is so crazy, it might actually be true. I guess maybe people felt sorry for you, huh?"

  "I guess so," I say darkly.

  "And now, to top it all off, you've come to find me, the girl who betrayed you and left you to sizzle in the sun, and you want to share your good fortune?"

  "I figure I still need your help to find my parents," I reply, surprised by how difficult this seems to be. "No matter what I think of your personally," I continue, "you're still the only person I know who can help me get through the Library and reach the horizon point where my parents are being taken."

  "They're being taken to the horizon?" she asks, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "By who?"

  "I'm not sure."

  "Doesn't matter," she mutters. "Once they get there, they'll be shoved through the gate and then you'll have to travel to another world to find them. If you're lucky, that is. Most people just think the gate leads to death."

  "So you see why I need your help," I continue. "I can't let them get away."

  I wait for her to reply, but she simply tears another strip of meat from her bone.

  "I can ignore the past," I add. "All I care about is what happens next."

  Tossing the finished bone down to the ground, she gets to her feet and makes her way over to me. There's a new look in her eye, something I haven't seen before; it's almost as if she's amused by me, and for the first time I feel as if she might actually be thinking of helping. Then again, I've learned not to trust Table entirely; she could just as easily have decided to finish me off.

  "What's in it for me?" she asks eventually.

  "I'll pay you."

  "With what?"

  "I've still got some gold coins left over," I reply, before reaching into my pocket and pulling out the small pouch of coins that the Emissary gave me to use as bait. "There are eight coins here," I tell her, before handing the pouch to her. "Once we find my parents, I've got another eight to give you. Don't even think of trying to rob me, though. I've got them in a safe place, and I'll only tell you their location after you've helped me find my parents." I watch as she fumbles with the bags, as if she can't control her fingers properly. "Your hands are almost blue," I tell her. "You must be freezing."

  "You never cease to amaze me," she says, opening the top of the pouch and pouring the coins into the palm of her trembling hand. For a moment, she looks to be completely dazzled by the sight of so much money. "But tell me something, Alice," she continues. "What's to stop me just walking off with these eight coins and leaving you to rot, huh? I mean, eight gold coins could get a girl a hell of a long way in the Library."

  "But you want more," I point out. "Eight seems like a lot, but sixteen is double that amount."

  "You make a very convincing argument," she says with a sigh, before closing the pouch and tying it to her waist. "I can't promise anything, but I guess it's worth a shot, right? I've got to say, though. You're being very forgiving and understanding about what happened earlier. Is that yet another human weakness?"

  "I'm just being practical," I reply, turning and starting to climb back up toward the nearest aisle. "This way," I add, reaching the top before glancing back down at her. "I was thinking we should get some sleep tonight and then set out in the morning. I'm exhausted, and don't take this the wrong way, but you look like you need to get warm."

  "Good idea," she says as she reaches me. "Looks like the weather's taking a turn for the worse. I think the Angel's getting angry again, but it should be over by morning and then we can -" She suddenly stops talking as something catches her eye in the darkness. Looking over her shoulder, she spots two more figures making their way toward us through the shadows. Seconds later, she turns to look at me. "Alice," she says after a moment, with fear in her voice. "Please, for the love of God, tell me you didn't -"

  "I'm sorry," I reply firmly, trying to hold back the tears that are welling in my eyes. "I had no choice. I need to find my parents."

  "No!" she shouts, turning and trying to run before the figures grab her by the shoulders and throw her down to the ground with such force that I swear I hear a cracking sound.

  Taking a step back, I watch in horror as Table is tied up with a thick chain that's quickly wrapped around her neck; it's hard not to think back to the moment earlier today when Kiran did the same thing to me, and although I keep telling myself that I don't owe Table any sympathy at all, there's a part of me that thinks I shouldn't have agreed to help the Emissary. I watch in horror as the chain is wrapped around her body several times, and it's clear that despite her struggles, there's no way she can ever break free.

  "I should have known you were planning something," she snarls, still trying to fight back despite the fact that the Emissary's men are pulling the chains tighter and tighter. "Your whole goddamn story didn't make sense!"

  "I had no choice," I stammer, taking a step back. "I have to find my parents."

  "I guess we're both soulless, then," she sneers, before she's shoved back down onto the ground and dragged away, still kicking and screaming against her fate.

  "You did a very good job," the Emissary says calmly, standing nearby. "I wasn't sure she'd fall for your story, but I suppose hope always wins out over wisdom. Hope and greed, anyway. Now I can take her and -"

  "I don't want to know," I say firmly. "Whatever you're going to do to her, I really don't want to know the details. Just... You promised to help me find my parents, so give me what I need and I'll be on my way." I pause for a moment, shocked to hear such harshness in my own voice.

  "Of course," he replies with a smile. "Follow me, Alice. I must show you something before you leave. You don't have far to go, but there are still dangers ahead and since you've been helpful, I'd like to give you as much help as possible." As the sky rumbles above, he glances up for a moment. "We should hurry," he adds. "The Angel's anger might hinder your progress, and time is running out. You'll have to do exactly as I say, but I'm certain that before this night is over, you'll be reunited with your parents."

  Thomas Never

  "The skin seems to have been split open," Carstairs says, crouching next to a dead, bloodied body we've found slumped against one of the aisles. "Look here," he continues, indicating the section of skull that's showing through the tear line. "It's as if someone grabbing this woman and literally tore her skin away."

  "Can we just get moving?" I ask, deliberately trying to avoid looking directly at the dead body. "It's getting cold out here."

  "This was the Angel," Carstairs continues, evidently captivated by the woman's body. "What could someone have done to bring such fury upon herself. I always knew the Angel was angry, but I never thought he was insane." He pauses, before pointing along the aisle. "There's another body further along," he adds. "This was a massacre. The Angel has always been willing to use violence when it's absolutely necessary, when there's danger from the enemy, but he's never killed indiscriminately like this before. He's never been cruel."

  "You can't be too surprised," I reply, still not looking at the woman's body. "Not after what happened to those Grandapams."

  "But I am surprised," he says, getting to his feet. "This isn't like the Angel. He's not a monster, and yet he seems to have been attacking and killing people for no good reason. Most of these people were pilgrims. They'd probably traveled hundreds, even thousands of miles to pay tribute to him, and how does he repay them? He cuts them down and rips them apart. Something's changed, Thomas. He's angry, or maybe scared."

  "You make it sound like you kn
ow him pretty well," I reply as we start walking again. The ground is definitely trembling now, and a huge, swirling storm seems to be gathering in the night sky above us. "Have you ever met the Angel before?" I ask. "I mean, properly... face to face?"

  "Never," he replies. "Well, maybe. Once. It's hard to remember. I have certain... flashes of memory. They come back to me now and again. I dream about him sometimes, but I can never really see him properly. Most of what I know about his appearance comes from the accounts of others. That, and a few drawings in religious books."

  "And you've spent all your time in the Library running from this thing?"

  "I never got very far," he replies. "The Library is a vast place, Thomas, and although I ran for decades, I always ended up in the same area. I suppose I knew, deep down, that I couldn't get very far, and that one day I'd have to come and face him again." He pauses. "In fact, I think I might owe you an apology."

  "For what?"

  "Why else do you think you and your parents were brought to the Library?" he continues. "I was trying to open a bridge to the human world. I thought maybe I could go home, but at the last moment I'm afraid I backed out. I was too scared. Scared of failing, scared of the Angel following me..." He pauses again. "I'm not certain, but I think the Angel might have orchestrated your arrival. He used the bridge I opened and pulled you through, and then he made sure that we met. The Angel is capable of seeing all the strands of possibility that lead out from any particular moment in time. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he'd brought you here in order to manipulate me into eventually coming back to see him."

  "But why me?" I ask.

  "Bad luck on your part," he replies with a faint smile. "You and your parents just happened to be closest to the other end of the bridge when it was opened. Rotten timing, eh?"

  "Could he have..." I take a moment to think back to the accident. "Could he have reached through that bridge and caused something to happen? We were driving, and suddenly the car seemed to be just swept off the road and down into a valley."

  "It's possible," Carstairs replies. "When he's in the right mood, the Angel can reach far and wide. It wouldn't surprise me if he can reach through bridges and affect events in other worlds. That's one of the reasons I knew I couldn't run away. Wherever I try to hide, he'll find me eventually. That's why -"

  Before he can finish, there's a huge crashing sound up ahead. The ground shakes and as I try to steady myself by grabbing a nearby shelf, I realize that the whole Library seems to be trembling.

  "Is that him?" I shout as the moment of violence starts to fade.

  "Oh yes," Carstairs says bitterly. "Sounds like he's having a right old tantrum, doesn't it? I think we need to teach him some manners. He can't keep throwing his toys out of the pram like this."

  "But why would he be acting like this?" I ask. "Shouldn't he be glad that you're finally coming to him? Why has he started killing pilgrims? What does it mean?"

  "Well, it means he knows we're getting closer." Stopping suddenly, Carstairs turns to me. "Listen," he says after a moment, "you're one of the bravest people I've met in this place, Thomas, but I think maybe it would be awfully remiss of me to lead you all the way to the Angel's aisle. This is probably something I should do alone."

  "No," I say firmly, even though I'm filled with fear. "I'm coming with you."

  "It's better if I go alone," he continues. "I can perhaps calm him down, you see. We go back a long way, the Angel and I. I'm not sure I quite remember everything, but I know that we have a connection, and I'm certain that I'm the only person he'll listen to. It's a long shot, but I think I can talk to him. He's probably quite a reasonable chap, when it all comes down to it, and I have to admit that I'm quite a smooth talker when the mood strikes me, so..." He pauses, and I can see the anguish in his eyes. "Hopefully I can make him see reason," he adds. "If all goes well, I should be able to come back and find you, and reunite you with your parents, and send you on your way, back to your own world."

  "And if all doesn't go well?" I ask, as a cold wind blows along the aisle, accompanied by a distant rumble of thunder.

  "Then at least the Angel will have got what he wanted," Carstairs continues. "He'll be calmer. You should... If the worst happens, Thomas, you might be stuck in the Library forever. You'll need to be brave. Don't go back to Papyr. That place is going to descend into chaos once the people there realize that the Setters have been destroyed. Go around the city and try to find your way to the river. Avoid the desert at all costs. The river is life in this place. There are merchants, and you need to see if you can find your way onto one of their boats. If you spot any sailors with blue skin, and gills on their necks, ask for their help. The Joths are among the kindest and wisest races in the Library."

  "But what about you?"

  "I'm going to do my best," he replies. "To be honest, though, this could all have been avoided if I'd been braver, sooner. I should have come to face the Angel a long time ago, instead of trying to run. I'm not sure whether I can undo all the damage that I've caused, but I can do my best."

  I stare at him for a moment, and finally I realize that there's no way I can let him go and face this thing alone. It's as if, deep down, there's something that's stronger than my fear.

  "I'm coming with you," I say eventually.

  "It's better if -"

  "I'm coming with you!" I say firmly. "You can't stop me!"

  He pauses, and I can see a faint smile on his lips. "You realize this is dangerous, don't you?"

  I nod.

  "And you realize that the Angel is unlike anything any man has ever seen before."

  I nod again.

  "And you realize -"

  "He's got my parents," I reply. "Probably, anyway. And if they're there, then I have to be there too."

  Getting to his feet, Carstairs seems momentarily lost for words. "Just let me do all the talking," he says eventually. "Don't interrupt, and don't let the Angel provoke you. I have no idea what the passing years have done to his mind, and the most important thing is to ensure that he doesn't see you as an enemy. You've seen what he does to those who he perceives as a threat. We've come this far, Thomas, and we need to ensure that we don't panic at the end. Just stay close to me and pay attention to everything that happens. Is that understood?"

  "It'll be okay," I say, even though I have no idea whether that's actually true. "The Angel obviously wants to protect you."

  "This way," he replies, leading me along the next aisle until we reach a junction.

  "Now what?" I ask as he stops.

  "The Angel is at the end of the next aisle," he explains, turning to me.

  "So what do we do?"

  He pauses. "We just... walk up to it, I suppose," he says after a moment, but it's clear that he's terrified.

  "How long have you been putting this moment off?" I ask.

  "Hard to say," he replies. "Maybe forty years? Fifty, even?"

  I wait for him to make the first move, but something seems to be holding him back. Finally, realizing that he's too scared to take another step, I figure that I should take the initiative. Without saying anything else, I step forward and then turn to look along the aisle. It takes a moment before I can work out exactly what I'm seeing, but after a few seconds I see a large, ominous shape hovering above the next aisle, silhouetted against the night sky.

  "I see it," I say, my voice trembling as the ground starts to shudder again. "I see the Angel."

  Alice Never

  "Try to ignore the screams," the Emissary says as he leads me across the main hall. "I'm sure she'll stop eventually."

  "I was starting to think they were all in my mind," I mutter, wincing as I hear Table's pained screams coming from somewhere deeper in the building. I don't know what they're doing to her, and to be honest, I don't want to know. Whatever's happening, I know that it's my fault. Sure, she basically killed Nodby and left me for dead, but that doesn't give me the right to turn around and betray her. Then again, I think I can live w
ith my choices, provided I manage to find my parents again.

  "The journey to the horizon shouldn't take long," the Emissary continues, opening a desk drawer and taking out a rolled tube of paper. "Granted, the weather tonight is rather ferocious, but you mustn't let this deter you. Any hindrances that you face are also going to slow down your parents, so you still have a very good chance of catching them, but you must hurry. Their long journey is almost over, and so is yours, but I cannot guarantee that you'll reach the horizon point at the same time."

  I watch as he unrolls what turns out to be a large, faded map that shows a vast area of the Library.

  "No-one has ever mapped this entire world," the Emissary says, placing weights on each corner of the map in order to hold it down. "Still, some have tried, and none managed to achieve more than Ergo, the greatest cartographer who ever lived. I never actually met him myself, but I heard of his travels. He spent hundreds of years exploring the Library, and from time to time he'd mail home these maps. Ultimately, no more was heard of him, but this map in particular might be particularly useful." He points at a spot near the center of the parchment. "This is Papyr," he explains, before running his finger toward a small star symbol a little further along. "This is the horizon point."

  "What exactly is the horizon point?" I ask.

  "It's a bridge to another world," he replies. "The ancient Librarians were the first to learn how to pierce the void, and they quickly mastered the art of creating specific bridges that would lead to certain places. It's a kind of technology that your world has never even approached, but the Librarians were masters centuries ago. It's through one of the bridges that you were brought to this world by the Angel, and you can only go home using the same method. These bridges have remained remarkably stable, and the Ceriphs are taking your parents there so that they can send them through to the next phase of their existence."

  "What do you mean?"

  "When your parents were brought to the Setters, it became clear very quickly that their injuries were too grievous to be healed in this world. The Ceriphs understood immediately that the best option, and the quickest way to end their pain, would be to allow your parents to pass peacefully through to the realm of death."