With a shock I realized that Greystone must have used the power of Mind to lift the latch. He’d used the power in my presence before, but I’d never noticed a ripple like I just felt.
I wanted to ask him about it, but I was too embarrassed to bring it up in front of the others. I made a mental note to find him later and bring it up, but all thoughts were pushed from my head as we came into the library.
To say it was vast was an understatement. Windows ranged along the top of the wall to our left, stretching from one end of the room to the other and illuminating everything with dim sunlight. Dust motes swirled in the air from the wind of our entrance. The room had to be fifty feet wide, but its length stretched much farther than that. The ceiling was at least forty feet high. I could tell because there were four layers of bookshelves running along the walls, each of them with its own balcony that ran around the room. The whole structure was held up with massive wooden beams that criss-crossed along the top of the room, forming rafters whose depths were too far and dark to be seen from the ground.
“Awesome, isn’t it?” Calvin said, his voice quiet with awe.
“Ugh,” said Blade, shuddering. “I can practically feel the dorkiness seeping in through my pores.”
Greystone ignored them both and led us to a single wide table that stood in the center of the room. Numerous such tables were arranged in a single row that ran down the center of the room. There were hard wooden chairs around all of the tables, with more scattered haphazardly near the bookshelves.
We stopped at the table, and I saw that a large map was laid out on top of it. Surprisingly, the map looked fairly new. The paper was hardly yellowed at all, and I couldn’t see a crease anywhere. The ends curled up, evidence that it had perhaps only recently been unfurled. Heavy books on each corner kept it from curling back into a tube.
Something about the map looked familiar. I studied it intently, trying to place what it was that caught my eye.
“It’s Europe,” said Raven curiously.
I blinked as I realized she was right. There was the boot of Italy. There were the Scandinavian countries, Sweden and Norway, looking like a great monster stretching down to devour Denmark. Off to the side, I saw the edge of an island that would have been the United Kingdom.
But the map was all wrong. It was like a backwards map. The UK was on the right side of the map. Sweden and Norway stretched from Northwest to Southeast, the exact opposite of how I was used to seeing them.
“It’s backwards,” I said quietly.
Greystone nodded sagely. “Yes. It is as I said: Midrealm is a mirror of True Earth. All directions are the reverse of how you know them from your home world.”
“All right, let’s start with the basics,” Sarah said briskly, bringing us back to the matter at hand. “This is us. Morrowdust.” She pointed at a small picture of a tower drawn on the map. “For reference, here’s Stanchion to the Northeast. Where we’re going — ” she moved her hand far west, where a small dotted circle was drawn “ — is here.”
“The Temple of Garidon,” I read quietly. “What’s that?”
“I think it’s a temple,” said Calvin.
“Genius,” remarked Blade.
“It is the home of an oracle,” said Greystone. “She has many names among the people of Midrealm, but her true name is Aurora. She is cursed with foresight.”
“Cursed?” asked Miles. “How is knowing the future a bad thing?”
“Return from the temple,” Greystone said darkly. “Perhaps you can tell me then.”
“Sweet,” said Calvin. “And she knows where the tombs are?”
“That is the hope,” Greystone admitted. “It is never certain what an oracle knows and does not. Time is not laid out before them like a painting. It comes to them in flashes, like memories of a night of revelry and too much ale.”
“So we’re risking our necks beyond the barrier in a vague hope that this Aurora chick will have a hangover flashback and know where the tombs are?” Blade asked. “Just to clarify.”
Greystone’s nostrils flared. “Your disrespect is as unbecoming as your utterly ridiculous haircut,” he snapped. “An oracle is not one to trifle with. Regardless of the location of the tombs, you could not desire better advice in times as dire as these.”
Blade’s hand flew to his head self-consciously. “Hey, what’s wrong with my hair?” he asked. He turned to Miles. “My hair is great, right?” Miles shrugged.
“Aurora may not end up telling us where the tombs are,” Sarah said. “But she may tell us something else, something that will help us in the war against Chaos. Right now, we’re hoping it’s the tombs. But there could be something else, something deeper. Something even more important. Like the reason that Terrence wants the tombs in the first place.”
Miles nodded. “Okay. So we leave tomorrow. And Greystone, I’m assuming you know how to get there? It’s not exactly like we can GPS it.”
“Can what?” asked Melaine, utterly perplexed.
“GPS,” Calvin said. “It’s a thing we can do with these little boxes on True Earth. You point out where you want to go on a map, and the box speaks to you and tells you what roads to take to get there.”
The eyes of the Runegard around the table shot wide. Even Cara looked stunned. Nora leaned in. “Is this true?” she whispered to me.
I nodded.
“True Earth is a place of wonder,” she breathed.
“Tomorrow we travel to Linsfell,” said Greystone. I recognized the name — that’s where Nora had said her family was from. I looked at her to find her staring back at me with eyes bright and a smile on her face. “It is the furthest border city within the kingdom of Athorn. A Runehold still stands within its walls, though you will find it a scant place compared to this.”
“Wait, I thought we were in the Runehold,” I said.
“We are in the Runehold,” said Greystone. “But it is not the only one. There are five thousands Runegard in the world. This place is half full, and at its limit it could hold perhaps a fifth of that number. The others of their number are scattered throughout the Free Kingdoms, holding Runeholds in cities across the world for this express purpose. They are there to ease your travel over great distances.”
“Cool,” said Raven with a smile. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” muttered Barius. I didn’t know what he meant, but didn’t want to interrupt to ask.
“The next day we will strike out from Linsfell for the temple,” said Greystone. “I can take you as far as the outlands, but Cara will have to guide you to the temple. I have told her the way. Follow her, and you will arrive as safely as can be expected.”
“Wait, you’re not coming with us?” said Sarah. It surprised me that she could have planned this much with Greystone and not known.
Greystone shook his head. “I cannot. Surrounding the Temple of Garidon for a mile in every direction is the Sink.”
“Of the kitchen variety, or…?” asked Blade.
“The Sink,” said Greystone, boldly carrying on over Blade, “is an area in which no magic can exist. No spells may be cast. No enchantment will survive.”
“So, we can’t use our powers?” Miles said with a shrug. “What’s that got to do with you coming with us?”
I realized the answer and said it before Greystone could. “It’s the magic that keeps him alive,” I realized. “The spell that’s allowed you to live for nine hundred years.”
Greystone nodded. “It would unravel,” he said. “Within seconds of entering the Sink, my body would dissolve into dust, whisked away by the lightest breath of wind.”
“And this would be a bad thing because?” Blade remarked. Samuel had finally had enough. I saw his leg jerk, and Blade winced and grasped his shin. “Ow!” he complained.
“There are other complications within the Sink,” Greystone said heavily. “Part of the enchantment of the Realm Keepers is to be able to understand the common tongue of Midrealm,
regardless of the language you speak in your world. That enchantment, too, will fade away.”
I looked around with wide eyes. “Wait, so we won’t be able to understand the Runegard any more?”
“Not while you are in the Sink,” said Greystone. “But both your powers and the enchantment that makes you who you are will return when you emerge.”
Sarah was looking at Greystone severely. “This wasn’t part of the original plan,” she said deliberately. “We need to rework this. I say we hold off till next week.”
“This cannot wait another week,” Greystone growled back. “This was not part of the plan because it is immaterial. Traveling through the Sink will take you less than an hour. If you manage to lose Cara within that time, then we truly do deserve to fall beneath the blades of Chaos.”
“What about that, by the way?” asked Raven. “What about Chaos? What makes us think that they’re not already at the temple? That they haven’t already destroyed it?”
“They can’t enter the Sink any more than we can,” Calvin said arrogantly, as though he was telling her the sum of two and two. “If it kills all enchantment, it’ll dissolve whatever holds Shadows together.”
Greystone sighed and raised his eyes to the ceiling. “In so many matters advanced, and yet in others the least attentive among you,” he said disdainfully. “Chaos is the antithesis of magic. The Sink will not destroy them as it will do to me. They cannot stand it for long, it is true. It works upon them eventually, but their nature is so dissimilar to magic that the unraveling is a long process. So while you are within the Sink, you will be terribly vulnerable to attack.”
“This sounds better with every passing second,” joked Blade.
“So then my question stands,” said Raven. “What makes us think Chaos hasn’t already destroyed the temple?”
“There are greater powers at work in the world than magic or Chaos,” Greystone said mysteriously. “Agents greater than even the Realm Keepers at the height of their power — greater than the Six. Destiny herself works upon the world. The Temple of Garidon will suffer no attack. Terrence knows this. He would never be so foolish as to risk an attack against the temple. And besides, he has always held the oracle in disdain. He sees her words as — ”
Greystone stopped short, furious red creeping into his face as he grew too angry to speak.
The silence was a few seconds past uncomfortable before Raven spoke again. “There’s a reason I’m asking.” She leaned over the table. “There’s no reason we have to ride there. Why can’t I just hop on Ella and fly to the temple? I can get the prophecy from Aurora. I can bring it back. We’ll stay in the clouds the whole time. Even if the place is surrounded by Shadows, they’d never see us.”
Miles shook his head. “Way too dangerous for someone to go alone,” he said.
“How is it dangerous if they never even see me coming?”
Sarah looked uncomfortably at Greystone. “Actually Raven, that was one of the first things I brought up to Greystone. But…”
“It would be foolish to send only one,” Greystone said. “The first reason is that if something went wrong, we would never know about it until it was too late to provide assistance. The second reason, and by far the more important, is that Aurora will not simply divulge her secrets to any stray wanderer who visits the temple. Her prophecies are meant for specific ears. There is no telling if she would say anything to you at all.”
Raven waved her hands, exasperated. “Well then, what makes you think she’ll talk to any of us?” she asked.
“If anyone is in need of a prophecy now, it is the Realm Keepers,” Greystone said. “Six of you provides six times the chance at success. I count myself among the wise, and yet for all I know she will only speak if all of you are there. Or she may not speak a word to anyone but Darren. There is no telling. But getting the six of you to the temple, along with your Runegard, provides us the best possible chance for success.”
Raven took a deep breath and held up her hands. “All right. Fine. Just wanted to save us some time, if I could.”
“And we appreciate that,” Sarah said earnestly. “But I’m with Greystone on this one. We’ve got to give ourselves every opportunity to get this right.”
“So is that all, then?” asked Calvin. “Ride out tomorrow at dawn?”
“All, save for one detail,” said Greystone carefully.
“Oh, fantastic,” muttered Blade.
“Have no fear,” said Greystone. “It is nothing but a brief instruction. When you pass through the Sink and reach the area of the temple, do not enter it all at once.”
I looked around at the others. They all looked as confused as I felt. “Why not?” I asked.
“The Sink forms a sort of a ring around the temple,” said Greystone. “Within the Sink itself, magic fades to naught. But within the area of the temple, you will experience a tremendous resurgence of your power. The vacuum that the Sink creates is driven inward, gifting you with powers far beyond your control.”
“Like the eye of a storm,” said Sarah.
“Just so,” said Greystone with a nod. “You cannot harm yourselves, but you can harm each other. I do not want you to pass through the Sink safely only to accidentally set each other on fire.” He gave Blade an especially long look.
“Oh, because I’m the irresponsible one,” said Blade, miffed.
The others rolled their eyes, but behind my hair I smiled.
Our trip would begin the following day, but we still had much of this day to fill. When I asked Greystone what we should do before then, he simply waved his hand and said, “Do as you wish. Meditate, if it will help calm your mind, but I will not command you to train. One day’s training more will make no difference, and a day of rest and quiet thought may help you better. Wander the city if you will. The plan is set. The wheels are in motion. Now we simple cogs can only wait until our chance to turn.”
Not exactly comforting. But that’s why I found myself wandering the streets of Morrowdust aimlessly. When we’d filed out of the library I’d lagged and puttered around, trying not to peer at Blade out of the corner of my eye and see if he maybe wanted to walk with me. Either he didn’t, or he was distracted. He and Samuel had decided, of all things, to play cards.
I let Nora walk a step ahead of me. She’d told me very early on that it made her uncomfortable because etiquette dictated she walk half a pace behind me. I didn’t like that, though. It made me feel self-conscious, like I was up front on display and everyone should be looking at me.
Besides, I only liked walking in crowds to go people-watching, and that was easier when their attention was focused on Nora’s armor and not my robes. Once they caught sight of me, it was harder to watch them, harder to try and catch a glimpse into their life. It’s something I’ve always loved to do.
Even when I was trying to keep my thoughts from a game of cards being played back in the Runehold.
“He sees you true, you know,” said Nora. “With both eyes.”
We hadn’t spoken in ten minutes, and I found myself utterly confused. “Who?”
Nora just snorted and looked over her shoulder at me like I was an idiot. She had a way of doing it that still seemed nice, like she didn’t hold it against me.
Person after person stopped to bow, wave or shake my hand. The hand-shakers were usually eyed suspiciously by Nora. If they seemed physically imposing in any way, she restrained them gently but firmly. Some people would simply gape at me, then turn and run away down side streets as though going to tell their families.
“Linsfell!” cried Nora suddenly. It was so sudden, in fact, that I practically leapt out of my skin. Nora spun and grasped my hands. “We’re going, Lady Tess!”
I smiled. She sounded just like some of the popular girls in high school back on Earth. The only difference was, they didn’t spare me a second glance or give me the time of day. “I’m really happy for you, Nora,” I said shyly.
Her grin grew broader before she turned awa
y again and gestured expansively. “Of course, Linsfell isn’t as grand as all this. It’s somewhere in between Morrowdust and Elladorn. But the Runehold is grand. And our baron’s castle has gilded gates that are even nicer than the royal palace.” She sniffed. “At least I think so.”
“Can I ask you a question?” I said.
“You just did,” she laughed.
That made me smile. “Why don’t you live there? If there’s Runegard in Linsfell, why do you live in Morrowdust?”
Nora’s face fell, but only a bit and only for a moment. “Well, that’s part of being a Runegard,” she said. “You go where they need you. You don’t really have a say in it. When I joined, I did my first few months of training in Linsfell. But then they needed swords in Morrowdust, and so here I came.”
“Just in time for the Battle of the Circle,” I said ruefully. “What luck.”
Nora’s face darkened at that memory. “Yes. I suppose things would have been easier if I’d been home. But there was one thing I got out of it. I’m of the Deathwatch now. That’s a high honor — the highest the Runegard can hope to achieve, now that Greystone’s resurrected that old tradition. And I get to spend my days with you.”
Immediately I felt myself blush. “Me? What’s so special about that?”
Nora snorted again. “You’re a Realm Keeper. What’s not special about you?”
“What indeed?”
The new voice made me start and turn around. I felt the color drain from my face.
Queen Elanor stood there. She was wearing a white dress that somehow seemed both regal and understated. It wasn’t a ceremonial gown you’d wear to a special occasion. It was designed to be walked in. I noticed that, somehow, the hem was completely free from the dust of the streets. The only splash of color was the amber amulet I’d seen around her neck every time we’d met.
With her were a lady-in-waiting and a half dozen palace guard, each of them seeming to look at me with hooded eyes. After a moment, however, I realized they were looking past me at Nora. A quick glance over my shoulder told me Nora was glaring back at them and practically bristling.
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