by Mel Odom
“If I don’t,” the Grandmagister said, “it will only prolong the sadness. We’ll both dread it.” His voice thickened. “I love you, Juhg. Very much. Part of me doesn’t want to go.”
“Then don’t.” Juhg’s eyes felt hot with tears.
“I thought about that, but The Book of Time simply opens up too many possibilities. I can’t pass them up. And somewhere, somehow, something that I learn could be important to what you’re doing here. We’ve already had troubles walk in on us from other places. Maybe we need to know more about those places.” He stood and walked around the desk. “Now come on and give me a farewell hug. I’ve got to be going. I really do or I fear that I’ll never go at all and I’ll always wonder what might have been.”
Hugging the Grandmagister, Juhg thought about all the adventures they had shared and all the things the Grandmagister had taught him.
“I’ll miss you,” Juhg said in a tight voice. He felt defeated and wanted to cry all at the same time. He remembered when he’d left Greydawn Moors, so certain that he and the Grandmagister had finally ended up along different paths. But that had been his decision and it had been easier to live with.
Now … now he couldn’t imagine a time when the Grandmagister would not be in this place. It wasn’t fair. And at the same time, he knew that he couldn’t ask the Grandmagister to give up his grand adventure.
“And I’ll miss you.” With effort and a deep sigh, the Grandmagister released him and stood back.
“Does Craugh know?”
“Yes. He isn’t happy about it, either. And I’ve written letters for the ones that I didn’t get to say personal good-byes to. I would appreciate it if you would take care of that for me.”
“I will.”
“And take care of Craugh, would you? He’s not much for making friends, but I know that he respects you a lot.”
“I’ll take care of that, too.” In fact, Craugh had been around more the last five months than he ever had. He’d even taken dinners with Juhg and talked long into the night.
“Then I guess it’s time for me to go.” The Grandmagister took out The Book of Time and opened it.
“Before you go,” Juhg said, “will you tell me how everything we’re doing here is going to work out? With the schools and the teaching? Are we truly going to make a big difference with what we’re doing?”
“There are some things,” the Grandmagister said, “that you’re not supposed to know ahead of time.” And with that, he faded away like he’d never been.
For a long time, Juhg sat in the Grandmagister’s office and felt lost and alone. Finally, knowing there were things that needed doing and that he could not begrudge his mentor his adventure because he loved him, he got up and went out of the building.
Outside, he was surprised to see Craugh sitting in a cart inside the Library courtyard.
The wizard looked at him, and there was sadness in his green eyes. “Is he gone then, apprentice?”
“Yes,” Juhg said in a hollow voice.
A single tear slid down Craugh’s face, but Juhg knew he was not going to mention it. After all, he’d seen Craugh turn a man into a toad in Skull Canal.
“I’m going to miss the little rascal,” Craugh said. “He was forever getting me into some mischief that I had no business being involved in.”
“I know.”
The wizard wiped away his tear with a forefinger and acted as if he didn’t know what it was. “That little rover has all the secrets of the universe now. Well, I guess that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
Juhg hesitated. Despite how everything had ended, there were still questions. “Did you ever ask him what happened to your son?”
Craugh shook his head. “That’s all in the past. We’re not supposed to worry about that now.”
“No,” Juhg agreed, “we have other jobs to do.” But still, his uncertainty worried over the mystery of Lord Kharrion. Was the Goblin Lord truly gone forever? Or did Kharrion yet have a trick to play?
Soon after they returned to the Grandmagister’s office, a knock sounded at the door.
Glancing up, Juhg saw Dockett Butterblender standing there in his new Third Level Librarian robes. After reviewing the writing he’d done on the siege of Greydawn Moors, as well as the destruction of the Library, the Grandmagister had given Dockett an immediate promotion. Of course, the Grandmagister being the Grandmagister, he’d also asked for some revisions on the manuscript.
“Yes, Third Level Librarian Dockett,” Juhg said.
Dockett looked a little uncertain. “I was expecting to find the Grandmagister here.”
“You have,” Craugh said. He waved eloquently to Juhg. “Grandmagister Juhg. Chosen by Grandmagister Lamplighter before he took leave of the Vault of All Known Knowledge.”
For the first time, Juhg realized just where the Grandmagister had left him. And Craugh was a willing accomplice in the feat. The floor seemed to spin beneath him.
Grandmagister Juhg. Grandmagister Juhg, indeed.
“Then I can leave this book with you,” Dockett said, lifting the book he’d worked so hard on.
“Yes.” Juhg’s voice was dry and raspy. “Of course. I’ll attend to it in short order, Dockett.”
The young dweller smiled. “Thank you, Grandmagister.” He turned to go.
A thought seized Juhg’s mind. “Dockett, a moment before you go.”
Dockett turned. “Yes, Grandmagister?”
“It comes to my attention that I’ll need someone to help me carry out my duties,” Juhg said. “There will be a number of things to accomplish if we’re to put both Libraries back into working order.”
Hesitantly, Dockett nodded.
“Take the rest of the day off,” Juhg instructed. “Be here at eight in the morning. You and I have a lot to discuss.”
Smiling, Dockett said, “I won’t let you down, Grandmagister.” He turned and made to flee down the hall. Unfortunately, his foot caught in the stiff folds of his new robe and he fell head over heels. Embarrassed, he got up again, nodded to Juhg, and left hurriedly.
“Not exactly the most graceful of dwellers, is he?” Craugh commented.
“He’s dedicated,” Juhg said. “And wise. I’ll take that.” He flipped open Dockett’s book, amazed by the depth of detail and the fine, steady hand that had rendered the drawings.
“Ah yes,” Craugh said, “another book that will probably not be read.”
“Wrong,” Juhg said with fire in his voice. “This book will be read. Just as all the books about these struggles will be read. The world can no longer cloak itself in ignorance and an abdication of responsibility. People throughout the mainland will have to learn to read again, and they will have to learn their histories. The ones who don’t will be left behind by those who do.” He held up the book, remembering all who had shed blood to save the Library, and all of the dangers all of them had faced. “Choosing to remain uneducated will no longer be acceptable. Not by me. Not by any Librarian who serves under me. We will provide schools and lessons and reasons to learn.”
Craugh smiled and gave a slight bow. “Yes, Lord of the Libraries.”
Juhg felt slightly embarrassed. “That does sound a little over the top, doesn’t it?”
“Perhaps a little.”
“But I mean what I say, Craugh.”
“I know that you do. It won’t be easy.”
Juhg sighed. “No. But we’ll get it done. Somehow.” Suddenly, the enormity of what he was about to embark on hit him. He felt alone and overwhelmed.
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a moment, dragging out through the sounds of the rebuilding effort and the outdoor classes where the new arrivals were being given tours and training.
“I was thinking,” Craugh said, “that we’re both going to need a friend. Especially one who shared as much of Wick as each of us did.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Craugh looked out at the blue sky. “I’ve got a jug of old wine
I’ve been saving for a special occasion. And a wheel of cheese that I’m sure I paid way too much for on a day I was feeling overly generous. We could go for a ride, if you’ve the time and you’re of a mind to. I could tell you stories about Wick that you’ve never heard.”
And Juhg was certain the wizard could do that. “I’d like that,” he said. “I’d like that very much.”
TOR BOOKS BY MEL ODOM
The Rover
Hunters of the Dark Sea
The Destruction of the Books
Lord of the Libraries
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
LORD OF THE LIBRARIES
Copyright © 2005 by Mel Odom
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Edited by Brian Thomsen
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
eISBN 9781429965798
First eBook Edition : July 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Odom, Mel.
Lord of the libraries / Mel Odom.—1st U.S. ed. p. cm.
“A Tom Doherty Associates Book.”
EAN 978-0-765-30724-8
1. Libraries—Fiction. 2. Librarians—Fiction. 3. Apprentices—Fiction. 4. Older people—Fiction. 5. Book collecting—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3565.D53L67 2005
813’.54—dc22
2004029202
First Edition: July 2005
