“I am Sesarati, the Keeper of Lore. What do you seek?”
“Sesarati?” Bran’s eyes went wide. “I’ve heard of you.” He turned to me. “She’s one of the Hags of Fate, like Pentangle, the Mother of Magic.”
I had heard of the Akashic Library, as had a number of humans. But I had always thought it was a myth. I glanced around, realizing just how much knowledge and wisdom had to be contained here. I could spend lifetimes reading and learning. The desire to sit down, grab a scroll, and start studying hit me so hard that I could taste it.
Sesarati smiled, aloof but not unpleasant. “I can sense your hunger to learn. But the eternal scholars hoard knowledge like a miser hoards gold, seldom using it wisely. Don’t let yourself be caught up in the hunger. Learning is good, but what you do with it is even more important. Now, what have you come for?”
I cleared my throat, forcing myself to focus on her. “I come for the Maharata-Vashi.”
She held out her hand expectantly, and I stared at it, not knowing what she wanted.
“If you require payment, I’m afraid I’m not sure what currency you use.” I was all too aware of what some of the greater beings like the Elemental Lords and the Hags of Fate required, and I wasn’t about to pledge it without first knowing what I was offering.
“What I require is your hand so I can know that you are authorized to take the scroll.” She cocked her head, giving me a look that was almost…human.
I let out a soft laugh. “Sorry, I’m new to this.”
“So I can tell. Give me your hand, please.”
I glanced at Smoky. He inclined his head. Apparently, he was aware of who she was and seemed to feel it was all right. I trusted him, especially when he agreed with an action rather than immediately jumping to attack.
Cautiously, I held out my hand, placing it in hers. She felt almost shimmery, as though she were a flicker of energy rather than a corporeal being, and for all I knew, she was. The Hags of Fate were beyond our scope. Even Grandmother Coyote, who seemed far more approachable—I instinctively knew on a gut level just how powerful she was and I never overstepped the boundaries I could sense were in place.
Sesarati closed her hand over mine and prickles of energy raced through me, like an army of ants marching across my body. I shivered, trying to shake it off, but then she let go and stepped back. “You are who you are. I will get the scroll for you.”
“I saw…I had a vision of the woman who originally brought the scroll here. I didn’t see you in it.” It wasn’t exactly a question, because I didn’t know if she’d answer, but I wanted to see what she would say.
“That is because I never leave this library, even in visions. This is my home. It is where I’ve always been, and it’s where I’ll always be. I’m only visible to those who enter the library. I can neither be summoned nor called upon. To enter, you must possess one of the talismans—and those are not given lightly. See that you never let your key out of your possession again. It will be safe for the moment, but when you re-enter the outer world, you must keep it with you forever or it will be destroyed.” Sesarati vanished then, stepping into her personal portal—or whatever that dark line of energy was.
I let out a sharp breath. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding it. “This library could be worth…”
“It’s priceless,” Bran said. “The wisdom of the universe lies in here.”
“And to think that the Akashic Library is in Otherworld.” Delilah folded her arms, shaking her head. She looked just about as stunned as I felt.
“This isn’t Otherworld,” Venus said. “Nor is it Earthside. The moment we walked into the barrow, we ceased to be on any planet. We’re somewhere tucked away in the depths of the universe, I’ll wager.”
“He’s right,” Trillian said. “The Akashic Library is universal. My guess is that Sesarati wears many guises, depending on who visits.”
The thought of where we were kept washing over me like waves. Boom. We’re in a universal library. Splash. We’re in a room that contains the wisdom of the ages. Whoosh. We’re standing outside of time and space. And probably outside of our galaxy. And I have a key to the library.
I searched for something to say but once again, found myself speechless. I still felt the desire to pull up a chair and read forever—to just keep searching through the scrolls to learn everything I could possibly learn, but Sesarati was correct. Knowledge without application wasn’t the most useful path in the universe, and what good was anything I learned if I couldn’t apply it to my life? To my loved ones’ lives?
Another moment—we were all lost in our thoughts, it seemed—and the line reappeared, and Sesarati stepped out of the narrow portal. She had a scroll in hand, which she held out to me.
“This now goes into your possession. Use it wisely. The knowledge contained within the Akashic Library is never given lightly. Results are expected, if continued use of the library is to be allowed.” With that she motioned toward the door.
I glanced at it. At some point in the past few moments, it had shut behind us. “How do we get out? I left my key outside with friends in case it was a one-way situation.”
“Oh, there are no problems leaving the library. It’s the getting in that’s the hard part.” As she spoke, the door began to open, and—scroll in hand—I thanked her and led the others back toward the outer world.
WE EXITED THE barrow and the door slammed shut behind us. I immediately took possession of the key, and then held up the scroll tube. “I supposed I’d better make certain this is the right one.”
“You didn’t look while you were in there?” Chase asked.
I shook my head. “You’ll understand when I tell you about what happened. It wasn’t anything that I expected, either.” I glanced at the sky. Dusk was approaching and I was tired. “We need to make camp and rest. I’m hungry and tired.”
Bran pointed toward a small copse of trees a few hundred yards away to our right. We’d have the lake between us and the other side of the clearing, and a clear sight line to the barrow mound, although the door had vanished the moment we exited.
Delilah immediately began hunting for firewood. “We need to roast up the loopers and handover roots. It’s going to be chilly here by the pond. We’re at a higher elevation than we were last night.”
I tucked the scroll in my pocket as we made camp. I wanted to read it, to yank it out and unroll it, but it felt as though we should bivouac before doing anything else. We found a good spot, with enough rocks to ring a campfire, and while Delilah and Shade built the fire, Trillian made quick work of dressing the loopers while Chase washed the handover roots and berries. Bran went fishing again—he said that the fish bit better at dusk. Venus, Roz, and I laid out all the bedrolls, and Smoky carried fallen logs over to sit on. Within twenty minutes, we were encamped and resting beside the crackling fire, while the birds roasted on a makeshift spit, and the handover roots bubbled in the pan that Shade had provided. Another few minutes and Bran returned with a string of fish—enough to roast up for breakfast, as well. Cold fish in the morning didn’t sound all that appealing, but it definitely sounded better than an empty stomach.
I spied a flowering shrub nearby and quickly gathered some of the leaves and blossoms. “I haven’t had fresh kettle-nap tea in years.” The tea was good for soothing the nerves. Speaking of soothing, my ribs were aching, although the pain was less than it had been the day before. I’d have Delilah apply salve to the bruises before bed.
Shade brought out a second pan—smaller than the other, but it would work for several cups of tea—and Chase obligingly filled it from the pond. Movement on the pond’s surface indicated that it was fed from an underground spring, and the ripples of current prevented stagnant water from accumulating. The result was no algae on the surface and no swarms of mosquitoes or other biting insects had gathered over it.
I crushed the blossoms and leaves and dropped them into the water, then sat back, gazing into t
he fire. It was time. I could feel it, like a pendulum slowly swinging. I withdrew the scroll from my pocket and motioned to Venus. He crossed to me. Roz handed me the Maharata-Verdi, which, unlike its twin, was encased within a magical leather tube. I asked Venus to unroll it, as I slipped the cap off the ivory scroll tube of the other. The ivory was from some ancient animal, long extinct. As I ran my hand along the tube I felt the impression of a huge beast—probably a mastodon.
“The magic within the tube itself is extremely powerful,” I whispered. It seemed counterintuitive to speak in normal tones. I cautiously shook out the scroll within and gently unrolled it. The paper crackled, but it held together, bound by magic and time.
As Chase shone a flashlight beam over it, the image of a map came into view. It was easy enough to read. There was Thistlewyd Deep, and the Tygerian Mountains. The lettering below the scroll was in the same ancient Melosealfôr as the Maharata-Verdi, which I could pick out a word or two of, but the fact was, right now we didn’t need to know what it said. An “x” on the map marked a position in the Tygerian Mountains, near the monastery belonging to the Tygerian monks. Which meant that the Order of the Crystal Dagger had been around for thousands of years.
“I’m guessing the monks might be able to read this,” Roz said. “If you want to consult them. I think we’ll have to, anyway, given the position of that ‘x.’ If that’s the diamond, then it’s on their property and we’ll never get past them to hunt for it without permission.”
“I think you’re right,” I said, staring at the drawing. “That’s near the monastery, which means it’s probably on their mountain. I doubt if it’s in the monastery itself.” I wasn’t sure how approachable the monks would be. Rumors put them as incredibly helpful, or a pain in the ass.
“So, how far from here to the monastery?”
“Four days by horse, without any issues.”
“A few hours by dragon,” Smoky spoke up. “I can fly you there. I can take several of you on my back. Shade can take the rest. Now that we know where we’re going, it’s a lot easier and we won’t even have to go through the Ionyc Sea which, given the circumstances, is best. I’ve been to the monastery before. I know the way.”
I glanced at Annabelle. “What about our horses?”
“I will stay to watch them,” Roz said. “I won’t be welcome at the temple, anyway. They don’t tend to like my kind there. We seem to insult them, for some reason.”
“Lack of control. You take away their control and not much can do that.” Bran turned the handle of the makeshift spit. The loopers were beginning to smell really good and my mouth watered. “The monks, while not celibate, prefer to keep the upper hand with everything, including their sexuality. You remind them that they don’t always have control over their personal responses.”
He turned to the rest of us. “One thing you must understand about the Tygerian monks is that they are incredibly disciplined. Their martial arts, their diet, everything down to the way they dress, brush their hair—it’s all regimented. They train from a very young age. Only boys who haven’t hit puberty yet are accepted into the order, and even then, the younger the better. They spend their lives devoted to the teachings of the temple.”
Chase leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he held out his hands toward the fire. “Sounds like the Shaolin monks.”
“I know who you speak of. Yes, there are some similarities although the Tygerian monks haven’t had to make concessions to a modern age. They’re still as deadly and as fierce as their ancestors. They are true fanatics.”
“Are they all boys?” Chase asked.
Bran shook his head. “There’s a women’s division, but their monastery is deeper into the mountain range and they seldom come in contact with their male counterparts. Both branches are deadly. Both branches are almost chaotic in their relentless drive for order.”
“They sound—unpleasant.” Chase was mincing his words.
I nodded. “Generally, although Menolly knew a priest from the Temple of Reckoning in Aladril. He was a priest of Great Mother Dayinye, and he was originally from the Order of the Crystal Dagger. But I had the feeling he had left the monastery for good, although he never said anything about it. At least as far as I know. He was pleasant enough, but intense.” He had helped save Menolly from Dredge by cutting her link to him—the link all vampires have to their sire. That seemed so very long ago, though it had only been four years.
“The loopers are ready,” Bran said, poking the birds.
Trillian had dressed them in a way that took less time over the fire. The fish were also ready. Bran set aside enough for breakfast before parceling out the rest of them. Trillian carved the loopers, while Delilah used a sturdy campfork to spear the handover roots, which were soft and tender in the water. Soon, we were all busy with food and tea. The buttery flavor of the birds melted against my tongue, and I mashed my handover root, swirling the juices from both bird and fish into them to produce a creamy puree. Delilah handed around the salt, and I sprinkled some of that onto everything. The roots were almost as good as mashed potatoes, although they could have done with a little milk.
“If Roz stays to keep watch over the horses, somebody should stay with him. Shade and Smoky can’t, if they’re going to fly us up there. Bran, you seem to be familiar with the order. Are you coming along?” I couldn’t stay, and neither could Venus. For some reason, I had to take Chase with me, and the two dragons had to go.
“I should. I know their ways. Trillian can stay here. Delilah, you might want to stay as well.”
She shook her head. “As much as I’d rather just play campout, I’m going if Camille is. I won’t let her go into this alone.”
Trillian frowned. “I’d rather go, but Rozurial should have someone else with him. All right, I’ll stay here. But be careful up there. I’ve had some dealings with the Tygerian monks before and I’m not comfortable with you heading into their territory.”
I didn’t want to say anything, but that didn’t surprise me. Svartans didn’t get along well with anybody too rigid. The entire Svartan race had a knack for chaos, and if the Order of the Crystal Dagger eschewed it, there were bound to be some sparks flying when the two got together.
“Smoky will be with me, love. And Shade and Delilah. You stay with Roz. You’re more comfortable in the woods than he is.”
He nodded. There wasn’t much he could do to stop me, and he knew it. “Guard her well, you big lizard. Or I’ll chase you down.”
For once, Smoky didn’t answer. He, too, looked pensive.
“We leave in the morning? Or should we go tonight?” Even though I was tired, I was anxious to get moving now that we knew the location.
“Morning. If there’s trouble, we all need to be on the top of our game,” Delilah said. “Tonight, we rest. Let me look at your ribs.”
She led me off to the area where I had laid out my sleeping bag. I stripped off my shirt, shivering in the cool evening air. The day had been plenty warm, but here, out in the open, the moment the sun went down, the temperatures started to fall.
“Your bruises are fading. You’re healing up pretty fast. How do they feel?”
I tentatively did a few chest stretches, wincing as the ache set in. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been. “I should be back to normal in a couple of days. Whatever normal is.”
After a moment, during which we sat hand in hand, Delilah nudged me with her shoulder. “I miss Queen Asteria. But at least I got to see her when she was young, too. When I—” She paused, then bit her lip. Delilah had been given the task of escorting Queen Asteria out of her life, onto the next leg of her journey. She had seen the Elfin Queen in various stages of her life and had come to understand her in a way none of the rest of us ever could.
“She and Trenyth were so young. The world was so different then. And yet, they were caught in a war. War’s always with us, isn’t it? None of us can live in peace, can we? I used to wish
for the world to be a peaceful place. Now, I just hope it survives.” My mood was rapidly spiraling and I wasn’t sure how to stop it. I needed to pull myself out of the depression that had settled around my shoulders.
“Do you think we’ll have to face Shadow Wing? I’m hoping that Trytian’s father can take him down. At least we have a connection with the daemons.”
“We may have a connection, but I will never trust them.” I shook my head. “It would be easier if we didn’t have to face him. Without the spirit seals, he’ll have a far harder time breaking through the portals. But with the rogue portals cropping up, and the entire system breaking down, I won’t rest easy until he’s dead.”
Delilah wrapped her arms around her knees as I unzipped my sleeping bag. I took off my bra, pulling an oversized flannel sleep shirt over my head before I slipped out of my skirt. Folding my clothes, I slipped them into the pack and closed it tightly to prevent creepy-crawlies from nesting in it. There were venomous spiders and snakes in the mountains and while we hadn’t seen any yet, I knew they were around. Secretly, I was grateful we wouldn’t be hiking our way up to the monastery. Even with the horses, it was all too easy to meet a nasty critter who would have no qualms about taking down a large enemy—or anybody it thought was an enemy.
I slid a rolled-up travel pillow under my head and yawned. “I’m glad you’re here. This isn’t an easy journey, and every step brings me closer to the Summer Solstice.”
“What are you afraid of?” Delilah pushed herself to her knees, getting ready to go back to her sleeping bag and Shade.
“I guess…I’m afraid of not being good enough. Of being found wanting.” But that wasn’t the only thing that I feared, and I knew it. “If I’m honest, I’m afraid of leaving you and Menolly. I’m afraid of the fact that—for the first time in our lives—we’ll be on different paths, living apart. It’s always been us against the world. Now, everything’s changing.”