Page 43 of Forsaken Secrets

Perhaps he had a point …

Still, I glared at him, ignoring the sharp pang in my chest. It wasn't like I wanted to sleep with him!

As though he could read my mind, his lips quirked into a grin. "I won't pay you to make love to me, Kaiya." He leaned closer and winked. "If that happened, it would be our choice."

I rolled my eyes and stepped away, pushing down the brief surge of heat that had flared in my core at the mention of making love. Had he really called it that? Gods.

I had no time or interest in any of that right now.

"Here. Let me just show you what I need." He pulled a bag off his shoulders, flipped the top open, and pulled out a small leather journal. The same journal that had been soaking wet the other day. He must have gotten it to dry. "If you worked with me, I would give you a cut of the finds."

I shook my head. We'd already been over this. "I've searched these ruins, Eli. There's nothing left."

"Please, just let me show you."

I sincerely doubted it would pay off, but the confidence on his face made me pay attention as he opened the book.

"I think there are more ruins that have never been touched …"

I tilted my head. Why would he think that? I mean, it seemed to be true, judging by that new wall I'd seen in the cliff, but how did he know about that?

"This journal belonged to a mage who worked in Ellesmere before it fell. He talks about a vast library full of reference books and relics that were too dangerous for normal mages."

My heart sped up. Could it be … no. That would be impossibly lucky …

"From what I saw yesterday, I think your land sits atop what was once that secret library."

I held my hand out, mind racing as he placed the book in my palm. "Do you have any idea who the mage who wrote it was?"

He grimaced. "I have some ideas, but nothing certain."

Curious, I stared at him.

"Fine. Have you ever heard of the Druid and the Drake?"

My eyebrows rose, and I nodded.

"Well, I think it might have belonged to him."

"The Druid? You think the journal belonged to the Druid?"

He nodded. "Or the Drake. I think he might've actually been a human, too."

Shock made me stare at him in silence for a few moments.

How was that possible? I'd found a few references to the Druid in the books at the Harlsteds, but never anything this concrete. "You know that's a big claim …"

He grimaced. "I know. Why do you think I didn't want to tell you? I have my reasons, though."

"Why haven't I heard of it? How do I know you aren't just making this up to get me to help?"

He tapped the book with his index finger. "You haven't heard of it because I don't think this was a typical library. Dangerous relics that were too intense for normal mages to handle? Those wouldn't be kept in your normal library … No. The feeling from these entries was that it was some sort of experimental thing that the mages were doing outside the city."

Well, that could make sense …

"But surely the Empire would have already put out a permit for the area? Wouldn't Reapers have already found it if it existed?"

"I thought the same, but as far as I can tell, there were very few records of the library." Eli's voice was full of restrained excitement.

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