Page 124 of Deadly Maiden

I shake my head and find the third desk along, drag out my own chair. It squeaks on the grimy floor, leaving a track.

Four books are on this desk. All the desks have piles, since I was attempting to sort out the good from the ones unlikely to help. Though there must be others worth reading, these will keep me happy until Rorsyd returns this evening. Or tomorrow morning. He wasn’t sure as to the when, and might end up prowling the old battlefield, laying to rest his old memories.

Bookshelves loom from the left wall beyond Kyvin’s couch, as well as along the right wall, and the entire back of this library room is filled with long rows of ceiling-high shelves. It’s nothing like the Fromeaux Library in the breadth of knowledge covered by the books. On the other hand, all the ones I’ve examined have something to do with necromancy, magik, or Slaedorth.

My parents’NecromanticStudy Diaryhas gold-embossed lettering on the front. A heavy tome, for its size. Blue cover, nothing fancy except the title. I run my palm over it.

Or I could try…

The other books I stacked would be interesting—Research on the Magik of Necromancy,A History of Slaedorth, and a slim black volume titled,Comparative Magik—but, no.

I draw a breath and flip open the diary cover.

There are no pages. They’ve been carved out. The edges of the pages were glued into a semblance of a book. Just a hollow containing a shallow metal box lies concealed beneath the fake cover. The box façade with the decorative indentation reminds me of something.

I peer closer, trace the clocklike concavity. This is like the front of a safe. The center of this…

“Ahh.The compass key.”

I jog to the rucksack left on the floor. We’ve made a habit of bringing them here every day, in case something surprise attacksus, some entity. I scoffed at that, but Rorsyd is all about being ready for unexplained shite. I shift aside the sword and belt I rested on top of the rucksack, search for that key, find it in a buttoned side pocket. Then I march back to the book and lower the compass, wriggle it to see if it will fit.

It fits, precisely, and a solid cautious turn in a clockwise direction is barely resisted. The mechanism allows it, making a series of clicks.

When it stops, hitting resistance, I pluck at the side latch and the metal front hinges open.

Inside is another book which I lift out.

My parents were clearly as paranoid as Rorsyd. What could possibly be so valuable that they’d hide it like this?

Outside, a loudbaasignals a sheep is almost at the door. I ignore it and open the second cover to find a message written on tissue-paper tucked before the front page. The first page of the diary has a black-and-white illustration of creatures with long, curved, scary teeth similar to those on the silver door. But this message…

Dearest Wyntre,

We left this diary for you. I will assume our first letter found you as the raven will not deliver to anyone else. So. Welcome to Slaedorth, daughter.

I’m tearing up writing this. You’ve come to Slaedorth, despite our warning. We send you love and kisses and many, many squishy hugs.

If the war was lost by Orencia, Kyvin may be with you.

If he is, and if you have not yet discovered who he is, please go now and examine his name where it is tattooed upon his chest. No, not the first line, the second.

“What?” I look to him where he sits reading quietly, tracing the words on the page.

Then I read onward. Kyvin’s name will wait.

This diary is just an account of what we did. We came to Slaedorth long after it was derelict and abandoned. Us necromancers are rarer than dragonshifters now. We bear the brunt of much animosity from the average citizen. I know you will be a courageous woman as you have us in you, our fiber, our essence, our grit. You were born to be forthright and honest, a true warrior for the needy, a person who will resist tyrants, and generally bad people, and monsters. Of which there are many.

May this diary help you see what to do with your life, and how to achieve it.

Love Mother and Father.

Have you checked Kyvin? We both thought not. We will wait…

ONLY turn the page when you’ve done so.

Then they drew a smiley face. My parents are reaching out to me across the years and making a joke, giving me instructions. I bite my lip and swallow.

A large teardrop plops onto the page.

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