Page 30 of Beyond the Treaty

“If there’s even a chance this could assist us, we must see it through,” she said softly.

With a nod, I followed Darius into the darkness, Elara close behind. The staircase descended deeper than I had expected, the air growing colder with each step. At the bottom, Darius struck a flint, igniting a small torch he had carried with them.

The light unveiled a vast underground chamber, its walls adorned with shelves carved directly into the stone. Dust- covered tomes and scrolls rested in neat rows, untouched by time or the elements. In the centre of the room, a large circular table stood, its surface engraved with intricate runes that glowed faintly in the torchlight.

“This,” Darius said, his voice filled with reverence, “is the heart of the trading post. A repository of knowledge long believed to be lost. And now, it is yours.”

Elara and I gazed, the weight of what we were witnessing

descending upon us like a tangible force.

“What do these tomes contain?” Elara asked, her voice low. “Histories, truths, maps, secrets,” Darius replied, running his

hand along the table’s edge. “These are the things the Council has worked tirelessly to erase. If you wish to bring them down, you must begin here.”

I stepped closer to the table, my fingers brushing against thefaintly glowing runes. This place, forgotten and concealed, could hold the answers we required, or it could lead to our undoing.

For the time being, this was all we had.

CHAPTER 18

The underground chamber was a revelation, a sanctuary carved from stone and secrecy. The flickering torchlight danced across the shelves of ancient tomes and scrolls, casting long, shifting shadows. Each crack in the walls, every faint glow of the runes, whispered of knowledge waiting to be uncovered, and of the dangers it entailed.

Elara stepped forward, her eyes gliding over the dusty volumes, her fingers itching to open the closest tome. “This is incredible,” she murmured, awe tinging her voice. “I’ve never encountered anything like it.”

“Few have,” Darius said, his voice quiet yet steady. “This place was meant to remain hidden. Its existence has been protected by the Keepers for generations, until...” He trailed off, his expression hardening.

“Until the Council,” I completed for them. The Council’s influence was extensive, its thirst for control unquenchable. I had no doubt their fury would have wreaked havoc here had they learned of it.

Darius nodded, his jaw tightening. “Yes. But they never found it, thanks to the sacrifices made by those who came before us.”

“Us?” Elara inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Darius hesitated for a moment before responding. “I was trained as a Keeper before the Council’s rise. When they began their purges, I... left. I’ve been on the run ever since. But I couldn’t forget this place. I knew it might still hold the means to fight back.”

I studied Darius, his words evoking a blend of respect and caution. He had evidently endured his own trials, but trust was a currency too precious to expend freely.

Elara stepped closer to one of the shelves, her fingers finally brushing against the spine of a leather-bound tome. Dust scattered into the air, and she coughed softly before pulling it free. She opened it carefully, revealing faded ink and intricate illustrations. “These are maps,” she said, her voice rising with interest. “Not just of the realm, but of... something else. These markings are not natural.”

Darius moved to her side, glancing over her shoulder.

“You’re correct. These maps chart ley lines, the veins of power running beneath the surface of our world. The Council employs them to uphold their dominion, yet those same lines could lead to their downfall.”

My chest tightened as I glanced at the maps. This was perilous knowledge, the sort that could alter the balance of power, if we survived long enough to wield it.

“And what about the rest of this?” I inquired, waving towards the other shelves. “What other secrets lie hidden here?”

Darius’s gaze shifted to the circular table at the centre of the room. “More than you can fathom. Histories erased from memory, spells forbidden even to utter, and truths the Council has concealed. If you’re serious about taking them down, you’ll have to learn from what’s here. But it won’t be straightforward.”

Elara closed the tome gently, her expression becoming more resolute. “Easy is not what we’re after. We’re seeking a way to achieve victory.”

I couldn’t help but glance at her; the fire in her eyes ignitedsomething within me. I turned back to Darius. “What’s the first step?”

Darius’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Learning. This knowledge is powerful, yet it is also perilous. You cannot afford to rush. The Council’s influence may not extend this far, but their agents are omnipresent. If they catch wind of this place, they will stop at nothing to obliterate it, and you.”

I nodded, the weight of his words pressing heavily on my shoulders. “Then we remain hidden. We gather every piece of information we can. And when the moment is right, we strike.”

Elara met my gaze, her determination unyielding. “To- gether.”

---