Page 27 of Aubade Rising
“I think I need some space. Please don’t come by my rooms again.” He drops my hand and the cold night air has me crossing my arms tight against my chest.
His footsteps are unsure on the tiles as he leaves. The candle light flickers a little as the last of the wax burns out and then extinguishes. I sit in the silence, in total darkness, focusing on my breath. The shadow in the corner was Eskar: nothing to fear anymore.
Chapter 25
I’m on strict bedrest whilst my concussion heals. There’s a limit to my patience until I snap. Only so many days I can spend pacing my rooms or reading the books Haelyn brings me from the palace library. Every day I’m not in my lab, is another day when I’m not making progress. It gives the rebels another day to plan their next move. After my abduction attempt, I’m certain somehow that they’ve found out what I’m working on. Found out and decided to take it and weaponise it for their cause.
“I brought your letters and correspondence, as well as some more texts on minerals and geological deposits.” Haelyn bustles through the doorway and drops the dusty tomes on the table. “If you could give me more information, I would be able to give you better recommendations. It will take you years to work through everything I have on rocks. Literal years.”
My laugh is brittle; noise still causes a slight ring in my ear. I take the letters and the thick cream parchment with Howl’s curling script stands out. I pull open his message. Before I can read past the first few words, the man himself barges into my rooms.
“Good morning! I hope you’re feeling up to some good news?” His hair is in total disarray, as if someone has been running their hands through it all night and his face certainly looks as if he could do with a good night’s sleep. I hope Haelyn might take the hint and excuse herself but she’s smiling warmly at Howl and settles deeper into the sofa.
“Hello, Haelyn,” he smiles back. “We’ve become well acquainted since our visit to Pentargon Academy and your accident. She’s been kind enough to keep Cedar and I updated.”A slight blush spreads across his cheekbones at the mention of my brother and I make a note to question him about Cedar later. Howl takes a seat next to Haelyn and leans forward eagerly. “We think we’ve cracked it.”
“We?” I look between them and Haelyn has the grace to look sheepish.
“Sage, you can’t do everything on your own,” Howl chastises.
“I thought you were only doing this as payment for a favour you owed?” I fix him in place with a glare.
“I am, but Haelyn is your friend. Why shouldn’t she help? Even if you won’t tell us why this is so important, the more people researching the better. We wouldn’t have made this discovery without her.” Reproach seeps into his voice, as he leans back, mirroring Haelyn’s crossed legs. One abduction attempt and I’m the odd one out it seems. I sigh. There’s little I can do about it right now, other than pray Haelyn doesn’t put the pieces together.
“So, where were we?” He turns to Haelyn who picks up the story with ease.
“Howl mentioned you were looking for something when he came by to check on you after the incident. We got talking about our visit to Pentargon Library and your search.”
Howl jumps in. “The books in Pentargon Library confirmed there may be one group of minerals to match your expectations. The problem is, they’re outlawed. Have been for years. And all records of their existence are held in the palace library.”
“So that’s where I could help,” Haelyn chimes in.
“We’ve been searching through old alchemist records this morning and… I found it!”
“Why didn’t you mention it before?” I turn to Haelyn angrily.
“I didn’t want to get your hopes up… I also thought you might want to discover it for yourself. The details are in the books I’ve been giving you but…”
Clearly my brain still isn’t working properly if I’ve missed her hints. She pats my knee awkwardly. “What have you found then?” I ask Howl, trying to ignore my flaming cheeks.
“It was there all along; we just needed to confirm its properties.”
Haelyn and I lean in expectantly.
“Serpentine,” he announces triumphantly.
I sag in disappointment and Haelyn blanches. Serpentine is the reason behind Trevesiga’s isolationist tendencies. It was mined extensively, decades ago, in mines that sit on the borders between us and Aiche. It was only found in the Haag and shipped extensively to the rest of the continent. However, when the mists descended and mining became impossible, other kingdoms abandoned us and refused to trade. It’s rare and rumoured to be a critical conduit in amplifying magic, not storing it. The continent blames us for withholding serpentine from them and think we are intentionally stamping out any magic that is not Mordros. I tend to agree with them.
The old kings of Trevesiga forbade anyone from using it. Even having it in your possession is a criminal offence, so that’s another law we’re going to have to bend if we want to get our hands on it. I point out as much to Howl but he is undeterred.
“You just need a sample. There should be some lingering in the old mines. They were evacuated pretty quickly. Bounty hunters couldn’t have taken it all. Plus, if it works, there’s an incentive to try to eradicate the mists and reopen the mines. We’d be able to travel to the continent again.” His gaze travels to the distance, no doubt envisioning the riches he would make if travel to the continent became possible.
It’s a long, long shot. But right now, I’ve got no other avenues to turn down and limited time to solve this before the rebels incite a civil war.
Chapter 26
“It’s a terrible idea. Absolutely awful! You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.” Haelyn shuts down the plan. She’s incensed, standing in front of the window in my sitting area, the fading sunlight turning her into an avenging angel. After the Concord meeting, she followed me, espousing the reasons why my expedition trip to the Haag is the worst idea she’s ever heard. I wasn’t expecting so strong an objection in front of the Concord though. It took me by surprise when she voiced her concerns, even going so far as to vote against it.
We’ve been arguing all the way back to my room where I found Dervla lounging on my sofa in her travelling cloak. Clearly, she is so desperate for good news on my research that she couldn’t wait, despite not making it in time for the Concord meeting.
