Page 158 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
“Goose! Leesa!” I called out, frantic. “Meet me in the library. We have work to do.”
Chapter
Fifty
EVIE
“Iwant you to get me a carriage. Have it waiting for me at the end of the road, the night before the wedding. Ask around, anyone and everyone. Find me the biggest one, and let it be known it’s an emergency.” I opened the satchel, gingerly taking out the scrolls one by one and placing them on the library table, as Goose and Leesa looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
Perhaps I had.
Leesa was the first one to speak. “Your Grace…why? I’ve been reading up on Protectorate wedding rituals and I haven’t seen anything about the new couple leaving right after the ceremony. You will go on your official visit to the outskirts of the Clan with His Highness, but that happens much later. Though, I’m sure if you tell the prince you’d like to introduce a new ritual–”
“You don’t need to tell the prince about this.” To make more room on the table, I closed the portal books that connected me to my cousins, now sadly completely dormant. They each hadtheir own issues and fiances to deal with right now, just like I had my own little mission. Pieces of a larger puzzle we all had to uncover and gather together to save the Protectorate without anyone discovering our plan.
I stacked the books on the closest shelf, making sure they were perfectly aligned and ready for our next conversation, though gods knew when that might happen.
When I turned, Goose and Leesa were watching me with a horrified look.
“Just find the carriage,” I said. “Trust me, it’s important.”
Trust me, Valuta’s voice slithered in my mind, and I suppressed a shiver.
Zandyr’s presence pulsed against thoughts, caressing, as if he’d sensed my turmoil and was checking if everything was alright. I sent a reassuring ripple as a reply, hoping he wouldn’t barge his way here just to confirm I was safe. He had too many important things to do, all that once, everyone pulling him in all directions. Constantly. Right now, he had to plan a new watch schedule at the borders. His informants foretold another skirmish with the Serpents, and with both of us leaving the safety of Phoenix Peak’s walls, even for half a day, he wasn’t taking any chances.
I felt a shadow of relief from his side. Perfect.
Time was ticking.
I rested my fists on top of the table, nodding at the scrolls. “I am not leaving Phoenix Peak tomorrow without opening at least one of them.”
Goose and Leesa exchanged a worried look. They were so cute together, even with apprehension brewing between them.
“I have a hunch and I want to either confirm it–” And never sleep a day in my life again. “–or put it to rest. Are you helping me or not?”
They gave me twin nods, less hesitant. Perhaps using my queenly voice was useful.
The three of us stared down at the scrolls, just like we’d been doing every day since I’d stolen them.
We’d tried incantations Goose had found in dusty books. Leesa had tried imbuing the library with special unlocking ointments. We’d even attempted to unfurl them gently, with no luck.
At one point, we’d even considered steaming the damn things open–they came from a Clan that reveled in dampness, it wasn’t that far-fetched.
Nothing worked.
They sat there, mocking us with their obstinate crispness.
“Perhaps we need a spell we simply haven’t found yet,” Leesa ventured, biting her bottom lip; Goose was so concentrated on the scrolls, he didn’t even blush at the movement.
“Would the Quoriliths have a special spell to open their scrolls?” I began to pace, hands clasped behind me.
“Ifthese scrolls belong to the Quoriliths,” Leesa said.
The awful truth. We still didn’t know if I’d risked my life for nothing. They might as well have been ancient stew recipes for all we knew. Until we found out who they belonged to, I clung to the hope I’d found the right texts.
“Let’s say they are true Quorilith writings.” They certainly reeked of havoc and chaos and the last thing I needed was more doubt. “How. Do. We. Open. Them?”
Silence, ugly and fuming with defeat, settled over us. Neither of us were versed in Quorolith magic, what if it obeyed the newer Clan rules of a magic-wielder teaching you the spells?
