Page 98 of Of Stars and Lightning
She pushed on it with her shoulder, then let out a sigh of momentary relief as it didn’t budge.
It was locked.
The relief turned into horror as she realized who would likely have the keys.
It took Sawyer twenty minutes to find Samara. First, she tried the throne room, figuring the wench might be accompanying the King or kissing his ass.
The throne room, mercifully, was empty.
Next, Sawyer tried her room. The Semmena side of the castle was confusing, cold, and unwelcoming in several degrees. She moved through it quickly, knocking on the woman’s door three times, then made her way back into the light of the Yarrow side, both relieved and disappointed at her failure.
She turned the corner of the staircase to go to her rooms when she decided to try one final place.
The second library was used for many tasks. The first consisted of mostly Scribe duties, the third for mostly reads of leisure. She hadn't expected Alix to be in the second one but found herself pleasantly surprised as her friend greeted her with a radiant smile. He wore beige robes and was exiting a main meeting room with a stack of books in his arms. He silently motioned her over to a table by the main entrance, surrounded by circular bookshelves.
He set the books down before pulling her into a hug. “I’m afraid I’ve gotten used to spending every waking minute with you all,” he whispered, planting a kiss on her cheek. “I miss you.”
“Is the old man really so possessive of you?” Sawyer eyed the room he had emerged from. She could vaguely see Jeriyah within it, sitting with his hands clasped before him.
Alix sighed. “I’m one of the only other scribes who knows the Enchantments. He is needing more breaks than usual.”
“Dark Magic is outlawed.” Sawyer braced her hands on her hips. “Just because that one spell benefits my father doesn’t mean it should be the exception.”
“It’s barely Dark Magic, Sawyer,” Alix said. “It hardly uses any.”
Sawyer rolled her eyes. “If it comes from Loumallet, it's Dark Magic.”
The enchantments the High Scribes were still allowed to practice were only used to keep things and people out of places they shouldn’t be, like the Jinn Den or sometimes reinforcements for the wall.
Of course, allowed by the mighty King.
“I’m looking for the noble bitch,” Sawyer said, looking away from the High Scribe. “Any idea where she is?”
Alix chuckled. “You should show her some respect—she's quite good at her role.”
“Sure.”
With a shake of his head, he motioned to the second floor, to the mezzanine that loomed over them. “She was up there earlier. I have not seen her depart.”
Sawyer patted his arm. “Great. If I don’t come back in fifteen minutes, either I killed her and fled, or she managed to best me. The latter is unlikely, though.”
“I’ll be sure to keep a close look out.” He gave her a small wink and pulled open one of his books as Sawyer climbed the thin staircase to her left.
The second floor didn’t have many bookshelves, unlike the level below. It mostly consisted of sitting spaces and orbs of firelight. It didn’t take long for her to spot Samara over a table by the center of the room, holding a softly lit lantern over what looked like maps of Erriadin and the South.
She didn’t look up before saying, “I’m busy, Semmena.”
“Please don’t start this off wrong by calling me that.” Sawyer flopped into an armchair nearby. “I’ve already had a shitty day.”
The Semmena Advisor peered at her through lowered brows. “It’s a privilege to share his Majesty’s name.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Sawyer waved a hand in dismissal. “Let’s talk about him as little as possible.”
Samara continued her close surveillance of the maps, moving to the other side of the table.
With a flick of her wrist, Sawyer brought the chandelier above them to life, the candles concealed within crystal orbs providing a clear view of the maps. She had learned not to be in dark rooms with Shadow Guiders.
Samara only sighed. “What do you want?”
