A Charm for Draius: A Novel of the Broken Kaskea (The Broken Kaskea Series Book 1) by Laura E. Reeve Page A

they’re one and the same.”
    “Are you suggesting the Royal Library ban works that contain heretical ideas?” Nokka’s voice sounded tense, like an overstretched mandolin string. “That would make us no better than the Sareenians. We offer the new work by Cabaran, while the Sareenians are frightened of it. If the works you refer to are offensive, well and fine—but I know the King, and the Meran-Viisi, support my efforts to keep an open library.”
    “Officer Draius is referring to the King’s Law , which required the destruction of all materials concerning necromancy, or authored by Nherissa,” Lornis said.
    “Oh, I suspect Nokka is quite familiar with the King’s Law.” Draius gave the librarian a tight smile.
    “That is archaic law, built upon ancient superstitions, and I question your interpretation ,” said Nokka. “We’re no longer a society that runs away from mere ideas, even when they conflict with our view of the soul’s sacred journey.”
    Draius shook her head. “We’re investigating two murders, Nokka, both of which can be put on the doorstep of necromancy. What would have guided such butchery, other than historical papers of ideas ?”
    “Oh.” Nokka was taken aback. “I don’t know.”
    “I have the authority, under the King’s Law, to examine your records. So, are you going to give me those lists, or do we march in front of a magistrate for a ruling on my interpretation of the edict against necromancy?”
    “Well, if you’re going to resort to threats.” Nokka converted his outrage to justified huffiness. “Of course, I’ll have to report this to—”
    “Report this to whomever you like,” she said.
    “You’ll have to wait while I have a copy penned. I only have one list.”
    “No need to make a copy. I can look over your original and memorize it.” She jerked her head sideways, trying to get him moving. Nokka looked dubious, but he went off to find one of his assistants, leaving her and Lornis alone.
    “We’re going to have to go through all the closed cases,” she muttered.
    “I suppose so.” Lornis spoke quietly as his eyes glanced around, in warning, at the echoing stone library. “Even I can remember there were only two open cases when you took over: the jeweler’s robbery and the councilman’s murder.”
    “Three now, counting the Sareenian’s murder.” Her jaw tightened. “I want you to sit down with Usko and go through all the cases closed under Erik. He could keep me working petty crimes, away from the substantial cases, but I can’t believe he closed cases without Usko’s knowledge.”
    “It’ll take time.”
    “It has to be done.”
    Lornis sighed. “Should we also get statements from the librarians tonight, regarding the robbery?”
    “No, their memories will have drifted.” She lowered her voice to a whisper as she saw Nokka coming back. “Let’s hope their statements are written and still on file.”
    “This is everything that was stolen.” Nokka was holding three sheets, but he paused as a door opened across the large hall. Loud and angry voices came from the room as a small man with fuzzy, gray hair popped out. The door slammed behind him. The door’s sign, hanging from a peg, swayed and rattled. The sign read “Meeting of the Royal Academy of Science.”
    “What, Taalo, kicked out again?” Nokka turned toward the small man eagerly, but Draius wasn’t about to let the librarian divert her. She snatched the sheets out of Nokka’s hand. He stroked his mustache and beard with his hand, trying to cover his frown.
    She read the entries penned on the first sheet, noting such titles as “Principles Based on the Process of Necromancy,” “Binding of Power Through Death,” and “Concerning Cruelty and its Residual Magic in Tissues.” The entries were dated in New Calendar years, written toward the end of Era Four in the years 850 to 999. All of these documents should have been destroyed per King Kotiin’s edict of 998.
    The dates