than to rid Ra’jhou of its greatest
enemy.”
Willem shook his
head. “Kal, you have no training in magic. These men may believe your look and
accent, but they will never believe you are a potion maker.”
“Yes, the king was
quite short on details on that point,” Arden commented. “Still, we have been
given a task to perform, and we shall see to it. I assume there is a library in
this castle? I haven’t had much time to acquaint myself with the surroundings.”
“There is a library
on the third floor,” Willem replied, his brow furrowed.
“We should start
there,” Arden stated. “We need every bit of information we can find on
Enlightened Elves and potion making.”
The three men found
their way to the library, where an elderly gentlemen sat dozing behind a desk.
The room was covered in a light layer of dust, suggesting few others had
visited recently.
Arden cleared his
throat, hoping to wake the librarian. “Excuse me,” he said. “We are searching
for information. I need to know about magic and potions.”
The old man stared at him groggily, his expression
slightly puzzled. “Whatever for?” he asked.
“It interests me,” Arden replied impatiently.
“Where might I find it?”
The old man rose from his seat and plodded toward
a shelf at the eastern corner of the library. Sliding a tall wooden ladder
along the rows, he pointed to the top of the stacks. “If I have the information
you seek, it will be there.”
Arden stared at the old man a moment, realizing
that he would have to climb the ladder himself. Grabbing onto the rungs, he
climbed to the top of the shelf. The librarian was correct. The top row was
filled with books on the subject of Ral’nassa, the Sunswept Isles, and specific
topics of arcane studies. One volume in particular caught his eye— Magical
Abilities in Humans. Arden smiled and nodded. “This one might prove
useful.” Grabbing the book, he tossed it down to Kal.
“I don’t suppose there’s one titled Potion
Making , is there?” He grinned at the duke and raised his eyebrows.
Arden descended the ladder with an armload of
other books. “I’m afraid not,” he said. “Looks like we’ve got some reading to
do.”
Chapter 21
S hala walked
casually through the castle corridors, hoping to avoid suspicion. Act
normally, she told herself. No one knows what you’ve done. Arriving
at Aubriana’s chambers, she stepped inside, looking back over her shoulder only
once.
Aubriana sat on her balcony, staring off at the
Wrathful Mountains. Leaning heavily upon one hand, she took no notice of her
maid’s presence. Her mind focused on the scene before her as she tried in vain
to drive away thoughts of her son.
“My lady,” Shala said, her voice shaking slightly.
“I have some news.”
Aubriana turned her eyes to Shala, but her
melancholy expression did not change. Whatever news the girl had brought would
not be the news Aubriana longed for. The only thing she wished to hear was that
her son had been sent to stay with her. Nothing else mattered.
“You said I should keep my eyes and ears open for
any information that could help you reunite with Rayne,” the girl said. “I’ve
heard something that might help.”
Now she had the princess’s attention. “What is
it?” she asked eagerly. “What have you heard?”
Shala shifted nervously and took a seat near the
princess. “I overheard a conversation. The king is planning something that,
well…,” she trailed off.
“Tell me, Shala!” Aubriana pleaded. “What is it?”
“The king wants to infiltrate the Na’zoran army.
If you let Tyrol know about it, then he might consider you a friend. At the
very least, he will know you weren’t spying for Ra’jhou.”
Aubriana looked deep into Shala’s eyes,
contemplating her words. “Shala, you must tell me everything you heard.”
“King Efren, Duke Arden, the general, and another
man who I do not know, met secretly to discuss poisoning the Na’zoran mages.
enemy.”
Willem shook his
head. “Kal, you have no training in magic. These men may believe your look and
accent, but they will never believe you are a potion maker.”
“Yes, the king was
quite short on details on that point,” Arden commented. “Still, we have been
given a task to perform, and we shall see to it. I assume there is a library in
this castle? I haven’t had much time to acquaint myself with the surroundings.”
“There is a library
on the third floor,” Willem replied, his brow furrowed.
“We should start
there,” Arden stated. “We need every bit of information we can find on
Enlightened Elves and potion making.”
The three men found
their way to the library, where an elderly gentlemen sat dozing behind a desk.
The room was covered in a light layer of dust, suggesting few others had
visited recently.
Arden cleared his
throat, hoping to wake the librarian. “Excuse me,” he said. “We are searching
for information. I need to know about magic and potions.”
The old man stared at him groggily, his expression
slightly puzzled. “Whatever for?” he asked.
“It interests me,” Arden replied impatiently.
“Where might I find it?”
The old man rose from his seat and plodded toward
a shelf at the eastern corner of the library. Sliding a tall wooden ladder
along the rows, he pointed to the top of the stacks. “If I have the information
you seek, it will be there.”
Arden stared at the old man a moment, realizing
that he would have to climb the ladder himself. Grabbing onto the rungs, he
climbed to the top of the shelf. The librarian was correct. The top row was
filled with books on the subject of Ral’nassa, the Sunswept Isles, and specific
topics of arcane studies. One volume in particular caught his eye— Magical
Abilities in Humans. Arden smiled and nodded. “This one might prove
useful.” Grabbing the book, he tossed it down to Kal.
“I don’t suppose there’s one titled Potion
Making , is there?” He grinned at the duke and raised his eyebrows.
Arden descended the ladder with an armload of
other books. “I’m afraid not,” he said. “Looks like we’ve got some reading to
do.”
Chapter 21
S hala walked
casually through the castle corridors, hoping to avoid suspicion. Act
normally, she told herself. No one knows what you’ve done. Arriving
at Aubriana’s chambers, she stepped inside, looking back over her shoulder only
once.
Aubriana sat on her balcony, staring off at the
Wrathful Mountains. Leaning heavily upon one hand, she took no notice of her
maid’s presence. Her mind focused on the scene before her as she tried in vain
to drive away thoughts of her son.
“My lady,” Shala said, her voice shaking slightly.
“I have some news.”
Aubriana turned her eyes to Shala, but her
melancholy expression did not change. Whatever news the girl had brought would
not be the news Aubriana longed for. The only thing she wished to hear was that
her son had been sent to stay with her. Nothing else mattered.
“You said I should keep my eyes and ears open for
any information that could help you reunite with Rayne,” the girl said. “I’ve
heard something that might help.”
Now she had the princess’s attention. “What is
it?” she asked eagerly. “What have you heard?”
Shala shifted nervously and took a seat near the
princess. “I overheard a conversation. The king is planning something that,
well…,” she trailed off.
“Tell me, Shala!” Aubriana pleaded. “What is it?”
“The king wants to infiltrate the Na’zoran army.
If you let Tyrol know about it, then he might consider you a friend. At the
very least, he will know you weren’t spying for Ra’jhou.”
Aubriana looked deep into Shala’s eyes,
contemplating her words. “Shala, you must tell me everything you heard.”
“King Efren, Duke Arden, the general, and another
man who I do not know, met secretly to discuss poisoning the Na’zoran mages.
Similar Books
