by J C Gilbert
"You do know that you can't go into the books, right?"
"Yeah, I know. No coming back from that without the Keeper," he said with a sad half smile.
"Darcy?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful. Some of these books bite," I said.
"I'll be careful," he said, "see you around."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I was much better at sneaking off to the sanctuary these days. I had learned from past experience that it was best to make sure certain teachers were on duty before venturing across the field. Mrs. Taylor was on today with Mr. Graystone. They tended to stick to the central area and actually look after the kids.
The small wilderness seemed somehow smaller now that I had whole planets to explore on my own. Still, there was no better place for me to escape into a book for a half an hour.
I landed near the Library's Heart. Staying close to the ground, I crept away from the usual haunts of the Librarian. I was getting used to The Library now, its ways and its moods. I found that a lot of the times that I had gotten lost were precisely because I didn't have a place to go. But whenever I needed something specific, I would find that no matter what direction I took, I would somehow end up there.
Today I was going somewhere specific.
I considered going to the Upper Vault to find Darcy, but he was likely deep in his reading. The last thing he needed was an interruption. Besides, time was short, and I had something else in mind.
The Lower Vault door was large and imposing. The stone appeared to be solid white marble, but I knew better than to assume that what I saw was what it really was. There was a large keyhole in the door and two great brass rings. I pushed the door gently, and it slowly swung in. Nothing was held back from the Keeper of The Library, not really.
I found the reality-reinforced cabinets which housed the various artifacts which Lilly and I had collected from so many books over so many midnight adventures. There were other artifacts here too. There was a sword which glowed softly blue in the low candlelight, the broken remnants of a huge teapot, a single golden strawberry, and even a GameBoy. "What's that doing here?" I asked to myself. I knew at least in theory that other Keepers had performed a similar role to me, if not quite so intense. It was another thing entirely to be confronted with millennia worth of collecting and adjusting.
"Darcy would have a field day in here," I said, eyeing up what looked to be a ray gun.
Soon I found what I was looking at. The Cheathr Ark was cool to the touch. I slid it into my jeans pocket and crept out of the vault.
Once out, I carefully shut the door behind me. I heard it lock with a satisfying click. My heart was beating fast. Who knows what the Librarian would say if she knew I was doing this behind her back. I opened up Alice and returned to my world, the Cheathr Ark safely stowed away.
***
"You really are the best daughter," said Mom, kissing me on the cheek.
"I'm well aware," I said.
She looked at the stack of envelopes still left on the table. "And you are sure you will be OK on your own? Because I can help, you know."
"I know."
"It's just that Mrs. Stephenson-"
"Mom, I'm fine."
"The pile has grown since yesterday. More invites I'm afraid."
"See you later, Mom."
"OK, bye, lovee."
And then I was alone in the museum. Sometimes when I am alone in an unfamiliar place, I get this random rush of energy, like I just want to dance around and be silly in a space where I have never been silly before. Fortunately, today I remembered that there were definitely security cameras around the exhibits. I focused on the task at hand.
Under one arm, I stuffed a bunch of the letters that needed to be sent. Under the other arm, I stuffed a selection of envelopes and fliers. Carefully I withdrew the Cheathr Ark from my pocket and tried to bend my mind to its innermost essence. Over the weeks, we had come across many wizards, sorceresses, and accountants. They all of them used various tricks to get at the essence of things, but really all you need to do was ask. There was a sound like the last water in a drain, and a cloud of mist encircled me. There was a popping sound and I felt a shudder run through my innermost fibers.
In a blink, the office and all the world around me was gone.
I immediately regretted not testing the stone first. My feet were plunged into about a foot and a half of warm water. I was outside and in the vast expanse of a shallow ocean. All around the air was tinted a strange shade of red. The water itself was a sort of a lime green.
"Huh," I said, trying to keep my balance. A collection of envelopes threatened to slip from my armpit and into the salty shallows. A curious fish approached my ankle. "Hi there," I said. Startled, it changed to a deep shade of purple and then disappeared in the murky water.
This clearly wasn't going to work. It seemed like the perfect plan. If the Librarian was right and time really didn't move while I was here, then I could get all these envelopes stuffed in no time. She didn't mention anything about an ocean. It made me uneasy. I was reminded of a scene in Interstellar where a similar sea led to disaster.
I focused my mind back on the Cheathr Ark and was soon standing back in my mother's office. My waterlogged sneakers left a damp patch of ocean in the nice beige carpet. I shrugged and placed the envelopes down. I tried to think.
I thought about taking all the letters into The Library and looking for Darcey's boat, but that would mean the possibility of running into the Librarian and having to explain to her what I was doing with the void stone. Not that it was really a problem. She said this world was robust, right? It's not like The Book of Martin where one spell could destabilize the entire reality.
I recalled the fight we had seen in the market square. No wonder the Librarian was worried about that place. They were already tearing holes of their own without the help of some errant Keeper.
That's when my eyes rested on the table. All I really needed was a flat dry surface. The main risk was from wind, and I didn't feel any while I was there. I removed a couple of the stacks of paper from the table, just in case something went wrong, and then proceed to see if I could take it through with me.
In moments I was in the middle of an ocean stuffing invitations into envelopes, and singing at the top of my lungs. A few curious birds gathered overhead to observe the spectacle. The plan had mostly gone well. I neglected to account for the fact that the table was made of wood, and was liable to float, but with a few trips back and forth from the office, I was able to find the right combination of table and weights to ensure I could get the job done.
Having a dimension where time is stopped sounds good on paper. It sounds like you can get things done in no time. But you do actually have to live out those hours in the other dimension, and it took me hours to stuff and stack all the papers that needed stuffing or stacking.
When at last I was done, I wanted nothing more but to lay back in the ocean and drift away. Having said that, the silent expanse of nothingness was beginning to drive me a little nuts. I was just about to take the table back and pack up when I felt something brush my leg. I was immediately reminded of the eels that Elaine had failed to warn me of in her world and jumped. Big mistake. I knocked the table, and the papers began to fall.
I acted quickly. I grabbed the table edge with one hand and the Cheathr Ark with the other and concentrated. In a heartbeat, the table was back in the office, as were most of the papers. But not all of them.
I slipped back into the ocean dimension to survey the damage. It wasn't bad, only ten or so envelopes were floating gently on the surface. The purple fish came back and looked like he had ideas of snacking on this strange white flat thing. I gathered them up and took them back. They were soggy, but I was done worrying about them.
Once everything was in order, I checked the clock. It was only half past six. "3 hours of work in 30 minutes," I said to myself.
"Oh my goodness," said Mom. She was standing at the door.
> CHAPTER TWELVE
"Mom, you're back," I said, glancing over at the stack of stuffed envelopes.
"Yeah, I forgot my swipe card. Alex, how on earth did you finish all of these?"
I shrugged.
"This would have taken me hours," she said. "Is this a prank?"
"No," I said. I felt like I was in trouble.
"Just... wow, Alex."
"Your swipe card?"
"Yes, I need it for the other office. You are done here? I can't take you home now, I-"
"I'll get Lilly to pick me up," I suggested.
"I don't like it when she drives you, Alex."
"Then I'll get a bus."
"I don't like it when you get the bus at night either."
"I'll be texting Lilly then."
"Yes. I gotta go." She grabbed for the card on her desk. "Just... wow."
***
Lilly often reassured me that she was really a very good driver. "I'm a nanna driver," she would say, and who was I to argue? Lilly didn't see red lights, or green lights for that matter. Give ways were always second best to changing the station on the radio. Lilly drove her car like she lived her life. Unconventionally, and in a manner which was sure to end in premature death.
When we finally got home, I dropped to the ground and kissed the concrete, in accordance with a very well worn joke. "Hurdy hurr," said Lilly. "You promised hot pools."
And promised I had.
We climbed the stairs to my bedroom, and I pulled out Alice. I elected not to tell Lilly about my little adventure into the seas of nothingness. I was never clear how she was going to react to things.
The Librarian was waiting for us with a clothes rack and a smile.
"What do you think?" she asked when we approached.
"I think that you have your tones on point, but that you are probably looking to sport some larger sizes."
"Not for me, idjit. For the pair of ya. It is not good to be contaminating the worlds with foreign technology. You never know what might go wrong."
"I'm not sure that it's our chief worry, but thanks," I said, looking through the selection. The Librarian seemed to get the Kanboor fashions right. My mind spun as I tried to figure out whether I could hide my swim-wear under these costumes. I didn't exactly want the Librarian to know that we were going to be taking a detour for leisure.
"I just want to help in any way I can," said the Librarian. "There is only so much I can do at this end. That reminds me!" the Librarian pulled out a small brown pouch and handed it to me. "Have a look inside," she said. "Don't worry, it isn't really leather."
I took the bag and opened it up to find a selection of coins inside. "That's denar," said the Librarian. "I understand that denar is the currency in Kanboor. Might be a good idea to find some lodgings in the city so that it doesn't look so strange when you disappear. I have a feeling that this will be a tricky one."
"Thanks," I said. "Maybe I can pay Mary back for that apple."
"Most people appreciate getting paid, I think. I don't understand it myself. Well, good luck, the pair of you."
It was night time when we landed in The Book of Martin. From the looks of things, we were not far from the main square. Once more, I wondered who Martin was, not to mention where he was. An explosion in the distance shook the whole city. Rubble flew through the air and scattered over the empty market square like pebbles. There was shouting.
"This is a warzone, Alex," said Lilly, seriously.
"I know that, let's just find a place to stay and then start scoping things out."
"You mean find the hot pools."
"Sure," I said, unsure.
"Excellent."
"At least maybe Trist can point us in the direction of somewhere to stay."
The streets were empty but for a few stray alley cats. It would have been near impossible to see where we were going if it were not for the bright moon hanging in the sky.
Soon we came to the Snake and Stables, the inn where Trist said he was staying. I wondered what kind of horse would be OK with staying in a city so dominated by water. We paid for a room from our new pouch of denar. It was a fire-hazard of a room with a suspicious looking mattress and a lamp which danced around tauntingly on some invisible wind. We found Trist in the common area having a drink in a shadowy corner. He sure had a sense for the dramatic.
"Lilly," he said when he saw us walk in. "Hi, Hank," he said to me.
"She's Alex, really," said Lilly, "I'm still Lilly, though."
"I'm glad that's cleared up," said Trist, "what brings you here? I had my doubts that I would see you two again, to be honest. I see that you have found yourself some local garb. You will get fewer stares that way."
"Kind of what we were going for, " I said. I sounded like a mouse. I hated it. I made a private decision to let Lilly do all the talking for me. Forever.
"So what made you seek me out, I mean I'm flattered, but -"
"Your pants," said Lilly.
"What?" he asked
"What?" replied Lilly. "You said something about hot pools. I've been thinking about them hot pools pretty much constantly."
"Have you now? Well, I would be happy to escort you and your friend."
My tiny universe was entirely made up of pure distilled cringe.
Soon we were walking through the streets again, this time led by Trist. He had commandeered a torch from a random building. I don't think it was his building, so I'm fairly sure he is a criminal at this point.
As we walked, the standard of the houses seemed to get shabbier and shabbier. Parts of the road had fallen away back into the harbor. Every so often, there were more sounds of conflict in the distance. One gunshot was quite close. We stopped and took shelter in a doorway arch. A man ran by as if he were being chased by the hounds of hell. We waited for a short time and then continued.
"They are all a little dramatic around here, I think," said Trist.
"Just where are you from, anyway?" asked Lilly.
"You wouldn't know the place."
"How can you be sure?"
"I'm sure. What about you?"
"Same deal," said Lilly.
"I thought as much," said Trist. "I think you said yesterday that you are looking for something. You wouldn't be able to tell me what that is, would you?"
"I'm afraid we can't, can we Alex?"
"I don't know, sorry."
"Don't know if you can tell me?" asked Trist.
"No, I mean. Maybe. But we don't know what we are looking for either."
Cringe. Omit needless words. Omit needless words. I recommitted to single syllable replies.
"I was thinking that maybe we could help each other out," said Trist.
"That would be wonderful," said Lilly.
I shot her a look, but she didn't seem to see.
"Here we are," said Trist.
The whole area was in ruin. It looked like whatever was here once had long ago fallen and no one had made an effort to clear it up. We walked along a short bridge, the entrance to which was guarded by two statues of snake's heads. Snake bodies made up the railing, though several sections had fallen away into the water. We passed under an arch and climbed over a pile of rubble. I noticed that Trist was far more ready to give Lilly his arm for support than me. I suppose I should take it as a compliment.
The ruin opened up into a wider space. Before us was the largest hot pool that I had ever seen. My super helpful mind reminded me of how many people had died in Yellowstone National Park from stepping into hot pools with strangers in the middle of the night.
The moon's reflection hovered near the center of the pool. "Is it safe?" I asked.
Trist shrugged, "it was the last time I was here."
I had come prepared with a full complement of clothes which did not mind getting wet. I don't mind going swimming, but I draw the line at traditional swimwear. Lilly, on the other hand, was dressing down to a watermelon pink bikini which I was 99% sure she had bought for the purpose of this parti
cular swim. Great, now I feel even more awkward. Maybe Lilly and Hank were working together.
The others got in first, and I followed shortly after. As soon as the warm water reached above my neck, I felt my worries melt away. It was beyond lovely. And once we were actually in, it didn't much matter what any of us were wearing.
"You have come here before?" asked Lilly.
"A few times. I found this spot last time I was in the city."
"You come here alone?"
Trist laughed, "yeah, alone. Well, mostly."
"It's so nice. Look, even Alex is smiling."
She was right, I was.
"It's a wonder that more people aren't here," said Lilly.
"Not really," said Trist. "Most of the locals think these ruins are haunted. They don't come here."
"Ooohh, spooky," said Lilly.
"It's a superstitious lot around here. You can't walk two feet in any direction without stumbling over some temple or grave site."
"We haven't seen any temples at all," said Lilly. She seemed to be making the switch from being genuinely interested to pretending to be genuinely interested. This was strange to me because temples are awesome.
Trist laughed, "well I can fix that for you," he said, "you are in one."
"What?" I asked, sitting up.
"These baths are sacred to the Nadre."
"Are we not supposed to be here?" asked Lilly, her tone flat. She knew how I'd feel about this.
"It doesn't matter, it's not as though there are any Nadre left anyway. These are just sitting here wasting away."
"We gotta go," said Lilly, standing up.
"Wait! Hold on a second. You are leaving just like that? I haven't even - this is stupid, it doesn't matter."
It was moments like these that I really loved Lilly.
"Stupid?" asked Lilly, eyebrows raised.
I pulled myself out of the water. The cool air bit at my skin. My body didn't want to leave, but there was no way I wanted to stay here. I knew there was something up with this guy. I should have trusted my instincts. I started to towel down my arms and mentally prepared for a brisk walk in damp clothes.