“A book?”
Zorek nodded and came closer to Damien. “I overheard Mother and Father talking, and I heard him mention the ‘Book of Abraxas.’”
“What’s that?” asked Damien.
The Book of Abraxas. I had never heard of it. I glanced at Vivienne, who shook her head.
“No idea.” Zorek shrugged.
“It must be very valuable if Father is being so secretive and paying a king’s ransom for it.”
“It is, but I would not get involved if I were you.” Zorek gave his brother a dark look. “I suspect our uncle has some hand in this.”
I had heard enough. I moved away from the bookshelves and gestured for Vivienne to follow me. The triangular piece in the pouch was a key, a key to a book. I had to find out what exactly the Book of Abraxas was and what it could do before one of the Blackwaters figured out how to use it or, worse still, gave it to Lucian and Morgana.
Vivienne and I hurried to our classes; we were so late. We didn’t get a chance to talk about it until later in our room.
“I really don’t think we should get involved in this, Rory,” said Vivienne. “This sounds like something to do with the dark arts. It is forbidden.”
I removed my cloak and hung it up in the closet. “We’re not learning dark magic. We’re just finding out what the book is and why it needs a key for it to open. If it has something to do with Lucian, then it’s entirely possible that Morgana is behind all this. I have to find out what she’s up to.”
“Why?” Vivienne sat down on her bed and glared at me with her arms crossed. “I’m not going to help you do anything if you don’t tell me what is really going on here. Why are you so interested in what Queen Morgana is doing?”
I sat down on the bed next to Vivienne. I could tell she was upset, and I wasn’t sure what I should say. She was the closest thing I had to a best friend, and she had helped me so far without telling anyone.
“I’ll tell you everything,” I said finally, “but you have to promise to have an open mind.”
Vivienne nodded, but she didn’t smile. I took a deep breath and proceeded to recount my story. She listened without interrupting me, but only until I gave her my real name.
“Aurora Firedrake, the lost princess of Illiador,” said Vivienne, her eyes wide like saucers. “Are you serious?”
I nodded. This was it; I had told her. Now I just hoped that she kept my secret. I was struggling with deciding whether to go one step farther and tell her that I was also a fae-mage, but some remnants of good sense prevailed, and I kept that part to myself.
“But Princess Aurora died nearly fifteen years ago,” Vivienne insisted, shaking her head. “It’s not possible. Everyone knows that the Firedrake family was completely wiped out.”
“Well, everyone is wrong. I’m still alive. Somehow my parents managed to save me by sending me to another world. I am Azaren’s daughter, and Morgana is my aunt.”
“So that means,” said Vivienne, thinking, “that you are actually the Queen of Illiador, not Morgana. That’s why you want to find out what she’s up to.”
“Exactly,” I said, happy that I didn’t have to spell it out for her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but you can understand why.”
Vivienne nodded and leaned over to give me a big hug. “Of course I understand. You don’t have to worry, Aurora, you can trust me.”
I smiled. “I think it’s probably better if you still called me Rory.”
Vivienne clapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh no! Sorry, sorry.”
I laughed. “It’s okay, Viv. I know it’s a lot to take in, but you’ll get used to it.”
For days, Vivienne and I searched through dozens of scrolls and books in the library for any mention of the Book of Abraxas, but there was none. We didn’t want to ask any of the professors, since dark magic was forbidden in Eldoren.
I continued to work hard at my studies, and before long I could hold a shield against all nonmagical attacks; stones and other flying objects bounced off my shield. Magical attacks were more difficult to defend against, but I was learning fast, and my magic and concentration were slowly getting stronger.
I had warrior skills class almost every day, and my attacks were getting better. I could stun a mouse from a hundred paces, and I even learned how to push someone away from me using only my magic, which was called a push strike.
We also learned how to control the intensity of stun strikes, luckily not on each other, but on targets set up for practice. I found out about other types of magical attacks: fire strikes, crushing strikes, and even lightning strikes. We were still not allowed to use these outside class, as they were too dangerous.
I remembered the magic Oblek used on me when he dragged me to his castle. He had used a crush strike on my neck. Now I finally understood how it was done, and if I ever met Oblek again, he was going to be sorry he’d ever laid eyes on me.
Every other day I had healing lessons, where I learned about different kinds of herbs and plants and their uses and dosage. In Avalonia, the plants were different, so I had a lot of catching up to do.
The most difficult of all healing classes was magical healing. I learned mainly by assisting the university healers with their patients. I was amazed at what some of them could do just by using the powers within them: mending bones, regrowing tendons, even knitting flesh.
Weeks passed, and we still had no idea what the Book of Abraxas was. I finally decided to ask Erien. He always had the highest scores in ancient history, so maybe he could shed some light on this whole situation. That day after classes, I went to see him in his room.
I shut the door behind me. “Erien, I need your help.”
Erien was lying on his bed reading. I pulled up a chair and told him everything that had happened.
“I’ve never heard of the Book of Abraxas,” said Erien, “but it sounds like a grimoire, so it must be one of the forbidden texts. You won’t find anything about it in the school library.”
“But isn’t there some way to find out about this book and what it does?” I leaned forward. “Erien, if Morgana and Lucian are behind this, then we have to find out why she needs the book.”
Erien’s gaze sharpened and he nodded. “There is a way. But we should tell Grandfather about it first. If this has to do with dark magic, then we shouldn’t get involved. We could get expelled from school.”
“But Uncle Gabriel is in some faraway kingdom,” I insisted. “We are not doing anything wrong. When he’s back, we can tell him what we’ve found out.”
Erien gave me a stern look. “Anything that has to do with black magic is wrong.”
“Please, Erien, you know how important this is to me. Morgana ruined my life. I need to know what she’s planning to do next. The only way I am going to survive is if I stay one step ahead of her at all times.”
Erien sat up in his bed and rubbed his palms over his face. “All right, Aurora,” he said finally. “I understand why you want to do this. I will help you, but remember I can’t make any promises. The forbidden texts were lost or destroyed centuries ago. We still may not find anything.”
“I couldn’t find anything in any of the books I looked at.”
Erien shook his head. “You won’t find anything in ordinary books.” He came closer and lowered his voice. “But there is a secret library that lies underneath the school. Most people think it is a myth, but I’ve seen it, and the professors know it exists. Only the mastermage of the academy holds the key.”
My eyes widened. “A secret library. But how do we get in?”
“Leave that to me.” Erien pulled on his black leather boots and cloak. “Meet me outside the library tonight at midnight.”
I nodded. “I’ll be there. Thank you, Erien.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Aurora. We’re family,” Erien said, coming over and giving me a tight hug.
I hugged him back. It was so nice to finally be part of a family that accepted me for who I was.
&n
bsp; That night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Vivienne and I sneaked out of our room and met Erien outside the library.
“I said, ‘Come alone,’” Erien whispered when he saw Vivienne.
“We can trust her. She knows who I really am.”
Erien’s eyes widened. “You told her?”
I nodded. “I live with her, and she became suspicious.”
“I hope you didn’t tell her everything,” he said so only I could hear.
I shook my head. Even Vivienne might not take too kindly to living with a fae-mage.
“Good,” said Erien, then turned to include Vivienne. “Come on. We only have a few hours.” He opened the library door with a key he had with him.
“Where did you get that?” Vivienne asked.
“I help the mastermage with research,” Erien replied. “He has a key that can open any door in the academy, and I just happen to know where he keeps it.”
Vivienne looked impressed.
The library was dark and eerie at this time of night. Muted moonlight threw shadows on the walls and floor that seemed to move according to the whims of the cloudy sky. Bookshelves stretched into darkness on both sides of me, and an unnerving silence seemed to settle like a thick shroud over the vast structure.
Erien’s hand lit up, pushing back the shadows. We had been taught how to do this in class. I concentrated my magic into the palm of my hand, slowly pushing some of it outward and rolling it between my fingers. A ball of white light swirled, lighting up the aisle in front of me. Vivienne still hadn’t managed to master this concept, and her light kept flickering and going out. Finally she gave up and stuck close to me.
We wound our way through the countless aisles to the far end of the library. Erien shifted a section of the bookshelf, and it opened inward like a door, revealing a hidden stone staircase that led downward, spiraling into darkness.
“Follow me.” Erien’s hand swirled with mage light as he descended the stairs.
Vivienne took my hand, and the two of us navigated our way behind Erien. A few hundred feet down, we came to an old wooden door. Erien used the master key, and the door opened, the creak of the wood echoing through the silent library.
We stepped inside, and I held out my hand. The ball of light in my palm cast a haunting glow over the cavernous room. We found ourselves at the top of a massive, grand staircase that descended into a huge, seemingly endless room. Row upon row of books lined the shelves, stretching two stories high all the way to the beautiful vaulted ceiling. The musty smell of leather and dusty books permeated the still air as I walked down the staircase, following Erien.
This looked like an impossible task. The secret library was huge. How would we ever find the right book?
“Do you think the Book of Abraxas could be here?” Vivienne asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Erien. “The mastermage would never allow a dark grimoire in the school. It’s too dangerous; anything could go wrong if it’s used without the correct knowledge. But we may be able to find out more about it in some of the other, older books.”
“How do you know so much about all this?” Vivienne asked Erien, lighting a candle.
“I’m going to be a historian.” Erien puffed out his chest a little. “The mastermage said that I could even be a professor someday.”
Vivienne laughed. “But you’re a noble. You can’t become a teacher.”
“Professor Tanko is a noble,” Erien argued.
“He’s the only one,” Vivienne insisted. “In any case, Professor Tanko is just a baron with limited holdings. You are presently the Earl of Everdale, and after your grandfather, you will be the next Duke of Silverthorne.”
“I could do both,” Erien said, taking a few books off the shelves and putting them on a nearby wooden table.
Vivienne crossed her arms. “Not if you’re on the royal council.”
Erien gave Vivienne a level look. “You seem to know a lot about the way the kingdom is run.”
Vivienne shrugged, picking up a book. “Father tells me stuff. I listen.”
For hours, we searched through all sorts of books, from ancient symbols and languages to the genealogy of kings, but there was nothing that even mentioned the name Abraxas.
“We should go back,” said Vivienne finally. “It’s going to be dawn soon, and people will start coming into the library.”
Erien nodded and started putting books back onto the shelves. “I agree.”
“No, just a few minutes, please,” I said, desperately wishing I would find something.
The sound of a door closing echoed through the secret library. All three of us froze in our tracks. Someone was coming, and there was nowhere to hide. I looked over to the stairs leading down into the vast room. A ball of light moved steadily toward us, hovering in the hand of a shadowy figure in mage robes. As he came toward us, the light illuminated his face.
Professor Dekela!
“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” said the mastermage, raising his hands and sending sparks flying into the air, lighting the candles on the chandelier that hung from the high ceiling. The room lit up. “Erien, you know better than to be down here. I expected more from you, and I showed you this library because I thought you were more responsible than the rest. The books here are not meant to be read by students. You know that perfectly well.”
“I know, Professor. I’m so sorry,” said Erien, hurriedly putting back the remaining books on all the wrong shelves. “It’s not what you think.”
Vivienne stood there, staring at the professor, and looked like she was about to burst into tears.
“It’s my fault,” I blurted out. I didn’t want Erien and Vivienne to get kicked out of school because of me. “Professor, this has to do with Morgana and the Book of Abraxas.”
The old professor did not look surprised. He assessed Erien and Vivienne for a second and turned to me. “Explain.”
I told him everything that Damien said about the key. I didn’t tell him about my night visit to the city with the Blackwaters, though. I only said that I overheard them talking in the library. I didn’t need to get myself into more trouble than I was in already. The old professor listened carefully and didn’t interrupt until I finished my story.
“This time the Blackwaters have gone too far,” the mastermage said. “The Book of Abraxas must never be opened.”
“Why?” I asked, my eyes going wide. What was Morgana up to now?
“It is only because of who you are that I am telling you this,” said Professor Dekela. “And it seems that you obviously trust your cousin and your roommate, so I will allow them to hear what I have to say, since I think you will probably tell them everything anyway.”
Embarrassed, I looked down. He was right, of course.
He looked at Vivienne. “I won’t say this again, Ms. Foxmoor. I hope you know that whatever we talk about here must never leave this room.”
Vivienne nodded fervently.
“The Book of Abraxas,” said Professor Dekela, turning back to me, “is considered to be the most dangerous and mysterious manuscript of all time. It contains magic thought to be long forgotten, magic that existed before the age of the first kings, even before Auraken Firedrake ruled this world. Many believe it to be only a legend, but the book does exist. It was locked with four magical keys, which were hidden in remote locations all over Avalonia to prevent it from ever being opened. The key that was stolen is one of them.”
He took out an old, worn, leather-bound book from one of the shelves and opened it on the table in front of us. “Is this what the key looked like?” He pointed to the page.
I looked at the diagram drawn in the book—four triangles, all of them fitting together to form a larger one. “This is it,” I said. “Damien had one of these triangular keys.”
Erien moved Vivienne out of the way to get a better look at the page. “Why it is so dangerous?”
“The Book of Abraxas gives the one who opens it the knowledge to c
ontrol demons.” The professor closed the book.
An icy chill scuttled down my spine. “Demons!”
Professor Dekela nodded solemnly and continued. “And not just any demon. The Book of Abraxas contains the secret to controlling the most powerful of all demon lords ever—Dragath.”
“Is that even possible?” I asked, horrified. “Uncle Gabriel said that Dragath has been gone for thousands of years, trapped in a magical prison.”
“That is what the legends say,” answered Professor Dekela.
“But if Dragath is gone,” Vivienne said, looking pale, “how can Morgana control him with the book?”
“I don’t know.” The old professor shook his head. “Maybe she doesn’t intend to control Dragath himself. But there are other demons and demonic beings that exist in other worlds that are connected to ours, and the Drakaar can summon them. If Morgana manages to open the book, she will possess the knowledge to control the demons and make them do her bidding. That will be the end of our world as we know it. Demon magic is much more powerful than the magic of the mages or even the fae. A mage who can control demons can rule the world.”
“Do you think that Morgana already has the book? Or do you think the Blackwaters are doing this on their own?”
Professor Dekela shook his head. “The book is safe for now,” he said as we put everything away and climbed the steep staircase to the school library. “But I don’t think that the Blackwaters would pursue magic this powerful on their own. The only ones who would be able to wield this sort of dark magic are Lucian and Morgana.”
“But how do you know the book is safe, Professor? Morgana or Lucian might already have it if they are looking for the keys.”
“There is something else you must know,” he said, halting at the top of the stairs and turning around to face me. “Remember, I told you that there are four keys.”
I nodded.
“When the book was locked, the keys were given to four magical families for safe keeping. The locations of the four keys and the Book of Abraxas have been passed down through generations. The Silverthorne family and my own have been guardians of the book for centuries now.”
The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) Page 21