‘I had resolved in myself to take on this responsibility, and with that whatever rituals and tests were needed to become Curator. I never expected it to be easy. I am fine, honestly. I am already beginning to feel my strength returning,’ Coinin insisted.
‘Thank you for your understanding and forgiveness. Despite your strength returning, I believe it best if you sit out tonight’s entertainment and you rest for the next few days.’
‘As you wish,’ Coinin nodded. ‘I’m a terrible dancer anyway.’
Menin smiled. ‘We will talk again in a few days, there is a lot of knowledge you’ve gained that I am sure you would like explained.’
‘My head is swimming with so much, and yes, you’re correct.’
‘Then all the more reason to do as I ask. You will find that my prior study is now yours, and the adjoining rooms now house your chambers. Aniol will guide you. Marrok, please come with me.’
‘Sleep well, brother,’ said Marrok as he too excused himself.
‘Have fun,’ Coinin called after him and then turned to Aniol. ‘Hello, friend. Please tell me there’s an easier way out of this other than the boat.’
Aniol considered telling him that the only way out was by boat, as a joke, though changed her mind when he gritted his teeth in pain. ‘No, actually, there is an exit this way.’ She gestured with her outstretched arm.
‘Thank Rindor for that. Please lead on,’ Coinin sighed with relief.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Two days later Coinin sat convalescing from his injuries. He had enjoyed sunning himself during the day and was now enjoying the cool evening on the balcony that led from his study. He had endured considerable pain as his wounds healed. The magically acquired claw marks had knitted together nicely but did give discomfort as scar tissue replaced natural unmarked skin, and tightened across his back.
He had been reassured that this would ease eventually, although it would take some time which he had plenty of right now. He needed to heal before he followed through on his promise to find and bring to justice those who had ordered the attack on The Brotherhood at its very heart.
Aniol had been wonderful, she had seen to his every need without complaint. No task was too big or too small, she was happy to ensure her master was catered for. She had witnessed the brutality of the ritual, and his willingness to undergo that had strengthened her respect for him.
He and Aniol had spent almost all of the past two days talking about life in the temple, and he found her to be very knowledgeable about the rules and procedures that a Curator was required to know. She had said, during one of their conversations, that she knew so much because she wanted one day to be a Curator. He found that talking with her helped him to make sense of some of the mass of knowledge he had gained during his initiation.
Archmage Menin had briefly visited him earlier in the day and reassured him that the jumbled images and accumulated information would begin to order themselves within his brain quite quickly. That was good news indeed, he had been suffering terrible headaches since the ritual, and he was even now lying on his side on a soft lounger with a cold poultice across his brow.
The stars had begun to peek at him in the evening sky that had turned a salmon pink as the sun retreated for the night.
In the distance, a flash of gold grabbed his attention; whatever had made it was on the same level as he and headed his way fast. He stood up to get a better look and turned to call Aniol.
‘Aniol, what do you make of this?’ he asked as the young woman hurried to his side.
She squinted into the distance and then became very excited. ‘No, it can’t be. After all these years?’
‘What? What is it?’
Aniol smiled at him with wide, excited eyes. ‘Stay there and don’t move, I’ll be right back.’
Before Coinin could object she rushed indoors and returned a minute later holding a long wooden tube. She upended the tube and out slid a copper spyglass about two feet long. She pressed the viewing end to her eye and focused on the object in the distance. She jumped up and down and squealed. ‘It is, it’s her, she’s come back!’
Coinin was baffled if not a little annoyed by her lack of answers. ‘Who has come back?’
Aniol pressed the spyglass into his hand. ‘Here, take a look.’
Coinin raised the device to his eye and immediately jumped back in surprise; the object in front of him was so close, though when he looked back at it with his naked eye it was far away.
He gingerly raised the eyepiece to his eye once more. There floating towards him at speed was a building made of gold, although much of the precious metal seemed to have been removed.
‘What is that thing?’ Coinin said.
‘That is a section of the golden temple that was lost in a potions experiment, alongside a very gifted matron by the name of Truelove,’ Aniol responded happily.
‘Are you telling me that somebody is controlling it?’
‘Oh yes, very much so.’ Aniol continued to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet.
‘Well, that’s handy, because I don’t think it would be good for the temple if it doesn’t alter course. They’ve only just finished repairing this section,’ Coinin pointed out.
‘Perhaps we can moor it,’ Aniol offered. ‘You know, she throws down a rope, and we catch it and tie it off to something big, say like a tree. That would surely arrest its motion.’
Coinin thought quickly. ‘That’s a great plan but with one flaw. We need to get word to them to send down a rope.’
‘I’m ahead of you there,’ Aniol beamed, and after kicking off her boots, she vanished with a snap.
Coinin jumped in shock, wishing she had given him some sort of warning. He had had no idea she knew magic. He looked over the balcony wall and noticed that people were gathering, pointing and talking excitedly about the new arrival. He spotted a guard ogling the sight and called to him.
‘Hey, you! Go quickly and fetch more men, we are going to attempt to stop this thing from hitting the temple. Tell them to expect a rope to drop from it and to tie it to that big tree over there.’ He finished by pointing to a large oak that grew almost directly under the building’s flight path.
The guard looked at him as if he was crazy, then saluted and sped off in search of helpers.
Coinin jumped and gave a yelp as Aniol returned with a loud crack. He held a hand over his heart and felt its beat quicken. ‘Don’t do that!’
‘Sorry, Coinin, but I thought you should know a rope is coming down. We should get some men to tie it off.’ Aniol donned her boots and made to run off.
‘It’s already been taken care of. I have several men heading this way right now. We should have this thing restrained in a moment,’ Coinin replied confidently.
A handful of strong guardsmen rushed from the temple entrance and down the steps. They stopped for a time to gawk at the sight of a section of the temple floating towards them, though recovered a moment later, and ran full tilt to a thick rope that had been thrown from a window at the front of the building.
The guards grappled with the rope as it snaked and dragged along the ground. It was not a minute later that they had successfully fastened it to the large oak tree. Finally, they stepped back as the building passed overhead, and stepped back further as the tree groaned and creaked under pressure from the large golden building that wanted to escape its grasp. Thankfully it held and they proceeded to stand guard, unsure what might descend from it.
Coinin applauded the brave men who had stalled the momentum of the temple’s former infirmary.
Aniol was jumping with glee.
‘What is so important about that building that has you so excited?’ Coinin asked.
‘My mother is on board.’ Aniol smiled broadly.
A pop sounded behind them, followed quickly by a second.
‘Don’t forget your uncle,’ said General Dareth Jericho loudly, while holding a pair of boots.
Coinin turned to see a dishevelle
d-looking Jericho, and a plump middle-aged woman, whom he assumed to be Aniol’s mother, dressed very much like the current matron of the temple.
Aniol completely forgot her place and rushed to them both and was caught up in hugs and kisses. It had been too long since she had seen her mother, and the emotion of the moment was overwhelming.
Coinin waited a few minutes and became increasingly uncomfortable at the show of affection from the newcomers to Aniol, and when he could stand no more, he gave a rather loud cough, louder than he had intended, though it did the trick as three heads turned to face him.
Aniol turned pale and nearly fell over herself to introduce Coinin. ‘May I present Coinin Wulf, Curator of The Brotherhood of The Wulf.’
‘Curator?’ Jericho baulked. ‘When did this happen?’
‘Two days ago, General. Welcome home, you have been missed.’ Coinin stepped forward and offered his hand in friendship.
Jericho immediately knelt in front of his new leader. ‘Firstly I offer my life in your service, and secondly my friendship.’ He stood and took the offered hand and shook it heartily. ‘But what of Laliala?’
‘Archmage,’ Coinin announced.
Jericho’s smile dropped slightly at the realisation that Orodor had left his old life for a new one. ‘Orodor will be missed; a great man.’
Coinin nodded, unsure what to add to that, and turned to Aniol. ‘Would you please fetch the Archmage?’
Aniol saluted. ‘Immediately, Sir.’ She whirled and disappeared inside the temple.
Coinin watched her go and then ushered his new guests inside and to his comfortable study that was in the process of being outfitted to his tastes. In the centre of the room facing the door, a large oak desk had been sited there for him, alongside a comfortable high backed chair. Opposite the desk were two similar wooden chairs for guests.
Coinin offered his visitors a drink of water from a jug that had been placed on his desk. Both refused with thanks.
‘If I can’t offer you drink is there something else you would like?’ Coinin asked.
‘My sister is an excellent cook, and we ate not two hours ago. My stomach still sloshes with cheap pirate wine. Cheap, but good, I might add.’ Jericho winked.
Eliana merely rolled her eyes and smiled happily.
‘Pirate wine, you say? That should make for an interesting story. We should wait for the Archmage to hear it, however. It is good to see you return, I know Laliala never gave up hope, and your seat at the high table has been cold without you.’
‘It’s good to know she didn’t think me dead, and I very nearly was on several occasions,’ Jericho replied.
Coinin nodded to show he was listening and stood upon seeing a very happy-looking Archmage in the doorway to his study.
‘Oh my, the wanderers have returned. I am so glad to see you both,’ said Menin, her eyes welling with tears.
As before, Jericho politely dropped to one knee and bowed his head. ‘I offer my life and service to you Archmage, and our friendship remains always.’
Menin laughed. ‘Get up, you silly fool, and come here.’ She spread her arms and invited Jericho for a hug, which he accepted graciously. He and Menin were old friends, long before they had acquired their current roles. Indeed their friendship spanned decades from when they were children back in their home village to the east of Rosthagaar. She released him from her bosom and turned to Eliana. ‘Truelove,’ she said seriously. ‘You and I have a lot to discuss, and if you think I mean taking a piece of my temple with you and aiding pirates, I do not. I’m talking about the girl.’
Eliana Truelove dropped her gaze, ashamed. ‘Archmage.’
Menin winked at Jericho, and he knew instantly his sister would be fine. ‘Eliana, why don’t you take Aniol for a walk and get reacquainted?’
Eliana nodded solemnly, kissed her brother on the cheek, and then nodded to Coinin and left.
‘Well, now, isn’t this a turn-up for the books. A joyous occasion indeed. We’ve retrieved three precious things today.’ Archmage Menin sat gracefully on one of the provided chairs and invited Jericho to do the same.
He sat immediately and faced Menin. ‘Three things?’ he asked.
‘You, Eliana, and a daughter’s broken heart. Aniol has been ever so lost since her mother vanished,’ Menin responded. ‘But I want to know where you’ve been all this time.’
Jericho stood and paced the room anxiously. How would she take the news?
He bit his lip, balled his fists and turned to her. ‘Lordich Secracar lives,’ he said without emotion.
Menin jumped up from her chair as if stung by a bee and looked at Jericho disbelievingly. ‘That’s impossible, he was executed by your own hand,’ she spat fiercely.
Jericho nodded and looked saddened. ‘Yes, I thought so too, until I came face to face with him, as close as I am to you right now. He lives, this I swear to you.’
Menin sat down and blew out a stream of air. ‘This is not good, not good at all.’
‘He orchestrated the attack on the temple, and kidnapped me to his tower hideout,’ Jericho continued. ‘There is one more thing, he used her, used her for his own gains and then killed her.’
‘Whom?’ said a puzzled Menin. ‘Whom did he kill?’
‘My wife Eraywen,’ said Jericho quietly.
‘Oh Dareth, I’m so sorry, we had no idea. We thought perhaps she had returned to the village. Now it makes sense that she hadn’t enquired after you all this time. With everything that’s happened I didn’t think to check.’ Menin looked visibly distraught at the news. ‘Is there anything I, we, can do?’ she finished with a meaningful look at Coinin.
Jericho looked up bravely. ‘All in good time. Right now we need a strategy for capturing Lordich before he escapes.’
‘For that, we need a war council,’ said Menin. ‘That responsibility falls to the Curator.’
‘I shall see to it straight away, Laliala,’ said Coinin standing.
‘No, tomorrow is sufficient. Jericho, you are in need of proper rest, I sense it. You will return to your quarters, rest up a little and we will reconvene in the Council Chambers in the morning,’ Menin instructed.
Never one to object, especially to the Archmage, Jericho nodded. ‘Yes, milady, as you wish. Till tomorrow.’ He rose from his chair and walked from the room.
‘Goodnight,’ Menin called after him. ‘To you also, Curator.’
‘Goodnight, Laliala,’ Coinin replied absently, his mind in deep thought about what Jericho had said regarding Lordich Secracar. When Aniol returned, he would ask her for what information was held on this Secracar fellow. For now, he twiddled his thumbs thoughtfully. His brain still hurt from the overload of information he had ingested, and none of it right now helped him to come to any decisions about the next course of action.
He heard footsteps in the corridor heading to his study, and then the door was knocked upon loudly.
‘Enter,’ he said, looking up.
Aniol opened the door and bustled into the study red-faced and angry-looking. Coinin immediately stood and crossed to her. He placed a friendly hand on her shoulder and looked at her downcast face. She had been crying.
‘What is the matter?’ he asked.
Aniol looked him in the eyes, tears forming again. ‘She wants to leave and return to her floating infirmary to help those damned pirates.’
Coinin was unsure how to respond, and all he managed was, ‘Ah, I see.’
‘I want you to stop her, make her stay,’ Aniol asked, her eyes pleading.
Coinin’s heart sank. ‘As much as I would like to, Aniol, I can’t do that, you know I can’t,’ he said, without looking the tearful young woman in the eyes.
Aniol burst into sobs and slowly sank to the floor. Her head in her hands, she wept. ‘She’s my mother, you’d think she’d want to stay with her daughter. But no, I’m not important to her. I clearly don’t matter to her,’ she managed between sobs.
Coinin knelt and cocked his head at her;
his familiar frown returned as he studied her. ‘You’re wrong, I saw the way she held you. She loves you very much, I can tell. It is regrettable that she has a higher purpose and needs to pursue her dream to help others. That in itself is not a bad thing.’
‘But it’s not a good thing either, if she leaves her daughter behind,’ Aniol bit back. ‘What would you know?’
Coinin bit his tongue, allowing the insubordination to wash over him for the moment. ‘I know all too well what it is like to lose a mother.’ Coinin noted the look of abject horror on Aniol’s face as she remembered his history. ‘However, I will not stop this woman. This temple has a hold over no one. Anyone is free to leave, as they desire. Perhaps you need to sit down with your mother and discuss visiting each other occasionally.’
Aniol stood and held her head low. ‘I apologise for my rudeness. I did not stop to consider your feelings before I spoke.’
‘That much is evident, and I will overlook your earlier outburst. Just see that it doesn’t occur again. Before you visit your mother, please tell me where I might find information on Lordich Secracar.’
Aniol thought for a moment and raised a finger. ‘There should be a codex around here somewhere that will point to the information you seek. It’s a big leather-bound book. It contains the locations of each volume in the library.’
Coinin looked around, and found that the room was practically empty except for his desk and the ever-present painting of Soliath Wulf that beamed down at him from above the door. He returned to his desk and opened several drawers. In the bottom of the largest, a sizeable object wrapped in cotton caught his eye. He picked it up with a grunt, such was the weight, and dropped it noisily on the oak desk. He unwrapped the object and was happy to find that it seemed to be the book Aniol had mentioned.
‘That is it,’ Aniol confirmed. ‘Every interaction The Brotherhood has is written about, and the location of its volume is logged here. We should look for the entry Secracar, and beside it we should find a library location.’
Coinin unclasped a single leather buckle holding the volume closed and turned the thick cover to its first page, which was plain except for the words ‘The Great Library’ and in brackets underneath ‘LoA’ written in freehand. He thumbed page after page seeking the name Secracar and used his finger to run down each line of text in search of the name. Frustrated, he slammed the codex shut to a waft of dust.
The Aduramis Chronicles: Volumes 1-3: The Definitive Collection Page 28