After saying goodnight to the others, she secreted Elisabeth’s book to her chamber. No surprise that Cullen was still away. She checked the vibrations of her jadestone. Feeling rhythms of his life systems, she let go of some worry. She hoped the hidden magic in the ancient text held more information that might transmit to her subconscious mind. Placing the prized volume underneath her pillow, she channeled her thoughts to become quiet and accept sleep.
***
Lyra woke to find Cullen breathing with a soft snore beside her. She tried to remember her dreams, any clues about the location of the Staurolite. She felt under her pillow, but the book wasn’t there. It rested on Cullen’s nightstand. She hadn’t thought the text could cause her to have dangerous nightmares. She smiled, knowing he protected her even in her sleep.
Outside the window, stars twinkled against a midnight sky. Her muscles twitched from her desire to go to the observatory and ask the Spheres of Sidus where to find the Staurolite.
She turned to face Cullen and felt the comfort of the magical bond of love through their touching legs. He deserved the benefit of good rest as much as she did during these hard times. She remained content to watch the stars coursing past the window and listened to the peacefulness of his breath.
Chapter Twelve: The Sycamore’s Seed
Lyra rolled over onto the other side of the bed, which was empty and cool. She sat up and looked around. Anxiously, she checked for the ancient text—still on the nightstand.
Cullen had left a note on his pillow.
She unfolded it and read his quick script.
My dearest Lyra,
Duty called me to ride out with the squadron leaving before first light. Attacks are becoming more ruthless, attempting to blockade supplies from the secured areas. Green dragons, usually loners, have been brought into the Dark Realm’s forces. They instill a magical sense of panic into the noxious chlorine gases they belch. With them present, evil hangs in the air. I feel restored after a night next to you, feeling our love. I fight hard to be able to always have that to share with you.
Take care and work hard, my love.
Cullen
Thinking of him in even more dangerous battle, Lyra bit her lip. She waved a hand and materialized the enchanted keepsake box he had given her during her sorcery training. Inside still lay the key to his bookstore, the closest portal to the human world—just in case she couldn’t conjure the key. She placed the special note inside and smiled at the ways he’d protected her. After closing the case, she ran a finger over the wooden inlay—the only item he owned that had belonged to his mother. Holding it to her, she made it vanish to a secure place always present, near her. Her own close family was gone too. She and Cullen were each other’s family now. Dreams of children to expand their family flooded her mind. She pushed the thoughts aside. Work needed to be done first. She needed to learn where to find the Staurolite.
She hurriedly conjured her way through cleaning up and dressing. Not bothering to wait for the breakfast tray, she left for the observatory.
***
From memory, Lyra arranged the three onyx balls to represent the birthmate stars of three of her maternal ancestors—for the woman who lived before, during, and after the time her question occurred. Unsure whether the stars were currently in those exact positions, she gripped the carved edge of the table while weighing the temptation to check their sky positions.
Yesterday, she’d located them with Mimio’s help at their noontime positions. Just after dawn now, they would be riding lower in the sky toward one horizon or the other, depending upon their specific rotations. She hesitated about who would be represented by the black sphere, then adjusted its location for Elisabeth’s birthmate star, Hamal, the same as her own. According to the writings, no one had restored the Emtori Ruby to the pan of the Elementum Arcesso. The first Scribe had to be the last to contact the gem. She matched both the gray and white onyx balls, representing herself, again to Hamal. The question about the Staurolite burned in her mind, and she transmitted it along with her aura to each sphere. The balls needed to be aligned exactly for the device to utilize astral energies. A glimpse of the actual stars wouldn’t hurt her, especially since they were dim in the early morning hour.
She peeked at the western sky for Hamal, scanning the horizon to see if it had risen. Regulus, the prominent spring fire star, competed for her attention. She tried to ignore it and forced her gaze to follow the tree line. Hamal rode so low on the horizon, she could only feel its connection to her aura.
The large utopian rondure orb of rainbow moonstone she positioned in the center of the trio, corresponding to her as the holder of the question. She covered it with her hands and infused her aura while formally delivering her question. “Where do I find the Staurolite?”
An image rose from a haze, cloudy like the utopian rondure. It cleared to reveal the back of a woman holding the Staurolite. Its cross shape showed in her outstretched hand. There was no ruby seated in the Staurolite base and no indication of a location. Lyra strained her eyes to see details of the woman and the misty background. The image failed to respond. She shot more aura into the orb. Behind the figure, she saw a crossroads of five fissures coming together. The female wore a long blond braid down to the center of her back. Lyra’s heart leapt. That was her hair, although the clothing seemed unfamiliar with a skirt held out by a petticoat.
Lyra felt unsteady and withdrew her aura, letting the image fade. Its details bothered her. Sandy colored walls of the deep fissures in the background looked like the images from Elisabeth’s descriptions of Cerid’s Crux. According to the reading, if she was there with the Staurolite, why wasn’t the ruby attached to the base stone? The Staurolite naturally attracted the Emtori Ruby. If the two stones were in the same land, it should be easy to use one to find the other, if the seeker’s aura matched the ruby’s. Provided Garrett’s enchantment still held. Lyra’s mind revolved around the logic, trying to understand what the instrument’s image might have left out. Or what she hadn’t noticed. Or what she couldn’t remember. Her thoughts spun in circles. Her vision went black.
Lyra opened her eyes and found herself on the floor. She shook her head, wondering whether she completed the reading or not. Snatches of the conjured vision returned. She rested against the table leg and extended her legs. The coolness of the stone pavers helped ground her, and the dizziness receded quickly. She’d underestimated the strength of the fire star and relied too much on the pocket watch amulet. Her reckless behavior caused her to suffer another seizure, although slight. Lyra held it to her chest as her memories from the reading aligned. She’d been lucky…or had she?
***
Lyra reached the library without anyone other than the guard outside the Imperial study knowing her whereabouts. Most dragons had already left to fight or slept in deep exhaustion from their patrol. But her health served as the ultimate judge. She thought she’d used caution, but hadn’t been careful enough.
She replaced Elisabeth’s Book of Dragonspeir she’d borrowed onto one end of the work table and moved a breakfast tray to the other. Determined to respect her health, Lyra picked up a bowl of porridge and sat down. She opened Nareene’s book and, between spoonfuls of the tasty meal, searched for clues to find the Staurolite. After a few minutes, she greeted the Tortoise and Mimio who entered and selected breakfast fruits. “Morning. The second Scribe had a different writing style. I’m struggling to skim. Elisabeth’s rhythm was like mine, with a slightly different vocabulary. The magic stood apart easily.”
“How does this prose differ?” the Guardian mumbled through a mouthful of canned pears.
“Nareene’s sentences are short and read with a choppy pace. It’s harder to pick out the hidden meanings. In fact, a lot reads without magic at all.”
He licked the sticky fruit juice from his lips. “I think history can tell us much in this case.”
The sorceress nodded at him. “Most definitely.”
“Yes. I know she was for
ced to escape the Alliance when the Black Dragon took over.” Lyra titled a clean page in her notebook. She jotted down the name of the keystone this Scribe found, a moonstone corresponding to the element of air. She also listed her own golden beryl heliodor as a secondary stone.
“Once the Dark Realm successfully stole the Emtori Ruby, the Elementum Arcesso that supplies much of Alliance power was rendered useless,” the Tortoise added. “It requires all four keystones to operate. Elisabeth delayed the onset of evil when she stole the ruby from the Black Dragon. Two hundred years after her, times were at their worst in the recorded history of the Alliance. The Dark Realm governed all lands in Dragonspeir—”
“Except for the forest of Silva Caliga,” Lyra added.
He nodded. “That is a partial truth. The Black Dragon’s forces did invade that neutral territory. However, the tree spirits fought in ways the drakes weren’t accustomed to. This allowed the trees and their keepers time to appeal to the sky world above them called Aria, which you recently visited. The Arials pledged support, supplying men, which didn’t serve to bolster Silva Caliga. Conveniently, Nareene, along with thousands from the Alliance, took refuge there. As you learned, in trading a copy of the Book of Dragonspeir she’d written, she presented a way for direct energy transfer between the two lands. That was much more valuable to the tree spirits than actual manpower in typical battles. This we know from transcribed reports from their trees.”
“What is known about Nareene before she fled into Silva Caliga and then to Aria?” Mimio asked.
“I’m afraid not much.” The Tortoise shook his head. “The lair was ransacked. The three remaining keystones—the moonstone, Pearl of Pendola, and fluorite—were stolen. No one has since been able to return even one to the Elementum Arcesso. The only records that remain from that time and previous were those stored in a secret vault. As an historian, I’m keenly interested in this Scribe’s account, even apart from her magical clues. We can learn much about what to avoid from those dark times.”
“Well, I’ll only read aloud the scenes about how she found the moonstone,” Lyra said.
“Yes. Certainly. I can read the rest at another time.” He waved a front foot. “Please continue.”
Lyra took a sip of tea and began.
I stood shivering before King Ilar and Queen Maryell. My filthy gown hung in tatters. So did my entire body. I tried to lift my head high and do what was right for the Alliance.
“What brings you to Aria?” the king asked. His clear, peaceful eyes rested upon me. Scars marred the pale skin of his neck and forearms. He’d surely known fierce battles.
“I hold the position of the second Scribe of the Alliance in Dragonspeir. My name given to me from my parents in the human world is Nareene. I’m here at request of the tree keepers and the World Tree of Silva Caliga. They gave thousands of Alliance residents refuge from attacking forces of the Dark Realm. I must repay their favor through a trade with your kingdom.”
The queen leaned over the arm of her throne toward me. “There is so much sadness about you. What happens in the worlds below that is so horrific?” She took my hand. Her soft fingers decorated with pale yellow gems. My nails, caked with grime, made me embarrassed.
“Many of our people narrowly escaped the Dark Realm’s fighters. Desperate souls all of them. Dragons, wizards, and mortals alike looked to me for guidance. I was their Scribe, an inherited title. I suppose I still am. The land is lost now. The Black Dragon’s forces ransacked our Imperial lair. The remaining keystones of the Elementum Arcesso were stolen. I didn’t serve well enough to deserve my status. The last wave of attacks cut short my sorcery training. I used my aura in the limited ways I could to clear passage for the uninjured into Silva Caliga.” I hung my head. “I couldn’t help most. The lucky died instantly in volleys of fire from magma drake flames. The cries of the sufferers yet ring in my ears.”
The king rubbed his short, blond beard. His eyes narrowed on me. “It was only days ago that we were paid a visit from the Lady of the Forest. She guides the tree keepers in Silva Caliga. She begged for help to keep their land from falling to the Dark Realm. We pledged support and sent fifty of our strongest lads. A dozen returned injured. Overpowered, she sent the others along. So, I know the urgency in Silva Caliga but see that I am powerless to help.” He lifted his forearms. “What more can we do?”
“The keepers discovered I was the Scribe. They took me to their World Tree and—”
“I am often in contact with him.” He nodded. “His portal is the site of energy transfer between our lands. He has requested more and more power to be given from us to his keepers.” He learned forward. “So much has passed out of Aria that we must conserve. Losing more, we shall be unable to protect our portals to other worlds. Our enemies here will notice and take advantage. Our powers are in short supply. Our men cannot fight on the terms of battle in lands below. Please, what can we do?”
“The World Tree asked me about my scribal tasks. Chief among those few I had time and means to address was the writing of this book.” I removed a copy from my leather case. “It’s an account of my time thus far as the Scribe. It is brief, as was my time in the Alliance.”
He accepted the leather-bound copy. Opening it, he remarked, “The ink is still fresh with scent, but there is more. There is a strong power weighing against my hands. It is alive with energy!” His face lit with wide eyes. “I can make good with this. I can unlock this power for Aria’s use. In turn, we can make more of our power freely available to Silva Caliga. The trade is a fair one.”
“What will your power enable for the trees and their keepers?” I wanted to be certain my sole accomplishment was put to best use.
“They cannot use the power as it exists imbued in your words. The Alliance can, but not Silva Caliga. The precepts of magic vary. However, I can easily open what lies underneath this ink. We will change it to a form their trees have been using for centuries. Then keepers will be better able to align and fight with their own webs of magic.”
I raised my face to the yellow haze of Aria’s sky. The warmth soothed my stresses. I clasped the queen’s hand tightly.
She pulled me into an embrace I shall never forget. I felt the promise of the entire kingdom in her touch.
Tears filled my eyes. I pulled away and dropped to the floor at their feet. “Thank you. I have no words. Thank you. My magic will at last serve my people.”
“Rise, Scribe Nareene. We shall secure this deal in writing for fairness. None shall think you did not serve.” He nodded to a courier.
“Please, may I make a small request?”
“Yes. Of course.” He accepted a parchment and quill from the aide.
“I would like to remain here just one day to add two additional chapters. It will strengthen the magic of the volume for the good of all.”
The king smiled and lowered his head into a bow. “By all means.”
“I would like to record what transpired when we were forced from the Alliance lands. Also, it should be known about the kindness of Aria.”
A pair of couriers accompanied the queen from her throne. They showed me to a quiet cubicle elsewhere in their castle. Little other than a small desk, a few chairs, and writing utensils decorated the all white room. Sunlight filtered in through the walls fashioned from clouds.
The great lady, dressed in her fine yellow gown, sat beside me. “Nareene, I read your plight. Do not ever think your service has been of little value.”
One of the couriers returned with a small white pouch he handed to her.
Maryell opened the small purse. She withdrew a large moonstone of a creamy white like her complexion. She placed it in my palm, and rested her own below. “This was just given to us by the Lady of the Forest in her trade. It belongs to your Alliance. I shall now empower this moonstone with a poem. Both are my gift to you. Follow the verse to best serve your people.” Her voice lifted into an angelic song.
Soft light of this moonstone,
Pure of heart and noble of deed,
To no wrongdoing must it atone,
Giving so many the chance to be freed.
Tho generations hence new crops will be sown,
And young ones no longer have need,
This moonstone shall shine its light until they be grown,
Keeping watch in the mature sycamore’s seed.
She closed my hand around the gem. “Take time now to finish your writing. Then, our couriers shall deliver you to the portal of the sycamore. That leads to your homeland.” She smiled and left me in tranquil silence.
Warfare had battered my thoughts into chaos. My mind drank the stillness. There I sat for some time. I wrote with great intent. Joy filled my heart, and words flowed fast. I fought to see through moisture clouding my eyes. I knew it would be my last duty as the Scribe. The people of the Alliance would remain unharmed in Silva Caliga, until they found a weak link in the Dark Realm’s rule. Generations hence would know a different Alliance than I. But they would remember the gift I gave as a Scribe.
Lyra drew a sharp breath and closed the book. “That was the end. I had no idea the book I recovered was the sole copy. Multiples of the others, from Elisabeth and Sorcha, are rumored to exist. I’ve seen several of Brigid’s and, of course, mine.”
“I didn’t realize that either.” The Tortoise waved the book to float to him rather than sliding it across the table. “An exceptional rarity.” He draped a face mask over his nose and hovered a magnifier above the book, waving pages to turn with his magic.
“Since the text cuts off before Nareene’s scribal tasks were completed, how will we locate that moonstone?” Mimio asked.
Lyra’s mouth curled into a grin. “Thanks to the World Tree of Silva Caliga making me solve his impossible riddle, I have a good hunch—Wachatoo River. That was where Nareene passed through a portal from Aria into the human world. She climbed down a tall sycamore tree.”
Enchanted Bookstore Legends (5-book complete epic fantasy romance box set) Page 96