Heart Stone Read online

  I turned to the guys, my heart racing. "Well, gentlemen, I believe I've had enough to eat. Perhaps it’s time for us to retire and discuss other items?"

  I widened and relaxed my eyes, and both nodded.

  We walked to the door without delay or speaking. Once we were within the safety of the reading room, we waited until the door was shut, then began to chuckle.

  "What was that?" The awe in Jarid’s voice was audible.

  I shrugged, holding both hands up in front of my face.

  "I have no idea. I asked the Library for help, anticipating maybe someone would come by. When he threw that punch, I closed my eyes. I have absolutely no idea how my hand caught his and was able to squeeze hard enough to bring him to his knees." I grimaced. "I'm a Librarian, a scholar, not a strong woman. It must have been the Library answering me, or maybe something left over from reading the tablets about Beru."

  He whistled appreciatively. "Well, whatever it was, Franse will think twice about bothering you again." He rolled his eyes, adding, "Me, on the other hand? I'm sure I'll be fair game the moment your back is turned."

  I looked at him with an instant pit of dread in my stomach. I knew he was right. "The Library isn't as safe as I thought. I'm beginning to think carrying the goblet in my bag, on my person constantly, isn't the best place for it. I need to find a hiding spot, at least until I can figure out what it does or discover what my next move should be.

  "I know of one way you might be able to conceal it," He spoke slowly as he thought his idea through. "In the room where we found the other books on Onen Suun, there was a way to put something into a text. To hide objects inside a book."

  A bark of laughter escaped me. "It's funny you should mention that. I was thinking before we went to eat how my penchant for getting lost in a book could be a real risk instead of merely a figure of speech."

  He bobbed his head in agreement. “It's crossed my mind a few times over the years as well. Some of the things I’ve seen in the last five years have been rather strange."

  All humor faded as I looked at him, feeling an urgency I hadn’t before supper. "Let's go back to the room now. Show me what you're talking about and I can decide after. All I know for certain is there are people we can't trust here, and I'm not willing to let the goblet fall into the wrong hands."

  Chapter 3

  We headed back to the place I’d begun to think of as my personal secret chamber. Jarid was motivated in a way I'd never seen before, his eyes bright and head held high. I wasn't sure if it was the altercation with Franse which had brought the spring to his step, or the thought of using a text he'd always been fascinated by.

  Either way, when we returned to the Suun Room the guards again stepped aside unquestioningly when I flashed my key. Once inside, he pulled out his wonderful reference volume, flipped the page, concentrated, then closed it with an ear-to-ear grin.

  "So, interesting thing here. It says the book we need for this is one of the books in your bag. The one neither of us could read."

  A wave of surprise filled me, followed immediately by amusement. The Library had foreseen my needs and given me the exact tools I required before I knew I needed them. I was rapidly discovering I simply needed to ask the correct questions, which still slowed me down. I couldn’t blame the Library for that though as it was more my issue than anything else. I shook my head as I looked at the walls around me. Not for the first time I had a sense the Library was able to hear my thoughts. Or maybe it was simply omniscient.

  "Figures. I knew there was a reason I wanted that book. I'd thought about dropping it off somewhere, but the weird little voice I’ve been hearing in my head told me I’d need it soon. Now, I'm starting to wonder if that little voice isn't my conscience after all."

  I looked around dramatically, squinting and shifting my eyes from side to side while both the guys chuckled. It was funny, but at the same time, I meant it. Things seemed to be happening for a reason, whether we understood why or not.

  I pulled the richly bound volume out of my bag, glancing at the plain cover for a moment. "I think the reason neither of us could read this is because it's not words yet.” My words were halting as I looked at the book, thinking as I spoke.

  "I'm not sure. I mean, I knew of this particular book’s existence, but I had no idea it was one of the books you had in your bag until now. I just assumed it was a book written in a language I couldn't read."

  I raised my eyebrows in disbelief.

  He flinched from my glare and whined, "What? I'm not a full Librarian yet, I only know about twenty or so languages, and most of those are only to read, not speak. There's probably another hundred or more I don't know, and who knows how many other languages we aren’t even aware of."

  I reluctantly allowed him his explanation and passed the book over so he could examine it. When his face lit up, I was certain it was the right book.

  "So, you said we can use this book to keep the goblet safe? How?"

  He sat down on a square of the floor, crossing his legs as he opened the book between them and looked back at me. "As I understand it, this book will allow you to store objects within it. There is a spell, but it's easy. It uses magic already bound within the pages of the book itself from nature, so the person casting it doesn’t need to have their own magic. Once the item is inside, you can devise a series of tests or puzzles to keep the item safe. To retrieve the object, the person has to solve them to get to the page where the object will be waiting for them."

  My eyes widened. "You mean, tests like the way the Library tested me to get to this room?"

  "Exactly." He looked around, a mixture of fondness, irritation, and approval on his face as he surveyed the walls around us. "The Library is very particular. I’ve heard rumors it’s alive, but others say it's a collection of beings we can understand if they choose to speak to us. Either way, the Library is a sentient being. Many of the objects within it seem to retain or possess the same qualities."

  He pointed at the key around my neck.

  "I haven't been lucky enough to attain one yet, but I believe once a Librarian is gifted with a key, it will help direct any natural magic they possess, as well as give other abilities when the Library sees fit."

  I rested my hand on my shirt, feeling the pulse of the key beneath it, comforting against my skin. The idea I could end up with powers beyond what the Library had already bestowed upon me was both frightening and exciting. I hoped I’d be able to cope with what the Library threw at me, and it wasn't wrong in its assessment of my abilities.

  "How does the book work?"

  He held up the same finger he'd used to point at my key, then flipped through his own book. He stopped, looked at the shelf directly behind us and pulled a smaller, cream-colored volume off the shelf. "The spell should be in here. As well as instructions on how to craft your puzzle, or puzzles, to protect it.

  Greedily, I accepted the book and settled in to read. Although it had less than fifty pages, I read and reread several of the entries until I was certain I had them firmly locked inside my memory. While not the most powerful elf in my family magically, I'd always felt as if my ability to retain information and details was more natural to me than others, either through extensive practice or innate ability.

  When I looked up, it was to find both boys watching me.

  Jarid was tapping his fingers impatiently against his leg while Sel was trying to keep his face flat and emotionless, but he was leaning so far over I could almost feel his breath on my neck. When I caught him, he blushed and moved back, pretending he hadn’t been trying to read over my shoulder.

  I smirked before standing and stretching my stiff muscles, then took the cream-colored book, along with the red volume, over to the pedestal. At some point between when we’d left the Suun Room and returned from supper, the volume which had been there had vanished, leaving an empty workspace, as if the Library expected us to need a place to put other books.

  I glanced at the room, putting that idea behin
d me when nothing but the expected silence from the walls greeted me. The words were written in old Elvish, which I spoke fluently. I traced the words with my fingers as I read aloud.

  A slight shifting of the items within my satchel startled me, and I realized the goblet was still inside. Without breaking my concentration, I flipped the leather bag open and withdrew the goblet, placing it on top of the book, in the center just above the spine. As I recited the words, the key on my chest became almost uncomfortably warm.

  Something was happening involving the Library's magic.

  It was working!

  The words weren’t complicated. In fact, it seemed like a prayer to the God of Learning and Knowledge, specifically to keep the information within the book safe. As I spoke, midway through the first page, the goblet began to glow. I stuttered as the edges of the metal became vague and cloudy but pushed on. Before I knew it, it seemed to melt.

  It poured into the red bound book as I tried to speak the incantation through a strange tightness in my chest. I pushed through my astonishment until there was no sight of the goblet.

  I finished the last paragraph and paused to let the events sink in. The goblet was gone, as were the words from the red text. I closed the cream-colored book I’d used for the spell, turning to the guys, who waited at the bottom of the podium with bright, curious eyes.

  "Now what?" I tilted my head as I waited for an answer.

  Jarid looked at me blankly for a moment, pursing his lips before finally responding with a hint of confused irritation present in his voice. “I'm not sure. I mean, you're the one who read the instruction manual. What did it say?"

  I rolled my eyes, but realized he was right. They’d merely watched from the sidelines while I figured out the spell and performed it. I laid out what I had read for him.

  “It basically showed me I needed to create a test so I would be able to get back to the goblet, but only I or someone I thought worthy…" I winced, only now understanding the implications of what I’d read. “I guess it's a failsafe, in case I die or don't make it back to the book."

  He nodded solemnly. "In that case, it should be a test specific to you and things only you or someone close to you would know. Or if you’re worried it will be a thousand years until someone finds it, you might want to ensure someone who doesn't know anything about you can solve it." He looked at the book. "There is a chance the goblet truly could be lost forever if no one can solve your puzzles."

  "Yeah, good point, but not one I’m comfortable thinking about." I gnawed on my lower lip, trying to decide which was the better option. Something specific to me, or something an individual who didn’t know me, but who I’d be happy with having the goblet, would be able to retrieve it.

  I wrinkled my nose as I looked at him. "Maybe a combination of the two?"

  He nodded. "Sure. What were you thinking?"

  I stared at the book, seeing Sel out of the corner of my eyes watching with an attentive expression and stopped. "Well here’s the thing. I hadn't really. Maybe some riddles?"

  "To test a person's intelligence. Or learning? There are plenty of riddles anyone who's had any kind of education would get, and others which could be more of a puzzle."

  "Good point." Absently biting at my thumbnail, I racked my brain for specifics. "Well, there’s one riddle coming to mind, but it might be too easy."

  When they waited for me to tell them, I reluctantly elaborated. "I learned this one almost as soon as I learned to read. What travels on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"

  They furrowed their eyebrows, looking first at each other, then back at me blankly. I felt a little more confident and less silly now I knew neither had heard it before.

  "Man. Well, humans anyway."

  At the same instant, their faces brightened with comprehension.

  "I get it!" Sel smiled. "Babies crawl, adults walk upright, and the elderly sometimes walk with a cane."

  "It may not be the most difficult, but it should ensure someone had basic education, at least in the art of reasoning. Do you want to use it?" Jarid paused, adding, "Of course, we both know the answer now and we would be able to access the goblet as well."

  I nodded, having already considered that. "Honestly, after what we've been through together, in addition to Will and Gwen, I can't think of anyone else I’d trust more to use this goblet for the right reasons. So, I fully expect either of you to be able to access the goblet if I…"

  I let my sentence trail off. I could see they understood, and I didn't need to finish my fatalistic line of thinking. I moved on briskly. "So, the first one is done."

  I looked down at the cream-colored book, flipping through the pages as I considered the best way to activate the riddle as a test. It appeared to be relatively straightforward. There was another short paragraph to say, and the riddle should go into the book, the same way the goblet had.

  Once finished, I nodded with satisfaction.

  "There, I can read it, can you?" I turned the page for him to see, the bindings soft beneath my hand.

  He squinted, smiling sheepishly as he answered. "Not well, but I can see it’s there. My Elvish isn't what it should be for a Librarian. I've been studying hard, don't worry,” he added quickly.

  I looked at Sel, but he shook his head. He didn't know how to read Elvish. Obviously, that would limit anyone who could find the goblet to someone who could speak and read Elvish. An unintended puzzle all by itself, I realized with surprise. It hadn’t been intentional but would serve well as a second test.

  As I watched, the pages in the book changed, adjusting to the content. At the back of the book, the pages were filling with scrawling script, along with page after page of images of the goblet, which when placed together approximately formed the size. I'd never seen this kind of magic before, and it was fascinating to watch.

  "We should have at least two more tasks," Sel piped up.

  I tilted my head to the side, surprised he had an opinion on it. "How come?"

  His lip quirked up in a half-smile. "Because every good quest should have at least three tasks to accomplish. What about one based on character?"

  I narrowed my eyes as I considered his idea. "Interesting. Like what? How would I create a test specifically for character?"

  Sel looked at the book. "I'm not entirely sure. Maybe give them a choice? Between the goblet, which they may or may not be looking for specifically, and something most beings would desire more?"

  I hummed as I thought it through. Something everyone would desire, regardless of who they were. My eyes widened as I looked at them. "What does almost everyone on this planet find valuable?"

  They answered in unison.

  "Fortune," Sel pronounced, adding an emphatic nod.

  “Freedom.” Jarid corrected, wrinkling his forehead as he considered Sel.

  I looked between them, surprised. I would've thought they would have answered the other way around, given one had been a slave technically his whole life and the other had no need for money, since his needs were provided for by the Library. Perhaps I was showing my own biases again.

  "Okay, freedom and fortune. How about both? Offering the reader enough to live on for the rest of their lives wherever they choose or the prize at the end of the book instead?"

  Jarid grimaced. "Unless they're actually searching for the goblet, and even if they are, I think most people would pick freedom and fortune over a vague prize at the end of the book."

  Sel enthusiastically agreed. "It's perfect. So how are you going to do it?"

  I could feel a devilish smile creep over my face.

  "Well…" I paused dramatically to draw out the tension. "I'll just ask them, 'Would they rather?'"

  Jarid leaned back, eyebrows raised as he considered it. "You mean, ask them if they had a choice between solving the puzzle and getting to the end, or living free of ownership and financial worries, which they would choose?"

  "Why not? Sometimes the hardest
tasks have the easiest answers." I liked the simplicity. A question with a yes or no was simple yet telling. If riches could distract someone, they weren’t the right person to have the goblet. I smiled and turned back to the book, repeating another short paragraph, and watched as the words went across the page and demanded the reader choose.

  It was clever the way the book rearranged itself. Whoever was reading had to choose one of two phrases. Depending on which they spoke, they would either be closer to the goblet, or the words themselves would vanish from the page and leave the reader with nothing.

  I felt marginally guilty. I was, in a sense, lying to the unknown reader about their options. Hopefully, it would be myself or one of my friends in the worst-case scenario, and they should know the correct answer and not be led astray. My conscience slightly lessened, I smiled at the guys.

  "There, part two is over. Now, one more."

  Chapter 4

  Once the goblet was protected, we had to figure out what the Library wanted us to find next. I thought back to the texts in my family’s library, and the artifacts it had mentioned. But those accounts had been vague. I hadn't even known the goblet was one of the artifacts until I'd found it, which didn't give me much to go on.

  All I knew for certain was the goblet was safe, tucked into a book in my satchel close to my body. Although it was still on me, unless you knew what you were looking for and where, it was as safe as it could be under any lock and key. If only information about the other artifacts was easier to find.

  By now it was getting late and my eyes were telling me they didn't have long before they would become heavy and any further quest for knowledge would become futile. I began to pack up my books, pausing when I heard an excited exclamation from the other side of the room.