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“How doth thee, fair lady?”

Forty-Two

D.C. squealed in shock andpulled against the bonds that tied her to Alex, almost tipping them both over.

Alex couldn’t see the knight since she was facing the wrong way, so she called out to him. “Sir Camden! Over here!”

She beamed with relief when he walked into her line of sight and bowed to her.

“Greetings, Lady Alexandra,” he said. “Why art thou so unceremoniously tethered? Doth the lady require assistance?”

“Yes, please,” Alex said, somewhat urgently. “Can you untie us?”

The knight—or suit of armour, really—pulled his sword out of his scabbard and kneeled near her feet. He slipped the blade carefully through the bonds and started to saw, but nothing happened.

“These here bonds be mighty strong,” he said, pulling his weapon back out. “My sword be not as sharp as it once was.”

“Itoldyou,” D.C. whispered, still startled by the knight’s sudden appearance. “You need something made out of Myrox.”

Alex sighed, realising that D.C. was right. But then she had another idea. “Sir Camden, I need you to go and find someone who can help us, can you do that?”

“A quest?” he asked, sounding just as excited as the last time.

“A noble quest,” she confirmed. “I need you to find Darrius and tell him where we are and that we need help.”

“I hath no knowledge of this Darrius,” Sir Camden told her. “I may only search for one such as thee, one Chosen by this here Library.”

Alex frowned. DarriuswasChosen by the Library. But she didn’t have time to question Sir Camden before D.C. cut in.

“What about the headmaster, Sir Knight? Can you locate Professor Marselle?”

“Aye, that I can,” he said, straightening up. “Fear not, fair maidens. Sir Camden shalt lead the cavalry to aid in thy liberation.”

With that, Sir Camden walked straight through the stone wall without looking back.

“Do I even want to know where you met him?” D.C. asked.

“Nope,” Alex said. “But I wish I’d thought of him earlier.”

“You’ve had a bit on your mind,” D.C. said kindly.

Alex nodded in the darkness, appreciating her new friend’s understanding. “I just hope he finds the headmaster in time. Marselle could be anywhere and I don’t know if Sir Camden is restricted to the Library or not.”

“He walked straight out of here just fine,” D.C. said. “He can probably use the doorways just like anyone else.”

“I hope so,” Alex said. “Because Aven’s sure to be back soon.”

D.C. didn’t reply, but her silence was agreement enough. Both girls were becoming more anxious by the minute. Alex tried wiggling her hands again, even if it was no use. She stared at the Moxyreel tied around her feet, glowing despite the lack of light. It was beautiful, even if it was restricting.

As Alex squinted at the metal she thought there was something vaguely familiar about it. “This Myrox stuff,” she said, “can it be made into other things? Weapons? Jewellery?”

“Yes,” D.C. said. “Most of the Meyarin weapons are forged from Myrox, as far as I know. And I guess that they could just as easily make jewellery out of it as well, since it’s so pretty. Why?”

Pictures whirled through Alex’s head. The dagger she’d given Bear’s dad for Kaldoras, the shiny brooch she’d given Dorothy. William had said both were priceless, made from Meyarin metal.

And there was one other gift which she’d forgotten about as the months had passed.

“Your bracelet,” Alex gasped. “Are you wearing it?”