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“Eat,” he said gently, patting her shaking hand. “Then we’ll talk.”

Alex nodded, too shocked to speak, and picked up the spoon. As she slurped the soup she tried to process what she’d just seen. Aside from the obvious impossibilities, she couldn’t get past the fact that she’d entered the library at night with her friends, but from the view out the window it was clearly daytime again. She must have been unconscious for hours. Jordan and Bear were probably worried sick about her. She only hoped they hadn’t done anything stupid—like tried to follow her down the black square.

Alex glanced around as if expecting her friends to pop out from behind a bookcase, but when they didn’t appear, she decided to presume that they had made it safely out of the hopscotch room and—hopefully—begun organising a search party for her.

On that optimistic thought, she gulped down the last few mouthfuls of soup and scraped the sides of the bowl before laying it aside.

“Better?” Darrius asked.

“Much. Thank you.”

He waved aside her gratitude and waited for her to speak.

She gathered her thoughts and said, “So, I fell, right? And I landed on my head?” Darrius nodded. “But where did I landgeographicallyspeaking? If we’re still in the library, how come we’re, like, hundreds of storeys up in the air?”

He smiled as if he approved of her question. “As I said, the Library has many secrets. This one, however, I believe it will allow me to share with you. Hot chocolate?”

Alex blinked. “Err—yes, please?” she said, more a question than an answer.

Only after Darrius had ordered their drinks from the TCD and sat back down again did he speak. “The Library was constructed before the beginning of time—or at least, time as we understand it. We don’t know how it was built, nor do we know who it was built by or even who it was built for. We don’t even know the exact date it was discovered. What wedoknow is that for hundreds of years, kingdoms and empires alike sought to lay claim to this marvellous archaeological structure.”

He took a sip from his drink. “History refers to the Library as ‘The Jewel of Medora’. It rose higher than the heavens and could be seen from a great distance in any direction. Its rooms held unimaginable wealth not only in the form of knowledge and wisdom, but material riches as well. For this reason, battles waged unceasingly for its ownership until even the soil was stained by blood.

“Those were dark and gloomy days. People fought for what they desired but could never truly attain. Ultimately, their greed was rewarded by death and destruction.

“The Library wasn’t an object to be claimed, but a haven for all to share and use. Having witnessed so much pain and suffering, it decided that the knowledge stored within was too great for mankind to be entrusted with, since all we were capable of was seeking our own ruin. Knowledge is power, and to be human is to desire power. So the Library made a decision.

“Battle-weary and bone-tired, the newest round of combatants were nursing their injuries and burying their dead after a hard day of conflict, when suddenly the ground started trembling. Those standing were brought to their knees as the earth shook around them. Gale-force winds stripped trees of their leaves and filled the air with debris. No one could see anything in the chaos and confusion, nor could they hear anything above the deafening roar.

“But then, just as suddenly as it started, so too did it end. It was only when the dust cleared that they bore witness to a truly inexplicable sight. The magnificent Library was no more.”

Alex waited impatiently while he drained the last of his drink. “Then what happened?” she prompted, sitting on the edge of her seat.

“Well, without a Library to fight over, there was no more reason for the bloodshed,” Darrius told her. “The armies retreated and the soldiers were sent home. The loss of the Library was a cause for mourning—so much knowledge and treasure had been lost—but many secretly rejoiced over its disappearance. In fact, we now commemorate the event with an annual holiday, one which we’ll be celebrating in only a few weeks from now, called Kaldoras. Loosely translated, it means ‘peace’. Over time, most people have forgotten the true reason for the holiday, and it has become much more commercial in nature, as is the way of events such as this. Kaldoras is now hailed as an excuse for gift-giving and feasting with loved ones, but the real origin of the celebrations is because, after the Library’s disappearance, peace came to the lands for the first time in generations.”

Darrius let her mull over that for a moment before he continued his story.

“Now,” he said, “around the time of the Library’s disappearance, a young Meyarin by the name of Eanraka founded a school for what he referred to as the ‘gifted’. He invited those whom he believed to have special talents to come and learn in an environment that would train them to the best of their abilities. But ultimately he was just one person, even if he was a Meyarin, and he was soon overwhelmed by challenges. He thought of abandoning his school until one day the answer to his problems literally appeared before him. Eanraka was walking towards his office when he tripped down a staircase he’d never seen before and found himself in an immense underground room.”

Darrius smiled at Alex and said, “You can see where the story is going, no doubt. The room he stumbled upon was the foyer of the great Library. From that day forward the Library was once again in a place where people could share in its knowledge. No longer the Jewel of Medora, the Library now rests unseen except by those whom it considers worthy.”

“But… doesn’t everyone know that the library is at Akarnae?” Alex asked. “Students have come and gone for years since then.”

“You’re quite right that the general population understands that there isalibrary of quality at the academy, but very few realise it istheLibrary of legend. It doesn’t reveal its secrets to just anyone, you know.”

“And that’s another thing,” Alex said. “You said the library didn’t like all the fighting and made the decision to disappear… But, Darrius, it’s alibrary. Abuilding. Why do you keep talking about it as if it’s a person? I can practically hear you capitalise it. You have to know that’s weird, right?”

“It is much more than a person,” he answered cryptically. “I can’t explain what I don’t understand, but all I know is that the Library is, for lack of a better word, alive. And it seems to like you. Very few people over the course of history have been Chosen to bear its secrets. No doubt you’re going to have some interesting times ahead of you, Alexandra.”

Alex looked at him with wide eyes. She was already stuck in another world; she wasn’t sure if she could handle her life becoming any more interesting.

“There’s something else I should warn you about,” Darrius continued, oblivious to her thoughts. “As you’ve likely gathered from the adventure which led you here, the Library isn’t merely a building for storing books and resources. Knowledge and wisdom come from experiences and challenges, adversity and even failure. The rooms you may encounter won’t be at all like what you’d expect to find in a normal library. But if you so desire, you’ll learn more than you could possibly imagine as you explore its secrets.”

If the other rooms he referred to were anything like the hopscotch room, then Alex wasn’t really sure that she was up to such exploration. But at the same time, she had to admit she was a little excited about the possibilities. Jordan and Bear would love it.

“Can I tell my friends about all this?” Alex asked, knowing she probably would anyway.

“I think those who showed you the chequered room can share in your knowledge since they must have been trusted enough to unlock some of the Library’s secrets. But that doesn’t mean they’ll always be able to accompany you wherever you go. Their access will likely be much more limited than your own. As for anyone else, you should hide your knowledge of the Library’s existence—partly for your own safety.”