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She failed to bring peace when the nation needed it most and wrought destruction in its place.

Failed. But what did failure mean exactly? And destruction? What had she done?

Had the previous Divine forsaken her duties and gone on to live a normal life? Had she died at too young an age? Had she disagreed with the council’s methods and taken matters into her own hands?

Arianna placed the book on a table and moved on. She’d littered half the library with forgotten books, but they always managed to find their way back to the shelves.

A feeling of triumph trickled down the bond and she paused to check on it. Rion left every morning after breakfast with a swift kiss and a promise to return before nightfall. The task of building something brought life to her mate in a way she hadn’t seen in a while. Maybe the productivity gave Rion a renewed sense of purpose.

She couldn’t wait to see his progress.

Rion had been a general in Brónach’s military for a large portion of his life. He’d had missions, subordinates, schedules, and had maintained it all with a firm hand. But upon leaving his camp behind, Rion had lost his purpose. Even if he tried to claim she was his purpose now.

Arianna rolled her eyes, sighed, and ran her hands along a leather spine. Another history book. At least Rion’s task felt important. All she did day in and day out was read and search for answers that didn’t seem to exist. She looked up through the library’s glass ceiling and noted the sun’s position. She’d missed lunch. Again.

“Distracted?” Talon asked.

She headed toward him and studied the book in his hand. Talon was here for other reasons. To keep an eye on her in Rion’s place and to do some research of his own. Talon needed a fool proof exit strategy should things ever go awry. He’d been bent over maps and blueprints for days. Maybe she could request an exit strategy for days like today.

“Bored,” she admitted. Talon grunted and returned to his book. Apparently boredom wasn’t a good enough reason to disappear from the city.

“Has Niall ever mentioned if there are levels below the manor?”

“Like a basement?” she clarified. Talon nodded and she shrugged. “I never asked.”

“Ask when you get a chance.”

She furrowed her brow. “Why not just ask him yourself?”

Talon didn’t speak for a long moment. “I’d like to avoid speaking with him alone if I can.”

She raised her brow, interest piqued. “Why?”

Talon ran a hand through his hair, about to say something, then changed his mind. He closed his book, using his finger to mark the page. “I just don’t like some of his questions, is all.” He nodded toward the book in her hand. “Any luck with your research?”

Arianna tossed the book on the table with a loud thud. “Just more of the same.”

“Anything I can help you with, my Lady?” The smooth glide of Niall’s voice seemed to creep from the shadows like he was a relic among the ancient items. She hadn’t heard him enter and the way Talon had crossed the short distance told her he hadn’t, either. Arianna hoped Niall hadn’t overheard Talon’s comment.

She took a calming breath. Maybe this was good. He had been here a few centuries. Maybe she had just been searching in the wrong place. “Do they have a section dedicated to the previous Divine or something? I can’t find anything about her.”

Niall’s face faltered. “I’m afraid there isn’t much written.”

Arianna just eyed the library and raised a brow. “She was The Divine. What do you mean, there wasn’t a lot written?”

“I misspoke. There might have been records at one time in our history, but that was before the great library was burned to the ground.”

Arianna blanched. “Then how do we know anything?"

“Word of mouth. Rumors. I, for example, am very old. I’ve spoken to many across the continent and even more in the continent to the north. There are stories that have too many similarities to be labeled a mere coincidence.”

“Is that part of the reason they claimed she failed?”

Niall grimaced again. “Would you care to join me for a stroll? There’s something I’d like to show you.”

“Sure.” She needed to get outside for a while anyway, clear her head of all the words tumbling around like pieces of a puzzle that refused to fit together.

“The story of the previous Divine is a tale of great tragedy. Legends claim she was as beautiful as a setting sun and brought life and abundance wherever she went. The Divine traveled the land, healed the sick and injured, and put a stop to wars and civil disputes with her presence alone.” He shook his head. “But it wasn’t enough. Despite everything she did, there were still those who stood against her, determined to prevent the world from changing. In a cataclysmic turn of events, she lost her mate.”