Page 36

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

“ I s anyone going to explain what the pink feathers and other stuff we risked our mental health to retrieve is for?” I glare at the collection of objects on the coffee table while everyone buries themselves in research.

“Are you going to describe what happened with the puppets?” Malachi asks for the tenth time.

“Why? You got the general gist from the genie.”

“Because I feel like there was a buildup that he missed.”

“No buildup,” Theo mutters, turning a page. “He came fast.”

Malachi snorts while I ponder if the fairy godmother is taking new clients.

I point at the items again. “Anyone?”

“We might need them later,” Nash says absently.

I blink as everything comes into crystal clarity. “Busy work.”

“What is busy work?” Hart asks as he takes a sip of the steaming mug of tea we all have thanks to Nash.

“Tasks you make up to keep someone busy, like going to retrieve things you don’t actually need.”

Hart’s lips twitch. “I see. But you had an adventure while performing said busy work, and no one died, so…”

“Adventure is not how I would describe what transpired,” Theo replies.

He was complicit in my busy work task. I narrow my eyes and point at him. “We are not friends right now. You were in on the keep the maiden distracted while everyone else does the actual work plan.” He shakes his head, the corners of his lips lifting.

“Daphne,” Gwyneth says, drawing my attention. “It was me that suggested it. I know you hate being stuck here with musty books and no direction. I was giving you a break. It’s not a sign of your intelligence, merely an acknowledgement of your strengths.”

How does my sister always know the right thing to say? I sink back into my chair, having chosen this seat to give me respite from the knights and their magic hands that have the power to make me forget my name.

“Honestly, I think we are overlooking something very obvious,” I declare, before taking a sip of my tea. I’m hoping the heat will be enough to keep me awake. I’m the sort of girl that needs eight to twelve turns to function.

“Like what?” Gwyneth asks.

I shrug. “We are the new owners of one of the oldest, most knowledgeable things in the realm, and we are out here researching that thing rather than using it.”

All eyes focus on me like I’ve grown another head. I check my shoulders. Nope, still only one.

“What are you looking for?” Malachi asks.

“To see if you have given me an extra head.”

Theo roars with laughter. I’m glad he finds it funny, because he won’t if there’s more than one Daphne head, which requires extra sausage. If I have extra heads, will we share a stomach? These are things I need to know.

“That is so freaking simple it’s embarrassing we haven’t thought of it,” Hart grumbles, slamming his book closed and dropping it on the floor with a heavy sigh. Extra heads are never simple. Oh, he means the All Knowing and the living library.

The mirror man appears, and his eyes scan the room before landing on me. “Most fair Derry, news of your escapades has reached the ocean. Poseidon is most amused, but also angry and demands a meeting presently.”

“Poseidon can kiss my ass,” I mutter.

“No, he cannot,” Nash volleys back.

I roll my eyes. “Which escapades?” There have been a few.

“The encounter with the wooden one,” the mirror man declares.

I close my eyes and blow out a breath. “I can explain.”

“Please do,” Malachi says.

“Focus,” Nash snaps. “What did Poseidon say?”

The mirror blinks and focuses on the oldest knight. “He proposes an exchange.”

“This is old news,” I remind him. “But I refuse to go into the ocean, and he can’t come here, so we are at an impasse.”

“I may have a solution,” the mirror man declares.

Silence stretches my nerves taut. “And that is?” I finally ask.

“You can both travel to the Land of Reflection. My world.”

I frown. “But I’m not a mirror.”

The mirror man snorts. “No, but you are a reflection.”

“I’m a reflection?” Who knew?

“Everyone has reflections. You would send yours with the trident, and the Idol will send his with the sword.”

“I didn’t even realize that was possible,” Gwyneth says with wide eyes. Her book slides off her lap onto the cushion, forgotten in the face of a being with living knowledge. “How would it work?”

“Well, you need a guide for admittance to my land, which would be me, as well as someone to anchor your body in the realm. Any of those burly boys will do.”

Those burly boys shuffle restlessly. “No, one of us would need to accompany her,” Theo says.

“Not possible. Two people will already stretch my capabilities,” the mirror man says, foiling Theo’s plan.

I shoot him a look. “You can’t follow me everywhere.”

“Watch me,” he says with a grin.

“I’ll do it,” I decide. “Tell me when and where.”

“I’ll need time to prepare,” the mirror man declares with a very serious face. “I don’t want to make a mistake and trap you here forever.” He disappears from view.

“Is that how all the mirror people start off?” I ask.

“I don’t like this,” Nash says as he stands and steps in front of me. He tucks a curl behind my ear. “We will find a different way.”

“I don’t think there is a different way,” I whisper. “But I’m all ears.”

“Maybe consulting the All Knowing will enlighten us, since we’re heading there anyway,” Gwyneth says.

Nash’s hands fall to the arms of the chair, and he leans down, trapping me. “Do not go off on an adventure, make any deals, or follow anyone into another land without telling us first.”

“I’ll try. Sometimes, the adventure finds me.”

He kisses me softly, stealing my breath and making me long for a diurnal when we aren’t trying to alter multiple narratives. He pulls away with a wicked smirk and twinkling eyes. Yup, let’s get this done so I can get done by this.

I worry for the sanity of the key librarian as he pushes his glasses up his nose and peers at me and Gwyneth before turning his stare to the trident in my hand. I had the wild idea that we should store it inside the living library to protect it and avoid questions.

“And you are still maintaining this is a replica?” the librarian asks.

“They sell them in the gift shop.” I wiggle the trident, making the gold shimmer. “You too can get one to brighten your annus. Best be quick though, they were selling like hot sausages.”

He shakes his head. “The last time you were here, you claimed to have visited the living library.”

The knights filter past us, heading toward their usual spot in the corner near the food.

“Did we?” Gwyneth says with a dip of her head like she’s acting coy. “We were saying how wondrous this library is, and the knowledge in it is kept so up to date, it’s like it is living.”

I peer around the multiple levels of books with swirling dust particles that shimmer like gold in the air. Who is she trying to convince? There’s no life here.

The key librarian huffs and spins on his heel.

“You give your entire life, at the cost of all personal relationships, to the upkeep and maintenance of the history of ungrateful Hallowed, and what do I get in return? Nothing. Then these two idiots swan in looking pretty, and suddenly an ancient being shows itself to them? Seriously? I quit.” He disappears into the stacks, still muttering.

“I feel kind of bad for him. We should speak to the All Knowing about job opportunities,” I say.

“Agreed,” Gwyneth answers as we hurry toward the brothers who wait for us with crossed arms and scowls.

“What did I do?” I ask. They were only separated from me for two tempos, and no Daphne-caused disasters happened.

Theo steps forward. “We’ve decided we need to come with you.”

“To the living library?” Gwyneth checks. “Do we have the authority?”

“We are the new owners,” I point out. “Surely that comes with autonomy over the guest list?”

“We can try,” she concedes as she glances around. “You think we need to bleed every time?”

I shrug. “I bleed more diurnals than not. For me, it’s not an issue.”

“No bleeding,” Hart snaps. “Find another way.”

I roll my eyes. “Stop being a baby. I can spare a little of the red stuff.”

Nash slides a dagger from his belt and offers it to me, handle first. “A drop,” he tells me.

I grin and prick my finger before handing it to Gwyneth to do the same. The room shrinks, and that same passageway appears. The knights stretch into the distance.

“Don’t worry, we just need to speak to the All Knowing,” I shout.

We make our way down the dark passage, eventually spilling into the library teeming with life. It looks brighter, more bustling than our previous visit.

“You have returned so soon,” the booming voice humming with power and knowledge states.

Too soon, is what he really means.

I wave the trident around. “I want to store this here for safekeeping.”

“Not possible. Idol artifacts cannot be held in the living library.”

“Why?”

“Because they can trace them, and that would lead them to this place.”

“And that’s bad?” Gwyneth wonders.

“It is. This place is sacred, untouched by the whims of those on power trips hungry for more. I cannot allow their insidious souls to taint it.”

“Okay, no trident storage. No problem, I’ll take it wi—” The trident spins in my hand before it launches down the dark passage behind us.

“Did Daphne try to skewer you?” Malachi’s faint voice asks with a chuckle.

“Hey, don’t injure my knights,” I warn the All Knowing. “I’m rather attached to them.”

“Even the grouchy one?” the All Knowing asks with a hint of amusement.

“Yes, all of them. Speaking of the knights, they need access.”

My gaze tracks a large rainbow-colored book which leaks glitter all over the floor as it floats past.

“That has never been done before,” the All Knowing answers.

“Never been done doesn’t mean can’t be done,” Gwyneth points out.

“For what purpose?”

“They are my support system,” I tell him. “Without them, I seem to get into more and larger messes.”

“They are your protectors.”

“That’s right.”

“You are in no danger here, so their presence is not warranted.”