Quinn tugged at the suit clinging to her skin like it wanted to swallow her whole. She’d originally thought it a type of neoprene, but this was more like a silicone that didn’t make her sweat. Or a mixture. The dark coloring belied its true nature, that was to camouflage with the surroundings. It made her head spin to look at the others before her eyes got used to the shifting colors.
The potential that they’d be moving through enemy territory made her spine tingle. She’d been here months now, but every now and again Quinn still had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t all just a long dream. It all still seemed so surreal, like it couldn’t possibly be true.
But she’d seen things, experienced things now that she couldn’t refute.
Pulling her backpack around to the front, she rifled through it double-checking her rations and supplies as she ran through the books Hal had her memorize the previous evening. They’d been more difficult than she’d expected and her brain was still processing the majority of the actual magic portions of the tomes.
But they had given her a far greater understanding of how to utilize her fire, ice, and mind shielding strength. Nordon Fires of Burning Water was a fascinating take on how to utilize fire even in the least favorable of circumstances. As was The Field’s Guide to Ice in an Arid Habitat. But it was the NiChuirc’s Mental Fortitude Revelations in the face of Substance Contamination that really hit home.
All of that information was currently percolating in her mind, becoming things she’d never even considered before, and skills that were sitting there barely out of her reach until such a time where they clicked and she could use them. Not that she minded, she preferred to have the magic meld with her mind and with her other abilities before she broached using them.
It gave her at least the illusion of having some control.
“Quinn!” Lynx called out, and she turned to him with a frown.
“What’s up? Did you need something?”
He shook his head and then stopped, hesitating for a second. “Not really. It’s more of a memory recollection thing. Carafax and I have been working through the holes methodically, trying to piece events together and attempting to nudge some of the more stubborn ones loose. Well...” He glanced around at the large storage area, as if he didn’t want their allies to hear what he had to say.
Quinn shrugged and moved with him, motioning for him to follow. Neither Milaro nor Malakai were here yet, not to mention Hal, and it wasn’t like they were leaving without her trainer or the King of Halschius. She could definitely spare some time for Lynx, especially since what he had to say seemed important.
They moved to her office, which was only a short walk away, and she closed the door behind them. “What’s up? You know we don’t have long, so I am actually trying to rush you.”
Lynx laughed and looked around nervously. “I’ve been working on some elements that don’t add up from any account, not from mine and not from the owl’s Carafax retrieved them from.”
Quinn nodded, and wanted to prod him to speak faster, but she waited, because she was fairly sure he was either extremely embarrassed or thought she would be.
“Apart from all the obvious instances where Korradine was acting on her own behalf without any interest of the Library at stake whatsoever... there were several visitors she let into the Library who... I would not have.”
“Lynx. I want to know all of this, but I need you to get to the point faster.” She tried to say the words as calmly as she could, but the point was that she really did need him to hurry up.
“Sorry. It’s just...” He glanced nervously at the door. “I think we may have been compromised on a closer level than we originally thought.”
“Explain.” Quinn didn’t appreciate the beating around the bush. It was flat and leafless by now, and she just wanted to pull it up by the roots.
“I’m starting to recall a conversation I had with Korradine. One that an owl overheard part of. It’s helping cross reference the segments.” A flash of pain crossed Lynx’s face, but he pushed on. “She must have flashed my memory again in that instant, but the initial conversation was with Kajaro and someone I still can’t recognize. But what’s important is the snippets that I remember.”
He took a deep breath, perhaps because the action calmed him, before speaking again. “Korradine made sure to mention that the failsafes were being put into place and would trigger should the Library still be functioning in a millennium. This failsafe of theirs would bring down the entire Library, the filtration system, basically kill it and anyone attached to it or within it at that point in time.”
Quinn balked. “I guess they really were playing the long game.”
“That’s just it. If I go on the dates, we think this occurred on, that millennia is close.” Lynx frowned and his eyes took on a steely resolution. “You have to understand that this is why they’re coming for you. They’re set on eliminating you before this reset. Before their failsafe activates.”
Quinn digested the information and wished it were more precise. Give Lynx another week or so and she was sure everything would be much clearer than the slightly watery mud they had right now. “Is this your way of trying to tell me to be careful?”
Lynx hesitated. “Sort of, but also, you need to understand that if the Library loses you, we don’t have the time to hope we can create or find another Librarian. We haven’t hit the energy threshold we need yet.”
“But we’re close, right?” Quinn surprised herself with the question given the gravity of her own demise was on the line. But for some reason, she felt calm. She could feel her scales shimmer ever so subtly under her protective gear. She had her own way of minimizing risks now.
“But not there yet.” He insisted.
So Quinn changed tactics. “You haven’t found any others, have you?”
Lynx shook his head. “Nope. We’ve been looking too. Can’t have too many Library assistants, and it always helps to have a couple who have the affinities they need to be a Librarian too. No one is going to match you... but a backup would help, and perhaps keep you safer.”
“And until you find that back up, you’d prefer it if I stayed here?” Quinn asked softly.
Lynx sighed. “Yeah, pretty much. I think it’s ridiculous that you’re taking this risk when you technically don’t need to be there.
“Actually...” Hal walked through the door that led to the interrogation room with a soft frown on his face. “She does need to be there.”
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“How did...” Lynx looked chagrined.
“And yes, I did just, um, actually you.” Hal said with a grin and without skipping a beat before continuing on smoothly. “Ririn’s book is...” he paused as if he was trying to search for the correct words to use.
Then he sighed, ran his hand over his scalp and spoke, his tone serious. “It is best for my kind and others like us not to touch that book. There are certain components that speak more to our primal nature in all five of those books. That is part of the reason I had them placed in the restricted vault here in the first place. They provide a form of power than feeds on greed, on hunger, on a want to rule and subjugate.”
Quinn stayed quiet while Lynx and Hal glared at each other.
Finally, Hal spoke again. “These are, perhaps, the way my forefathers ruled, but they do not apply to my proclivities. I would prefer that my people remain where they are and do what is needed out of a loyalty to their people and where we all came from. Call me old-fashioned, but corporeal punishment, threats, and bodily torture just don’t work the same way they used to.”
He said the last dryly, but Quinn knew exactly what he meant. “Yeah, I get it. So these books, their magic, can infect you?”
Hal nodded. “And while it can affect the species, I oversee, perhaps a bit faster than others, no one gets out of here unscathed. Except for you.” He punctuated that last piece by pointing directly at her.
“Librarian Quinn? Or Cosmicisodracus Quinn?” She asked, trying to get straight to the point.
“Perhaps a bit of both.” Hal said, his eyes sparkling a little. She’d have described it as twinkling in anyone else, but Hal didn’t twinkle.
A wave of unease crashed over Quinn. She blinked, not liking the idea forming in her mind. She reached out to the Library, trying to organize her thoughts. Do we know when the Ashiron broke? Do we have an approximate timeline yet?
Yes. Approximately...But the Library stopped, and Quinn knew it was thinking exactly what she was thinking too. And none of it was a good thought.
So, if what we’re thinking is true, which we won’t know until we check, we’re going to have to have a lot of precautions in place before we do anything. Correct? Quinn could feel a headache coming on.
We’ll look into this while you all go and retrieve the book. The Library actually sounded tired. Or perhaps that wasn’t the correct term. Weary. It sounded and felt, to Quinn’s extended senses, weary.
How safe do you think the seal is? Quinn asked suddenly.
Safe. None of us can gain access. We’ve tried. There’s some sort of lock on it that we obviously placed there as a safety measure. I’m unsure though. The data isn’t coming back to me as quickly as I wanted it to, but it has been obvious that the gaps in the memories are somewhat strategic.
You’ll have to explain that to me when we get back. Quinn sighed and noticed Hal was staring at her thoughtfully.
I’ll have to explain it to you when I understand it better. The Library let out a dry chuckle that echoed through Quinn's head. Now off with you before Hal decides to brave the core waves and come and scold me himself.
“Are you two done?” Hal asked, and she noticed he was also outfitted in protective gear, which begged a lot more questions about the satyr species than it answered.
Quinn nodded. “Yeah. Just getting my priorities straight.”
“They’re pretty simple. Head to the Illukai Region, Segment 381NK. Retrieve missing ridiculously powered tome. Return and find the next book.” Hal shrugged. “Sounds run of the mill, doesn’t it?”
Quinn laughed. “Somewhat yes. But why doesn’t the place we’re headed have a name? Why does it have that designation?”
Hal cocked his head to one side, but it was Lynx who answered. “It’s technically supposed to be uninhabited. The surface is dangerous to the majority of species and anyone who visits it needs to take specific safety measures, such as the suits you’re wearing, and the gear you’re bringing with you.”
“Not to mention the ability to purify the surrounding air - not only that you breathe but also that potentially touches your skin, and regulating your body temperature and emissions.” She grimaced at the last. “This makes airport security look like child’s play.”
“Airport Security?” Hal asked.
Quinn shook her head. “Nevermind. I’ll google it for you one day and explain when we’re not trying to stop this faction from destroying the Library and the universe with it.”
“It’s a date then!”
Quinn raised an eyebrow.
Hal laughed. “Not that sort of date. Eggs aren’t my thing.”
“You should head out.” Lynx said, looking deflated.
“I promise I’ll take care of myself.” Quinn started. She could see he was genuinely worried, even if she knew on some level that worry was more aimed at the Library’s well-being than at herself. She understood in the grand scheme of things.
“We’ll all take care of her, Lynx.” Hal said solemnly. “We’re not about to let them get their way. It’s why we need the damned book.”
Lynx brightened ever so slightly and some of that cocky confidence leaked back into his demeanour. They headed back to the storage area where Misha was aiding Siliqua and Geneva with the final touches on everyone else’s gear. Malakai stood in the corner, his already donned, with Milaro next to him.
Quinn was relieved to see the older elf had some color back in his face and didn’t look like death warmed up any more. Her trainer caught her eye and waved her over. She grinned as she approached. “You look like a cabbage roll.”
Malakai blinked at her. “I don’t know what that is, but I’m assuming it’s an insult.”
“Sort of.” Quinn shrugged. “They do taste pretty good, though.”
He raised an eyebrow, but Milaro beat him to speaking. “I’d prefer to be going with you.”
“But you have a kingdom to run, and some health to recover.” Quinn said. “Keep an eye on things here?”
Milaro held her gaze for a few seconds and then nodded slowly. He leaned forward and took her hand, pressing a small, smooth object into it. “Just don’t do anything rash. Emergency teleporter to bring you home should you need it. Should you need us?”
Quinn was touched. Not that it was a big deal. Magic made so many things easier, but the gesture was appreciated. “Got it.” She said and slotted the object into her ring. “I promise. If it’s too dangerous, I’ll evacuate.”
“Good. Good!” Hal said, appearing next to her in that stealthy way he had that no one his size rightfully should. “It’s about time we get going, then.”
Malakai pulled his pack over his shoulder, slotting it into place. The whole outfit connected to each individual item. “I’m ready.”
Quinn glanced at him. There was something off about the way he held himself. He was stiffer than usual. She nudged him with her elbow as they all gathered at the storage room doors. “You okay?”
He glanced down at her and sighed. But just as she thought he was about to speak, he closed he grimaced, shrugged and said: “I’m fine. Just concentrating. This type of spell, for the breathing, doesn’t come as easily to me.”
Quinn frowned. That only sort of explained his current attitude. But she’d talk to him after they retrieved the book. “Okay. But you’re not getting off that easily.”
His smile was tight, and he turned his attention to Hal and the rest of the gathering.
With Malakai and Quinn, there were twelve people traveling. Hal, and his right-hand satyr Ikeshal, Nishpa, and another Firionas Quinn didn’t recognize. Then there was Escadril. She wasn’t certain he was the right choice for a stealth mission given his size and the way the trunk and boughs that made up his figure were difficult to disguise, but as far as she’d been led to understand, he’d be anchoring the doorway. Something about Segment 381NK not having a stable environment. Now that was cause for some major confidence there.
Not.
Eric fluttered irritably next to his uncle, and there were four more imps she didn’t recognize. But she knew from experience how stealthy they could be.
“Very well. Let’s get this done.” Hal’s voice commanded, and everyone fell silent. Hal reached to the storage doors, muttering under his breath, and opened them.
Quinn balked. Even though she’d known where they were going, it was still surreal to see it while awake. Just beyond the door was an exact replica of her dream and trepidation hit her in the gut like lead.