Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose and counted to five. It was becoming a habit she’d rather not develop, but she didn’t seem to have a choice in the matter. “So... why should it matter that we’ve found a sleeping dragon?”

Because that was a sentence she’d imagined herself never saying in her existence.

Milaro blinked. “Because the Library was having difficulty locating some of its siblings.”

Only mildly. The Library sounded somewhat affronted. I just couldn’t precisely locate them due to the waves we send out when we’re hibernating. It interferes with a lot of things. It’s meant to, so we’re not easily found.

Quinn perked up at that comment. “You mean like the signal that allows us to locate books? The exact locations, I mean?”

For several seconds, both the Library and Milaro were quiet before the Library finally spoke again. Yes. As in it makes those books within our direct vicinity more difficult to locate. Unless it’s the Library because of the dimensional door aspects we put in place.

“Sort of like how we can’t pinpoint the Parsneauvian or the Crown book, right?” Sometimes she thought these magical creatures all relied on their magic, perhaps a bit too much.

When you put it that way...The Library practically groaned at itself.

“So... it could be highly plausible that the books we’re looking for are in the vicinity of hibernating Library siblings?” It sounded so fantastical Quinn could barely believe she’d suggested it.

The Library sounded somewhat abashed when it spoke. I have no idea why we didn’t think of that. It seems so obvious in hindsight.

Quinn shrugged. “Everything seems obvious in hindsight.”

Lynx stretched himself out to his human form and glared at Quinn. “Fine. Rub it in.”

“I’m not though,” Quinn sighed. “Look, it’s highly obvious that none of us knew this. I’m an outsider for so much of this, so my first reaction is always to use logic. This was a logical conclusion based on the evidence presented to me. I’m not used to magic... well, not entirely yet. It doesn’t do everything for me because five months hasn’t replaced twenty years of having to do things manually. Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll get used to just relying on magic for all my solutions soon.”

Milaro gave her an odd look. His head cocked half to the side, he considered her and her words carefully. “That’s an astute observation. One that, to my own detriment, I’m guilty of. I never seek to look at things in a mundane way simply because I’ve only ever known magic. And let’s face it, magic can solve almost everything.”

“Almost.” Quinn said, her voice tight. It hadn’t solved her parents’ deaths. In fact, it had been the cause of them. It hadn’t helped Escadril, or Ikeshal, or any of the people who’d been injured in their fight like Eric had. It had caused their injuries, and indeed, the fight that led to them. Magic was just as dangerous as it was magnificent. And she’d already seen what it could do in hands that wanted power.

Still, digressing wasn’t going to help any of them right then.

She took a deep breath and flashed Milaro a smile. “Anyway - do we think it’s possible that either the dragon is hoarding the book, or else, that some other person knows how close the book is to the dragon and is using its signature to disguise its whereabouts?”

“Could be a bit of both, right? Or it could be a complete coincidence...” Lynx butted in. “I can trace the book very close to its source.”

“Define very close.” Quinn crossed her arms and waited.

Lynx paused, seriously giving it some thought. “Within a solar system.”

Quinn counted to five again. “That’s not as close as you think it is. At least not in human terms.”

“Good thing you’re not human, then.”

Another point for Lynx, who was just being facetious. She groaned. “This isn’t helping. Which dragon is it? Are we certain it’s not Drav...”

Milaro cut her off. “Names have power. Not the best idea to be saying his full name out loud.”

Quinn frowned. “Then what am I supposed to call him? Library’s brother who’s a bit of a dick and refuses to let people live in peace?”

Milaro laughed this time, and it was a refreshing sound. He hadn’t laughed in what seemed like an age. “No, but that’s a very accurate description. Though you did forget the part about: he thinks he’s always right.”

“That doesn’t narrow it down, though. I know a lot of people who think they’re always right.” Quinn gave him a pointed look and then relented. “At least you’re capable of learning new things. I’m not so sure Drav is.”

“Yes. Drav will do.” Lynx said, his eyes flashing as he obviously fiddled with several system settings. “I can’t get a closer location yet. But I do believe once we’re in that vicinity, we’ll be able to narrow down a location.”

Quinn raised an eyebrow. “You sure? And it’s definitely not him, so do we have any idea who it could actually be?”

Lynx shrugged, as did the others in the room.

“That’s a no then.” She tried to figure out other ways to trace this new dragon when the Library piped back up.

You’re going to need to approach her.

“This dragon is a her? Wait, Me?” Quinn asked, knowing it was her, but still wishing she was wrong.

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Yes, I’m marginally certain it’s one of my sisters. And yes. You.

“Why?”

Well, you smell like a dragon. Mostly. Pretty much just like me. She won’t send you away or eat you. The Library paused. Probably.

Quinn blinked. “Probably. You do realize that’s not nearly as comforting as you thought, right? And are you sure it’s a female dragon? And when do I need to go... now?” She could practically hear the Library shaking its head.

No. Not now. I have to figure out a few logistics and exactly what we’re sending you into. My sister has never been the most... industrious, and I can tell if I extend my concentration levels because of her energy signature. She’s never been good at concealing it. I don’t believe she actually has the book herself, just that it’s in her vicinity. I’ll also attempt to wake her again.

Quinn was slightly mollified by that. “Fine. Then what are we doing here? Why are we doing this now? There are so many patients to take care of...” her voice trailed off, and she realized that while she couldn’t help as much as she wanted, she should be out there doing something.

“It’s more of a briefing on what we need to get done and it’s important information,” Lynx said. “If they know how the dragon proximity screws with our ability to scan for anything, then it’s likely there could be more books we haven’t yet figured out a way to trace in the same vicinity of other dragons. Either Drav hasn’t checked for them, or he’s using it as a hiding tool.”

A light bulb went off in Quinn’s head. “Wait, so do you think he could be using their signatures specifically to screw with us?”

“Somewhat...” Milaro paused, like he was gathering his thoughts. She watched him and the way his face scrunched slightly. He was overdoing it again, she just knew it. Overtiring himself... but the thing was, how were they supposed to manage to get more rest if everything kept imploding like it had recently?

“There’s still a lot we need to do before we can go and retrieve it then, right?” Quinn asked for clarification.

To be fair, she might also have borrowed it and I just can’t remember… The Library spoke up. We also need to open another branch. I need that boost in power, and frankly, so does the entire universe. It should help us get more exact locations for the books and dragons as well.

“Are you a hundred percent sure this dragon isn’t Drav in disguise?” Quinn said. “Can you be sure of that?”

The Library paused for a moment. So long, in fact, Quinn wasn’t sure if she’d end up answering at all. Finally, when she was about to give up, the Library spoke. Yes. That isn’t Drav. It’s too large, not in humanoid form, and frankly... not powerful enough. I’m quite positive it’s the second youngest. She’s always been a bit of a dreamer. Sleep is one of her most powerful affinities.

“Does that mean she deals in dreams?” Quinn asked, suddenly curious.

The Library cringed ever so slightly. She could... if she put the effort in.

“Do you think she might have put the effort in with Kajaro, just on a whim? Perhaps because she was bored?” Quinn tried to phrase the question in a way that wouldn’t upset the Library. She didn’t exactly want to go around accusing everyone of being on Kajaro’s wagon. And yet... this seemed very convenient. Here they were, looking for dragons, books, and traitors. There, right in the middle of one of the areas they knew the books were in, just happened to be a dragon.

It was all far too much of a coincidence for Quinn. She didn’t believe in them, and wasn’t about to start now unless someone had a much better explanation for her.

In the Library’s defense, it did really think about Quinn’s words, like it was hearing them for the first time. Perhaps, though, it wasn’t. Maybe it was just really considering them for the first time. Just like Quinn hadn’t wanted, at first, to believe that her parents weren’t really parents at all, but people who’d been sent to guard her. Sometimes, what people wanted to be true was only the truth in their own minds.

No. I don’t believe she would ever be bored enough to agree that Chaos unleashed and uncontrolled is a good thing. She saw far too many people she cared about die, be consumed and simply cease to exist. It changes you when you witness a world disintegrate back into nothing as a being consumes it. Plus, she’s hibernating... can’t be doing anything right now.

The melancholy in those words hit Quinn straight in the gut. For a few seconds she even found it hard to breathe until the Library pulled back the well of emotion that escaped it. It made Quinn wonder if that was something the Library suppressed all the time. Or if that was a one off reaction, it simply couldn’t keep under wraps. “So not in cahoots, then?”

Not in cahoots.

Quinn nodded. Hibernating dragon - check! Things would have to happen in order to resolve the hibernating dragon dilemma, but not until such a time as the Library had more power. Which meant... “So, I’m guessing we need to go out and grab those other two books we need to open the alchemical/medicinal branch, right?”

Milaro shook himself just a little, a smile breaking out over his face. He grinned at her. “Yes! Now, in order to retrieve the first one, we’re going to need to go over your atmospheric adjustment shielding, not only for your mental shields but also your physical. It’s quite an exciting conundrum to visit...”

Dottie practically pranced into the room, breaking everyone’s concentration.

Milaro raised an eyebrow at her. “Well met, and just want brings you on a visit when you know full well we’re currently working on things.” He sounded a little grumpy that she’d interrupted him.

He emphasized things so heavily that Quinn ended up being quite certain Dottie knew she was intruding. But it seemed the bench had less than a care in the world and simply let a giggle escape her.

Quinn couldn’t help herself. She laughed and then laughed even harder when she realized Milaro was quite put out at the fact she was laughing so hard, probably at him.

“Do enlighten us as to what’s so funny...” he said, glaring at both of them in that almost stern way of his.

“Sorry.” Quinn said, wiping her eyes. “Dottie is just usually so joyous and you were just so sour toward her. It came off as comical.”

Milaro raised a very delicate eyebrow and cocked his head to one side, as if replaying the entire situation in his head. A smile cracked his lips, and he nodded. “I do see. Sometimes I think I revert to... what you would call pompous?”

“Definitely sometimes pompous. But it’s okay. We get it.” Quinn grinned, but managed to sober herself up and turn to Dottie. “So, what brings you here?”

“The book!” Dottie practically jumped out of her... wood? Considering she didn’t have skin out of which to jump.

“Yes. We have a lot of books. To which one were you referring?” Quinn asked, playing it up. She had no idea what had got Dottie so excited, but she wasn’t above a few jabs of her own.

Dottie paused, like she’d just expected them all to know precisely what she was talking about. “The book. Well, one of them anyway. It’s back!”

“It walked in by itself?” Quinn asked incredulously, then remembered who she was talking to and slowed down. “Okay, one thing at a time. Which book? Is it one of the two remaining to open the branch?”

“Yes! Oh!” Dottie managed to look sheepish, even if nothing outwardly changed in her appearance. “Sorry, got ahead of myself again. The Mattinaman balance between mana and energy - explained for the beginner just got returned! We only need one more book to open the branch!”

A huge smile broke out on Quinn’s face. One more book, that was it. Now she just had to figure out why this one had been gone so long, and where the hell the second one was.

Piece of cake, right?