Chapter 9 - A Library of Recognition

Adam gaped at the sight of the giant statue, trying to convince himself it depicted someone else. However, even though it was an oddly idealized version of her, with many altered features like smoother skin and a softer jawline, he did not doubt the statue’s identity.

There was only one conclusion; his wife was worshipped around here, probably for quite some time. And he never suspected a thing.

Adam drooped his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Cath… why did you do this?” he hissed softly through gritted teeth. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why is this… happening?” Clenching his fists, he glared up at the beautiful face. “I knew you liked attention, but this is rather exaggerated don’t you think?” His fists shivered and he shook his head. “I guess my compliments weren’t enough, huh? Starting some insane personality cult of blue Penduli idiots is more to your liking!”

Adam brusquely paced back and forth over the roof and fought the urge to punch a wall or scream. In the end, he sat down against a wall and rubbed his hands through his hair. Calm down, maybe the Taint was placed on her long ago, maybe that made her do this. Which would mean it’s outside of her control. But… how? She was often gone for business trips; did she go here instead? He let his head rest against the wal. Has she been lying to me all this time, pretending everything is okay?

He remembered how often she’d said she missed the big cities during their peaceful life in their mountain village. How she hadn’t been able to stand the lack of parties, rich customers, and career chances. Guess she couldn’t wait. Makes me wonder. Did Caine even need to Taint her to make her do what she did? To trade a has-been for a respected Talon of Aves with a nice home, and be worshipped by the Penduli?

Adam opened his eyes and sat up a bit. Wait. Eric didn’t recognize me as well, and there’s no way a six-year-old can lie that well. Adam exhaled and stood up again with shaking limbs. Exhausted from all that had happened, he stared at the beautiful face of his wife.

“I’m not sure if you did this out of your own will or not,” he whispered. “However, I know something must’ve happened to Eric, and I’m going to save him. I’ll cure the Taint and give him the best childhood a boy can wish for.”

Adam clenched his fists, trembling with burning conviction as he turned to one of the many statues of Caine. “You twisted bastard… or should I say ‘your highness’ now?” Adam hissed under his breath. “I may not be as strong as I used to be, but I’d rather die than let you get away with this. I’ll find Oliver and Emily, no matter where you’ve taken them! I’ll fight and train until I burst! I don’t care how many people you’ve brainwashed to guard you!”

Feeling strong heartbeats all the way up his throat, Adam made his way along the rooftops towards the pyramid. The old feeling of purpose and ironclad conviction flowed through him once again. “I’m coming for you, ‘Lord Caine.’ I’ll dive into the Forbidden Arts if I have to; I’d rather damn my own soul than let you corrupt my boy.”

After a while, Adam was close to the pyramid. Hidden behind the statues of his old friend and wife, he had a good view of the marble stairs towards the grand entrance. Rows of bookshelves were visible behind its long windows, but there was no sign of the ‘other intruders’ that Caine’s minions talked about.

Adam ducked low and clenched his table leg when he saw movement to his left. Behind a window with gilded ornaments, two Roots were smashing a room to bits. Raking their long claws over cupboards and beds, it seemed like they were looking for something.

Adam swallowed and snuck behind a chimney. Step by step, he lowered himself to street level. As there was no inconspicuous way to cross the broad street towards the entrance, he took a deep breath and sprinted. Feeling as safe as a kitten in a kennel of hounds, he expected an arrow or a wild Root in his neck at any moment. Fortunately, he made it up the stairs and dashed through the entrance.

He entered a chique chamber that smelled like parchment and ink. Adam ran behind a long bookcase of lacquered wood and crouched down, ready to pounce at any pursuers. When all remained silent, he looked around with wide eyes.

The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with paintings, statues, and other likenesses of Catherine. From oil paintings of a young Catherine playing with cards, to reliefs in the vaulted ceiling picturing her at the forge or designing jewellery. Little black shoes and bracelets she had worn as a kid rested upon a dais, right beside a scale model of her baking meat pies in Caine’s kitchen.

Adam reeled on his feet and tried to take it all in. Everywhere around him were likenesses and possessions of the one woman he’d thought he’d known. The one person beside whom he ached to wake up from this nightmare. A shiver ran from the base of his skull down his spine as he stared around wild-eyed. He curled his lips in disgust at the thought that someone had built such an obscenely large collection about his wife.

Adam had to lean against a wall as his mind tried to process what was going on. All around him, objects like nail clippers, silvered hairpins, and old dolls were exhibited in glass cabinets like ancient treasures in a museum.

My dearest, why did you hide this from me? Am I blind that I never noticed? Adam bared his teeth and shivered with anger, although he knew he shouldn’t. Damn it, Cath! I know that this may not be your fault, I know that Caine might’ve Tainted you. But if you wanted to leave and do all this shit you might’ve told me!

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Adam grunted, torn between the urge to throw one of the paintings through the room and the need to keep quiet. He paced through the broad oaken doors into a similar room, filled to the brim with even more likenesses of Catherine in all shapes and sizes. Adam walked through room after room, each one similar to the last. Strange devices, made of lacquered wood, strings and bronze, were somehow able to mimick the sounds of her voice saying simple words like ‘good morning.’ Translucent green holograms moved above a dais, which showed her making the same movements over and over again, like walking down stairs. Endless rows of desks with quills and all other equipment necessary to make more likenesses stood at the ready.

Adam shivered, growing more disgusted by the minute. Caine, seriously, how sick in the head are you?! Did you gather all this shit while you were waiting for your chance to Taint her?

Once he heard scratching and clicking noises, he slowed down. From behind a closet, he peered into another chamber that was claimed by the Roots and the brownish-purple vines and spiked leaves of the Overgrowth. Several Roots carefully picked up books from the shelves and turned the pages. Others were writing in books or adjusting paintings. Adam gritted his teeth, suppressing the urge to storm in and stop the monstrous beings from defiling her likeness.

Adam tensely rubbed the scars on his wrists while he observed, trying to find clues about what was going on. Since Caine’s goons had said that the Roots had ‘conquered’ the pyramid, it seemed more likely that the blue people were the original makers of the library. Maybe they had made it for Caine, since they seem to worship him.

But, if the Roots are their enemy, then who are they aligned with? Can’t imagine the Starwing Order or the king to be all too enthusiastic about these walking vegetables. And why would the Roots be interested in this sickening library about Catherine anyway? It doesn’t make sense!

Adam quickly shuffled even further behind the closet. A tight group of Roots carried a Shepherd in their midst. It moved its misshapen head from side to side, overseeing the Roots’ activities. As curious as Adam was as to what their interest was in this obscene library, he still backed away quietly.

Adam explored the library further, avoiding the specific rooms claimed by the Roots. Vainly, he tried to fit the pieces of information together into something that made sense. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry when he took a closer look at one of the endless bookcases since all of them were about Catherine. The titles ranged from ‘Theatre Plays Liked by Catherine’ to ‘Catherine’s Views on Religion,’ and ‘What Not to Do When She’s Angry, Part 2.’

By the night, how obsessed with her are these people?!

Adam rubbed his beard. Most pyramids he knew of were either mausoleums or places of worship. Either way, all of them had a good reason to be constructed since all of the required labour and materials made pyramids damn expensive to build. And everyone knew that when it came to money, the Penduli were on the back leg compared to Dorenland and the Starwing Order.

Even if Caine was the supreme ruler of the Penduli instead of the Queen of Glass, and had access to all their finances, why build this?

It reminded Adam of how followers of the Starwing Order read bizarrely detailed records of Aves’ life, both as a method of worship and to learn Novaseering. Maybe something similar was happening here? However, no matter how strong Catherine was, she was nothing compared to the owl god. Assuming He existed, of course. Besides, not even the Queen of Glass herself was venerated at this level, from what Adam had seen. Adam rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

After a closer look, he noticed that all books had a small glowing glyph at their back, and that bookcases were connected to the ceiling by a thin glass tube. When Adam picked up a book called ‘Weekend in Oberia,’ the glyph on its back disappeared. Adam frowned and opened the book at a random page.

‘...Catherine was so happy that Caine could finally introduce her to the Queen of Glass. She barely slept because of her excitement and her tension on what she would wear for the occasion. She didn’t have to worry; the Queen was more than happy to personally thank her for all her contributions in preparing the rebellion. Caine did feel anxious for the meeting since…’

Adam’s frown deepened. His hand shook when he flipped the pages back to the first page. ‘Second of the moon of fasting, 1340 A.H.’ Adam clenched the book with whitened knuckles. Three years, huh. This has been going on for so long at least. Before this, she has done enough for the Penduli to impress their Queen.

Adam ground his teeth. No matter how badly he wanted to believe otherwise, the chance that she was just an innocent victim started to seem slim. Either Caine had somehow Tainted her to deceive Adam for a very long time, or she willingly pretended to be Adam’s wife for some reason.

Is Eric even my kid, or Caine’s?

That thought, that possibility, was too much. As a primal rage flared up inside of him, Adam bared his teeth, closed the book with a bang, and rammed it back into the bookcase. As soon as he did, the glyph on the book’s back reappeared. Furthermore, a tiny speck of green light flowed through the tube connecting the bookcase to the ceiling. Mere moments after the light had vanished, the sound of scurrying footsteps erupted in the distance. Rasping screeches from Roots came from multiple directions, like the doorway through which he had entered.

Marvellous, just what I needed! Adam bolted towards a door behind which he didn’t hear anything. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he ran further and further into the building, trying to find an exit. The unwelcome scents of copper and uprooted earth became stronger as the Roots seemed to gain on him. He jumped over desks and knocked over both statues and closets to block his pursuers. Damn it, I should’ve known these insane compost heaps don’t like it when someone touches their expansive library about my wife. Which isn’t disturbing at all, of course.

Suddenly, he smelled something odd. Aside from the familiar stench of the Roots, there was a vague hint of vanilla. Emily’s perfume!

He sighed in relief. It wasn’t every day that he was glad about his sharpened sense of smell, especially if he had to walk through large crowds on hot days. Now, he was more grateful than ever.

Even though the sounds of the Roots came closer, he chose to take the risk and came to a screeching halt. Closing his eyes, he sniffed deeply and turned his head towards each of the doors near him. He knew she must’ve passed this place a short time ago. bolted in the direction in which the scent was the strongest.

Emily, I sure hope you know where you’re running towards because I have no idea.