Chapter 31
“How may I help you?” The scribe looked up from his work splayed across the wooden desk in the archives, lit by a floating orb of starlight.
Ava straightened her top. “I’m looking for Jorrar.”
He gestured to the stairs. “Third story, make a right.”
After thanking him, she made her way up the gold-veined marble steps. Railings boasted elaborate celestial designs along the balusters, each level lined with a balcony overlooking the main floor where archivists were immersed in their research.
It was opposite of the library back at her castle.
While Mosshaven’s was dark and cozy, this one was bright and almost sterile.
Beautiful, but not the same. She missed the warmth of her own library—the mahogany wood walls, the smell of old texts, the flicker of lamps casting shadows among the shelves.
She was anxious to get back. Worried about what the others were facing. And she wasn’t the only one fretting. Jorrar was concerned about Kai marching with the army and Quinn was ready to get back to Thorne. They were all on edge—longing to be reunited with their friends and family.
She strolled along until she found Jorrar in an alcove, seated at a table enclosed by three walls of books.
He looked up at her approach. “Ava.”
She took a seat across from him. “You finished?”
“Yes.” His face was grave.
“I don’t like that look. What is it?”
Jorrar was always calm. But the worry in his eyes had her on edge.
“Just say it,” she whispered.
He took a deep breath. “There is a realm of the gods. And I believe you are capable of sending Andras back.”
“A realm of the gods? That’s—” Crazy, insane, unbelievable. “That’s hard for me to wrap my mind around…”
“There are hundreds of realms. It’s not surprising there is also one where the gods and goddesses reside.”
Jorrar slid the open book toward her. Ava stared at the page, the foreign words and symbols, the drawings of the portal.
“I assume it was in a language different from the rest of the book to keep that secret?”
“Exactly,” Jorrar answered. “That knowledge in the wrong hands could be disastrous.”
Ava hummed in agreement. “What else?”
“There is a potential problem.”
“Okay…”
“We don’t have everything we need to defeat him.”
“What do you mean?” She twirled a piece of hair around her finger.
“According to the text, we need a magical object to trap him and hold him in place while you open the portal. It’s not like he’ll go through it willingly and our magic is not strong enough to hold him. He is much too powerful.”
“What’s the object?”
“A lirenite crystal. But I do not know where to find one.”
“Saxumdale does a lot of mining. What about there?”
Jorrar shook his head. “This is something I have never heard of. I do not believe it can be found in Saxumdale or any of the mines we’re familiar with.”
Ava worried her bottom lip through her teeth, staring at the open book.
Her mind drifted to Orion’s office. Perhaps he had something in there that might have this information.
But they couldn’t break in again. It was much too risky.
Replaying the events of that night, her mind snagged on something she and Jareth had seen.
“Wait.” She straightened, meeting eyes with Jorrar. “I think I might know where we can find one.”
Jorrar tilted his head. “Really? Where?”
“In Orion’s memories. Remember how I said they were in a cave? That’s where Andras—Lomos—whatever his name is—was trapped. Crystals often form underground…or in caves. That has to be it.”
“It makes sense. But we don’t know where the cave is.”
“Only that it looked like it was in a desert. Are there even deserts in Eorhan?”
“Only one.”
Ava leaned back and crossed her arms. “Then we need to go there.”
“No one goes there. It’s very dangerous, Ava.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
Jorrar rubbed the back of his neck. “When I say it’s dangerous, I mean it’s utterly perilous. No one ventures there. There are hazards everywhere. Foul monsters that live beneath the sands. Even if we find the cave, there are likely traps and other dangers within.”
“If we do nothing, Andras wins. We’re going to the desert. My father and Orion made it there and back. That means it’s possible.”
“I know. I just don’t wish to. Death awaits those who venture to the Wastelands.”
Boots sounded in the corridor as Casimir and Quinn approached, taking their seats.
“Is everything ready for us to leave?” Jorrar asked.
“Yes,” replied Quinn. “I think we should make a stop at Mosshaven and update Thorne before rejoining Raine and the others.”
“I was going to suggest the same thing,” Jorrar said.
“What did you find out?” Casimir asked.
Jorrar told them about the desert and the cave. Silence followed.
Casimir leaned back in his chair. “We touch base with the others and then go to the desert. We will bring a team of soldiers and at least one fae with each type of magic. If Valeria and Eros had all the abilities, my assumption is we will need them as well.”
“Who do you suggest we bring?” Ava asked. “You’ve got two kingdoms covered. What about the rest?”
“Maeryn,” Quinn said.
“If Maeryn goes, Raine will insist,” Jorrar said.
“We can’t leave our armies with hardly any generals,” Ava said. “With Casimir and Maeryn gone, that only leaves Roan.”
Quinn laced her fingers behind her head.
“Jorrar and I will stay behind and help lead. I’ll have Pax too.
He’s climbing the ranks and proven to be an excellent captain.
We’ll also have Astrid, Aelerion and Thalia there.
That will be enough. For stone abilities, I suggest you bring Imsel.
They’re strong and seem to have a good head on their shoulders. ”
Casimir nodded. “That’s a solid plan.”
Quinn grinned. “It’s why you made me second in command.”
“It is,” Casimir said with a low laugh.
“What if you all end up fighting while we’re gone?” Ava fidgeted in her seat. “What if they’re fighting now?”
Casimir placed his hand over hers.
“You all need to get the crystal regardless. If we end up in a battle, so be it. We’ll hold them off until you get back,” Quinn said.
“It’s all we can do,” Jorrar added.
“I hate this,” Ava said quietly.
“We all do, love. Unfortunately, that’s the nature of war.” Casimir gave her hand a squeeze.