Chapter 55 #2
He picked up the Connekt and moved her to the dresser for a better vantage point, then scooted the large crate from the bookstore into the centre of the room.
“I revisited Aunt’s bookshop. She has passed away now, and the store is boarded up.
I hoped to find tomes that date back to the first kings, or anything that could help decipher my dreams. However, when I entered, there was a strange magic that led me to a crate,” he paused, tapping his fingers against the crate in front of him, “this crate. Inside is a book encased in a magical force field. Now, when I tell you it was calling to me; it is such an immense pull. The book feels like it is calling to my very soul, I swear. If there hadn’t been a dead body, I would likely have dived right in before reading the warning label that cautions an untimely death. ”
Snow’s eyes widened as she leaned forward to get a better view of the crate. “A dead body? Who was it? Aunty? Wait—what is the title of the book? Can you see? Show me.”
Rain let out a light laugh, her intrigue reigniting his own excitement over the discovery, giving him a brief reprieve from his worries.
“The Prism Codex. No author. And get this; it’s covered in iridescent rainbow Aetherchrome.”
The twins widened their eyes together, Snow mirroring Rain’s excitement.
With a dismissive wave of his hand he continued, “The body isn’t relevant; just some unrecognisable human.
The placard states that it was once property of King Ryant, our first King, which I find quite intriguing. It had to be intended for us, right?”
He pried the lid off the crate using his power. The moment it lifted, the undeniable thirst returned—humming beneath his skin, coiling through his veins. He set the lid aside and immediately shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching into the protective shield.
Through gritted teeth he explained the sensation to Snow.
“It is taking everything in me not to just reach in and grab the book. A weaker person would have succumbed to its pressure for sure. It’s frustrating that I have nobody around to test the theory of it calling to my blood because that’s exactly what it feels like.
I believe only me and you would be affected by the magic.
I don’t think the human felt it at all; more likely they were enticed by something magical. ”
He couldn’t look away from the book. Now that it was unsealed, it consumed him; begging to be released from its prison. Snow cleared her throat uneasily, watching the rigidness in his posture, the way he visibly fought the pull.
“I don’t like this, what if it’s a trap?” she cautioned, ever the sensible one. “Whatever you do, please don’t touch it until we figure out how to release the force field. We have many enchantment books in the library; I’ll have Eleanor pull some for us”
He sighed impatiently and began pacing around the room.
“It’s just—I truly believe our blood is the key to getting through the field, and I reeaallly want to get my hands on that book.”
Snow made a disapproving sound as she watched him pacing, “If it were to kill me then there wouldn’t be all these prophecies about a future, I’m destined to live for.”
Snow tutted, slamming her pen down with such force the hologram jutted out of focus.
“Rain, that is not good enough logic to live by. Fate is ever-changing; you are not immune to consequence. You could easily alter the course of destiny by—you know—letting us all down by doing something recklessly stupid and dying.”
He rolled his eyes. She was right, much to his dismay. With great reluctance he began to lift the lid back into place when Snow stopped him with an idea.
“Wait. If you’re right and we both hate that you tend to be, and our blood is the key… why don’t you bleed upon it and see what happens? A controlled experiment, not a suicidal one.”
Rain’s expression brightened instantly at Snow’s suggestion. The lid clattering into the floorboards as he let go. “Yes! Why didn’t I think of that? You are a genius.”
His excitement was almost palpable. Unable to contain himself, Rain quickly excused his presence and headed to the kitchen to obtain a knife, his mind already set on putting Snow’s idea into action.
The magic kept him in a stronghold, tightening with distance.
With great restraint he made it to the downstairs hallway — close enough to entice a knife from its block and into his palm.
He was back beside the crate in an instant, appearing almost manic as he held the blade to his hand and sliced deeper than necessary in one swift movement.
Snow gasped, mesmerised by the sight. She wasn’t entirely sure the experiment was working, but the light dancing across Rain’s skin was enough to draw a reaction from her.
“Absolute genius,” Rain breathed, the relentless pull vanishing along with the force-field
Rain hovered his right hand cautiously above the cover of the book, allowing its potent energy to mingle with his own.
The sensation radiating from the object was uncanny — it felt alive, almost sentient.
Contrary to his expectations, the aetherchrome cover wasn’t transmitting energy in the way he had anticipated.
Instead, it was as though the very pages of the book were channelling the aetherchrome directly.
He lifted the book with the utmost care, tilting it so Snow could see what he was seeing. Her eyes widened with awe.
The book shimmered brilliantly, the surface alive with a dance of colours that glimmered under the light.
Its edges were adorned with exquisitely detailed filigree gold, each minute flourish crafted with obvious reverence and intent, suggesting a sacred purpose.
However, their intrigue was interrupted by the presence of a lock, another barrier standing between them and the secrets within.
The lock was unusual, lacking any visible keyhole.
Perhaps this was a stroke of luck, given that they possessed no key.
Curious, Rain ran his thumb over the onyx plate set into the padlock, pondering its mechanism.
Suddenly, an unexpected stream of corporeal fog erupted from the onyx plate, catching him off guard. Instinctively, he released the book but caught it mid-fall with his power. As the swirling fog settled, a visual began to materialise, blooming from within the mist.
An apparition materialised before them; a spectral figure in full ghostly glory.
The form belonged to an elderly female, her presence commanding and graceful.
Fine, fragile lines marked her aged face, each one telling a story and adding to the elegance of her features rather than diminishing it.
Atop her head sat a crown, its delicate design nestled amongst intricately braided hair, further emphasising her regal bearing.
The ghostly elder stood before Rain and Snow, her expression both serene and powerful, radiating an aura of wisdom and authority. She gazed at them, and then, in a voice that carried echoes of ages past, she began to speak.
“Hello Rain, Snow.”
They both gasped, instinctively clutching at their identifier necklaces at their throats. The figure chuckled warmly, before continuing.