Chapter 37 Kyzen #2
“That’s all right. I’m coming up on my ninety-eighth birthday.”
Damn. He doesn’t look a day older than me.
“Well, then,” Thayla says, clearing her throat. “We’re going to have to throw you a grand celebration for your hundredth, huh?”
A bright smile lights up his face and Yemi hides hers behind her fingers.
“I’d love and greatly appreciate that. I haven’t celebrated my day of birth in many years.”
“I’ll leave all of you to start planning that,” I say as I spin Thayla into my arms. “I’ll be fine and fast. As soon as I find it, I’ll take it straight to Amick. Stay here while I’m gone.”
“I really don’t like that you’re going alone.”
“I know, but it’s just the Sanctum.”
“It’s that fuckers office within the Sanctum.”
“Yes, but he isn’t even here and who better to sneak in and out than me? Time is on my side, you know?”
She huffs, then presses her lips to mine. I give myself over to her and her frantic kiss. I hate that this upsets her, but I can’t shake the sensation that we desperately need that scroll.
“One hour, then I’m coming searching.”
“Deal, little goddess.”
I give Yemi, Doren, and Iric a dip of my head, then call my power forward.
My starshoot carries me away and releases me in the Chancellors’ hall. I’m not dumb enough to starshoot directly into Harriseen’s office. He may have dropped the ego and left some protections in place this time since he’s away from the Godsdawn.
Let’s hope not.
Silence greets me from every direction. I peek both ways around the corners before turning my back and rushing toward his door. My steps stay light as I pass the other Chancellors’ rooms.
Tremors pass through my hand as I hover it over his doorknob, searching and sensing for any sort of deterrent.
Now or never.
With an exhale, I grip the handle and turn. To my relief and shock, it swings open and I race inside.
My heart thunders in my ears as I shut the door behind me and press my back to it. The new twitch tattooed on my chest ticks in the same erratic rhythm and I grit my teeth.
I regulate my breathing to ease that uncomfortable sensation and to calm the familiar yet different adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Get moving…
My power pushes out across the whole room and I speed through the mess and the shelves. I’ll say, it isn’t as much of a cluster fuck as it was when Amick and I were in here, but it’s still atrocious.
I get all the way to the back of his office and maneuver my way to the far corner like Doren advised.
The tall, intimidating shelf, absolutely crammed full of books, stares back at me.
Fuck. Where do I even remotely begin?
Bottom to top, I suppose.
I slide books in and out of their spots, hoping I find a scroll shoved between them.
It takes me around a minute per five rows to pull on the spines and premature defeat tries its damnedest to strangle me.
It’s even more disappointing when I have to stop what I’m doing and locate a ladder to reach the next row.
Come on, come on.
My face scrunches and a slew of muttered curses slip through my lips when I jerk a spine too hard and the next probably ten books go cascading to the ground. Each one slaps the ground with a thundering pop.
I slide down the ladder and gather as many as I can in my arms. Only to drop them once again as my eyes land on a piece of black ribbon poking out from under the shelf.
My fingers tremble when I grip the corner of the parchment and pull it, plus the book that fell under there with it, out.
There’s no way a small fall like that flattened it so completely.
The creases in the folds are too defined like they’ve been smushed for much longer than the seconds since everything hit the ground.
As carefully as I can, I tug the ribbons knot free.
A surprised laugh belts out of me as my gaze skims over the exact title I’m looking for.
The Law of Doppia Disaccord.
My power blasts out of me as I shove the scroll in my back pocket and quickly retrieve the books. I don’t have a fucking clue the order they go in, but as long as they seemingly resemble the spots they were in, that’ll be good enough for me.
I fly back down the ladder and return it to exactly where I found it.
Six minutes. Not too bad if I say so myself.
My laugh instantly silences as voices outside the door pierce my ears. I haul ass to the mound of books beside Harriseen’s desk and crouch low as I suck every drop of my power out of the air.
“Don’t speak to me as though I am crazy, Ellian.”
“How else would you propose I speak to you, Gulliver? You dragged me away from my duties because you, quote, heard something.”
“I did hear something. I’m not a fool. Show yourself,” Chancellor Gulliver hollers as he stampedes a few more feet into the room.
I duck down lower, keeping my eyes on both of them.
“This is outrageous, but if it eases your suspicions, go have a look. Make it quick. Unlike you, I have things to do today,” Ellian says, gesturing for him to continue his search.
Gulliver’s robe whips around him as he spins and starts rushing down the rows of shelves like a madman.
Fuck.
Come on, Ellian, look over here.
He doesn’t.
He locks his fingers behind his back and rocks on his heels. His gaze continues to roam lazily around the room, and every time Gulliver shouts something, he rolls his eyes.
I scoot from my hiding spot the slightest bit, hoping the movement catches his eye. It doesn’t.
“Ellian,” I whisper barely above a breath. He still doesn’t glance my way, so I say it a touch more forcefully.
His head whips in my direction and I slam my finger to my lips as soon as his wide eyes lock on mine.
“What are you doing?” he mouths before jerking his head in Gulliver’s direction. “Found anything yet?”
“No, but I will. I know someone was in here. Power lingers in the air.”
I give Ellian a guilty smile and mouth, “Do something.”
I press my palm to my mouth when he gives me a stern stare and throws his hands up. I nod for him to go toward Gulliver.
“Stay where you are and let me come check it out.”
Yeah, we’ll be hearing from him soon.
I tiptoe out of my spot as he disappears down the shelves, carrying his conversation with Gulliver loud enough that I can hear where they may be.
I freeze when Gulliver attempts to turn his body around to face Ellian. Quickly and as smoothly as he can, Ellian places his hand on his back and instructs him to lead him where he sensed something.
I haul ass out the open door. Luckily, not tripping up on shit or making a scene. My power wraps around me and I starshoot away without taking a single breath.
My head falls back, knocking into the door as my harsh exhale echoes around the office.
“Are you out of breath? Also, where is Thayla? She’s supposed to be with you right now.”
I chuckle and let my eyes flutter open so I can look at Amick. He hasn’t glanced up from his work.
“She’s fine and at Yemi’s. And yes, I’m out of breath.”
“What in the realm for?”
I push off from his door and stroll toward his desk. He finally tears his eyes off his work and moves them to the scroll I drop on his desk.
“What’s this?”
“Why don’t you look at it?”
I wait with bated breath as he huffs the realm’s quietest huff and unties the poorly reknotted ribbon.
Only a few seconds pass before he stands from his chair. His shocked gaze snaps from the parchment to me repeatedly.
“Where did you find this?”
“Do you want the truth, or do you just want to be happy that I found it?”
That earns me his full, undivided attention.
“I’ll just be happy.”
“Good.” I smirk.
I’m shocked still as he rounds his desk and snatches me into a hug.
I, with no aid of my power, freeze. A good two seconds pass before I convince one of my arms to work enough to pat him on his back.
“You have no clue what you’ve given us, Kyzen. I can’t wait to tell you the truth.”
“Why don’t you go ahead and tell me now?”
“Not yet. I have to make sure everything’s perfect.”
I sigh, pure unrestrained annoyance, but still, I accept his answer. He’s never led us astray and he isn’t now. I might as well leave him to do what he does best and be happy when he gives me the answers I want.
“Nothing’s ever perfect, Amick. Except for Thayla.”
He pulls back and grips my shoulders.
“She is, I agree, and I won’t stop until this plan is perfect as well. Please trust me. I won’t let you down.”
My body slumps. “You’ve never let me down, Amick.”
His chest deflates and his throat bobs with his gulp.
“Very well. Thank you for this. See yourself out. I have work to do.”
I can’t help but bust out laughing at the dismissal. He releases me and situates himself back behind his desk. I don’t miss the twitch on his damn lips.
“I’ll see you at home later,” I say.
He’s already nose deep in the scroll by the time I reach the door.