The Four Swords

Chapter 59: Discovery in the Library

Days in the library passed slowly. The morning after my first venture to the library, the chosen men headed north. Lord Bleddyn was not among them.

From what I gathered from my father, it was quite a fight between the King and the leader of the clan of Wolves. The Queen, who was now attending Swordsmen Council meetings regularly, broke up the argument by siding with her husband. Part of me half expected to see Lord Bleddyn join me in the library the following day, but my shadows and I had the place to ourselves.

With the deployment of troops, daily training was no longer held within the palace walls. It made the mornings relatively quiet, so I decided to spend the majority of my waking hours in the library.

On the second day of my reading marathon, Alejo started to go stir-crazy. He paced the room. When that didn't work to expel his energy, he started racing up and down the grand staircases.

Somehow this man could stand still through the most mundane petitioner's courts but did not care for the library. I guess at least the former has more to hear than the gentle whisper of turning pages.

After about the 6th time trial of the staircase, I tried to release him from his library burden. "Alejo, can you do me a favor?" I smiled.

"At this point, I'll do anything!" At least the man was honest.

"Can you take a note to Princess Alina? If I'm not mistaken, Marta should still be there. You deserve at least a moment with your wife," I offered.

Alejo's eyes lit up. "It would be my pleasure! That is as long as Finley does not mind guarding you alone for a moment."

"Please go! I can't stand to see you run up and down those stairs anymore," the round-faced man expressed his good humored annoyance.

I penned a short note to Alina. I read it aloud to my waiting audience.

"Dear Princess Alina, since I saved you from your guards, please save me from mine. Please write me back a long letter and make him wait for it. Thanks, Jack. P.S. ask him to tell you a joke."

"Oh Jack, I thought you liked the Princess. Don't force Alejo's jokes on her!" Finley teased.

"I figured Marta must endure them often and misery loves company," I replied, placing the scribbled piece of parchment in Alejo's hand. "Alejo, I hope you will think of a good one. I'm counting on you."

"Absolutely!" Alejo took off toward the door with a wide smile and spring in his step.

"That was kind. He doesn't get to see Marta much when we are on assignment. It's been about a month since we had a significant amount of leave from a post." Finley offered after the wide doors of the library closed.

"After following me, you both deserve a break," I responded before we both returned to our books. I read seven different histories that afternoon without so much as a hint of a mention of the Norads.

Alejo returned near the end of the day with five pages of notes from Alina. The swarthy man apparently made great company for the Princess and her newly acquired maid. Her writing gushed of how much fun it was to laugh with the lovely couple.

"The Princess said that she would not mind another visit tomorrow from me if it would give you the break you need from your guard," Alejo hinted with a hopeful expression. I would grant his wish.

Three more days passed in a similar pattern. Alejo would disappear with a note from me as a cover to see his wife. While he was gone Finley and I would dig through volumes of books hoping for something.

The morning of the fourth day started the same. Alejo's footfalls could be heard leaving the room as Finley took his seat across from me.

I picked up a book that looked promising. I found it yesterday but did not have time to peruse its pages.

I found a section of the book that talked about the elves. The elves controlled a type of magic that could manipulate elements around them. This particular book stated that this magic helped transform the landscape around the kingdom.

Rivers were rerouted to better suit farmers' needs. Mountains created barriers to help protect against invaders. Forests lined villages to allow for better hunting. These changes helped them live peacefully with their human neighbors.

The last paragraph in the book talked about a woman. "The woman took the light from the elves. The elves searched for their lost ones but could not be found. The woman shared her light with those around her, but she shone brightest."

What did that mean? This was more than I had heard of in days about the elves. Still no mention of the Norads, but maybe the woman was connected.

I looked more carefully at the book in my hands. There was the smallest remnant of a page that was torn out. The last paragraph was not where this book was supposed to end!

I jumped up from my chair, excited to finally make what felt like progress. Finley grunted. I bumped the table into his leg accidentally. I had to find that final page.

Thinking back I retraced my steps to the back corner of the room. I was pretty sure I knew the section in which I found this particular history. Searching the floor I found nothing. I looked between books and on top of empty spaces on shelves. I had amassed quite a mountain of reading material which left large stretches of empty shelf space.

It's not here. There is nothing to be found. That page could have been lost years ago. I took a final look underneath the bookshelf.

Underneath that large shelf, I felt a slight breeze. That made no sense. How could air flow from a wall behind a shelf? I stood from my couched position, using a book on a shelf for balance.

How strange! The pages of the book felt wooden beneath my fingertips. I pulled on the binding to better inspect the pages. As the book tilted forward, the entire bookcase creaked forward to reveal a secret passage