“Why doesn’t anyone use it now?”
“You’ll see.”
He pointed straight ahead. I followed his line of sight and found a large structure hidden by vines.
“What is that?” I asked.
He took my hand and pulled me along with him. “I’ll show you.”
We walked to the building and then circled the outer wall, which was when I realized the structure was massive and seemed to stretch in all directions.
“What was this place?”
“The old abbey. It was built almost three centuries ago. No one uses it now.”
He led me to a section of wall that had been cleared of vines, and we entered through an open doorway, where smells of damp earth filled the interior. His two bodyguards followed us, although I tried not to notice. Large, coral-colored flowers bloomed in some sections, while in other places, stones created floors and walls that looked almost untouched by time. In some places, the roof was still intact.
“What do you think?” Kull asked.
“It’s interesting, but I’m still not sure why you brought me here.”
“Because, Olive, you are standing on the site of Faythander’s very first universal library.”
“Library?”
“Well, soon-to-be library. I’ve already gotten the architects to take a look, and they say the foundation is still good. Most of the walls will have to be rebuilt, but give it a month or two, and it should be cleaned up and in good enough shape to start the construction. What do you think?”
“I… I’m a little shocked, to be honest.”
“Shocked?”
“Yes. I had no idea you wanted to build a library. What prompted this?”
“I was running out of room in my own library, for one thing. Plus, I’ve had to keep Kitten locked up in a vault downstairs, which isn’t really fair to anyone.”
“Kitten—your pet T-Rex?”
“Exactly. My hope was to have the ancient dragon bones on display in a place where everyone could learn from their history, but as it is, the keep is hardly a museum. It’s heavily defended and difficult for anyone but Wults to enter. My library is bursting at the seams, so I thought, what if I build a place where everyone could come? And not the way elves do it, where knowledge is kept under lock and key, but what if I made it a place open to everyone who wants to learn?” He ran his hands along one of the walls. The stones had turned a deep amber in the light from the setting sun. “And then one day, while I was out for a walk, I spotted the old abbey, and it just sort of hit me. This would be the perfect place for the library. What do you think?”
I smiled. It was good to see him happy about something.
“Yes, I have to admit, it would be a wonderful place for Faythander’s library. I only hope the elves don’t get involved.”
“I can handle the elves. They’ve controlled knowledge in Faythander for far too long.”
“Yes, and if they find the weapons of the Madralorde, they will be controlling it for a much longer time. Are you sure the elves will allow a place like this?”
“It doesn’t matter. Elves do not rule Faythander.”
“Not yet.”
“No, not yet. And not ever if I have anything to do with it.”
“Then we’d better find the sword before they do, or else they’ll control more than just knowledge.”
“Are you worried they’ll find the sword?”
“I don’t know. Fan’twar seems to think it’s safe, but even he knows they’re desperate enough to try and take Theht’s power without it.”
“Do you really think they would try such a thing?”
“Yes. It’s only a matter of time before they find Tremulac Island and initiate the spell to call Theht back to our world. Even without the sword.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“My dad’s an elf. I’m part elf. I hate to admit it, but I know how elves work. They don’t give up. Once the queen sets her mind to something, she’ll have her way. We’d be smart to stay wary of her.”
“I’m always wary of her.”
In the distance, the sound of the thundering river echoed—the sound of something we couldn’t see yet knew was there, just like the threat from the elves. Euralysia scared me. She’d caused the extinction of an entire race. She would stop at nothing to see her purposes fulfilled.
“Can you think of any way to stop her?” Kull asked me.
“Yes. Keep the staff safe. And I also think we should find the lost isle before she does.”
“Do you know where to look?” he asked.
“No, but I do know who to ask. Maveryck knows more than he’s telling us. If anyone knows where to start, it’s him.”
“Very well, when we return to the castle, I’ll ask him.” He grabbed my hand. “But before that, I’ve got one more thing to show you.”
He led me through a weed-choked room to a tower. Half the walls had crumbled, but the stairs were still intact. We climbed up the stairs with the sounds of our booted footfalls echoing through the surrounding forest. Kull’s two bodyguards trailed behind.
The stairs spiraled up the tower, and I ran my hands along the warm stones to keep my balance. As the last rays of light disappeared completely, leaving only the bright glow of the moon to light our way, we finally made it to the top.
When I stepped onto the floor beneath the partially open roof, I caught my breath. The view was more than I’d expected. The towers of the Wult keep rose in the distance, surrounded by white-capped mountain peaks. Moonlight reflected off the river as it snaked down the mountain. Treetops swayed gently in a breeze heavy with the rich scent of sap. Above us, the stars twinkled red and blue, brighter than I’d ever seen them before, so close I wanted to reach out and touch them.
“This,” Kull said, “will become the observatory. We’ll build a telescope that will allow us to see the stars, the planets, and distant
