Spellwright

diffuse the canker is. Gray’s Crossing is far too dangerous; we can’t risk the life of a possible Halcyon for that of an old man.”

“We can, Magister, and if it comes to that we will.” Nicodemus stood up. “First, I need to research something here in these ruins. I might yet learn something about Language Prime. But if I can’t find a way to remove your curse, we will go to Gray’s Crossing.”

The old man scowled again. “Don’t be foolish. You have no right to risk yourself for me.”

“Magister, I do,” Nicodemus retorted. “I’m a cacographer, not a child.” He turned toward the ruins.

“Los damn it,” Shannon grumbled, and struggled to his feet. “Nicodemus, where are you going?”

The boy didn’t look back. “Into the Bestiary.”

CHAPTER Thirty-nine

Nicodemus frowned at Tulki’s spell. It read, “The last eugrapher was furious after engaging the Bestiary. His words became angry and illogical. He claimed the Bestiary’s knowledge was a curse to him.”

When Nicodemus looked up from this note, he found the ghost fidgeting with his long white ponytail.

They were standing outside a dome-shaped ruin overgrown by vines that bristled with leathery brown leaves. Elsewhere the expanse of half-collapsed walls stretched out into the dark.

Behind Nicodemus stood his confused companions. “What’s the ghost writing now?” Shannon asked.

Because they lacked fluency in the Chthonic languages, neither Shannon nor John nor Deirdre could see the Wrixlan text.

“The ghost is trying to change my mind,” Nicodemus replied, still staring at Tulki. “He’s afraid the book will upset me and I won’t return to replenish their spectral texts.”

“Tell him,” John announced haltingly, “you keep your word.”

Nicodemus nodded. “The ghost can hear you.”

Tulki stopped fidgeting to cast a reply: “But there might be danger. It was traumatic when the Index engaged you, true? The Bestiary is a more powerful tome.”

“How did the ghost respond?” Shannon asked.

Tulki studied the old wizard and gave Nicodemus two more sentences: “Tell the older one about the danger. He will help you see.”

Nicodemus sniffed in annoyance. “He’s exaggerating the danger the tome might pose, to discourage me.”

Tulki’s eyes widened. “!” he flicked at Nicodemus before adding, “I am not!”

Nicodemus raised a single, incredulous eyebrow.

Tulki threw his hands up in exasperation. “I forgot how infuriating young male humans can be. Very well, Nicodemus Weal, I have no evidence of great danger. I am only concerned for your well- being.”

The cold wind slipped down into the ruins and stirred Nicodemus’s long hair. “And concerned for your own well-being,” he said, pulling a black lock away from his eyes.

The ghost folded his arms. “The last eugrapher was also this adamant. Are you sure you are not his descendant?”

“Now what’s happening?” Deirdre asked.

“He’s telling me about the last cacographer who came through here about three hundred years ago.”

“Good,” Shannon said. “Learn as much about that as you can.”

Tulki studied Shannon and then cast a sentence: “Something is wrong with the elder’s belly? ”

Nicodemus changed the subject. “Tell me more about the previous eugrapher.”

The ghost scratched his chin as he forged an answer. “The boy was curious and insistent. He looked like you and was thrilled to discover he did not misspell in our languages. A whole autumn and winter he stayed, sleeping through day and studying at night. He became pale and beautifully tattooed. He wrote wonderful constructs, like yours.”

Nicodemus nodded. “But then he learned about the Bestiary?”

The ghost’s shoulders rose and fell in a noiseless sigh. “And then there was nothing that would please him but to engage it. The reading didn’t take more than a moment. He touched the pages and then fell to the ground. We asked what had happened and he began to laugh. ‘Gibberish!’ he said. ‘She showed me that I’m the error. She showed me what cacography truly is.’”

“What did he mean by that?” Nicodemus said, his heart beginning to kick.

Tulki shrugged. “We asked him, but the boy only shouted at us. He said that the book had cursed him with the knowledge of what cacography truly was and what the Chthonic people truly were. ‘Gibberish!’ he kept yelling. ‘It’s all gibberish!’ We tried to reason with him but he wouldn’t speak. He left the next evening and never returned.”

Nicodemus swallowed when he finished reading. “What’s this about what cacography truly is? What did he learn?”

“What’s the ghost writing now?” Shannon asked.

“Magister,” Nicodemus snapped. “I’m trying to read.”

The old linguist mumbled an apology.

“Go on,” Nicodemus insisted. “What did the other boy learn about cacography?”

Again the ghost shrugged. “He didn’t say.”

Nicodemus pressed his cold right hand to his mouth and took a steadying breath. “Do you remember his name?”

The ghost seemed to ponder this. “I believe…” he cast before pausing. “I believe his name was James Berr.”

“Los in hell,” Nicodemus swore under his breath. James Berr-the very incarnation of malignant cacography!

Tulki’s amber eyes studied Nicodemus. “He did look much like you-black hair, olive skin, green eyes. Was James Berr indeed one of your ancestors?”

“No!”

The ghost jumped. “Forgive me. Have I offended?”

Nicodemus ignored the ghost’s questions. “Did he tell you why he left Starhaven?”

The ghost shook his head. “I’ve told you everything.”

“Nicodemus, why are you upset?” Deirdre asked.

Ignoring her, Nicodemus kept his eyes on Tulki. “But what did the Bestiary teach him about cacography? What did he mean, ‘It’s all gibberish’?”

Again, the ghost shook its head. “This is upsetting you already. Nothing good will come of engaging the Bestiary.”

Nicodemus shut his eyes and took a long, quavering breath.

“Nicodemus, tell us what’s the matter.” Shannon said.

Nicodemus answered without opening his eyes. “The ghost says reading the Bestiary might be dangerous. How dangerous, he doesn’t know. I was hiding this from you. I tell you now only because Los himself couldn’t stop me from reading the book.”

All three of his friends exploded into questions.

Nicodemus went on. “The last human to read the Bestiary was a cacographer like me. He learned the Chthonic languages like me. He even looked like me. And by reading this tome, he discovered something about the nature of cacography.”

Nicodemus turned to face his friends. The dappled moonlight revealed three worried figures.

“I’m terrified,” he said bluntly. “I have much in common with this ancient cacographer. I must know who he truly was and what he discovered in the Bestiary.”