It was the room underneath the High Lord’s Residence.
For what seemed an age all she could do was stare around, her heart hammering in her chest. Then slowly her legs obeyed her need to get away. Her hands groped for the lever that would close the door and found it.
As it slid shut her muscles unfroze and went limp. She sagged against the wall, heedless of faren or other insects, and slid to her knees.
It was too terrifying to think about. Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to stop shaking. She looked up at the door and down at herself. She was kneeling next to a secret entrance to Akkarin’s room. Not a good place to be, particularly if he was in the habit of using these passages.
Strengthened again by fear, she stumbled to her feet and hurried away. Though the passage continued past the alcove, she no longer felt any need to know where it led. Breathing quickly, she broke into a run and fled in what she hoped was the direction of the University.
31
An Unplanned Encounter
The road twisted about, following the curve of the land as it wound through the foothills of the Grey Mountains. As Dannyl, Tayend and their servants rode around a corner, a striking building came into sight. It rose straight up from the edge of a precipice. Tiny windows dotted the walls, and a narrow stone bridge led to an unadorned opening.
Dannyl and Tayend exchanged glances. By Tayend’s expression, Dannyl knew the scholar found the building as unwelcoming as he did. He turned to the servants.
“Hend, Krimen. Go ahead and see if Dem Ladeiri will grant us a visit.”
“Yes, my lord,” Hend replied. The two servants nudged their horses into a trot and disappeared beyond the next turn of the road.
“Not a friendly-looking place,” Tayend muttered.
“No,” Dannyl agreed. “More like a fort than a house.”
“It
Dannyl slowed his horse to a walk. “What can you tell me of Dem Ladeiri?”
“He’s old. About ninety. He has a few servants, but lives alone otherwise.”
“And he has a library.”
“Quite a famous one. His family has collected all sorts of oddities over the last few hundred years, including some books.”
“Perhaps we’ll find something useful here.”
Tayend shrugged. “I’m expecting to find much that is strange, and little that is useful. Librarian Irand said he knew the Dem when they were both young men, and called him an ‘amusing eccentric.’ ”
Dannyl watched for glimpses of the building through the trees as they continued along the road. They had been travelling for three weeks, staying no more than a night in any place. Introducing himself to country Dems and testing their children was becoming a chore, and none of the libraries they visited contained anything they had not already learned.
Of course, this may have been the case for Akkarin as well. His quest for knowledge of ancient magic had ended without him producing any great discoveries.
At last the bridge appeared before them. It spanned a dizzying drop to a ravine far below. Deep within an opening in the front wall of the building were two large wooden doors, hanging from hinges so rusted that Dannyl wondered why they hadn’t yet given way. A thin, white-haired man wearing clothes that looked a size too large stood between the doors.
“Greetings, Ambassador Dannyl.” The old man’s voice was thin and wavering. He bowed stiffly. “Welcome to my home.”
Dannyl and Tayend dismounted and handed the reins to their servants. “Thank you, Dem Ladeiri,” Dannyl replied. “This is Tayend of Tremmelin, scholar of the Great Library.”
The Dem turned and peered short-sightedly at Tayend. “Welcome, young man. I have a library too, you know.”
“Yes, I’ve heard. A library famous throughout Elyne,” Tayend replied with convincingly affected eagerness. “Full of curiosities. I would love to see it, if you do not mind.”
“Of course you can!” the Dem exclaimed. “Come inside.”
They followed the old man into a small courtyard, then through a rusty iron door into a hall. Though the furnishings were luxurious, a smell of dust hung in the air.
“Iri!” the old man called shrilly. Footsteps hurried to a doorway and a middle-aged woman wearing an apron appeared. “Bring my guests some refreshments. We’ll be in the library.”
The woman’s eyes widened as she saw Dannyl’s robes. She bowed hastily and backed out of sight.
“There’s no need to take us to the library straightaway,” Dannyl said. “We do not wish to inconvenience you.”
The Dem waved a hand. “It’s no inconvenience. I was in the library when your servants arrived.”
They followed the old man into a corridor, then down a long, spiral staircase that looked as if it had been carved out of the rock wall. The last section of the staircase was made of sturdy wood, and opened out into the middle of a vast room.
Dannyl smiled as he heard Tayend’s gasp. Clearly, the scholar had not expected to be impressed.
The room was carefully divided by rows of shelving. Spread before them were stuffed animals, bottles of preserving liquid containing organs and creatures, carvings made from all manner of materials, strange contraptions, lumps of rock and crystal, countless scrolls, tablets, and shelf after shelf of books. Huge sculptures stood here and there, making Dannyl wonder how they could have been brought down the stairs into the library - or even transported through the mountains. Charts of stars and other mysterious diagrams hung from the walls.
They followed the Dem through these marvels, too amazed to speak. As he led them down an aisle between the books, Tayend peered at the small plaques engraved with subjects and numbers attached to each shelf.
“What are these numbers for?” the scholar asked.
The Dem turned and smiled. “Cataloguing system. Each book has a number and I keep a record of them all on paper.”
“We don’t have anything this detailed at the Great Library. We keep books on the same subject together... as best we can. How long have you had this system in place?”
The old man glanced at Tayend sideways. “My grandfather invented it.”
“Did you ever suggest the Great Library adopt it?”
“Several times. Irand did not see any value in it.”
“Really.” Tayend looked amused. “I would love to see how it works.”
“You will,” the old man replied, “since that is what I am about to show you.”
They left the shelves and arrived at a large desk surrounded by wooden chests of drawers.
“Now, is there any particular subject you would like to explore?”
“Have you got any books on ancient magical practices?” Tayend asked.
The old man’s eyebrows rose. “Yes. But can you be more specific?”
Dannyl and Tayend exchanged a glance.
“Anything to do with the King of Charkan or Shakan Dra.”
The Dem’s eyebrows rose higher. “I will check.”
He turned and pulled open a drawer to reveal rows of cards. Flicking through, he called out a number. Then, closing the drawer, he moved down to the end of the shelves and turned into an aisle. Stopping at one of the bookcases, the Dem ran a finger along the spines, then tapped one.
“This is it.” He drew out the book and handed it to Tayend.
“It’s a history of Ralend of Kemori.”
