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Her open journal and quill had been kicked against the wall on the door's other side—and the scroll as well. Fortunately no one had stepped on it amid the conflict. She went cold at the sight of ink all over the floor stones, for her small bottle had been kicked under the bed. But the splash of black hadn't traveled to the other items.
By the time Wy
"Is this what it came for?" he whispered.
"It is mine," Chane rasped, reaching out. "I will take it and go."
"I do not recall dismissing you," il'Sänke replied, though he didn't even look at Wy
Wy
Il'Sänke's gaze shifted to the journal and quill. He picked up the former, holding it open atop the scroll, and then his scrutiny returned to Chane.
That intense gaze made Chane fidget, and Wy
Il'Sänke cocked his head and frowned.
A strange instant of wary uncertainty washed over his dark features, as if he'd tried to read something in Chane's face and couldn't.
"We need him," Wy
"You are leaping to conclusions," il'Sänke said. "After last night it could have simply been attacking you, as obviously this scroll is unreadable, except…"
He bent his head, peering down at the journal.
"What is this?" he asked—like a parent's accusation, who already knew what trouble a child had gotten into.
"A copy," Wy
"— with your sight," he finished for her, and then he turned to Chane. "So… bearer, where did you get this scroll?"
Cold mistrust showed on Chane's burned features.
"From the same library where I found the ancient texts," Wy
"Wy
"We ca
And she turned back to il'Sänke.
"There is a poem under the coating, pe
Il'Sänke remained expressionless, but he tilted the staff's crystal toward Chane.
Chane instinctively flinched away.
"Who is he?" the doman asked.
"I've known Chane for some time," she answered. "He often came to our little branch in Bela, studying with myself and Domin Tilswith. He reads several languages from his region and has an interest in history. He… he knows a good deal about the undead."
"I can imagine," il'Sänke said drily.
Wy
"I should not stay," Chane said. "There will be questions if I am discovered. I came only to ensure Wy
Domin il'Sänke snorted once and spoke only to Wy
Wy
"No one will see us," he said. "I'm shure I can be quite as sneaky as you. But I will keep the scroll for now."
"No!" Chane rasped, raising his sword.
As Shade snarled, Wy
"Let him keep it," she told Chane. "He's not like the other domins here. He won't lay claim to it. And even you shouldn't walk alone tonight while carrying it."
"Especially since you already look rather a mess," il'Sänke added.
Chane glanced down at Wy
"And you had best take these," il'Sänke said to Wy
Wy
"I am not the one drawing so much attention to myself," he countered, and turned for the door.
With a quick glance in the outer passage, Domin il'Sänke ushered them all out. Wy
When they reached the library's first floor, il'Sänke had them wait while he scouted ahead. By the glow of perpetual cold lamps, Chane turned to Wy
"I will help," he said. "I want to protect… the guild."
"I know," she answered, but she wouldn't give him more encouragement than this. She could never let him hope for anything beyond ending the current crisis.
Domin il'Sänke reappeared and took Chane upstairs.
Wy
She badly wanted to pet Shade, seeking comfort in a companion still so new to her, but her thoughts kept turning to Chane. She had to be careful. Any memories picked up by Shade might make it impossible for the dog to fight alongside him again. And she needed them both for now.
After trotting some distance along the wall's top, Ghassan led the way down the stairs into the fallow orchard below the southern tower. He paused there, holding back a hand to keep Wy
Chane was in no condition to be scaling walls or possibly calling attention to himself if he fell. It was simple enough to fill the guards' minds with the notion of something skulking near the keep's northern tower. Yet even as they took off on an erroneous search, Ghassan was still disturbed.
Not by the strange marred and burned appearance of this one called Chane. More than that, he had not caught the slightest conscious thought in the man's head. He had tried in Wy
Unlike during the duchess's visit with her entourage, when he had picked up only something akin to a voice muffled inside a closed room, he could not find Chane's thoughts at all. As if the man were not there.
When the guards were gone he waved Chane on. He received not a word in response as the man jogged off through the gate.
Il'Sänke returned to the library's first floor and found Wy
"Come, you will sleep in the northwest building," he said, "in the study outside my guest quarters. It is more… protected."
She frowned, then nodded, as perhaps the prospect of sleeping alone in her room did seem unappealing. He led the way back through to the main doors and, once outside, cut across the courtyard. Entering through the storage building, they headed along a hallway that passed through the keep's outer wall and into the newer building beyond. On the ground floor they passed the area where he spent time among this branch's metaologers. When he glanced over his shoulder, Wy