“It’d be no trouble.”
“I know it wouldn’t be as I, too, knowhalleth.” She wasn’t very good at it, but she knew it. Now the Larks also knew that she possessed Lightspinning. “I don’t think I want to heal these with magic. I think I’d like the scars from Ulvarth’shospitality. It seems a fitting reminder of my time here.”
Serina regarded her warily, as if seeing her for the first time. It was the same look Arwin had given Vi when they had stolen Fallor’s boat, after Vi had killed a pirate with two words. Now, like then, Vi reached the same conclusion:Let her be wary.
Finally, Serina bowed her head, turned, and started for the stairs, not quite hiding her relief at the prospect of making her escape. Which only made Vi more surprised when her door opened again a short time later. Serina popped in just long enough to leave a small roll of bandages on the foot of her bed before leaving again without another word.
Vi debated her next move as she wrapped her wrists in the bandages. The mere mention of Taavin was all the direction she needed. She closed the door and headed back up the spiral stair the way she came, across the lofty bridge high above Risen, and back into the main tower of the archives.
She started up the first ladder she came to, arced around the wide landing that granted access to this stretch of shelves, then up a second stair. Up and up she climbed, higher and higher. It was nearly impossible to keep her attention on her destination among the ocean of books.
Close to the top of all the walkways, Vi was nearly level with the sculpted women holding up the brazier she’d seen from the first moment she’d entered. The light was blindingly bright and the fire that raged behind their arms was white-hot. How could anyone say this flame needed rekindling? If someone were to spark it further, they risked burning down the whole building.
Oddly, no heat reached her cheeks. She didn’t feel the slightest bit of warmth from the blaze. Even as someone who first learned to interact with fire as a Firebearer, she still suspected she should feelsomething.
Vi squinted at it, holding her breath. She was waiting for something… but she didn’t quite know what. A sign from the Goddess, perhaps? Taavin heard Yargen’s voice in the flame; surely as her champion, Vi should hear something, too?
“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Vi turned, startled. She grabbed the railing for stability, suddenly off-balance and aware of the dizzying height. Ulvarth had ascended the stairs opposite her, the imposing man slowly walking around the brazier. Vi regarded him warily, still gripping the railing. “I asked you a question.”
“I thought it rhetorical, given it’s obviously magnificent.”
“I didn’t bring you here to admire it.” His voice went low and dangerous.
“Didn’t you though? I am to find a way to reignite the flame, am I not?”
He smirked. “You don’t already know how?”
“I couldn’t go into it, really… It’s something that can only be understood fully by the Champion and the Voice.” Vi borrowed the morphi’s explanation of their magic. He didn’t seem to notice, but for her it felt like a double-edged blade to shove between his ribs. Vi had the satisfaction of one-upping him, and the knowledge that she’d borrowed an explanation from people he unjustly hated.
“I hope you’re right, for your sake.” Ulvarth gave her a sinister smile. “After all, your father starts his trials at the queen’s earliest convenience.”
“Let’s hope it’s a fair trial.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be.” Ulvarth finally came to a stop only a few steps away. “You think me a monster.” Vi kept her mouth shut and let that be answer enough. “But this is one thing I don’t have to be monstrous about. Your father dug his own grave, by digging the world’s.”
She searched his unflinching gaze. Ulvarth may be a monster. He may be ruthless and calculating and obsessed with his own power. But there was confidence in those blue eyes. Not just arrogance,confidence. At least in this instance, he genuinely believed himself right and just.
“So maybe I am a monster. But you’re the spawn of a monster. So you’re really no different.”
“Call me a monster and I’ll show you my fangs.” Vi sneered widely for emphasis. Ulvarth chuckled.
“A shame you were born a human to such poor parentage. We may have gotten along in another life, you and I.”
Vi was certain she’d hate him in any and every lifetime. She hated him from his pointed ears to his mirror-polished boots.
Ulvarth sauntered away as though he owned the whole world. The megalomaniac likely thought he did. Vi tracked him with a piercing stare as he ascended the staircase to the next ring of walkways, then up one more ladder to the highest walkway. She began moving, as quickly and silently as possible, following behind him.
Up the first set of stairs, Vi wound back, looking for a sign of Ulvarth. He had disappeared. She quickly climbed the ladder, not even caring if Ulvarth saw her or accused her of following him. But when she finally ascended… he was nowhere to be seen.
Vi walked all the way around the wide rung of the archives, her fingers trailing along the books. There was nowhere for him to hide. And no door for him to walk through. The only exits were the stairway she’d ascended and the rectangular windows at the top of the bookshelves—allowing the flame’s thick smoke an escape. But Vi didn’t think Ulvarth had gone through one of those.
Tapping her knuckles against the railing, Vi looked at the pillars that supported the roof above the flame. From all Taavin had said, she suspected this ceiling was also his floor. The pillars between the openings were wide enough to be hollow and fit a man though.
Taavin had said there were many secret passages in the Archives and he’d useduncoseto find those passages. Vi didn’t have the same skill. But she would make up for it with her knowledge of blueprints, architecture, maps, and planning.
Chapter Thirty-One
Vi scouredthe books for an hour. She walked through the archives—up staircases and down ladders—until her legs and arms were tired. But she didn’t stop until she located the tall shelves containing the information she sought.
