Why am I stuck on that? He’s not an ideal librarian, but he’s a good warrior. He doesn’t care about books, hence he probably also doesn’t care about keeping a journal. He doesn’t follow the rules. He pulls animal companions from stories, leaves his trusted lioness to patrol the sanctum against the rules, and even built a nest inside the library.
That careful handwriting with the flourishes, though… Those elaborate sentences and the love for books permeating his journal…
“Any luck?” Ardruna has sat down on her haunches and is meticulously licking her legs while I’m going through the journals.
“Not really.” I open another leather-bound book, and the first passage I read is about a visitor. “Did you know that in the past, the Areon used to get visitors?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Olm said so. Roane’s journal said the same.”
She gives a slow blink. “Then why would Roane say there is no way out for you?”
“Good question. See why I need answers?”
“I’m going to eviscerate him,” she growls. “Has anything he told us been true?”
I wince. “I don’t know.”
“Why would he lie to us? Why hide so many things? I don’t think Talton and I have ever given him reason to doubt our affection for him.”
“In his journal, he talks of the oath he took never to leave the library. Otherwise, his family would be punished for it. He talkedabout the loneliness he felt here.” I scratch my head. “How long exactly has he been here?”
Ardruna gets up and stretches her back. “Let’s go ask him.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
BY THE GRIFFIN
ADELINE
As Ardruna and I return from the sanctum, I fully expect to find Roane gone, but he’s right where we left him, seated on the floor by the fire. Talton is perched on a fallen chunk of marble nearby.
“Here they are,” he croaks. “Welcome back to the nest, wanderers.”
Roane looks up and again I’m struck by the hollowness of his cheeks and the blankness of his gaze.
“Did you solve every mystery in the world?” he asks softly. He’s being sarcastic, but it’s as if he can’t put any energy behind the taunt.
“Listen, Ro.” Ardruna pads over to him. “You want her gone. You want all of us gone. But although book characters can’t leave, visitors can. Maybe you could go, too. No reason to stay here any longer.”
“I can’t go,” he says, his voice a low drone.
“Because of your oath? The deal you signed?”
“Fuck the oath. Fuck the deal.” He shakes his head. “I just can’t go.”
“Have you tried to escape?” Talton asks. “Before you met us?”
“I have. I looked everywhere for a way out,” he says in the same quiet voice, “but I found no exit. All doors were closed to me.”
Ardruna watches him. “Are you telling me the truth?”
“Yeah, I swear it on the Time Sword.”
I frown at his declaration.Time Sword?Why does that sound familiar?
“Any ideas on how she could escape, then, since you’re so set on her leaving?” Ardruna insists. “Anything else you haven’t told us?”
