Ciana cast one final glance over her shoulder, catching the frozen grimace etched across Sebastian’s face, before the door between them closed.
Remember what you’re here to do, Cee.
She straightened her shoulders.
The guard led her on a winding path through the woodland palace, the sunset through stained glass windows casting dazzling rainbow displays across arborous hallways. They turned down a wing she didn’t recognize, and her spine went rigid when she saw Niktael waiting. He wore a contemplative expression, arms crossed behind his back as he gazed out the window.
Nervous fear spiked through her. What if something had, in fact, gone wrong last night, and this was where he sent her packing? A failure, an embarrassment, unable to complete this task for her queen.
Her anxiety faded when the king turned, a warm smile spreading across his face. He bowed his head graciously, the seriousness of his posture melting away. “Lovely to see you again, Ciana. I apologize if I interrupted your afternoon plans.”
Ciana returned his greeting with a small curtsy and a smile. “You’re not interrupting anything, Nik. It’s nice to see you, too.” He didn’t need to know that she’d spent all day hungover in bed. Best to keep that to herself.
Nik nodded to her escort. The guard bowed, turning on his heel and striding away, leaving them alone in the sunny hallway. Ciana shifted from foot to foot.
“Was there something you wanted to discuss?”
Nik blinked, then nodded. His smile turned a little wry. “I wanted to show you something.”
Ciana lifted a brow.
The king faced a pair of double doors. They blended seamlessly into the vine-covered walls, so much so that Ciana didn’t notice them until she was staring at them head-on.
“I spoke to my advisors this morning,” Nik said. “And my head archivist. I informed them of your interest in the archives.”
Ciana held her breath, not trusting herself to speak.
“Given your status in Queen Mariah’s court, and our desire to foster a positive and open relationship with the new Onitan Queen,” he continued, “we have decided that it is in Vatha’s best interests to grant you and your Armature escort access to our archives.”
Ciana whirled, staring up at Nik with wide eyes. “Are you…are you serious?” It wasn’t a polite question, nor was it a lady-like one, but she frankly didn’t care. Genuine shock coursed through her, disbelief that this was really happening.
She’d expected it to take so much longer to get to this point. Was it really going to be this easy?
Niktael met her stare with warmth and humor. “I’m very serious,” he said with a soft chuckle. “It would be our honor to share our knowledge with our neighbors to the north.”
Ciana couldn’t help it. Emotion swallowed her, filling her chest with warmth. Tears pricked behind her eyes.
She’d done it. She’d completed this task for her queen. They still had to do their research and, gods willing, find something useful, but this first piece was done.
“This is…” She swallowed. “I am truly honored. And I’m not entirely sure how to thank you.”
Nik’s smile bloomed fuller. “You could let me give you a tour of Vatha’s greatest treasure. That would be thanks enough for me.”
Ciana simply nodded, not trusting herself to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks if she spoke.
The king gripped the intricately carved wooden handles fitted to the hidden doors and pushed.
Ciana’s jaw dropped.
She’d thought Verith’s libraries were staggeringly beautiful, with their glass ceilings and cavernous tunneling halls. But they were nothing compared to the behemoth of a space that opened before her.
The Vathan Archives seemed to have been constructed out of the forest itself. Impossibly tall redwoods, trunks several meters in diameter, stood guard just beyond the doors. Their boughs wound together far overhead, brushing against the top of a crystalline dome. Birds chirped and sang into the warm, comfortable air, dazzling sunlight speckling the ground.
Ciana stepped slowly into the archives. More gigantic trees were spread about the space, twisting stairs carved into their trunks. Rope bridges connected them, leading into lower boughs where lights twinkled amongst the leaves.
Rooms. Whether for storing knowledge or for absorbing it, there were rooms constructed into the very boughs of the trees themselves. She dropped her gaze, knowing her eyes were wide with awe, but not caring at all.
Hundreds—thousands—of rows spread out in the space around them. And all of them were lined with shelves that were in turn filled with books and scrolls.
