Heart hammering, she almost ran out of the library, but she couldn’t leave Sylin.
“That smell,” she remembered, shaking her comrade’s shoulder.
This time, Sylin’s eyes opened, but they were bleary, and she was slow to turn her head and focus on Rylana.
“Did someone blow something into the air? A sleeping drug or something?” Rylana looked toward the trapdoor. “Vormalt. Who else would it have been?”
Sylin pushed herself into a sitting position. “I… don’t remember.”
“Let’s get out of the library.” Rylana stood and helped Sylin to her feet.
Theybothyawned.
“If that’s what happened,” Sylin said, “I’m chagrined that I didn’t hear it—him.”
“Maybe he threw a powder or smoking vial or some such into the library before coming up the ladder.”
“It could also have something to do with the troll magic,” Sylin said.
“Are troll gods known for their sleep spells?” Rylana pointed toward the far hallway, wanting to get out of the library before she succumbed to whatever was lingering in the air.
“No, they favor curses, malisons, and maledictions.”
“Aren’t those all the same thing?”
“To a troll, there are distinctions. I—” Sylin halted and lifted a finger.
The thud of a door shutting sounded. It had come from the utility hall near the tower, and Rylana spun in that direction.
The butler shambled into the library, his black uniform rumpled, his short hair sticking out in all directions, and a shovel gripped in his hands. It wasn’t the man who’d served the family when Rylana had been growing up, and she wouldn’t have been sure who he was if he weren’t wearing a uniform with the Avandar silver crest on the shoulder.
“Who are you?” he blurted, glancing around the library.
Thanks to the brightening daylight coming through the windows and the lantern on the floor, he spotted the broken tiles and sledgehammer right away. His knuckles tightened on the haft of the shovel.
“Rylana.” She held up a hand, afraid he would think her responsible. “Rylana Avandar. This is my friend, Sylin. We came looking for Vormalt. We thinkhedid that.” She pointed at the mess and the trapdoor.
“Vormalt. He drugged me. At least… I think that’s what happened.” The butler touched the side of his head. “I was out in the kennel feeding the hounds. I heard something and turned around, and there he was. He threw a bunch of powder at my face, then shut the door and locked me in. He put something against the latch so I couldn’t get it open. I went to the windows, but by the time I got one open and was ready to climb out, I was too exhausted to lift my legs. Then I passed out altogether.” Eyes widening, he looked at the trapdoor again. “I don’t know what happened here, but it’s not my fault. You’ll tell your father, won’t you? He doesn’t usually get angry with me, but I’ve never allowed someone to take a sledgehammer to the floor before either.”
“I… I can tell him, yes.” Rylana lowered her hand, surprised the butler accepted who she was when they hadn’t met before, but maybe Father had mentioned that she was back in town. “I don’t suppose Vormalt told you what he was up to before hurling powders around.”
“A trendy thing to do of late,” Sylin murmured, reminding Rylana of the goblin substance that Jildarin's rivals had been trying to hithimwith to force him to change into his native form—a violation of Tranquility’s rules. “At least you know your father’s butler isn’t a kitsune or lycanthrope.”
“I’m sure they weren’t the same substances. Though, if they were, I would also knowyouweren’t a lycanthrope either.” Rylana waved around the library, though there wasn’t any lingering trace of whatever powder Vormalt had thrown.
“I would have guessed you knewthat after all the years we’ve worked together.”
“Your childhood among wolves and predilection for pointed ears did make me wonder.”
“Ha ha.”
Rylana had to stifle another yawn. Worried the substance lingered in the air, she waved for the others to follow her out of the library.
The butler hesitated, his gaze drawn toward the trapdoor. “What’s down there?”
“Nothing we wanted to be unearthed. Since you were knockedout, you probably didn’t see the blue glow emanating from the castle.”
“I… no.” Blinking, the butler followed her. “I’m Zames, by the way. Your father said you might be by eventually.”
