“Leave this book with me. No good will befall you if you keep it.”
Raven scowled at the warning. What was in the book to elicit such alarm? Now she was interested.
Willow wondered, “Why do you say that?”
He pointed one of his crooked fingers at the first page, moving from one figure in the text to another. “I’ve been around for far too long. I’ve seen every kind of book there is. You can’t read this. It is babble.”
“Babble?” Sage echoed, frowning in confusion. “Why would someone write a book that you can’t read?”
“Oh, you can read it. After you figure out the code.”
“Code?” Sage glanced at the book on the desk hungrily.
Raven stiffened. Oh, no. Code. A mystery. Sage loved mysteries. Dread welled within her. She had seen that hungry look on Sage’s face earlier.
“It has a hidden code,” Brother Nicolas clarified.
“A hidden code?” Raven echoed, anxiety swelling inside her.
Sage leaned forward, eager. “Can you decipher it?”
“It will take time,” Brother Nicolas admitted. “But I can decipher it.”
“Can you teach me?”
“Sage!” Raven objected. “We don’t have that much time.” They had to leave for Sybil’s farm. She couldn’t stay with Brother Nicolas and play these games.
“I would love to teach you,” Brother Nicolas said enthusiastically. “It gets lonely down here. I would enjoy the company.”
“Sage,” Raven said between clenched teeth. “Can I talk to you?”
Sage glanced at Raven and then back at the book before moving away from the desk into a corner.
Raven followed her; her jaw clenched tight. She glanced back at Brother Nicolas and then at Sage, whispering, “You can’t stay.”
“I want to learn,” Sage said in a quiet voice.
“The only reason I came is that you said we’d be back at Sybil’s farm before Father arrived.”
Sage shook her head and glanced at Raven. “You came because we are family.”
“Which is even more reason for you to come back with us!”
“This is what I’ve always wanted. To learn. Brother Nicolas can teach me to read. To decipher the hidden code. How can I leave? How can you ask me to?”
Raven clenched her teeth, her brow furrowing. She didn’t approve. Not in the least. Even though she was so angry with the entire situation, she knew Sage was right. Sage had always wanted to learn to read and now Brother Nicolas had said he would teach her. How could she deny her sister this opportunity?
While she didn’t agree with her about many things, Raven loved Sage. Even if she insisted Sage leave with them, she knew Sage wouldn’t. She knew this was what Sage had always wanted.
“Tell Father I left on my own accord.”
Raven scoffed. “He will never believe that. He knows we would never let you go alone.”
Sage sighed softly. “Fine. Then go and get him. Bring him back here. I will talk to him when he arrives. I will take full responsibility.”
“Sage—” Raven protested weakly.
“I’m not leaving, Raven.” She spun and walked back to Brother Nicolas and Willow.
