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Dugald keeps himself as separate from Duncan and I as he possibly can. Leading the way into each room and leaving as soon as it’s cleared. He waits at the next door until we’ve finished searching the prior then repeats it.
I want to say something to him, but what? I know he’s upset but what can I do to fix it? Still, it bothers me. I turn the problem over and over, but no solutions come. As many rooms as we’ve searched, the hallway continues, unchanging.
“This is pointless,” I huff, emerging from yet another room.
“You have a better idea?” Dugald asks.
“Be nice,” Duncan says, stepping forward.
“Am I not?” Dugald asks, squaring his shoulders.
“Ah, you’re not now, are ya?” Duncan asks. “You’re pushing her buttons and ya know it. I’ve had enough of it.”
“When I need your input, I’ll give it to you,” Dugald says, his hand tightening on his sword.
“Enough,” I say, moving between the two of them. “Seriously. We don’t have time for this.”
They stare at each other over my head, so I put my hand on each of their chests and push them apart. My heart flutters as I touch them both at the same time, but that’s not an answer. It’s a fantasy at best and would only serve to screw things up even more. This isn’t a hot romance book; this is my life and the world hangs in the balance. Duncan takes my hand in his and tugs me closer, I let him, but I don’t miss the dark look on Dugald’s face.
“We need to keep moving,” Duncan says.
We continue searching. Four more rooms and more of the same. Frustration is growing for each of us, and the boys are snapping at one another more. I feel like I should be able to do something but what that is I have no idea.
When we emerge from yet another room with nothing to show for it, I look down the hall but it’s different now. When we entered this room, it stretched on, but now it ends in a door. The three of us look at each other, then back at the door. This door is a darker color and feels ominous.
Dugald marches towards it, sword drawn but the point lowered. He pauses, staring at the door handle, then grabs it and twists. The door swings open and we’re looking into what could easily pass for a wizard’s library. Ornate candle holders decorate large tables that are covered with loose papers and stacks of ancient looking books. Floor to ceiling bookcases line the walls as far as I can see through the door and there are hundreds if not thousands of books.
Dugald steps over the threshold and my heart speeds up, half-expecting something to happen. Nothing changes though so Duncan and I follow him through. I turn a circle, taking in the room as a sense of complete overwhelm rises in my guts.
“Damn,” I exhale.
“Ach,” Duncan exclaims. “Who would need so many books?”
“The one we need will emanate power,” Dugald says, looking around the room. “Do you sense anything, Quinn?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head, but something tickles at my senses. “Maybe?”
“Maybe is not an answer,” he says.
“Yeah, you think?” I quip.
“I told ya to be nice,” Duncan says, stepping towards him.
“Duncan, it’s fine,” I say.
“Tis not,” Duncan says, riled up. “He should nae be treating you in such manner.”
Dugald watches Duncan impassively, making it clear he doesn’t care what Duncan thinks in the slightest.
“What now?” I mutter, walking away from the two bickering men.
I trail my hand along the bookcase as I walk, stirring up dust. It tickles my nose and I sneeze, stirring more dust and causing myself to sneeze more. I shield my nose with the sleeve of my blouse until the sneezing stops.
There is a lectern with a book on it that seems to pull my attention. Almost as if a light is shining on it. I walk over, hoping this is the one. The book is thick, massive really. Yellowed pages written with an ornate calligraphy and decorative illumination along the edges of each one. It’s open about three quarters of the way through. The right-hand page has a couple of paragraphs but the rest of it is blank.
She looks at the book, running her hand along the lectern on which it rests. Staring at the blank half of the right page.
What an odd thing to write, I think, since it is so similar to what I just did. Shaking my head, I flip the pages towards the end and see that they’re all blank, so I close the book then open it to the first page.
