Always be able to track the Librarians.

  The sentence rang in her ears as she devoured the coffee and donut Cook sent to her while she waited. It wouldn't be long before the others arrived, but it was plenty of time for her thoughts to run rampant. Quinn couldn't keep the frown from her face as she paced the length of her office and back.

  Always be able to track the Librarians.

  Despite her excitement that she’d managed to control the dream they’d attempted to wrest from her and get some measure of information from them, Quinn can’t help but feel blindsided by that statement. Dravishk had seemed so sure, absolutely positive in fact. Which meant he’d tracked Librarians before.

  A queasiness settled in her stomach, making her wonder just how the Librarian before Korradine died. Obviously they had ways of contacting a Librarian through their dreams? Or perhaps it was something else that made this possible. One of the Librarian specific affinities, perhaps. But was there more to it?

  Surely not every Librarian had shields like Quinns? After all, hers were well reinforced with her cosmicisodracus heritage. It leant her strength for everything. But considering the Librarian’s needed specific combinations of affinities and Quinn had every single affinity... it meant she definitely had access to more of a Library of skills than anyone else. No pun intended, of course, even though she did make herself smile.

  She frowned, engrossed in her thoughts, and was still pacing when Lynx, Malakai, and Milaro popped into the room.

  We’re all present and accounted for. The Library sounded like it did when it was busy multitasking. Sort of distant and preoccupied. And yet somehow still there.

  Before she could say anything, Lynx spoke up. “You look exhausted. You were supposed to go to sleep.”

  A worm of guilt tried to wind itself into Quinn’s brain, but she wasn’t having it right then. “I didn’t exactly get a choice over this intrusion.” She was proud of herself for not snapping, and yet at the same time, she actually felt irritated that she hadn’t had a choice. For once, she’d actually agreed to go to sleep earlier than usual. So much for her pro-activeness.

  Milaro frowned, understanding immediately. “If it’s Kajaro, you need to tell Hal straight away. He shouldn’t be breaching any of the wards they’re keeping him under. That should be nigh impossible.”

  Malakai is the one who responds though, his voice an all out drawl of boredom and sarcasm. The perfect marriage. “Just like it’s supposed to be impossible that someone fries the brains of the prisoner before Hal can prevent it.”

  Quinn could hug him.

  Milaro winces. “Valid point you’re making, and yet I can’t help think things would be easier...” He shakes his head. “Never mind. Carry on Quinn.”

  She nods, sort of grateful for the interaction as she reaches up and pets Aradie’s perfectly soft feathers. “Not Kajaro. It’s the Library’s brother. The Drav one.”

  There’s a weight to the surrounding atmosphere. As if the Library is taking in the information as being weighed down by it. Then a sigh ruffles through the room like a regretful breeze. I wish I could say I’m surprised it says.

  Unsure of how to respond to that, Quinn relays exactly what happened in her vision, dream, sub conscious invasion. After relaying the information she definitively has, there’s silence in the room and Quinn feels quite uncomfortable. To cover that, she continues. “Of course, I think I might have some more information in there, but I’m unsure how to tap into it. It seems I didn’t understand what they were saying before a certain point in time in their conversation.”

  Milaro looks up at her sharply, a thousand questions hidden in his gaze and she knows she’s caught his attention. Nothing like a bit of a mind puzzle to bring out Milaro’s competitive streak. “What makes you think that?”

  She’s not completely surprised by the question, but really has to ponder it. “It took me a while to orient myself. I wasn’t sure if it was a dream, if there were really people in my dreamscape or whatever we call it, or if I could remain hidden. I spent time strengthening my wards and making sure they wouldn’t get through them to actually be able to locate me... All in all, I could hear that people were talking but weren’t, at the time, focused on what they were saying. At least not initially.”

  Malakai crosses his arms and leans against the closest wall. It gives Quinn a sense of relief to see him doing something so typically mundane while she waits for Milaro to process the information.

  Lynx wasn’t completely there, either. His eyes were flickering, darting here and there. He was obviously tracking down something she wasn't aware of.

  It only took a moment for Milaro to speak back up, but it seemed like such a long time. “And you’re sure you managed to get all your wards and protections in place, right?”

  Quinn nodded again. “Yes.”

  “Hmm,” he paused, stepping closer hesitantly. “What is it you want to do Quinn? I feel like you have an idea, and are just waiting for me to process all of this before you tell me. So, out with it.”

  “Ah, yes. I’m wondering if you could help me with retrieving what it is they might have said. It could be bickering, but it could be enlightening. Maybe give us a piece of the puzzle we’re missing?”

  He nodded, frowning. “That sounds like an excellent idea, all things considered.” He walks over to her desk and pats her chair. “Make yourself comfortable. I have to pop back and grab a couple of things. I’ll sit opposite you. Whatever you need to do to relax, get in a meditative state. Let’s do it. We’ll dig in and see what we can’t pull out of that fabulous brain of yours, yes?

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Quinn didn’t expect the wave of relief that rushed through her after hearing that. “Okay.”

  Milaro, upon her acquiescence, immediately popped out of view.

  Quinn pouted. “You think I’d be used to that by now.”

  Malakai was suddenly in front of her with a steaming hot drink that Quinn recognized as hot chocolate. She looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. It wasn’t that she didn’t like hot chocolate, but she felt like it was more of an evening or nighttime drink.

  Malakai shrugged. “Cook insisted it would help you relax more than the coffee you’ve been drinking to keep you awake.”

  She’d already drunk half of it before Milaro was back. Sitting with her legs crossed, and her mind half way to zoning out, Quinn gave Lynx, still searching for whatever he was looking for, a glance before taking a deep breath. “Ready when you are.”

  Milaro perched on a chair on the other side of the desk and extended his hands to gently hold hers. “Close your eyes and breathe. I want you to count to ten in your head with slow and even breaths, and I need to have you completely calm at this stage. There is no danger near you. We won’t let any harm come to you. You are safe in this space. Do you understand?”

  Not that she could see it, but while he spoke, a strange sort of mist began to envelop her mind. She was calm and easy within its embrace, able to pinpoint each thought she had with startling clarity. It felt like her mind was open and free and able to comprehend anything. “I understand.” She said and realized she more than did that.

  Next thing she knew, they were standing in her mind, or in her memories as such.

  Show me.

  Milaro’s words were no longer spoken but a part of her mind, shown to her in a way she’d not perceived before. She frowned. It was definitely him, and she was in her chair even if it felt so far away, surrounded by people and manifestations that would protect her. Breathing steadily, she drew him in, letting become not quite a part of her memory self, but close enough to breathe the same dream air.

  The words were gargled at first and Milaro reached through, guiding the memory to the glimpses he needed to see in order to help her ascertain the purpose. While he utilized her mind, she found herself drifting.

  Not from the recollection, but back to what they’d been saying. She didn’t understand why they’d chosen this avenue of contact. Had she been meant to consume something that made her more susceptible to take over or something? Were there reasons she didn’t understand about how they approached the Librarians? Or had they only used this approach with her because they’d not met her in person? Well... Technically anyway.

  The muttered, mumbled, indecipherable conversations began to take a wisp of shape. Not completely done yet, but almost there.

  So close she could practically taste what it was they were saying.

  Pity she didn’t know what they were made of.

  Quinn? Focus.

  She struggled to pull herself back from her thoughts, wrenching the bulk of her attention back to the sound of the voices just beyond her comprehension. But that was just it. The words were less garbled now. Clearer.

  Why did you let her wake up? There was some static overlaid with the words, as if it was bad reception, but there nonetheless.

  I didn’t let her. Those wards on her hibernation chamber aren’t what I expected from her. Drukala never seemed so...

  You shouldn’t have underestimated her, Dro, you should know better than that.

  Then a snarl, as if Dro was telling him precisely what she thought of that.

  Several more seconds passed and the voices behind the static start up again.

  This tracking thing is easier than expected. You’re cleverer than I gave you credit for.

  Quinn could practically feel Dravishk preening.

  You shouldn’t ever underestimate me.

  Did you always know... that you’d undermine the Library like this?

  For several seconds there was silence and then Dravishk sighed. There was an air of melancholy about the expression, as if he didn’t want to go into it. No. Not initially.

  Then how...

  Originally, I didn’t believe this would work. The shifting, the pocket dimension, the filtration... it was a shot in the dark, but I had to give Drevicia something to focus on. For it to feel like something had been done. I never expected it to work.

  So you built a back door just in case?

  Well, I wasn’t going to let Drev die, was I? This was supposed to fail and chaos would retain its natural order.

  The static faded slightly, but was still there, almost as punctuation for the rest of it.

  Wait. So, you’ve been preparing to take it down since the start.

  Another pause.

  I never intended it to work, but it twisted, and it caught, and then it was this solid thing. Undoing it has proved more of a challenge than I ever imagined.

  But you’re almost there, right?

  A bit of a laugh before the answer. Somewhat. There are several of my avenues that the blasted new Librarian has cut off, but I still have some tricks up my sleeve.

  I should have known.

  Dravishk growled. She really shouldn’t have gotten that book.

  They were back where the conversation started for Quinn originally. Milaro extricated himself and Quinn had to remind herself to come out of the quasi trance she was in, too. So much of what she’d just witnessed was too much. But at the same time, it was far too convenient.

  She’d already taken so much of the bait laid out for her and people had died. She refused to be responsible for that again. When she opened her eyes, she was scowling and had the satisfaction of seeing Milaro momentarily confused. “What?” She asked.

  “I expected you to be sad, or worried?” He half asked back.

  She shook her head. “Oh, I’m both of those things. But I’m also done with this crap. We can’t trust that to be true, but we also can’t ignore what they told us. Because even if I’m skeptical, it sounds far too much like the truth.”

  The Library’s voice had a hitch to it when it spoke. It sounds far too much like exactly something Drav would do. I was always surprised he agreed in the first place.

  Quinn sighed, hating that the Library felt so slighted. “Okay, so that part is likely true, but we operate from here on in on the presumption that anything we glean could be a lie, could be a trap, or simply designed to lead us the wrong way.”

  “That’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Malakai drawled.

  Quinn used Gravitas to throw a couch cushion at him, hitting him right in the face.

  “Hey!”

  “Sorry? I can’t hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.” She grinned, clinging to that brief delusion of normalcy. Quinn had a feeling she was going to need it as they began to figure out the rest of Dravishk’s plan.

  Patreon exists!