Crow of Flame

Chapter 11

The passageway was long and cold. It was made of grey stone and had torches evenly spaced. We walked for a minute or two before we reached an intersection with nine different pathways branching off. Torches lit up down the second one to the left and we followed it for what felt like an hour. Our steps clacking and the sparking fire the only sounds. As the hallway ended we reached a wooden door that opened by itself.

I led the group but before I could walk through the door Eliot stopped me by my elbow, "We should make sure no one is in there first." I looked baffled, could someone be in there?

I looked to the door, "Cletus, if someone is in the library please close the door. This is a project of secrecy." We looked to the door for a moment before it opened further. I looked to Eliot, "I think it's safe."

We moved into a grand library. It was a large space with hundreds of stacks of books in the center. Evenly spaced on the walls around us were golden lanterns. There was a fire place with golden chairs surrounding it, and couches scattered around. There were tables for studying scattered throughout, areas with maps hanging, and spiral balconies holding shelves of books. The level above us had windows framed by shelves and comfy looking armchairs scattered. I walked further in. "How do I find anything in this place? It's huge..." I trailed off, my shoulders slumped a little. I felt a little defeated.

Eliot placed a hand on my shoulder and looked up, "Cletus," his voice was gentle yet strong, "Could you please point us towards a complete history of the realm?" I looked at him with bewilderment playing in my eyes. How did he know what I was looking for? "You don't want Persephone to know why you're here, I figured you'd be looking into what they were lying about today."

I scoffed a laugh, "I knew they were lying but how did you?" I crossed my arms at my chest.

He laughed and ran a hand through his dark hair, "They hid you for ten years, they took your memories, and trained you... but they don't know what Eboni wants with you?" He shook his head and met my gaze, "It seems very unlikely."

I nodded in agreement as a small book bound in old green leather appeared on a table in front of us. I walked over and picked it up, it was no bigger than a novel. This was the complete history? The cover read, 'The realm of Olympus: the ongoing chronicles.' I turned the book over in my hands and looked back to Eliot, "Whose library is this anyways?"

His eyes showed a flash of fear and he coughed curtly. "It's Kronos' and Persephone's private library..." his voice trailed off and he took in the room, "I've only ever been in here once. Only gods are allowed in here..." He huffed out a laugh and ran a hand over his hair, "and apparently, those the house favors."

I looked to Lynx and Obi, "you guys aren't allowed in here either?" They shook their heads no. "So they keep the knowledge locked up? That shit's fucked."

Eliot nodded, "Agreed." He looked towards the door, "we should go before we get caught" he looked to the book in my hand, "Surely they won't notice one missing book."

I looked around, "If they don't notice one, then surely with all these books, they won't notice three..." I almost asked it like a question. I turned my face towards the ceiling, "Cletus, would there happen to be a book full of prophecies?"

We waited a moment before a book, slightly larger than the green one in my hands appeared on the table. It was bound in blue leather and had ' Prophecies from Olympus: the interactive chronicles' etched on the cover. I looked up again, "thank you Cletus, I have only one more request." I took a breath, there's no going back after this. "Cletus, do you have anything on The raven of smoke and the crow of flame?"

Lynx and Obi both snapped their heads in my direction and Eliot's black eyes narrowed. A book appeared on the table, the largest yet. It was bound in black leather and written on the cover in silver was 'The raven of smoke and the crow of flame' "Thank you Cletus." I picked up the book, I was now holding a stack in my arms.