Out of Evenfall (BOOK 1)

Chapter 38

ADARA

"Is the training proceeding apace?" Ineha's voice tore Fenrer and Yuven away from their staredown. Adara stepped back to allow the senior Storm Warden to approach the other two.

"It could be going faster," Yuven grunted as he sat back down on his small post.

"I see." Ineha tipped her head forward to her before shaking it, her dark curls speckled with gray bouncing with the movement. "You are not going to enjoy what I have to say. The Conclave has sent a...." She drew her hand upwards into a slow uncurl, as if trying to chase away her news. "A representative of their interests. They are currently making their way here as we speak. I daresay they should be here any moment."

"Representative...?" Yuven mused.

Fenrer switched his frown from Yuven to Ineha. "Who is it, Captain?"

"It's a Keeper of Pyon," Ineha explained.

A what. Heat washed up into her cheeks when Fenrer glanced at her. I said— thought that out loud, didn't I? Is that a thing people can do? Ugh... Adara held her temples as Ineha clasped her hands together. "What is a Keeper of Pyon?"

"Bookkeepers," Yuven said.

Adara stifled a laugh and switched to him. "Sounds like something you should've been."

Yuven glared down at her. "Black isn't my color." He brushed his hand through his snow white hair with a huff. "Well, I suppose there's not much to do but wait for this 'Keeper' to grace us with their presence, though this changes nothing, Ineha."

"You don't have to tell me," she said. "I'm giving you fair warning. If this is how the Conclave is responding, I'd take care with what comes next. I shall go and see them and guide them here." Without another word, she whisked away into the back door of the hall.

Yuven lowered himself from the post to head to her. Adara jumped away from him, but he rolled his eyes and went past her to peek through the window. "Thoughts, Fenrer?"

"What is a Keeper of Pyon?" she repeated.

"I just told you. Do you not use your ears as well as your common sense?" Yuven asked as he stepped back from the window, sending a pulsing, clear barrier against it.

"Bookkeepers," Adara echoed. "Is that it?"

"No," Fenrer answered. "They're the Keepers of Obscura history, named after Pyon... or, if you're from Haneka, Pyvansomiir — the leviathan of the star's knowledge. Their library holds all the world's known Obscura texts. Only Keepers trained in that field are capable of reading them — for better or for worse." He glanced around the forest, then raised his hand to reflect Yuven's clear barrier, who smirked at the motion. "This could simply be a cursory visit from the Keepers. They also study Anima level magick. Things that are taboo and not accessible to everyone else," he explained. "Documentation on all types of magick. If you need to know something, going to a Keeper is your best bet if you can't find it anywhere else."

Yuven grunted, "If they'd tell you."

"Yes... if they'd say," Fenrer said with a tired sigh.

Adara listened to the quiet hum of the unseen barrier, where the forest sounds behind it muted down. "So... why would the Elder Conclave send a Keeper of Pyon?"

She half expected Yuven to sneer and point out the stupidity of her question. He leaned against the brick of the hall with a soft hiss through his lips. "Why indeed... I think we'll find out when they get here. I suppose you can ask them. Rare is the chance to needle a Keeper, as I said, they are bookkeepers. I would not be surprised if they sleep among stacks." Adara folded her arms and eyed Yuven, who met her stare. "What?"