Dark Waters Rising

Library

One month later.

The clattering horse-drawn carriages rolling through bustling cobblestone streets were quite the spectacle for the youngest prince. Evander had never been to the surface before, so the cacophony of the city left him in wide-eyed wonder. One of his arms was looped with Andromeda's while the other gripped tightly to the sleek black cane that was helping him walk. Though they had been topside for around a week already, he had not yet mastered the art of it. One foot in front of the other seemed simple enough, but having gone all of his life without moving his legs independently from one another was proving problematic. It was like a tongue twister for his brain, but he was certainly improving.

It helped to have Andromeda at his side. She provided much of the balance that seemed to elude him, as did the cane.

Wesley had to admit that the boy looked quite dapper in the crisp black tailcoat and matching trousers they'd bought for him when they'd arrived. He might've only been seventeen, but he looked like a proper nobleman with his sharp posture and slim frame.

That was good, considering where they were going. Eshelridge was one of the most esteemed universities on the continent, and they wouldn't let just any old riffraff into their library. From what he knew of it, the place had the largest collection of historical artifacts in the world. There were guards stationed outside of it at all times to dissuade any thoughts of theft.

Luckily for the trio, entrance was permitted freely at this hour of the day, at least to those who looked respectable.

Smoothing down the front of his jacket, Wesley took a deep breath before guiding the two sirens across the street and up a set of marble steps leading to the imposing structure. They went slowly, since Evander wasn't used to stairs. At the summit of the short climb, one of the guards stopped Wesley to inquire about the approaching woman. After assuring the man that she would be under Wesley's personal supervision for the entirety of their visit, he reluctantly allowed them to enter.

If Evander was impressed by the city, the grandiose interior of the library put it to shame. It was practically a castle lined with shelves. The ceiling towered high above them, several elevated floors visible as octagonally arranged balconies over where they stood. The very top of the building housed a spiderweb of glass that let the white sunlight filter in. Ornate tapestries as tall as sails draped down some of the walls and warm, flickering candlelight chased away the darkness in every corner. It was unlike anything Evander had ever seen before, and even just trying to look up at it all made him feel like he was falling backward.

"Gentlemen," the voice of a man with a pinched face and small spectacles greeted from behind a desk. "May I assist you in finding anything today?"

For the first time in his life, Evander wished he could read.

"Yes, actually," Wesley approached, pulling a slip of paper he had previously written on from the inside pocket of his jacket. He unfolded it and slid it toward the librarian, who eyed the trio curiously as he picked up the note.

Wesley held his breath as the man looked it over, hoping the vision he had been given had provided enough details for this to work.

The man cleared his throat, causing all three sets of eyes to snap to attention.

"You're here for him, then?" he asked.

Wesley nodded.

"He doesn't get many visitors."

"I know." Wesley said.

The man narrowed his eyes at the merchant, assessing him. "I will need all three of your names first," he said, pulling out a thick book of what appeared to be a ledger. "And no lies. The book will know."

The statement was followed by a hard look.

Andromeda went first, clearly announcing, "Andromeda Jones."

The man scrawled the letters down in black ink. When he looked up again, Evander cleared his throat and said, "Evander Aurelian."

Lastly, the man turned to Wesley. "Wesley Roberts."

The librarian paused for a moment, looking again at the merchant before etching his name into the book.

"I see," was all he said as he put down his quill. "Very well then." He pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Follow me."

They did.

The man led them to one of the bookshelves farthest from where they'd entered the building. He pulled one of the books from the second highest shelf out partially, causing a faint click to emanate from behind it. Then, much to their surprise, the man swung the bookshelf away from the wall, revealing a heavy duty door. After procuring a key from the keyring at his belt, the librarian unlocked the door and pushed it open. What laid beyond was a steep, winding stone staircases leading beneath the building. The path was lined by torches, but still gave an eerie aura.

"What you seek is down there," the man said cryptically. "I advise that you do not touch anything you do not understand, and know that if you try to steal anything from below, the book your names are now in will kill you before you can leave the building with it."

"Understood," Wesley said, somehow keeping the shakiness out of his voice. The others nodded as well.

The librarian gave them a curt nod as well. "Knock when you're ready to come out."

And with that, they descended. The man sealed them in.

Wesley felt like he was walking through some sort of magical barrier as he made his way lower. It was thick and heavy, like molasses hanging in the air. Luckily, the feeling lifted the further they went, but it was still unmistakable that this place was overflowing with magic. It radiated the same sort of energy the skeleton key had, though this dose was far bigger. Andromeda was also being effected by the intense energy. She could feel the magic seeping into her, and much to her relief, it was speeding up her reverse-aging process noticeably. She still showed signs of crow's feet and weariness, but the silver was steadily leaving her hair, her tendons were relaxing, and the heaviness she had been carrying around on her shoulders was lifting the pressure off her spine. Even Evander, who was not overly accustomed to magic, could feel its presence like a blanket over his body.

The bottom of the staircase opened up into a wide room filled with ornate artifacts in glass cases. There were also several rows of bookshelves clustered in the middle of the room and a few doors leading to backrooms.

The trio cautiously stepped into the space, unsure of what exactly to expect from such a charged area.

"Hello?" Wesley called uncertainly, his eyes darting around the room.

There was some shuffling from behind one of the side doors, and after a few moments it swung open to reveal a middle-aged man with reddish brown hair, starting to gray, and ocean blue eyes.

When those eyes flicked up to curiously meet those of his unexpected guests, they were unmistakable.

Wesley's throat felt like it was closing, but with enough willpower, he was able to muster a single word.

"Father."

----+------+----

A/N

Do the letters of your first name rearrange to spell anything interesting? If not all of them, do just a few of them? Use an unscrambler if you're uncertain. I can spell roam out of Mora, but that's about it. Arm, ram, oar, and mar if we're not counting all the letters.

Thanks for reading,
-Mora Montgomery