Silver Hooves in the Darkness

Chapter Fifteen

Paola spent her time wandering amidst the merchant stalls and enjoying the park. Thea, the woman who had sold her the stones and ribbons, waved cheerfully at her whenever she passed by her wares.

A small exhibit of paintings hung in one of the front galleries of the Library and was open to all visitors, even an equina. "Portraiture" was the new word that she had learned. A half-hearted smile marred a pretty face. In another painting, the twinkling grass green eyes of the subject gave the only bit of color to a face so white that blue veins beneath the thin skin shone brightly. The different artists had captured the true nature of the individuals with telling detail. In Petronella's portrait, the sharp square of her face only accentuated the glinting cruelty in her dark eyes. It was enough to make the equina momentarily step back with fear.

Three days after her meeting with Petronella, Paola finally returned to Annunciata's office. Word had spread among the librarian's colleagues that she was quite efficient in her task as the temporary Keeper of the Accounts. Whether the little woman fretted about how soon she would be relieved of the assignment was not something her demeanor revealed this morning.

"Thank you for coming so early, Paola," the young librarian said. She pointed to a new chair that had been set by her desk. It still smelt of fresh stain and varnish. "Please sit."

The equina hesitated, surprised by the unorthodox invitation. Would the chair's new coating stick to her if it had not dried properly?

"Oh, it is quite all right. I just thought that in the future, any equine who had just come in from a Carry should have the opportunity to rest while I settled matters."

"But I am not newly returned from a Carry, my lady."

"Then, Paola Equina, just do me the honor of humoring me," she said with a snorting laugh as she shook her head at some private thought while she scribbled in her ledger.

Paola lowered herself carefully onto the chair. It had a soft yellow pad tied to its seat, so she knew that her bottom would not get stuck. It was the chair's back that concerned her if she decided to lean against it.

Annunciata said. "I have a new Carry for you, which I hope does not put you in any danger, but I cannot guarantee that."

The librarian's words brought Paola straight to her feet with fright. Her head swiveled quickly to the right and to the left as if she expected Petronella to barge into the office.

"Easy!" Annunciata scolded. "Calm yourself!"

"My lady!"

"I know what Gemma studied, but I still do not know why," she stated flatly.

And those words of admission made Paola drop back onto her chair.

"I learned about the ritual of Sacrifice. The ones chosen for the 'honor' have been from noble families. The record is incomplete, but it reaches back at least to the founding of the Library. Until now, only select librarians of the red robe rank have possessed this knowledge in Dome Biblia."

"Then, how do you know? You are not one of them," Paola asked boldly.

"Gemma muttered to herself a great deal. Her hatred of Petronella ran deep, for it was her family that had chosen the last Sacrifice, as I am sure you know. It was the Chief Librarian who had originally commanded me to monitor Gemma's strange activities and cover for her when necessary. Since she has not interfered with my investigations, and did not appear to be surprised by any of my reports, I suspected that she has known all along what Gemma was studying. I tracked the records of the books Gemma had checked out for research. I could tell that there were volumes she took that she did not record based on her wanderings amidst the stacks. I also researched other books in some of the oldest, dustiest stacks in the Library. However, whatever more she hoped to learn of the ritual of Sacrifice, I still do not know."

Paola wondered whether this librarian was as crazily determined as Gemma had been in her search for the truth or whether it was a trait all librarians shared. The equina gave a soft puff of anxiety.

The little woman opened a drawer and retrieved the bag of crystals connected to the dome map. "But I know her research must have to do with this."

Paola stiffened.

"The Chief Librarian was right. You have seen this before. Be grateful that Petronella doesn't know of its existence. At least, not yet."

Annunciata held her gaze. "These crystals have been charged with powerful magic and contain information. I have surmised, and the Chief Librarian has concurred, that there may be some connection between the ritual of Sacrifice, Gemma and her friend in Dome Erba that relates to them, but what that is...."

Paola gave a choked cry.

"Be strong and brave, little equina. The Chief Librarian trusted Gemma implicitly. I am sure when my friend used you for your last Carry, she told you only as much as necessary for your protection."

How wrong Annunciata's careful reasoning was because of its incompleteness and prejudice!

"The Chief Librarian also despises Petronella and her family, for they have caused the librarians much hardship over time by circumventing acquisitions and attempting to subvert our laws by their wealth and influence. She wishes to see how this game will play out by dropping a stone in the pond and watching the ripples it creates. And for that reason, since you are already a part of this mystery, I must ask you to carry this bag of crystals to Healer Alessandro di Medico in Dome Erba. You can refuse, and if you do so, I will grant you safe passage back to your home dome, or any dome you wish to go to that you have already visited, as per our regulations. But I am asking you, in Gemma's memory, and for the sake of the librarians, will you do this Carry for us?"

Was the life of a Courier merely her Carries? She thought back to the disgruntled Livia, who would rather die than retreat to the idyllic life Dome Pasture promised. She considered the Carry from Dome Pecora that she had yet to complete to the Healer Who Remembers. She was still so young and had so few stories to tell of her travels. Some quality she possessed that she could not name pushed her toward seeing the game to its conclusion. "I would like to offer flowers in the Room of Remembrance to Gemma's memory before I go," Paola whispered.

"I will make sure that you have access to the Tomb of All Librarians and that you have extra currency for flowers. Now, come to me, then, Paola Equina, and receive your Carry."

The equina knelt by her side and raised her chin. The little woman touched a diamond, not a ruby, to her gem. "Such an extravagant ring, I know, especially since it will not be used long. The next official Keeper of the Accounts can pick her own gemstone," Annunciata said. "By custom, Gemma's ring will be sealed away in our archive. Before we went to talk to Petronella, this one was delivered to me by our Technician. Why Josephina chose it baffles me, but it came with the appropriate documents signed by the Chief Librarian."

Even in this conversation, the little woman displayed respect by not speaking the name of the woman with the cane.

The two gems touched and the tone they made in their energy congress sounded cold and dissonant to Paola's sensitive ears.

Annunciata gave a puzzled look at the ring after it coded Paola's gem for her Carry. "I have never liked diamonds," she said.