The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

27. A clue

The library was quiet today. Most students were outside, taking advantage of the nice weather before gloomy autumn clouds moved in permanently. Elsa was perfectly content among the whispers of shuffled pages and distinct old book scents, which promised her knowledge and wisdom.

"You're so much better as a research partner, " she said quietly, bringing the heavy book to the table where Luna sat. "My brother is always complaining when I bring him here. Elsa," she tried to mimic his voice, "these books have too many pages. I need a break. Can we bring snacks? Pleeeeeease," and she finished with her version of Jack's sad puppy-eye look, which she must have done well because Luna giggled.

Luna didn't know that Elsa was one of those who couldn't refuse that puppy-eye look. Who could?

"I agree with the snack request." Luna put her book down and looked around them to confirm they were alone. "This is a perfect time to have some."

Out of her bookbag, she pulled out a small wooden box hand-painted in colorful swirls. The lid made a little squeak when she opened it.

"Dried dirigible plum," she said, offering it.

The fruit inside had red skin and was white on the inside. Elsa wasn't sure if it was even edible but didn't want to offend her friend, so she took one slice out.

Luna bit half of a slice. "It opens up your mind to enhance your awareness."

After Luna finished her piece and reached for another without showing signs of poisoning, Elsa gave it a try. The plum was hard to chew. It wasn't meant to be dried. Its sharp flavor reminded her of radishes, but it was also sweet, and the combination of the two flavors gave her a strange aftertaste. Elsa feigned a polite smile and looked back at the old book in front of her, hoping she wasn't required to eat more.

They studied quietly until Luna pushed her book over to Elsa to show what she had found.

"How about this one?" she asked, pointing at a page. "This journal says, 'I nearly wasted away in front of the mirror, unable to make its reflection possible.'"

Elsa leaned over to read the full passage.

"I've read about something like this before," Luna said, munching on another piece of dried fruit. "I think it could have been one of my dad's articles—something about a mirror that would show you what you want to see."

"I still don't see how I can use that," Elsa said. Maybe Luna had eaten too many of those strange plums.

"You want to discover a way to find your father. That's what you want to see."

"An enchanted mirror." Elsa agreed, starting to consider the possibilities. "Where can we find it?"

"I'll write to daddy to ask him. In the meantime, we could keep searching."

"Luna, you're brilliant! You have the best ideas!" Elsa admitted and popped a slice of the strange plum in her mouth. She was lucky to have Luna helping her, weird plums and all.

"That's very kind of you," Luna answered, staring off into the distance. "I've always believed that an open mind can hold more ideas. Take them all in and pick the best."

"Are you eating in here?" Madam Pince yelled from the end of the aisle, looking like a starved vulture that had found its prey. "Get out of my library!" she bellowed.

The two of them froze in place.

"Uh-oh," Luna said quietly.

The librarian then pointed her wand at two chairs, said a spell, which animated them, making them hobble like obedient soldiers. The girls quickly grabbed their things and fled. The chairs followed, creaking along the way. Elsa picked up the speed while Madam Pince cried in intelligible shrieks behind them as if a murder had been committed.

They ran out of the library, and Elsa braced her back against the door. She hoped the chairs wouldn't be able to follow them now. They didn't sprout hands on their way, did they?

"I have never been afraid of a chair before!" Elsa said, catching her breath.

"I have never been in trouble before." Luna stared at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "It's more fun than I would have imagined. I wonder what she would bewitch if I brought in a drink. Oh, is it time for supper? I'm craving pumpkin juice."

Luna skipped away towards the Great Hall, humming a melody, and Elsa followed close behind while smiling to herself. Who said libraries had to be boring?