I leave out all my tools where I left them. Another thing Mother would be aghast at if she saw. The little bit of rebellion brings a smirk to my face. This is my smithy now, no one will dare interfere, I think, I can do with it as I please.
“Where are we going?” I ask as we ascend the hallway past the others’ rooms.
“The museum. It’ll explain more about how we know Solos couldn’t have been working with a human.”
“Museum?” I sound out. The word is new and strange in my mouth.
“Yes, it’s out in the city, and since we can’t mist step on castle grounds, we have to go to the receiving hall.”
This is a greater excursion than I thought if he’s talking about mist stepping.
“The museum?” Callos catches up. “Do you think that’s wise?”
I don’t know what this “museum” is, but given Ruvan’s current state, I assumed it was something that I didn’t need to be too worried about. But now I’m wondering if it’s dangerous.
Callos is of the same mind. “We haven’t cleared out that section of the city in months.”
“It’s early morning, we’ll be back well before the sun sets,” Ruvan says. “Not to mention, last time we went, it was mostly empty.”
“Where are we going?” Winny is up.
“Great, now it’s a party.” Callos takes off his glasses and frustratedly wipes them on his shirt. I can’t help but notice how he makes it a point not to look at Winny. Perhaps removing his glasses was the excuse not to.
“I like parties.” Winny stops at the bottom of the stairs.
“Get your daggers, Winny. We’re headed into the city.”
“Ooh! I’ll get Lavenzia, she’ll—”
“The last time Lavenzia escorted me to the museum she broke a sculpture when she thought it was a Succumbed,” Callos says deadpan.
“You’re right…let’s leave the brutes behind.” Winny laughs and rushes off.
They are preparing for battle against the Succumbed and wish to protect these, no doubt magic, sculptures in the process. “Should I get a sickle?”
“It can’t hurt,” Ruvan says. “Put on your armor, too.”
We ready ourselves for battle with a brief stop in the armory. Then, Ruvan leads us up the stairs and back through the door that connects with the chapel. As we cross through the cavernous room, I get another glimpse of the statue of the king hovering above the altar. Holding his book and looking skyward.
“Is that King Solos?” I ask as we begin rounding up the stairs. His visage is familiar to me.
“It is,” Ruvan answers. “That is the chapel where blood lore was first used.”
“The book he’s holding is said to be the first record of blood lore—a spellbook, humans might call it,” Callos says. “It’s what I hoped you might find down in the workshop, if not the curse anchor. But alas on both counts.”
“The first record of blood lore is missing?”
“The first three are,” Callos says sadly. “No one knows what happened to them, but their loss certainly stunted our ability to fight against the effects of the curse. If we’d had them…” He trails off as we reach the opening in the castle. Callos leans slightly, looking over the city. “Perhaps things might have been different.”
“No point in dwelling on the past.” Winny hops onto the buttress I walked across on my first day here, strolling like it’s nothing. Callos follows her into the blustery cold with a sigh.
I stare at the gap, gathering my courage.
Ruvan extends a hand. “Would you like me to take you across?”
I look up at him, unaware of just when he came so close.
“Quinn told me of your first trip… It might be safest.” He gives a weary smile. “I don’t want to have to jump after you a second time.”
