The Crystal Trials

38 Taury

Garren and I never got a chance to look more at the Axion card Volar gave Nik. After she had handed it to us, we bickered over how to help Dath and went to bed. Then, we woke up on the island for the third trial. While Nik was being tended to by her mom in the clinic, I had asked Garren if he wanted to head to the library to see what we could find about the card. Dath had finally come out of his rooms and practiced on the training grounds. Ameer had said at breakfast that he had been there since dawn. My aunt assured me Nik would be awake in time for us to travel to Asuraville for Grandma Mysie's mourning service. After checking on both of our friends, we made for the library.

As we walked in silence my mind went back to the winter masque, as it had been multiple times a day since. Garren didn't let up after that night. He was constantly looking at me to see if I was going to seek him out. Which I certainly was not. And I certainly wasn't imagining his torturous mouth. Alone. At nights. I felt my face flush and didn't dare look at the man walking next to me. We sat down on the chairs in his hidden alcove, and I emptied my bag onto the carpet.

I had a book in my bag that spoke about the nature of crystals. I had been trying to find an answer to the students getting sick. I grabbed that and flipped to the page I had last read. After reading for a while in the chair, I tried to get more comfortable by curling my legs under me. Ugh. I had only read a line or two before throwing myself to the floor in frustration. I laid on my belly and continued reading. I could feel Garren's smirk at my fit.

"Do you have a problem?" I snapped at him.

He was reading his book on the history of Phaewen's temple still and comparing it to the information in another book. He peered down to me over his book innocently.

"I do actually," he retorted and joined me on the floor placing his books in front of us. "Look here. This book has the goddess holding a star. And this one has her holding a whip. I can't find any indication as to why the image would have been altered at some point."

"Fascinating." It was anything but.

He reached forward and grabbed something from my mess on the floor.

"Is this the card Nik gave you the other night?"

I turned my head his way. I had forgotten about my original intention in coming to the library. My cousin and our childhood friend were both in rough places. Worry for them had consumed my thoughts. Dath was quieter than usual. Which was saying something. Nik had overexerted herself again. Though I was glad to tears that she had saved Emyr, I was worried about how much magic she had used. I had noticed she didn't even once tap into the gems on her gauntlets. It baffled me to consider what power she could wield if she did ever use the stored magic. Oh Hells. I had started crying. I hated crying. It was a useless emotion sometimes.

Lost in thought again, I realized I still hadn't answered Garren. "Yes."

"Taury, look at me." He commanded. And I did. "They will both be ok."

I nodded and wiped the stupid tears away. He grabbed my hand and shoved the card into it.

"Let's help them then. We still need to figure out what Volar intended when he told Nik that someone would seek her out after the meaning of the card was found."

"Fine."

So, we got to work looking over the card. The phrase on it, "Mind of Magic" could not be found anywhere. After an hour or so searching for it, we decided to look for any meaning to the nine-pointed star created by three interlocking triangles. We had found a few different stars, including the one referencing the on Phaewen held in most of her imagery. The others were either constellations or locations. It had taken us another couple of hours just to find the information on the stars.

Garren was leaned up against the foot of the chair and flipping the card back and forth. "What are these?"

I crawled over to see him pointing to the useless numbers on the back of it. I had forgotten about the numbers. They were a shiny black and not the bright silver like the rest of print. I read the numbers "SM 249.T5 4002." I'd know a number like that anywhere.

"It's a book," I whispered in disbelief.

Just then, Faolan came slidingaround the corner and bound to us. "Nik is awake! Her mom sent me to get you."Evander was stalking towards us, clearly having traveled with him. He wassmiling sweetly at Faloan's back. Goddess above they were too adorable. Ismiled at Garren, and he matched my gaze with a sinful one of his own. Ugh. Icleaned up my stuff and we all went to see my cousin.