The Other Apprentice

19-2 | Unbound

Tenet turned with a start toward the bookshelves. "What do you intend to do to Bickers? I brought him here to help us. He's not our enemy."

HE IS AN OBSTACLE, BOY. HE HAS WHAT IS NEEDED. HE IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DREAMS. HAVE YOU COME SO FAR TO STOP NOW?"

Bickers furrowed his brows at Tenet. "Use some sense, you ninny! He wants Madrigal's true name. He'll wrest it from me by force. You've allied yourself with the wrong sort."

Tenet turned to Bickers. "He promised to help me. Once he's led me to the Book of Llyr, I'm done with him, Bickers. I only want to be a wizard. After that, I owe him nothing. Bickers, you can help me become a wizard. I can do this without him, with your help."

Bickers twisted his stitched face in disgust. "If I had my way, you'd never be a wizard. You'll only make a right mess of it. And I won't be around to see it." The tome yelled out. "You want the name? You'll have to fight me for it, and I won't go down easy."

YOU SEE, BOY? HE ONLY WISHES TO HINDER YOU. BUT YOU AND I HAVE MADE A DEAL. AND I WILL DELIVER UPON MY PROMISE. YOU WILL BE A WIZARD, BOY.

Suddenly, the entire library trembled as the torches on the walls flared to light. The shelves rumbled as they shook in place and Bickers roared, the cover on his leather face straining as he yelled. "You'll have to do better than that!"

Tenet and Bria covered their ears as the rumbling increased. Bickers yelled louder. As Tenet tapped into his magical senses, he could see ribbons of magic being forcefully pulled from the book, as Bickers held on tight to prevent them from being taken in a mental game of tug-of-war, pulling the streams of magic back and forth. And then, in one terrifying moment, they were all yanked free from the book. The scream ended as Bickers, completely blackened and blistered, fell apart into fragments of leather and scraps of lifeless burnt paper.

IT IS DONE, BOY. NOW I CAN OPEN THE WAY FOR YOU. WE MUST ACT QUICKLY.

Tenet shouted. "I don't trust you. You're not trying to help me get the Book of Llyr; you need me so you can take it for yourself."

The library rumbled angrily. BOY! DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF RENEGING ON MY PROMISE. The books calmed somewhat. YES, I VALUE KNOWLEDGE, BUT I TOLD YOU, THE BOOK OF LLYR IS NO MERE BOOK. I CANNOT MERELY ABSORB IT INTO MY COLLECTION AS I DID THAT ONE. EVEN IF I HAD A MEANS TO POSSESS ITS KNOWLEDGE, I AM NO LONGER IN A FORM TO BENEFIT FROM IT. YOU WILL HAVE YOUR BOOK, BOY. YOU AND I ARE ALIKE; WE BOTH SEEK THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE. NOTHING WOULD GIVE ME GREATER PLEASURE THAN TO SEE YOU ACHIEVE THAT WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED.

Tenet looked to Bria for confirmation. She nodded. "Tenet, I told you. He keeps his word. He will help you."

Tenet looked down at the remains of Bickers on the floor and felt a knot in his stomach, letting out a deep sigh. "Well, I can't go back now. The only way is forward." He looked up and addressed Master Archivist again. "Alright, how do we proceed?"

THAT'S THE SPIRIT, BOY. WE MUST VENTURE INTO THE EMBRANCE. ALLOW ME TO ENTER YOUR MIND, BOY. I HAVE THE NAME BUT ONLY YOU CAN OPEN THE PATH.

Tenet felt as if his ears were ringing and his head pounding as he felt a presence in his skull.

DO NOT RESIST ME, BOY. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY.

Tenet did his best to ignore the pounding in his head. Suddenly, he felt his mind at peace. He was still aware of a presence within him.

THIS IS ONLY A TINY FRACTION OF MY WILL, BOY. ONLY ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO GUIDE YOU. MOST OF ME REMAINS IN THE LIBRARY IN WHICH I HAVE DWELT FOR CENTURIES. WE MUST HURRY.