When a Stars Teardrops Become Jewels: Eclipsed Garden

| 10 | Open the Passage

They slammed the doors closed. Pogue doubled-back and rushed to a bookshelf beside the door. With as much effort as he could gather, he attempted to push the shelf. Realizing what Pogue was doing, Siren and Raffa moved to assist him. With the three of their strengths together, they rocked the wall-tall bookshelf. The bookshelf creaked as it tipped over and landed across the double-doors to the library as an unmovable barricade, launching books in all directions.

Barricade set, Pogue scurried off through the library for the rest to follow. The battle-weary group of demons passed endless shelves that seemed more like walls filled to the point of spilling over with books and scrolls. As they turned the corner, Pogue froze.

At the end of the hall of books was a person, looking down at a large tome in their hands. Ashen white hair and a young face created an odd, haunting look. However, what was even more daunting were the silver eyes of a royal that peered up from the pages of the book as she realized she had been found.

Siren recognized her. The white-haired ghost who performed the sword dance.

Pogue withdrew his sword from his scabbard and lunged toward the ghost. Medusa, taking Cherish's remaining sword from her hand, countered his strike before it touched a single snow-white hair on the ghost's head. Pogue's rapier pinged off of Medusa's short-sword and drove itself into the books, its hilt poking out from the bookshelf. The ghost's royal eyes darted from one face to another, then to the sword on the shelf.

Pogue turned on Medusa, yelling, "Why did you stop me?"

Medusa held her hand against her abdomen, blood spilling from her wound. She regarded the white-haired person with a set of wary eyes that were shadowed with memories of the past. Whatever she was going to say, she swallowed her words and instead said: "We cannot kill her without harming ourselves. She is blessed by the Goddess."

Siren murmured to himself, "She's not a ghost?"

Raffa heard him and nudged him, leaning close he whispered into Siren's ear, "She is a royal blood blessed by a moon. I suppose that would give you strange features."

"I did not take you as superstitious, demon queen." Pogue hissed.

"Leave her." Medusa commanded, then returned to the original reason they had followed Pogue here. "Where is your route?"

"There is a hatch on the floor beneath the window that opens to a tunnel that was once used as an escape route for the old kings." Pogue said as he pulls his sword from the books. He took his sword and raised it to Arabelle's neck. She glanced downward at the blade without any change in her expression. Siren thought he saw some annoyance flicker in her eyes. If he did, it was extinguished as quickly as it burned. "If we are going to keep you alive, I suppose it is fortunate you cannot tell the guards."

"She can't speak?"

"She has been incapable of doing such since she was a child, or so the rumors say." He pushed his needle-like blade deeper into the flesh of her neck until it started bleeding, recutting a wound that was already there. Siren's own cut on his neck throbbed. Pogue sneered at the Saintess. "Perhaps I should make sure of that."

Siren stepped forward, wrapping his hand around Pogue's open blade.

"I will ensure she cannot speak." Siren pulled the blade away from the neck of the Saint. Tossing it away in the opposite direction, he told Pogue, "Open the passage, kingsguard." Pogue narrowed his eyes but did as Siren instructed. As Pogue pointed out the stone panel that hid the secret passage, Siren moved toward the Saint. The Saint, seeing him come toward her, took a step backward only to have her back hit the wall of books behind her. Siren placed his arms on either side of her head, barring her in.