The Awakening

Chapter Thirteen

"It-it took my memory!" Avelon stammered, her voice a mix of fear and disbelief. She clutched at her chest, where a phantom pain stung. The tendrils of a once-cherished memory slipped, leaving her gasping for the remnants.

"It will give it back once you leave." Brianne whispered beside her, watching her warily.

"What in all the Gods is this place?" Avelon breathed deeply, feeling utterly violated and disturbed.

"A library. Nobody knows where it's powers come from or how it functions in the way it does, all we know is that this is the only place in all of Vexar as alive as another fae would be." The information did not sit well with Avelon.

"That seems impossible." They were standing in the middle of the desolate library, feeling intently aware of eyes watching them from every nook and turn.

"Honestly, it freaks me out just as much. We have literally no information on it." Avelon gave Brianne a blank look, trying to remember the reasoning behind coming to the library in the first place.

She desperately needed answers to all the questions burning in her mind, though she was not sure that she was comfortable with an unknown entity rummaging through her mind.

"As long as you keep yourself in line and keep your mind guarded. Nothing bad can happen." Brianne shrugged and sidestepped toward a nearby shelf.

"You mean to tell me bad things have happened in here?" The screech in her voice caused a few books to rustle in awareness, causing her lips to slam shut. Avelon was completely out of depth in here.

"Bad things happen to bad people."

"Bad things happen to everyone, Brianne. Good or bad." Sarcasm dripped from every word as Avelon followed Brianne down the hallway.

"I guess that's true, but in the library you can only get wounded if you have ill intentions. The library would strip your memories from you completely." Avelon's mouth was dry as she processed Brianne's words.

"We've seen it happen. The library guards its secrets fiercely." The nonchalance in Brianne's voice had not settled the wariness raising in Avelon's stomach.

How did Balor and Elha get the information they wanted then?

"If you have ill intentions and need information. How would you go about getting that information?" Avelon proceeded, pointedly taking note of her blind spots in case the library wanted to shove a book in her direction. She could feel the weight of her question looming around them.

Brianne paused mid-step, narrowing her gaze at Avelon, "I am going to go ahead and assume you are asking for educational purposes. The alternative would have been obvious by now."

The library would have fried her brain if she had any other motives.

"And in that case it would be easy to send in an unsuspecting servant to gather information. If you don't know the why, the library can't really pinpoint the motive behind it."

Balor and Elha had to have been sending in other fae to do their bidding.

"It's possible that the information was available outside of the library." Avelon voiced her thoughts. Brianne hummed in agreement and continued forward.

"Of course, this is the only living library in Vexar. There are other sources of information which are far more accessible." Avelon's brows furrowed in thought. Brianne knew the dangers of the library before she brought Avelon. She knew that if any ill intentions crossed her mind, she would have been dissected by the library itself.

"You were testing me?" Avelon's eyes narrowed, a mix of accusation and hurt flickering through them. Brianne met her gaze, the warmth in her eyes softening the edges of her smile.