Our Magic Binds Us

6. More Research, More Magic

After Hylonome's revelation the friends met more and more frequently. Talia had taken up temporary residence in Sabine's little cottage, she couldn't go home because everyone thought her dead like her parents and here at Sabine's it was much easier to tend to her fast recovering wounds. She added her own little knick knacks to the room that was once Sabine's when she visited Mamar as a child. Chiron and Pholus had travelled by night to the home that Talia had lived in with her parents and guided by Talia's instructions located the items that Talia had requested. It wasn't much but to her it meant everything, a small framed drawing that her Mother had drawn of herself, Talia and her Father in times when the most she had to worry about was concealing her magic during the daytime, a little corn doll that she had since she could remember, some exquisitely coloured and shaped shells that she had decorated her room with when she had lived with her parents and her journals in which she kept a record of the spells she had cast every evening by the stream. She was so grateful to Chiron and Pholus for retrieving these items for her that she had hugged them so tight and wept silently upon their shoulders when they returned. All of the friends were so taken with Talia that they had all made an unspoken pact that they too would protect her along with Sabine and Chiron.

A routine began to form over the days that followed Hylonome's news. The friends would arrive in the morning in time for breakfast and discuss the previous day's events in the community, what each had heard about the situation with the Ogres and what the atmosphere was like among the creatures that lived there. Then each would go their separate ways and go about their everyday business so as not to provoke a reaction or any unwanted attention from anybody that might see them. Hylonome would go to the archives most days at different times to do more research and find out everything that she could about the Dins Amours Bugic and the Aesthete Go Nor and the connection between the two, no one would suspect this as Hylonome spent most of her time there anyway and the friends all agreed it would look more suspicious if she stopped. Sabine would tend to Talia's wounds and then they would both spend a few hours going over basic magic in order to see the level at which Talia had managed to educate herself for all those lonely nights at the edge of the stream. They would split the cleaning chores between themselves and then have dinner ready for when the others returned. Over dinner they would discuss what new information if any that Hylonome had come across while researching that day. The days turned into weeks and Hylonome seemed to have hit a brick wall with regards to uncovering any new information.

"So, did you find anything new at the archives today Hylonome?" Cyllarus asked his wife that night over dinner. Everyone carried on eating, this question had been asked every evening at dinner so far and in the beginning every time it was asked the friends listened intently, to all Hylonome had to say hoping to hear something new in her recitals of the ancient scrolls but as time wore on the information relayed back to them all was the same as the previous night and the night before that, and the night before that.

"Actually yes I think I did." She replied to her husband but addressed the table at large. She put down her wooden spoon and looked around at everyone sitting at the table. Everyone carried on eating. "I said, yes I actually think I did... you know, find out something new... at the archives... today." She emphasized the words and spoke them slowly like she was talking to a small child. One by one the friends realized what she was saying and stopped mid spoonful staring open mouthed at her. They had gotten so used to hearing the same thing every day that it took them all a minute to register what she was saying.

"Well... don't keep us waiting then." Pholus mocked. She shook her head in irritation and rolled her eyes at him.

"As you know everything I have seen and read tells of the Dins Amours Bugic and the Aesthete Go Nor being linked across time, and also of their tremendous powers. We also know that these powers are inside waiting to be called forth in order to use them and achieve their full potential." Pholus dramatically yawned and rolled his eyes.

"I thought you said you had found something new. We have heard these things a hundred times already, and that's just this week alone." He said. Hylonome began to lose her patience.

"If you would just give me a minute I will explain, I was just getting to the new part." She looked at him directly, daring him to say something else to anger her more.

"OK, OK I didn't mean any harm." He said holding his hands up. "Please go on."

"Well, in all the scrolls dating back as far as they go along with everything about the unlocking of powers and connecting, there is always a reference to a book. From what I can tell it is an ancient grimoire that once belonged to the first warlocks that set up their colonies within this realm. The book was passed down from the

chief warlock of the time to the next. There is a record of this also in the scrolls. Each time the chief warlock of the time passed leadership onto the next, the grimoire would be used as part of the ceremony. That is until Sabine's Grandfather donated it to the archives. From what I can gather, this book holds the key to what we need to know, not to mention the secrets of all the chief warlocks of time gone by."

"That's great then." said Chiron. "Have you looked at the grimoire?" Hylonome averted her eyes and shook her head.

"No I haven't, that's the thing, the book isn't where it was supposed to be. I checked and double checked, and then rechecked the archives record sheets, where all the information is stored regarding what comes in and out of the archives, the record was there of your Grandfather Sabine, of when he donated it and the signature of the clerk who received it. I was about to give up on that and look for something else and then a name caught my eye, just staring me in the face. The book was removed from the public archives!"

"And where has it been removed to? And why?" Sabine asked.

"Well that's just it." Hylonome replied. "It was removed to be kept in his personal chambers in the clearing..."

"Are you saying what I think your saying?" Chiron asked.

"Yes Chiron I'm afraid I am... Centaurus."