Realm of the Runes: Blood Right

Chapter XXVIII

                                                           ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Bobby whirled around in a circle, watching the rings of aether spill from the thick pen he held in both hands.

“Wheeeeeee!” he squealed, spinning in dizzy wobbles. He twirled and tripped over the tasseled edge of the thick rug and groaned in disappointment. He dropped back to the floor, holding his head while his brain struggled to catch up with reality.

His hand brushed against something smooth, and he turned his head, resting his check on the soft rug. It was his book, his fat shiny brown book that he couldn’t read. He frowned.

Why do I have to be the youngest? Everyone treats me like a baby.

He grabbed the edge of the cover and dragged it over, flopping onto his belly as he opened it, flipping through the pages. Black words were everywhere, and he frowned. There were some pictures and dogs and birds, but he didn’t know what they were doing in his book.

And Ben can’t see the words, and Lissa can’t see the words, he thought sadly. I can read a little bit, but not enough.

He flipped the aether pen back and forth in his hands, frustrated. Suddenly, he stopped, staring at it.

Hah!

He grabbed the book and shot to his feet, dashing into the foyer where the big book sat on the little table.

This will be big enough.

                                                           ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ 

Ryaki tried to ignore her stomach growling as she drew neat lines inside her book. To her delight, the aether placed blank pages in the book whenever she asked, so she could make as many changes to the castle designs as she wanted. She eyed her latest creation with satisfaction.

It was a wall that could be built around outlying farms, allowing them to hold off raiders during wars. Her adjustment had been to add a storage area just under the wall without using much extra stone. That would make the wall practical in times of peace, as well as protecting against famines. 

She’d almost finished her first blueprint for a good lock mechanisn when her stomach roared at her. 

That was definitely not a growl. I think things just got critical.

She sighed and gathered her things.

Stupid stomach. Always interrupting me when things are getting good. I’m bringing food next time…

Her footsteps were loud in the quiet library, and she realized that the others must have gone back for dinner already. A movement in the foyer caught her eye, and she paused, backtracking to see who was there.

“Bobby? Aren’t you hungr—“

She forgot what she’d been saying. He was holding his book in one hand - it looked very large compared to his small body - and the aether pen in the other, concentrating hard.

Blue letters stretched from one end of the foyer to the other, and the Asian girl’s jaw dropped as she read the letters. They were wobbly, but very legible.

The Diary of Bleddyn the Greenseer. 878 anno domino - 1767 anno domini. First Day of Spring, Llantwit. Today…

Bobby looked up at her hopefully. “What does it say, Ryaki? Tell me what it says.”

“It says… it says its a diary of a man called Bleddyn,” she explained. “He was a greenseer, whatever that means.”

“A greenseer?” Bobby puzzled. “Is that a kind of plant? How can plants write diaries?”