“I am impressed,” Zemenar said, and Cimorene could tell that this time he meant it. She stepped sideways, so that she could keep an eye on both of the wizards at the same time.

“A remarkable collection,” Antorell commented. He began walking around the room, admiring the bookshelves and scanning the titles of the books.

“What’s this?” Zemenar said, bending over the table. “The Historia Dracorum? A surprising choice for light reading, Princess.” His eyes met Cimorene’s, and they were hard and bright and suspicious.

“Oh, I’m not reading it,” Cimorene said hastily, opening her eyes very wide. “I just thought it would make the library look nicer to have a book or two sitting out on the table. More—more lived-in.”

Zemenar nodded, looking relieved and faintly contemptuous. “I think it works very well, Princess,” he said. “Very well indeed.” Then he looked over at the other side of the room and said sharply, “Antorell! What are you doing?”

Cimorene turned her head in time to see Antorell put out a hand and deliberately tip several books off one of the shelves. “Stop that!” she said, forgetting to sound silly.

“I’m very sorry, Princess,” Antorell said. “Will you help me put them back where they belong?”

Cimorene had no choice but to go over and help him. It took several minutes to get everything back in place because Antorell kept dropping things. Cimorene got quite annoyed with him and finally did it all herself. As she started to turn back to the center of the room, she caught a glimpse of Zemenar hastily closing the Historia Dracorum. Cimorene pretended not to notice, but she made a mental note that he had been looking at something near the middle of the book.

“That was dreadfully careless of you,” Cimorene said, frowning at Antorell.

“Very clumsy,” Zemenar agreed.

“I don’t know what Kazul will say when she finds out about it,” Cimorene went on. “Really, it is too bad of you. I did ask you not to touch anything, you know.”

“Yes, you did,” Zemenar said. “And I wouldn’t like to think that we had gotten you in trouble. Perhaps it would be best if you didn’t mention to Kazul that we were here at all.”

“I suppose I could do that,” Cimorene said in a doubtful tone.

“Of course you can,” Antorell said encouragingly. “And I’ll come back in a few days, to make sure everything’s all right.”

“I think it’s time we were on our way,” Zemenar said, giving his son a dark look. “Thank you for showing us around, Princess.”

Cimorene escorted them out of the cave and made sure they had left, then hurried back to the library. She spent the next several hours poring over the middle parts of the Historia Dracorum, trying to figure out what Zemenar had been looking at. She was still there when Kazul arrived home and called for her.