The two followed me as I led them to the secret library. As we came down the floating steps, Lothian gave an audible gasp.

“I knew it,” Zann whispered.

I stayed near the bottom of the stairs while they wandered into the small room. Zann’s fingers drifted over a line of colorful spines. Lothian bent to read the titles of a stack of books on the floor.

“When did you find this?” Zann asked.

“Ana found it,” I said. “I’m…not sure how long she knew about it before she told me.”

I wasn’t even sure how long Adrian had known about it.

“I need your help,” I said. “I need to find a summoning spell and a binding spell. They need to be ones I can cast on my own, and they must be powerful.”

“Nothing would delight us more,” said Lothian, scanning the room. “I’ll start in this corner.”

We each took a part of the library and began to pore over books and parchment and long scrolls. We worked for hours, reading and deciphering handwritten texts, handing over those that were not in a language either Lothian or I understood for Zann to decode. All the while, my librarians began to organize the information, assigning categories and shelving accordingly. There were several scrolls that detailed laws for governing magic, rows of leather journals that detailed both the daily life of witches and quite a few spells. There were also extensive histories on members of High Coven and their respective covens.

“Can I see?” I asked.

“Yes, though it reads very subjectively,” said Lothian. “Whoever wrote it was only an observer.”

I scanned the page until I came to my name.

High Coven boasts a powerful seer, though she has yet to demonstrate her gift, given that a series of misfortunes have befallen Cel Ceredi. The people have become suspicious of the woman, who shows no propriety, given her earthly background. She has been known to wander away from the castle and gather herbs and flowers.

Rumors abound that she intends to make poisons.

She has wild ways, though such is the manner of her matriarchal tribe. Hers is the most prominent, the Xaneth. If she is any measure of the women they produce, it is evident we must act, for her defiance is a threat to the crown.

I rolled up the parchment.

“Do either of you happen to know the history of Aroth?”

“It isn’t a good one,” said Zann. “Are you sure you wish to hear it?”

“Yes,” I said. I wasn’t sure if anything would surprise me now, especially where Dragos and his lords were concerned.