“Sorry.” Chastened, I focused on the book she indicated. “In the beginning, Blade that Soars,” I read. “In the beginning, Dancing Wind. They ruled the sky as the land took breath, the lands as wide as the ground held sand and soil…” I trailed off. “So far, this doesn’t sound all that different from what we sing for the darashi oyun.”

“The darashi oyun prides itself on its authenticity.” The older asha frowned at the page. “We both knew coming here that discovering new source material was a long shot, Tea. The elder asha may have their secrets, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they have anything to do with keeping Mykaela’s heartsglass or colluding with Aenah.”

“I’m positive about this.” I saw their treachery in Aenah’s head as easily as I could see my own reflection in the mirror. But it was my word against theirs—and I was a bone witch, tolerated and feared but never truly welcomed, while they defined what it was to be asha. All I had to go by was Aenah’s claim that there was more to the story, and the Faceless wasn’t known for her truthfulness either.

The woman sighed. “The librarians were kind enough to collect all known books that talk about the legend in some way—three dozen at last check.”

“Thank you, Althy.” There weren’t a lot of people who believed me, but Althy, at least, was willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

The next few hours passed in silence. I pored through an unnamed collection of first-century manuscripts allegedly passed down from the first age, and a few passages struck me as odd. The feeling grew worse the longer I continued reading.

“I think I might have found something.”

Likh and Althy came to peer over my shoulder as I pointed at the text and read aloud. “Blade that Soars cloaked his lover in moonlight and wove stars into her hair. He gave Dancing Wind the brightest and most beautiful of gemstones to wear on her graceful neck. But his love came at a price. He reserved the best of creation for her, and so the lands faltered. Trees and plants failed to take root, and the people cried out for sustenance. Many rose in revolt against the god they once loved, but Blade that Soars was a cruel tyrant, twisted by his passions. At his command, unseemly creatures rose from the ground, seven in number, and suppressed the people’s uprisings.”

“Wait,” Likh said. “That’s not right. It was Hollow Knife who conspired to taint the land because he lusted after his brother’s power, right?”