“And what about Fire Coral?” Hasu asked.

“Ansley has one in her shop,” said Barclay. “She said they’re really rare.”

“So what should we do with these papers, now that we have them?” Yasha asked.

“I think we should tell the Guardian Keepers about them,” Hasu said.

“But Orla had the papers, so she already knows all this stuff,” Shazi pointed out. “And for all we know, if we told the Guardian Keepers, we could be helping whoever is trying to bond with Lochmordra. We could be playing right into their hands.”

The idea that one of the other Guardian Keepers was behind this was a very unpleasant thought. Guardians were supposed to protect people from dangerous Beasts, not set a Legendary one loose on islands and ships. But then again, Soren had been a Guardian too.

“We should try to learn more about Lochmordra,” Barclay said firmly. “Maybe if we do, we’ll find some clues about who is behind all this.”

“If someone is behind all this,” Viola said. “We still can’t be sure.”

“I agree with Barclay,” Tadg said. “We have to try.”

“But where are we going to learn more about Lochmordra by ourselves?” Cecily asked. “None of the Lore Masters will teach us that in our lessons.”

Tadg shot a wary look at Barclay and Viola.

“What?” Barclay asked.

“Don’t get too excited. I know how you both love books and everything. But Munsey has a huge library.”

Tadg had not been wrong. The next day, after their lesson with Runa, the seven apprentices gathered in the atrium of a grand building. It was nothing like the libraries Barclay knew, like the small and cozy one in Dullshire, or the dark and dusty one in Sycomore. It was magnificent, its domed ceiling painted to resemble the morning sky, its massive stone shelves smattered with barnacles and coral.

“We should split up,” Tadg said. “Shazi and Cecily, you should go look up maps and compare them to my dad’s. Viola and Yasha, you two research bonding items. Barclay and Hasu, you both find whatever you can about Lochmordra.”

“What about you?” Barclay asked.

“I can’t help today. Runa is making me report the toad Beast to the Surveyors in case it’s a newly discovered species.”

Hasu clapped her hands together. “But that’s so exciting!”

Tadg glared at her, making it clear he didn’t think so. Then he stormed off toward the reference desk.

“I think Toadles is kind of cute,” Hasu whispered to Barclay.

Barclay didn’t see what was so cute about it, since it was all warty, with big bulging eyes that looked like someone had poked it too hard in the stomach. But Hasu also thought Bitti was cute, and Bitti was a bug.

“Where do you think we should start?” Barclay asked her.