No, thats okay. This sounds like another one of your bad plans, and youd be hopeless if I left.

Jez didnt bother to acknowledge him. What about it, Lina? If youre going to go back, you have to do it now before the link degrades.

She looked into the ashes of the demon for several seconds. Youre really going to stay?

Jez allowed himself to feel the way back to the mortal realm as he looked at the scorched land around him. In the distance, a geyser shot out a gout of flame, and winged demons flew overhead. It would be so easy to leave this place, and no one would blame him for fleeing from the abyss.

Before I fought him, Marrowit offered to return my father to life, Jez said.

Lina took in a sharp breath. What?

Jez smiled. He hadnt told anyone that before. He swore an oath that if I left him alone, he would bring my father back and that he would withdraw from the world for as long as I lived. Jez let out a breath. He was a demon of the third order, and I hadnt even completed a full term at the Academy. I almost accepted.

Osmund stared at him. I cant say I blame you. Im not sure what I wouldve done.

I wouldve been sacrificing the world to save myself. This isnt any different except that the demons will come against us sooner. I cant leave.

Lina looked from Jez to Osmund and nodded. Im getting better with the other senses. I might be able to help.

Are you sure?

She hesitated before nodding. She and Osmund talked for a little while, but Jez barely listened. His attention remained focused on the link as it slowly evaporated, taking their way home with it.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO.

They wandered across the mountainside, never staying in one place too long. Every once in a while, they would take a break for a few minutes, hidden under one of Linas illusions, but they never stayed for more than a quarter hour. The dim red sun remained a steady presence in the sky. It took Jez a while to realize that the oppressive heat he felt wasnt coming from the sun but from the earth itself. The burning in his lungs grew steadily worse, and before long, he tasted blood every time he took a breath. Osmund had trouble walking, and Lina struggled as she constantly maintained her illusions. At one point, they huddled in a cleft in the rock as half a dozen chezamuts wandered by. They were larger than the soldier demons Jez had seen before, and they likely wouldnt be nearly so easy to defeat.

How much time do you think has pa.s.sed? Lina asked.

Im not sure, Jez said. Maybe three or four hours.

Jez, we cant keep this up.

Her voice wavered a little. She sounded almost as afraid as he felt. Jez started to rea.s.sure her, but hed only gotten out a single word before falling into a fit of coughing so strong that he doubled over. When he finished, there was a spot of blood on the ground, larger than any other hed made since coming here. He stared at it for a few seconds. Slowly, the ground absorbed it, and Jez tried not to wonder if the abyss was drinking his blood.

Youre probably right.

Then, what do we do? Osmund asked.

Find another cave? Lina asked.

Jez shook his head. If we stay in one place too long, the demons will find us. This is their world.

Not all of it, Osmund said.

What do you mean?

I mean the library isnt from their world. Its from ours.

There have to be hundreds of demons there by now.

Its a place big enough to hold thousands, Osmund said, and there are those warded rooms. I mightve been able to get in, but Im sure there are places demons cant go.

If it was so easy to get in, we wouldve done it earlier, Jez said.

Earlier we werent just looking for a place to hide out for half a day. We dont have to take it from them. We just have to avoid their notice.

Jez pursed his lips. Youre probably right.

How will we get in? Lina asked. The doors will be watched.

The light of knowledge, Osmund said. Jez and Lina looked at him. The brazier at the top of the library. There has to be a way down from there.

Do you expect us to climb the walls? Lina asked.

No, Osmund said. I expect us to fly.

Once theyd transformed, Ziary and Luntayary were too powerful for Lina to hide them the way shed been doing before, but she could change the way they looked so they resembled winged demons. The illusion of black scales covered them, and bat-like wings rose from their backs. Their eyes transformed into twin points of pale yellow lights, and sinuous tails swung behind them. Jez took Lina in his arms, trusting that she too would be shrouded by the illusion.

They spread their wings and took off. The air felt thicker than in the mortal realm, and it felt more like clawing through the sky than flying. After their experience with the fog beast, they avoided clouds, unwilling to risk accidently flying into something that turned out to be a demon. It didnt take long for details of the library to come into view. The fire still flickered in the tower, seeming out of place on the scorched hillside. Beneath them, a h.o.a.rd of demons had gathered. Many were twisted versions of those Jez had fought before. Some fought among themselves, and destruction magic flickered back and forth. Even from high above, Jez sensed the reckless energy about them. They were waiting for war.

Jez and Ziary kept their distance from other flying demons until they found an opening to reach the tower. They landed softly near the brazier. Jez just stared at it, and for just a moment, the image of great tower appeared in his mind. The fire burned golden yellow, and he heard whispers in his mind. They spoke of knowledge long lost. Without knowing how he knew, he was certain that the knowledge could be his if he had the will to take it. He found himself taking a step forward and staring deeply into the flames. He could almost see images dancing inside. He jumped when Osmund put a hand on his shoulder.

Sorry, Jez said. Mirel was wrong. This is no ordinary fire.

What do you mean?

I think light of knowledge was more literal than we thought.

Do you think this is what Sharim is looking for?

Jez shrugged. Maybe. Theres definitely something stored in here.

Can you tell what it is?

Jez put his hand right next to the fire. Its not hot. Something tickled at his mind. It felt like a memory, but not exactly that. I guess theres only one thing to do.

He plunged his hand into the flames.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE.

There was nothing around Jez. He was neither hot nor cold. Neither humid nor dry. He was in a black void, utterly featureless.

h.e.l.lo?

His voice echoed for a long time. When it finally faded, a point of shining light appeared before him. A second later, it flashed. When the light had dimmed, a man with the dark skin of the lands beyond the eastern sea stood before him. Gray streaked his black hair, and he had deep brown eyes that spoke of a vast knowledge. He wore the robes of a scholar, though his arms bulged with the muscles of one more accustomed to the sword than the quill.

Greetings. He had a loud booming voice. He spoke with an odd accent Jez couldnt place. It has been a long time since anyone has come here, though I have to say, youre not what I normally expect from a caretaker.

A caretaker?

The man smiled. A challenge then? I know your people like to play games, even if you pretend you dont. Were you challenged by your fellows to get into the librarys tower and touch the light of knowledge?

Jez blinked at him. What are you talking about? Who are you?

I am the guard, of course.

The guard of what?

The man laughed. Youll not get me to reveal my secrets so easily, and youve not been the first to try. The caretaker will be upset with you. You should know that I wont hide what you did from him.

The caretaker was the leader of the library?

Of course.

There is no caretaker. There hasnt been anyone in the library for over a thousand years.

That is ridiculous.

You said so yourself, its been a long time since anyone came here. How long?

The mans smile faltered. I dont know. Im not aware unless theres someone in the fire. I dont have a good sense of time otherwise.

Take a guess.

He let out a long breath, and his eyes seemed far away for a second. Less than five thousand years. More than three hundred.

Jez gaped. Thats a big range.

Normally, I rely on the ones who come here to tell me when the last caretaker entered.

Fine. Is it normally at least three hundred years between caretaker visits?

No, it tends to be far shorter.

Thats because the last caretaker died so long ago no one even knows his name.

The man stared at him for a long time. Jez felt a presence brush across his mind. He almost fought it off, but after what he had already revealed to Mirel, what did he have to lose? He compressed his wards so they only protected a few key secrets and allowed it inside. It wasnt a strong probe. Whatever or whoever this guard was, he obviously had no great strength at mental magic, but after a few seconds, it quivered and withdrew. The guard let out a breath, and his shoulders slumped. He shrank a few inches, and the darkness around them seemed somehow larger.

Youre telling the truth, arent you?

Yes.

Jiral.

Jez blinked. What?

The last caretaker. Her name was Jiral.

What were you hiding here?

A rune.

Thats it? Just a rune?

Hardly just. The rune I know is the one representing the Keep of the Hosts.

Jez stared at him. He hadnt known there was such a rune. That was the tower I saw in the fire. The guardian nodded. Why are you telling me?

You are a Shadowguard. I have no reason not to.

Jez gaped for a second. This being hadnt gone anywhere near that knowledge. No, Im not.

Look down at yourself.

Jez did and realized his clothes had changed to shining sapphire robes. The crystal sword hung from his waist. He looked over his shoulder and saw the pure white wings that had emerged from his back. He turned to the guardian.

Well, that was unexpected.

This is a place of truth. You appear as you are.

That makes sense, I guess. Why didnt you trust me before, then?

The guard shrugged. I am what I am. My purpose is to protect the rune.

Fair enough. Why do you have the rune for the Keep of the Hosts?

The same reason we have any other piece of knowledge.

No, Jez said. I mean why do you have it.

Ah, I see. I have it because there is no safer place for such knowledge to be. I am a construct created for this exact purpose. My mind cannot be read. I cannot be coerced. If someone is too hostile, I can simply cast them out of the flame. As a last defense, I can snuff out the fire, destroying myself along with the secret. It is safe with me. Do you want it?