Valley of the Ancients: Book Three of the Restoration Series (16 page)

Heather turned to Enton. "You go first." The big man nodded and stepped over to the stairs.

"I'll go second so that he can see." Mikela said glancing over to Heather, who nodded back at her. Mikela stepped up close behind Enton. "Il-lum," she said, and a little ball of light appeared in the air beside her. It lit up the stairs and Enton began slowly to descend.

The stairs led down to a sub floor; a basement that was a fraction of the size of the above ground levels. A small desk sat off to one side, with a single shelf of books behind it on the wall. Several comfortable looking chairs were scattered around the room. A large wooden door sat off to the side of the desk.

Heather was third down the stairs and she stopped and surveyed the small room. She waited until Dagan climbed down the steps. "This reminds me of a room where you wait to meet someone important."

Dagan slowly studied the desk and shelf of books. Finally, he nodded. "I agree." He motioned towards the desk, "That looks like the desk of a clerk of sorts. Probably records the names of visitors in that book."

"I got the feeling that this place was rarely used," Atock said, running a finger across the top of the desk to show the thin layer of dust.

Nodding, Dagan stepped closer. "I agree. I guess the clerk only comes down for planned visits. It's too much trouble opening the door otherwise." ^Goodhis place

Enton hadn't been still this whole time. He had made a quick circuit of the room and he now stood next to the only door. He reached out to take the handle.

"Stop!" Dagan called, rather louder than he meant to. Several of the others jumped in surprise at the loud noise.

Enton jerked his hand away from the door handle like it was a poisonous snake and turned to stare at the old man. "What? Isn't this the treasure room?"

Dagan stomped over and shooed Enton out of the way. "Perhaps it is, but it too may be warded. Did you stop to think of that?"

Judging by the wide eyed look on Enton's face, he most certainly had not thought of that.

They remained quiet for several moments as Dagan studied the door and its frame. Finally he straightened up, "It's not warded with sorcery. Cassandra, would you please check it with your craft?"

Atock sat down on the top of the desk and watched as Cassandra moved over and began speaking quietly in the general direction of the door. "Magicians," he mumbled again, but not loud enough for anyone to hear.

Cassandra, like Dagan, was also much quicker than she had been in the entrance gallery. After five or ten minutes she straightened up, looking surprised but pleased. "Nothing. It's safe to open." As she said it though, she stepped back to let Enton open the door.

Enton stepped up to the door and placed his hand on the handle, pausing only long enough to motion for Mikela to join him. She quickly did so and the little ball of light floated along with her. He opened the door and stepped inside.

Undoubtedly, they had found the treasure room.

Chapter 10

Enton led the way into the dark room and he could feel the others crowding in right on his heels.

This room was larger than the waiting room they had just passed through. This room was maybe thirty feet square and not overly packed. Five small tables, square and made of stone, ran the length of the center of the room. A single item rested on each of the tables, giving the feeling of importance to each of the five items. The left hand side of the room was covered with two long shelves. Piled on the shelves were smaller and less valuable items, everything from books, to expensive looking jewelry, to old looking weapons.

"It's not what I expected," Heather said, looking up and down the room.

Dagan didn't seem to hear her but moved over to the first of the five stone tables. He glanced briefly down at what set on it and then moved to the next. In this manner, he passed the first four tables and came to a stop at the fifth and final table.

Heather and the others hurried to follow him. Hurrying as she was, she still looked at each table as she past them.

On the first table sat a book. Heather thought it rather unimpressive but she did notice that both Cassandra and Mikela lingered a moment, they seemed to find the book more interesting than did the rest.
Must be a spellbook,
Heather thought.

The second table's contents we ^th="0t bre equally as dull as the first. On it sat an old and rusty short sword. There was nothing at all interesting about the sword but on this table Heather noticed a small bronze plaque that said:

Elkron Zur

Sword of Rama Aphon, first king of Eled Aminor

Heather found the contents of the third table more to her liking. On it sat a golden necklace. The necklace was made out of golden rectangular plates that were held together by a small golden chain. It was covered with expensive looking gemstones, with the biggest being a gigantic ruby as big as a small bird's egg.

After briefly pausing to look at the necklace, she moved to the next table and recoiled in horror. Upon the fourth table, a golden helmet sat. The others were also avoiding this table, giving it a wide berth. Golden helmets were considered an abomination and no warrior would wear anything like it. "Who would make such a thing?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

Cassandra stopped beside the table and glanced at the helmet. "It was not always considered bad luck to wear a golden helmet. There was a time when whole armies wore such helmets, led by generals and kings who also wore a golden helm."

"Really?" Heather asked, still staring at the helmet. She had never really thought about why it was not done; it simply was not done. No warrior wore a golden helmet, not even in a parade. It was disgusting.

Cassandra opened her mouth to say something else, but she didn't get the chance.

"Stop!" Enton called out rather loudly. His voice echoed in the room, making nearly everyone jump. Everyone including Dagan, who had just reached out to touch something on the fifth table.

Dagan yanked his hand away in surprise and then he turned a glare towards Enton. "What?"

"Shouldn't you check it for wards?" Enton asked, a slight hint of humor in his tone.

Heather suddenly remembered Dagan hollering at Enton when Enton had made to open the door to the treasure room.

Dagan sucked in air and swelled up like he was about to explode.

"That's an excellent idea," Heather said loudly before Dagan could say anything. The old sorcerer had taken quiet a few liberties and in Heather's opinion exceeded his authority. Perhaps it was time to put him back in his place.

"That is an excellent idea." Dagan agreed in a cool voice. "It happens to be the first thing I did when I reached this table."

Trying not to smile, Enton motioned over at Cassandra. "How about her?"

"Another excellent idea," Heather agreed again. For the first time she saw what sat on the table; a collection of loosely bound pages. The parchment was old and faded but she could easily make out the writing scrawled across the paper.

Cassandra stepped past Dagan, who looked like he was chewing his tongue, and began her low mumbling again.

In Heather's opinion, it was a perfect chance to have another look at that necklace.

Heather was still admiring that egg sized ruby when Cassandra spoke.

"There was a spell protecting the prophecy."

Both Dagan and Enton's eyes went wide and Heather smiled to herself. Enton had just been getting even with the old man and hadn't really thought there would be any wards or spells.

"There was?" Dagan asked, having gone very pale.

"Yes. It wasn't as complex as the gallery spells and it only took a moment to remove it, but it was there." Cassandra answered. "It's a good thing you didn't touch it or you would be dead right now."

"I assumed that since the gallery had sorcery wards on top of magic spells, that it would be the same here." Dagan said quietly. His eyes were fixed on the papers he had nearly touched.

"Perhaps that's what you were supposed to believe." Heather said causing Dagan to look away from the prophecy and at her. "Perhaps that's part of the trap for any would be thieves."

Dagan nodded, "Makes sense." He sighed, "Let me check for any wards." It was kind of clever actually. The entrance in the gallery had magic spells hidden by sorcery wards. The prophecy had sorcery wards hidden by magic spells.

As it turned out, there was a ward on the prophecy but like the magic spell was a simple ward and easily removed. As soon as he had disabled it, Dagan reached down and removed the collection of old faded papers. He held them gingerly, like they might break at any moment. He was smiling as he turned, "I think it's time we left."

Cassandra hurried forward and deposited the fake prophecy on the table.

Enton had just noticed several chests against the wall and under the shelves, and he was taking a long look at them. "Should we at least see what else is here?" he asked, still watching the chests closely. "Some of it may be useful."

"No," Dagan said quickly, before anyone else could answer. "We're not thieves," he cut off abruptly, glancing down at the papers in his hands. "Well, except by necessity."

They headed back up the stairs, much to the relief of Aaron who had remained in the gallery to stand guard. "Did you get it?" he asked eagerly. His eyes sought out the bundle that Dagan carried as gingerly as a newborn.

"Oh yes," Heather answered, moving away from the stairs and stopping next to Aaron. She spoke quietly, just in case any of the guards outside were passing the main entrance. "Everything okay up here?"

"Quiet as can be. Haven't heard or seen anything."

"Good." Heather turned back just as the last of the Guardians stepped off of the stairs. "Okay Dagan. How do we close this thing back up?" she asked as she motioned to the giant stone relief. She was pleased that Aaron had cleaned up all signs of Cassandra's magic spells. The powders had been cleaned up and even the writing on the walls beside the relief was gone.

"Closing it is easy," Cassandra answered. "The question is to do we try and put the spells and wards back on it?"

"Can you do that?" Heather asked.

"I can put the spells back in place, but it might take an hour or two."

"Doesn't matter." Dagan answered. "Even if I put the wards back identically to the originals, the other sorcerer would be able to tell that they were not his."

Heather's forehead creased in confusion, "So how do we keep them from knowing we took the prophecy?"

"The treasure room is visited very infrequently. As long as we can get away from here without the guards spotting us, then we shouldn't have any problems going undetected. It could be months before the theft is discovered."

Not exactly thrilled with this plan, Heather nevertheless gave the order to seal up the secret entrance. Five minutes later, they had passed through the main part of the library and were standing near a side exit in the back right rear of the library. Enton and Atock were preparing to open the door. Aaron was right behind them, his hand resting on the hilt of his belt knife.

"Remember," Heather said quietly, "we don't want to be seen and we surely do not want to kill anyone."

The three men shared a look and Heather would have given anything to know what it meant.

Enton opened the door and Atock stuck his head out and looked around. This exit was near the rear of the library and opened onto the street that separated this main library building from the other smaller buildings. It was dark out and the clouds hid the moon, making the street even darker than normal.

Looking first left and then right Atock pulled his head back inside. "Street's empty," he said in a whisper. "I don't see anyone at all."

Heather nodded, "Lead the way."

Atock ducked out the door and was followed closely by Enton. Then came Mikela, Cassandra, Dagan, Heather, and the rear guard was Aaron. They paused just outside the door as Atock and Enton crossed the small alley that separated the library building from the small cluster of supply buildings and warehouses. Once past the warehouses, they only had to cross the street and get lost in the shops and inns.

Kneeling in the shadows, they watched Atock and Enton sprint across the alley and then begin to move amongst the buildings.

Heather was holding her breath, fearful the two warriors might get attacked at any time. The attack never came though, and after several minutes Atock reappeared and waved them over.

Moving in the same order in which they had exited the library, the group ran across the alley and stopped in the shadow of the first warehouse.

"Anything?" Heather asked as quietly as she could.

"Nothing. It's quiet." Atock continued to look around as he spoke.

There was something in Atock's tone that made Heather tense up. "So what's wrong?"

"I've been watching this place for a week and it has never been this unguarded."

Heather swallowed hard. Her first thought was that it must be a trap of some kind but that didn't make any sense. If this was a trap, why not just have a regiment of troo f Evee buildips waiting for them in the treasure room? Why let them get the prophecy and then get out of the library with it? "You think it's a trap?" she asked.

Atock shrugged, still scanning the shadows. "Not much of a trap," he said, his words echoing her thoughts.

"Okay," Heather said leaning closer, "let's get moving."

Atock turned back and sprinted off into the darkness.

Heather moved back over and joined the small group. "Listen up. Something doesn't seem right. We're going to follow Atock and Enton. If anything happens, split up and run like your life depends on it. Make sure you're not followed back to the inn."

"Heather. What is it?" Mikela asked, looking concerned.

"We don't have time," Heather said and then she turned and sprinted into the darkness the same way that Atock had gone.

Heather ran silently. She wished she could say the same for those coming behind her. The Guardians ran quieter than most, but Dagan and Cassandra were not used to sneaking around and they made enough noise to raise the dead. Strangely though, no guards jumped out of the shadows to challenge them.