Chapter 5

Try as you might to reassure yourself, something still feels wrong about this situation.

You creep forward another few steps at the same slow pace, letting your Shrouding Spell mask your presence. As you inch closer to the shelf, you are able to see the books on it more clearly.

Something seems odd about the shelf…

It takes you a few moments more to realize what is wrong. Some of other the tomes, the ones containing the most advanced and dangerous knowledge of the Old Arts, are not on the shelves! But then where-?

Casting your eyes around, you spot two of them haphazardly stacked on a nearby table. A moment later, a third one blurs into existence on top of the others.

Just what the hell is going on here?

Your body freezes in place, even as your brain whirls into action. Someone else is in the library! Someone searching through the forbidden tomes! Someone using a Shrouding Spell more powerful than your own!

You know of only a handful of guards who have the talent to cast such a strong spell. The more likely candidates are Naema and… you shudder to even think on it – the Master herself!

This was serious! The person was removing the books from the shelf. Were they going to take them? All of them?

The only ones who were supposed to have access to these tomes would be the Master, and Naema under the Master’s supervision. It was doubtful that the Master would need to hide whilst perusing her own collection, regardless of the lateness of the hour.

Perhaps it was Naema – what if she had noticed the tome missing and was securing the rest of them before reporting to the Master?!

But then, what if it were one of the guards? What if they were stealing the secret knowledge of the Old Arts for personal gain?!

> Pretend you were never here. [ Chapter 11 ]

> Call out to the person. [ Chapter 14 ]