The Forbidden Library (10 page)

Wearing his scarf and hat, Lu Bei flew around observing the goronku’s snowhouse work and asking them endless questions about it, which they didn’t seem to mind. Turesobei was glad because they might need to know how to do it on their own soon and he was too tired to pay enough attention.

“We’ll all sleep in a snowhouse together,” Turesobei said while snuggled between Iniru and Enashoma.

“No,” Narbenu replied. “That is not proper. The girls must have their own snowhouse.”

Turesobei sighed but didn’t argue it. Technically it wouldn’t have been allowable where he was from either. Not that he cared. 

“Will we be safe?” Shoma asked, shivering despite Turesobei’s coat and the blanket she had wrapped around her.

“The hounds and I will stay with them,” Motekeru said.

*****

Stablehands took the sonoke from them as soon as they reached Aikora. Bedraggled, exhausted, and bitterly cold, Turesobei and his companions limped down the stairs into the village, following War Chief Sudorga. When they reached the common area at the bottom of the stairs, the goronku people massed around them to hear news. Turesobei guessed the spotters in the watchtower had announced their impending arrival.

“Everyone has returned safe and well!” War Chief Sudorga proclaimed. “And our friend the dragon wizard Turesobei defeated a reitsu champion in single combat!“ The crowd oohed in amazement. “And he won the freedom of his companions who now join us!” 

Raucous, roaring cheers followed, but they ceased as Motekeru clanged down the steps into the common. 

“Worry not, my people, over this metal man!” Sudorga put an arm around Motekeru. “He may be frightening to behold, but he is honorable and mighty. He defeated seven reitsu in combat.” Gasps spread around the room then the people applauded again. “Now, our new guests need food, clothing, and treatment for their injuries. Make way!”

A goronku girl shoved forward, barreled into Turesobei, picked him up, swung him around, and put him back down.

“Kurine,” he gasped in a mixture of surprise and pain. “Careful. I’m badly hurt.”

“You poor brave dear,” she said, taking his face in her hands. “My champion. I was so worried you’d never return. I hardly slept a wink the last two nights. But you’re back safe, and I couldn’t be more happy.”

Turesobei smiled, not having a clue how to respond.

Kurine’s eyes creased and she chewed on her lip, as if in deep in thought. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him. Kurine released a deep breath, blinked, and then said, quietly but formally, “Chonda Turesobei, will you accept my kiss?”

The common room fell into complete silence. Eyes pleading, cheeks blushing, Kurine leaned toward him. He should tell her no. Iniru stood only a few paces away. Surely it wasn’t proper for him to kiss her, given how strict the goronku were about boys and girls being alone in a room together. But none of them were responding as if it were a problem. If anything, they were waiting expectantly for his reply. Would it be rude if he kissed her? Would it be rude if he refused? Everyone was watching. Her friends and family, most of her people. Would she feel rejected if declined? Would they mock her? He imagined how hurt he would feel if he were rejected publicly. He could explain to Kurine afterward that it was only a friendly kiss, that it didn’t mean anything more. And Iniru would understand. Maybe. Once she let him explain. And she’d forgive him …
eventually
.

“Yeah, okay.”

Kurine hopped, squealed, and planted a big wet kiss on his lips. While there was certainly nothing wrong with the kiss … her lips were soft, warm, and inviting … he returned it as simply as he could. When she broke away at last, tears streamed from her eyes. She hugged him tight. 

“Thank you,” she muttered, “you’ve made me so happy.” 

People in the crowd oohed. A few men whooped out congratulations while women rubbed tears from their eyes. Turesobei squirmed free and took a step away while Kurine smiled innocently and waved to a lady in the crowd. Was that her mother?

This … this was not the reaction he’d expected. Not even close. His friends stood — silent, unmoving, completely stunned. Except Iniru. Shaking her head, she clenched her fists tight while her eyes blazed with fury. 

She said to him, calmly, too calmly, “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

Turesobei started to respond, but his mouth seized up. A tremor quaked through his muscles. Vertigo hit him. Aches far greater than any physical pain struck deep into his soul. He collapsed into convulsions, his body twitching, his limbs jerking and flailing.

Chapter 12

Kemsu ripped his knife from its sheathe and tossed the blade aside. “Someone pin him!”

Turesobei tried to stop flailing, but his body wouldn’t respond. His face twitched, his insides twisted, his soul burned. He chomped his teeth down hard, over and over. He knew why he was having a seizure, not that knowing why did him any good. His internal kenja was depleted, his soul starved. His body reacted the way any body would react in such a situation, by going haywire. 

There was one way he could stop it. He could tap the
Mark of the Storm Dragon
and replenish his internal stores. But if he did, his internal kenja would be storm energy alone. He would be the Storm Dragon forever, possibly without any memory of his original self. He’d just have to hope he survived. He gave all of his willpower over to fighting against the energy in the sigil, keeping it closed out, fearing his body might tap into it on its own accord in an instinctive act of survival.

Motekeru pinned Turesobei’s arms. Narbenu grabbed his feet. Kemsu dove onto him and shoved the knife sheathe into his mouth. Turesobei clamped down on the leather. 

Kemsu rocked back onto his haunches. “That ought to keep him from biting off his tongue.”

Iniru knelt beside him and nodded to Kemsu. “Good thinking.”

“I’ve done it before. My mother had seizures … until she died a few years ago.”

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Iniru said to Kemsu while stroking Turesobei’s cheek.

Crying, Kurine took Turesobei’s left hand, trying to hold onto it while it flexed and thrashed. “Eira is on her way. Please be well. Please be well.” 

Enashoma took the other hand. She was crying, too. “He’s done too much for us. His wounds are killing him.”

Turesobei couldn’t respond to them. All he could do was concentrate on blocking out the storm energies.

With a screech of pain, Lu Bei tore from the backpack and popped back into his fetch form. “No energy from … Master,” he panted. “Hard to transform. Had to use my own. Both depleted now.” He hopped onto Turesobei’s chest and tried to look him in the eyes. “Where is it, master?”

Turesobei couldn’t focus on him, couldn’t even gesture with his eyes. Lu Bei started checking under his collar where his kavaru was.

“What is it?” Shoma asked. “What are you looking for?”

“A spell strip, Lady Shoma. A burned-out spell strip. He’ll have it hidden on him somewhere. I knew he was up to something before we left here. But he wouldn’t let me see or record what he’d done. Had a bad feeling about it.”

“You should’ve done something,” Shoma said. “Made him talk. Spy on him.”

“How? He is my master. If he says I can’t know, I can’t know. Besides, he had to rescue you. I know he had no choice.”

Iniru patted Turesobei’s chest and sides while Kurine checked his legs. The others continued holding him down. Iniru glared at Kurine.

“Don’t you think you should be … elsewhere,” Iniru snapped. “I don’t think it’s right, you touching him like that.”

“I don’t think you should be touching him at all,” Kurine replied indignantly. “He
kissed
me.”

“He’s kissed me loads of times.”

“I don’t see how that’s possible,” Kurine said, feeling the inside of his thigh. He wished he was well enough to runaway and hide.

“Enough!” Shoma shouted. “He’s my brother and I don’t think either of you need to be feeling him up while he’s having a fit. Back off and let me and Lu Bei search.”

Stunned, Iniru and Kurine both backed off. With Kemsu’s help, Enashoma removed Turesobei’s breastplate and jacket. 

Lu Bei pulled off Turesobei’s shoes and pinched his nose. “Nothing here.” Lu Bei then ripped his belt free and the spell strip fell out. “Aha! Got it.”

“Now what?” Iniru asked.

“We destroy it.”

Narbenu pulled out his knife and picked up the bamboo strip.

Lu Bei snatched it away from him and groaned. “Curses. Just remembered. Gotta do it with magic. Tricky stuff.”

“Why hadn’t he gotten rid of it already?” Iniru asked. “He’d already saved us.”

“I’m betting he was going to cancel it out as soon as he got back here to rest. Just needed a few more minutes and he could’ve done it. I bet his wounds are worse than he’s letting on. This is dangerous magic.”

“You’re magical, right?” Shoma said. “Use your claws.”

“I don’t think that would work.”

Motekeru let go of Turesobei’s legs, took the spell strip, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed. He belched a tiny flame and shrugged. “Burned up in the fires of my gut. That should do it. Tasted bad. Going to upset my stomach.”

“Didn’t know you ate!” Zaiporo said.

“I don’t like to, but it’s useful. I really need to but don’t want to.”

“What do you eat?” Zaiporo asked.

“The hearts of Master’s enemies.”

Several of them chuckled until Lu Bei said, “Not a joke.” Then everyone went silent and looked away from Motekeru.

Turesobei’s convulsions stopped. But the pain, from his skin down into his bones was extreme, and the pounding in his head hurt worse than when the reitsu had hammered his broken arm. He leaned over and spat up blood.

“Sobei!” Shoma exclaimed with worry.

“I’ll … be … okay … lungs bleeding … survive.”

Shaman Eira arrived in her cloak of black feathers and tutted as she moved her hands over him. “Don’t know what he did, but his spirit is more depleted than when he arrived. Nearly gone. Almost nothing left.”

“Chonda Turesobei!” Enashoma nearly shouted. “How could you?! I know what kenja depletion does. I’m very cross with you.”

“Inexcusable,” Iniru hissed.

“What’s the problem?” Kemsu asked.

“Anytime a wizard depletes his inner kenja,” Shoma explained, “he weakens his organs and drains months, maybe years from his life. If it doesn’t kill him. To drain himself this much …” She clenched her eyes shut. “I hope he hasn’t killed himself.”

Narbenu brought a bowl of water. Kurine took it and held it to Turesobei’s lips. Her face was nearly frozen in shock. He took several sips of water and lay back. “I had to. Not enough … not enough energy to … stay awake and … to save you all. Couldn’t have … done it … otherwise.” 

“But I don’t understand,” Iniru said. “How could you cast a spell to keep yourself awake and active without the spell quitting because you lacked the strength to do anything?”

“Lu Bei … explain it.”

“Fine,” Lu Bei snapped. “Normally, if a wizard overexerts himself with a spell, he passes out, you’ve seen Master do that before. With too much drain on internal kenja, the body shuts down to protect itself. A single spell can rip away enough to cause a shutdown, and that can permanently damage organs and strip years from the wizard’s lifespan. I’m sure Master is short quite a few already. If a wizard is already exhausted physically, it gets much harder to cast and Master’s kenja was already depleted before we set out to rescue you. He could barely stay awake.

“The spell Master used on the strip, the
spell of relentless need
, allows the user to burn internal kenja to keep himself going physically. But there’s a catch. External kenja won’t help. The
spell of relentless need
can only use internal kenja. Master created a loop on the spell strip so that the spell would remain active, even though his body’s natural response should’ve prevented the spell from working. That’s how most wizards use that spell. It’s for
extreme
emergencies. When using it, a wizard also shouldn’t be casting any other spells at all. But Master did, and that made it doubly dangerous. I don’t know how he managed to, but he did.”

Lu Bei slapped the top of Turesobei’s head. 

“Ouch!”

“That’s for hiding what you were doing from me, Master. It was too dangerous.” Lu Bei slapped him again. “And that’s for hiding the spell strip from me. How long have you had that tucked into your belt?”

“Since … came back from Wakaro … sneaked the spell past you. Was worth it. Saved the ones I love.”

Chapter 13

Waves of sharp pain woke Turesobei. He curled into a fetal position and groaned. He peeled his eyes open to a room that was almost almost entirely dark. A few taps like a fingernail on a window sounded. Pinkish light brightened the room to the level of a few candles. A hand touched his shoulder.