Babe in the Labyrinth

Precautions

"That's impossible." Sarah repeated for the hundreth time whilst pulling a chair at the kitchen counter, tapping her nails against the cool, marble surface, the frantic gallop of her fingers running as fast as her thoughts. "Impossible.." she muttered and snatched her hand off the counter to curl into a fist resting on her lap.
"Well we thought it was impossible. Seems like we must've overlooked someting," Toby shurgged his lean shoulders before folding his arms across his chest. The manner turned from casual to defensive as green eyes shot towards him. If his arms were armour and her gaze a blade, Toby would be flopped onto the kitchen floor with Maddie mopping up the mess.
"Your mom said she got it from that bookstore, the one where they used to have all those vintage and historical pieces. When you called her about it, all she told you was that the owner said that there supposedly aren't many copies. I think it must've been donated or found somewhere, since your copy has no author or date written anywhere and since it hasn't been mass produced, there's no way any related company could have it listed," Eric pulled up a chair beside his wife, trying to direct her deathly gaze away from his brother in law.
"Duke never said where he got it from. Just said that it was special to him and he added extra emphasis I was to return it when I was finished," Rose sighed and handed the book to Toby.

"Well, I don't think it's much to worry about. I mean, it's strange and it happened to Rose of all people, but I don't think Sebastion is anyone to be suspicious of," Maddie smiled weakly, hoping to ease the ever growing tension in the atmopshere mostly surrounding Sarah.
"If he knows about the book, and says its 'special' or whatever, that sounds pretty suspicious to me—" Sarah's fingers hooked in the hair to indicate her obvious distrust of the teacher's word ,"—The fact he's her teacher also could mean trouble."
Rose's mouth fell open and a startled laugh escaped her for a moment. "You're not trying to say you think he's the Goblin King, are you? Or at least, working for him?"
The last cherry on top Rose needed was to be infatuated with a married, thirty-something year old man who was her English teacher and a faery monarch who kidnapped her father when he was a baby.
"He's good with disguises. It wouldn't suprise me if he could take on different human forms as well as his creature costumes," Sarah scoffed, Eric's arm lacing over her shoulders to cool her down from the increasing stress.
"Hang on, before we start getting ahead of ourselves, take a look at the inside cover," Toby interrupted to hold out the page in question to the rest of the family, all leaning over the counter to get a good look.

"Who's Robin Zakyr?" Maddie asked aloud with a light brow arched quizzically. They were engulfed in a moment of silence as wheels began to turn in their heads. Why did they all know that name from somewhere? A resounding clap startled the Williams crew as Eric practically leapt out his chair in a moment of 'eureka' and a grin of triumph plastered over his face. "'Meander's Queen'!" He announced proudly to the four identical faces of unmasked confusion. "He's a writer from the 16th century, I think. That play was the only of his works to ever do reaosnably well, not much is known about his other works." Eric explained.
"Oh yeah, I remember doing that play. You did it too, right?" Sarah smirked with her gaze softened and directed at Maddie.
"Don't remind me. It was another star crossed lovers tale set in the medieval period, with feuding families like 'Romeo and Juliet'..except with less death and a happier ending." Maddie pinched the bridge of her nose as the images of the fluffy love story span through her mind. A cheery tale though it was, had nothing more to offer than the romantic plot between a fair maiden and a duke. No tension or real drama. It was just as plain an experience for the actors as it was for the audience.

"Eric, what else can we find out about that Zakyr guy?" Toby questioned, and the two left to dig through their theatre books and check the computer for anything else that may help. Maddie had decided it be best to make some coffee since there was no knowing how long the boys would spend trying to find information. An hour or so of scavenging later, they had produced a short list of notes about the playwright's personal life. " So...He was the youngest of three, his mother died from tuberculosis when he was young, his father was a wealthy merchant, he was married and had two sons..Anything about the book?" Eric sighed, reading over the pad of paper in his hands and glancing to Toby who was putting books back on the shelves. "Nope. Do you think Mads is right? About this not being anything to worry about?" Toby sat down in his office chair and spun around to face Eric, running a hand through his blond hair with exasperation. "We know the book is about the Underground. We don't know if it's a product of it. If the Goblin King was using it as some weird tool to interest the gullible youth, why wouldn't there be more copies? And why not make the summoning verse correct? If he wants to use it to convince people to summon him, why write the 'take this child far away from me' instead of 'I wish'?" Eric set a hand on his hip and tapped the paper pad agaisnt his thigh idly. Toby pursed his lips and nodded in convinced agreement. "True. And nothing weird about this Zakyr guy has popped up either. Mads is probably right about this," a thin smile crossed his pink lips and he heaved himself out the chair. "Thank God someone in this family isn't paranoid, he chuckled and the two made their way out of the office to deliver the not so significant findings.

"Well, we better get going to get ready for tonight. If we find anything else at home, we'll make note," Sarah promised after having kissed everyone goodbye and gathering her bag. "I'm still certain there's nothing to panic about, Sarah but if anything comes up then we'll all work together to try and figure out what's next," Maddie reassured and drew the bruentte into a brief hug. "We're Williamses...We have more power than people think.."