Inkblots: A Tale of Magic, Adventure, and Romance

XII. Disintegration

"I'll just take a closer look at the Book right now as I leave," she said with emphasis, sticking her chin out stubbornly.

"Alia, are you sure?" asked Caddock, concern evident.

Kitrell didn't say anything or even move, and she didn't look at his face out of fear that she'd see disbelief etched onto his sharp features. Alia took her bundle in hand and started walking toward the inner corridor with determination.

"Gods..." she thought she heard Kit mutter, and then his longer stride caught up and his leather boots were keeping pace with her smaller feet. Caddock followed shortly behind

They walked in silence until the wooden door of the Book chamber stood before her. Alia reached for the handle before hesitating—the Scribes could still be inside. How would she know? Kit motioned her aside and put his ear against the door before carefully pulling the handle open.

No one was inside—and furthermore, the door to the inner chamber stood open. She'd never seen it left open before. Had the closure spell failed entirely? It didn't matter, though, because that meant there was no one there with the Book. Emotion swelled painfully in her throat at the thought that this might be her last chance to hold that weight in her hands and feel the parchment against her fingertips.

As always, the Book sat quietly on its marble pedestal. Alia rushed to it, cracking the cover, and the leather made alarming creaking noises at the movement. It smelled musty, and Alia looked at it in confusion.

The first page crumbled beneath her fingers, ink faded to the point of unreadableness.

Alia gasped and jumped back, whimpering in shock at the sight. "Unnamed Gods!" she said hoarsely. Behind her, she heard a choked noise from Caddock.

"What happened?" asked Kit, looking alarmed.

Alia tried to breathe, to stay calm. "I don't know," she said helplessly. "I don't know."

"Oh Gods, oh Gods," said Caddock, shifting back and forth, voice panicked. "I'll go get someone." The big man moved toward the door, nearly jogging.

"Stop!" "Wait!" Kit and Alia spoke at the same moment.

"I'm not supposed to be here," Alia said rawly, pleading.

"Oh. I'd forgotten." Caddock turned, hands working at the empty air. "Sorry."

"What do we do?" whispered Alia. No one answered. All three just stood there, sharing a horrified silence, frozen and helpless.

"Is the whole thing like that?" asked Kit.

Alia shook her head, not knowing. "I'm afraid to look."

"Well, I'm not. Look, we have to get you out of here. If there's information here, we need it. Caddock, go keep an eye on the passageway. Alia, what is your magic telling you?"

She closed her eyes and reached out, glad for an excuse to not see what was happening as she heard the Hero shuffling through the pages. Nothing. There was nothing. The mental realm usually occupied by the Book was empty and dead, as though it had never existed. Wait—she pushed harder, detecting something. There was a shadow, a shadow of a shadow even, but for a moment she thought she could detect the Book. Then even that was gone.

Alia opened here eyes, shaking her head regretfully. The surreal nightmare went on, though she'd hoped things would somehow be back to normal.

"Nothing?" asked Kit, turning toward her.

"No."

"Come on," he said, moving toward the door abruptly.

Caddock spun to look at them, questions in his eyes, but Kit cut the other man off before he could speak.