"Where did he say to meet him?" Tamlin asked, his voice barely carrying over the lively melody played by a group of musicians, their music filling the air.
"At the fountain," Cin replied. "Bron said it would be worth it."
Gingerly grasping Aetlani's sticky hand, Cin meandered through the bustling streets of Monardo. The little girl, having impulsively devoured a juicy peach with both hands after leaving the Inn, now accompanied Cin on their evening stroll. The street itself seemed to come alive under the enchanting glow of lanterns, casting a golden hue that danced off the myriad charming shops and stalls, which had chosen to unveil their magic after sunset.
"It had better be," Tamlin murmured almost inaudibly, his gaze fixed on Aeson, who was visibly enthralled by the vibrant revelry. Monardo's nightlife, not accustomed to such liveliness, only witnessed such bustling activity once every few months. It was usually around the time that Bron granted the training sentries a few days off. While most returned to their families and friends, some chose to linger in Monardo, savoring the village's offerings.
And the village, in turn, embraced them with open arms.
Much to Tamlin's dismay, of course, because he believed it left Spring vulnerable. But, with the implementation of new defenses and an impenetrable border patrol, not to mention Cin's secret ability, it was agreed that Spring could endure occasional weekends without its standing army.
"There he is," Cin declared, spotting her brother's burly silhouette the moment they set foot in the square. Bron had long since shed his alcohol weight, and as for Hart—well, at least he retained his looks.
The group strode across the square, the younger two growing increasingly quieter as they approached Bron and Hart. Cin had anticipated this reaction. Aeson and Aetlani only knew Bron through the tales she had told them, but witnessing him in person was an entirely different experience.
At that moment, Cin tried to imagine how Bron and Hart might appear to a stranger. Having known them all her life, they were little more than overgrown man-children in her eyes. Yet, to an outsider, she imagined they would be two surly-faced men boasting broad shoulders that amplified their imposing presence. Their synchronized steps only added to the air of intimidation.
They were Spring's new Generals, and by all appearances, they looked the part.
Cin lifted Aetlani onto her hip, leaning in to whisper, "I know he looks a bit angry, but that's just his face."
"Why?" Aetlani asked, squinting at the approaching men.
"Because he doesn't get to see Cin as often as we do," Tamlin quipped, winking at the little girl. Aeson, despite his earlier enthusiasm about meeting Cin's brother, now stood half-hid behind Tamlin's leg.
In the five days they'd spent in Monardo, Aeson had formed a sort of bond with Tamlin. He had transitioned from never straying far from Aetlani's side to wholly leaving his sister to Cin's care while he animatedly shared his days' adventures with Tamlin. Evenings became a routine of Aeson eagerly recounting their day—Cin's efforts in growing vegetables, Poppy's soothing touch on a scraped knee, etc. It had annoyed Tamlin at first, wanting to spend his evenings with Ander to review the work that needed to be completed, but as the boy had warmed to Tamlin, he had warmed to the boy.
"You're looking less gaunt than usual," Bron chuckled, leaning down to plant a wet, noisy kiss on Cin's cheek—embarrassing, yet everything she had come to love and expect from her brother.
"I'll remember that comment next time you ask me for a favor." Cin swatted his arm, then rubbed her cheek against her shoulder in an attempt to wipe away the wet kiss.
"Rude!" Bron scoffed at the swat, then locked eyes with Aetlani. "Don't you think so?"
Aetlani drew her chin closer to her chest and burrowed her face into Cin's neck. Cin, amused by Bron's failed attempt to connect with the little girl, stuck her tongue out at him.
"Her name's Aetlani," Aeson called out from behind Bron. Hart, engaged in greeting Tamlin, hadn't even noticed the boy sneaking around them. Aeson stood at his full height, shoulders drawn back, ready to defend Aetlani. "I'm Aeson."
Aware of where Aeson stood, Bron looked around, feigning confusion as he rubbed his chin. "Was that you, Hart?"
"It was me," Aeson spoke with conviction. Though Cin knew to be proud of his bravery, she couldn't help but find him absolutely adorable. Aeson was fully prepared to fight Bron, even if it meant he would lose.
"I think it's the little guy in front of you, Bron," Hart, catching on to Bron's nonsense, replied in kind. Arms folded across his chest, amusement danced across his features.
"I'm not little," Aeson retorted, visibly growing upset.
"Surely not that big guy in front of me, Hart," Bron said, reiterating and adjusting Hart's statement. They were playing with Aeson at this point, and whether he could see it or not, they were having fun with it.
"Leave them be. Now, why have you dragged us out here?" Cin asked loudly, giving both of them a pointed look.
Bron raised a brow, mischief still written on his face. Cin responded with a stern, nonverbal threat on her own face, which had Bron conceding and raising his hands in defeat. "Alright, come on."
Bron and Hart took every opportunity as they strode through the cobblestone pathways to prod at Aeson—'accidentally' knocking into him, goading him into bickering with them—all while carefully avoiding the influx of off-duty sentries. They were still dressed in their soft leather armor adorned with the gold floral motifs that symbolized the new Spring Court. The guffawing of sentries and the animated conversations of villagers and vendors seemed to bring Monardo alive despite the late hour. Despite all of that, Cin focused on Aeson, hoping that Bron and Hart's childishness might elicit a laugh from him.
It didn't.
Eventually, they arrived at a dark and quiet alley between the Healer's Hub and the newly constructed library. The distance from the village square ensured that no revelry could be heard, and their fae sight was the only guide in the alley's darkness. Reaching the end of the alley, Hart, with Bron's assistance, pushed a segment of the wall aside. "We stumbled upon this place, and, well, we weren't quite sure what to make of it."
"A hidden hole in the wall?" Cin hesitated a foot behind Tamlin, attempting to peer into the darkness which carried a distinct scent of aged parchment and dust.
"Is this...you found it..." Tamlin croaked, barely getting the words out before he stepped into the darkness. The moment he did, dozens of tiny crevices lit up with a yellowish glow, illuminating a path through the dark—they were Sunbeam worms, worms that could generate and mimic the sunlight.
"Come on," Bron looked at Cin and nodded toward the tunnel. He stepped into it, and Hart fell in step behind her. She readjusted her hold on Aetlani and then reached down to hold Aeson's hand before she followed Bron and Tamlin into the tunnel.
"Tamlin? Bron?" Cin called out as they walked on the carefully placed flat stones, a makeshift footpath in the tunnel.
The tunnel was shorter than she expected it to be, and at the end of it, she stepped into a large cavern. The walls were lined with towering shelves that seemed to wrap around the cavern, filled with an endless array of scrolls, books, and ancient tomes. The floor was sectioned and divided by stacked books, boxes, and an assortment of cracked and worn leather seats.
Tamlin stood at the center of it all, with Bron riffling through some parchment he'd picked up.
"What is this place?" Cin asked, hoping one of the three men would stow aside their awe to answer her.
"One of the seven Prythian Enclaves." The answer came from Tamlin as he bounded over to them, the excitement radiating from him almost palpable. He glanced at Bron. "How did you find it?"
"It was a total accident," Bron shrugged, not glancing up from the parchment he flipped through. He wasn't reading any of it, rather he appeared to be skimming, looking for anything interesting.
Hart harrumphed as he plopped down onto a soft leather seat. "My accident. I was with...someone...and we stumbled onto it."
Cin glanced sideways, raising a brow with a growing smirk on her face. "Someone?"
Hart blushed in the yellowy light and then cleared his throat. "Enclave, you say? What's so special about them?"
"The Enclaves are kind of like neutral territory for knowledge," Tamlin explained, striding towards the nearest pile of stacked books. "There are seven confirmed Enclaves in Prythian, but no one knows where they are. They belong to everyone, regardless of the court they're found in. My father's journals mentioned a rumor that there was one in Spring, and he sent many scholars out searching, that ultimately yielded nothing."
"When you say knowledge..." Cin trailed off, hope blooming in her chest as Aeson pulled at her hand, trying to get her to move further into the cavern. Cin had read every book and page in the Spring Mansion, trying to find a way out of the Calanmai Rite, and had found nothing. But this place, this Enclave, could hold the answer to her heart's prayers.
"The Enclaves hold a written record of our history. Unchanged, unedited, and everlasting," Tamlin continued, his voice growing softer with each word. He had already reached the conclusion Cin had.
"So, I found a library?" Hart sighed.
Tamlin shook his head. "No, libraries are monitored, censored, and controlled by the High Lord. Enclaves are uncensored, and controlled by the magic of the land. No scroll or parchment can be torn, edited, or removed from the Enclaves. We can copy them, sure, but once they enter this cave, they can never be removed."
"How do you add to it?" Cin frowned, releasing Aeson's hand as he ran over to where Tamlin stood.
"You just...bring it in." Tamlin shrugged, then stuck out his hand to stop Aeson from passing him. "Stay right here, where I can see you."
"Wait, no," Bron groaned, patting his pants pockets before pulling out a folded piece of parchment. "N0nonononono. How do I get this out of here?"
"Well, if I understand the lore correctly, you have to make a copy. Once a duplicate exists, you'll be able to leave with one of the copies," Tamlin called over his shoulder, his eyes flitting between Aeson—who'd taken to playing with the Sunbeam worms—and scanning the books in front of him.
Bron slumped his shoulders and then nudged Hart's leg with the toe of his boot, "Hey, go get me a roll of parchment."
"Why?" Hart frowned deeply.
Bron blinked rapidly, then shook his head in disbelief, "Then you stay here with the list of new recruits and their divisions while I go get the parchment, and when I get back you can copy it all over."
Hart paused, seeming to consider it, and then jogged back down the tunnel.
"Aeson, sweetheart, stay close to Tamlin, okay? Come on, Aetlani." Cin said gently, not that he could hear her in his own excitement. Tamlin gave her a nod, and that was all the confirmation she needed that he'd watch the kid.
Comforted that Aeson wouldn't get caught beneath a pile of falling books, Cin turned down one of the aisles with Aetlani yawning in her ear. She knew bringing the girl out had been a mistake, but Cin couldn't bring herself to leave Aetlani back at the Inn, even with Poppy there to watch over her.
So, she explored the cavern with sunbeam worms lighting the way, perusing the different scrolls all the while hearing Aetlani's snores on her shoulder. Cin had to have been browsing for close to an hour when Bron padded into her aisle. He placed the parchments and pen down in one seat and gently pried Aetlani from Cin's body. Bron held the toddler to his chest and then sank into one of the more cushioned seats while Cin flexed and stretched her now-free arm.
"Didn't you say that Tamlin retrieved the nursemaid?" Bron said as soon as he was sure all the jostling hadn't woken Aetlani.
Cin shrugged, "Yeah, Poppy's back at the Inn. But Aeson wanted to join us, and he wouldn't leave Aetlani behind."
"You couldn't just say No?" Bron cocked a brow, "The gods know how many times you've lorded that word over me."
"You were nowhere as cute as they are," Cin smirked, making a dismissive gesture with her hands. "Not even on your best day."
"Ha!" He choked and then winced, remembering the sleeping toddler on his chest. Looking at her though, Bron paused. "Hmmm, I guess I can kind of see it."
Cin rolled her eyes, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she immersed herself once more in the scrolls and books spread out before her. Each page held the secrets of the Spring Court, tales of rituals and festivals, and then, surprising even her, a scroll with a particular focus on Calanmai.
With a surge of adrenaline coursing through her, Cin called out, "Tamlin, I—!"
"Shhhh!" Bron whispered sharply, scowling at her as the toddler on his chest murmured a bit.
"Okay, okay," Cin spoke in a subdued tone, a wry smile playing on her lips as she rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. She navigated her way out of the aisle, weaving through the cavern of books that surrounded her. The air was thick with the comforting scent of aged paper and ink. Cin's steps were silent on the worn rug beneath her feet, and the soft glow of Sunbeam worms led her toward the last place she had seen Tamlin and Aeson.
As she rounded the last corner, her eyes found him plopped down on a plush leather seat, engrossed in a book that seemed to hold his entire focus. Aeson, not far off, was deeply engaged in his own world, sketching with a pen similar to the one Bron had carried into her aisle with him. Sensing her arrival, Tamlin glanced up from the book, "Are you alright?"
"I think I found something back there." Cin could hardly contain her joy at having found the scroll.
"Yeah?" Tamlin closed the book on his lap and then sauntered over to her.
She held the scroll up to him, "It's about Calanmai."
"Do you think...?" Tamlin asked, his voice shaking as the hope he had been nursing in his chest bloomed into a forest of flowers.
"I do." Cin clasped his hands over the scroll, a warm smile on her lips.
"Too bad we can't stay any longer," Tamlin sighed, his gaze running over Aeson.
"No, but you can send one of the Mansion's priestesses to search through the paperwork. They know what we're looking for."
"Deal," Tamlin agreed. They would find a way out of the Calanmai Rite, no matter how long it took. No matter where they had to look, no one would ever be violated again. Not while Tamlin stood as High Lord.
Having heard some of what was said, Bron approached and passed the peacefully sleeping Aetlani to Tamlin. Cin reached out to clasp Aeson's hand.
The four of them began to make their way out of the Enclave, leaving Bron behind with Hart dozing in a quiet corner. Stepping into the cool embrace of the Monardo night air, the piece of paper in Aeson's hand caught Cin's attention.
On it, he had drawn four figures – Aetlani, himself, and their parents.