Akarnae (34 page)

Determined to keep her good mood, Alex ignored D.C. who was already in bed, reading. She thought her roommate would follow her lead, but she was wrong.

“What I said this morning—” D.C. started to say.

“Don’t,” Alex cut in. “You don’t have to worry. No one is coming after me. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s all.” She kept her voice low and calm. It was easier to keep her annoyance in check that way.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Seriously,” Alex interrupted again. “You’re perfectly safe.”

“But—”

“And even if someone
was
coming after me,” Alex broke in again, “I’m sure you would still be safe, since anyone with half a brain can tell that we’re not friends. They would have to be pretty thick to try and get to me through you.”

D.C. didn’t try and talk again. She didn’t do anything, in fact, except slowly raise her book once more. Her sleeves were rolled up and Alex felt her throat tighten when she noticed that the other girl was wearing the charm bracelet she’d sent her for Kaldoras. Something about the gesture brought tears to Alex’s eyes, and she realised that she must be more tired than she’d thought if she was so affected by something that clearly meant nothing.

Thirty-Four

Alex was bored, and that
was the only excuse she had for being in the foyer of the Library the next afternoon. Her friends weren’t due back to the academy for a few more hours, and she needed something to do while she waited for their arrival. Against her better judgement, she decided that a trip to the Library could prove to be the perfect distraction. When she’d last travelled into its depths she’d almost been beheaded, but the time with Sir Camden had definitely given her a taste of adventure. A similar experience—perhaps with a touch less danger—might be exactly what she needed.

The foyer walls had all changed since her last visit, and Alex paused to admire a beautiful oil painting of a waterfall cascading down into a lake-filled valley. It was so realistic that she almost felt as if the water was trying to fall right out of the painting.

The librarian wasn’t anywhere to be seen so, moving away from the painting, Alex headed across the room and started down the staircase. Just like the last time, it continued much further down than normal.

Even though it was her intention to explore, Alex still had a fluttery feeling in her stomach. She wondered if she might find Darrius again, and she could ask him more questions about what had happened at the Gala. Or maybe she would have another run-in with her knight in shining armour.

The possibilities were still running through her mind when the staircase came to an abrupt end at a solid stone wall with a single door cut into it. The simple piece of wood was closed, but Alex felt as if it was beckoning her to open it up and step inside.

After hesitating for a moment, she reached out and opened the door to find… nothing. Just a dark, empty space.

Alex stepped forward for a closer look, and the moment her head moved past the doorframe, invisible hands pulled her body through. She couldn’t help but let out a surprised shriek when she discovered there was no floor beneath her feet anymore, and she plummeted through the darkness at an alarming speed until she was jerked to a halt and suspended in mid-air. Heart pounding, she waved her arms around, searching for something solid to grasp hold of, but all she found was more air.

Ever so slowly, Alex felt herself being lowered until she felt solid ground beneath her, much to her relief.

Despite there being no distinguishable source of light, the darkness began to fade as a bluish luminescence lit up the large space surrounding her. Soon enough Alex was able to see that she was in a cavern of some sort. It was a deep, rocky crevasse in the ground, with no discernible entrance or exit. She was completely underground.

There was a body of churning water not far from where Alex sat, the noise echoing loudly around the enclosed space. It was a river, roughly ten metres wide, slicing through the middle of the cave and splitting it in half. The pitch-black water flowed rapidly through semi-submerged fissures cut into the rock on opposite sides of the cavern. The two fissures were barely large enough for the raging torrent of water to pass through, and they appeared to be the only breaks in the otherwise solid walls of the underground chamber.

Alex rose and started walking carefully around the cave, wondering why she was there.

“
Why do you think?
”

Her heart skipped a beat and she whirled around, expecting to find someone behind her. But no one was there.

“Weird,” she muttered to herself, figuring the noise of the river echoing around the cavern was playing tricks on her mind.

When she made it to the solid rock wall, she followed it along until she reached the river’s entrance. Keeping her distance from the fast, dark water, Alex knelt to the ground and peered into the fissure. There didn’t seem to be any way for her to get through the gap without entering the water. She looked down at the churning river and felt her stomach clench with dread at the thought. Even if she had some kind of inflation device, Alex would still be hesitant to use it. She was a strong swimmer—she maintained that her near-drowning in PE wasn’t her fault—but the current was way too rapid. She wouldn’t venture in unless she absolutely had to.

Alex followed the wall back the other way until she reached the opposite side, where the river exited the cave. Again she found that it was impossible to pass through the fissure without jumping into the water.

Frustrated, Alex turned and carefully walked along the steep bank of the river’s edge, halting when she reached the middle of the cave. She looked over to the other side of her rocky prison and realised that even if she found the courage to cross the water, she could see no evidence of an exit over there.

“A little help here?” Alex called out, not even sure who she was calling to.

“
I thought you’d never ask.
”

Alex whirled around, certain she’d heard a voice this time. But there was still no one there.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“
I’m here.
”

Helpful. Not.

“Who are you?” Alex tried again.

“
I am who I am.
”

Again, not helpful in the slightest.

“
What
are you?” Alex asked, hoping for more of an idea.

“
I’m everything. Everything you hear. Everything you see. Everything you touch, taste, smell. I’m all around you, Alexandra Jennings.
”

Alex hesitated. “You’re the Library?”

The voice chuckled. It was a strange sound, but full of warmth. “
That’s how you know me, yes.
”

It wasn’t really an answer, but Alex had a feeling it was all she was going to receive. “Why did you bring me here?”

Alex was asking about the cavern, but the Library’s answer surprised her.

“
Because you are Chosen
.”

“I… don’t understand.”

“
Take a look around you, Alexandra. What do you see?
”

Alex decided to humour the voice. “I’m in a cavern split by a river that’s preventing me from getting to the other side.”

“
Is it really preventing you?
” the voice asked.

“Have you seen that water?” Alex replied. “I’d probably be swept under within a second and left to drown. That’s if something didn’t eat me first.”

“
What else do you see?
”

Alex looked around. “That’s pretty much it. Is there more?”

“
I see darkness. I see segregation. There’s life here, and death too. The river ebbs and flows and the current forces the change; but in what direction? And for what purpose? What choices will be made and who will be affected by the consequences? There are many decisions and many possible outcomes. Tell me, Alexandra, if given the choice, what would you choose?
”

The noise in the cavern died out as the river stilled. One moment it was a raging torrent and the next it was as peaceful as a frozen pond. Three huge boulders rose to the surface of the water, creating a steady bridge for her to cross.

Alex was astounded by the river’s sudden change, but her gaze was quickly captivated by what appeared on the other side of the water. Because now there was an open doorway resting in the middle of the cave.

And it led straight to her house at Cannon Beach.

“
You have a choice to make, Alexandra
,” the voice said.

The puzzle pieces snapped together as Alex thought about the Library’s impossible doorways. “It was you who brought me through to Medora, wasn’t it?” she whispered.

“
I merely presented the opportunity.
”

“Why?” Her question was part agonised, part desperate. She needed to know why everything had happened—and more, why it had happened to
her
.

“
Because you are Chosen
,” the voice said, repeating its earlier response. “
And you are needed, for such a time as this
.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alex asked, wondering why she wasn’t already running across the river and jumping through the doorway back to her world.

“
It means what it means
,” the Library said. “
And it’s up to you to decide what it means.
”

“Stop speaking in riddles!” Alex cried, frustrated.

“
I speak only the truth
,” the voice said, softening. “
It’s you who must interpret that truth, otherwise I would be denying you the freedom to make your own decisions
.”

Alex let out a deep breath and said, “So, basically you’re telling me you brought me here for a reason, but you won’t tell me what that reason is because you don’t want to influence my choices?”

The voice didn’t say anything and Alex took that as a sign to continue. “And now you’re saying I can go back? Just like that?”

There was still no response and Alex looked longingly at the doorway back to her world, to her
home
.

She took a step forward before she paused. “Can I come back? Once I’ve gone through, can I come back through the doorway?”

Again there was no response. Where had the voice gone? It seemed like it had told the truth about not telling her what to do. But there really was only one decision she could make. For all she knew, this was the only opportunity she would ever have to get back to Freya. There was no guarantee that the headmaster would be able to find a way home for her whenever he finally decided to return to the academy. This might be her only chance to get back to her normal life. Back to her parents. Back to where she actually
belonged
.

Placing one foot in front of the other, Alex carefully stepped onto the first boulder, then the second and the third. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the doorway, staring up at her house.

One minute… Two minutes… Three minutes passed and she just stood there, looking through the doorway.

The choice was obvious—she had to go through. But still, she hesitated.

What if she couldn’t come back? The Library may have brought her through to Medora once, but that didn’t mean it would do so again.

And what about her friends? Jordan? Bear? The rest of the Ronnigan family? Fletcher and Jarvis and the other professors? What about Darrius? What if she never saw any of them again? She wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye, and they’d have no idea what had happened to her.

But if she didn’t leave, she might never have access to a doorway like the one in front of her again. Was she willing to risk her life—her parents—her
world
—just to spend more time with a handful of people she’d known for only a few months?

As she stood in front of the doorway, Alex thought about everything that had happened to her since she’d first arrived in Medora. All the impossibilities she’d witnessed, all the amazing adventures she could never have dreamed of experiencing. Was she really willing to let all of that go? Did she even have a choice?

Alex turned and glanced behind her into the dark uncertainty of the cavern one last time. A silent tear fell down her cheek as she closed her eyes, whispered a heartfelt goodbye, and reached for the door.

Thirty-Five

A resolute click echoed around
the cavern.

Alex looked at the closed door in front of her and another tear slipped down her cheek. She hoped she hadn’t made the wrong decision, but for better or worse, she knew in her heart that she just wasn’t ready to leave this world of wonder and the people in it.

Full of determination, Alex turned her back on the door and retraced her steps across the boulders to the other side of the river. The moment she stood on the cavern ground again, the rocks disappeared from view and the river roared into motion once more.

“
You’ve made your choice?
” the voice asked, back again.

“I have,” Alex answered, feeling more and more confident of her decision.

“
I’m pleased
.”

“What happens now?” Alex asked.

“
As always, that’s up to you
,” said the Library. “
But know that I am with you.
”

Alex presumed it was meant to be a comforting thought, but instead it kind of creeped her out to think that a disembodied presence would be following her around.

“I’m being stalked by a sentient Library,” she said to herself. “Could my life be any weirder?”

“
Trust me, Alexandra, this is only the beginning.
”

“Awesome,” Alex muttered. “So, now that we’ve had this bonding session and all, how do I get out of here?”

“
Through the river
,” came the reply, as if it was obvious. At least she’d been given a straight answer and not another riddle this time. But still…

“I just crossed the river,” she said. “Remember?”

“
I didn’t say
over
the river, but
through
the river
.”