Akarnae (35 page)

Alex looked at the rapidly moving water and took a defensive step away from the edge.

“Nuh-uh, no way,” she said. “You dropped me in here, so you can just fly me straight back out, thanks.”

“
It doesn’t work that way
,” the Library told her. “
If you always relive the same experiences, you’ll never learn new skills or have opportunities to develop your character.
”

“I’m pretty happy with my character as it is,” Alex said, staring at the water with rising trepidation. It was as if the river was becoming more violent the longer she looked at it. Even the craziest adrenaline-seeking daredevil would think twice before taking a plunge into the fathomless depths.

“
Challenges are beneficial, Alexandra
,” the voice said. “
They make life interesting. Isn’t that why you came searching for me today—because you were bored?
”

“Bored, yes. But not suicidal,” Alex argued. “And I wasn’t looking for you. I was just… looking around.”

“
For a distraction.
”

“Yes,” she reluctantly agreed.

“
And here you’ve found one.
”

Alex looked at the water again. Was it just her imagination, or did it look even deeper and darker than before?

“Do I have a choice?” she asked. She wanted another option;
any
other option.

“
You always have a choice
,” the voice reminded her. “
This one is just simpler than some of the others that you have faced—and have yet to face.
”

“So, I can either stay stuck down here until I starve to death, or I can leave and
maybe
survive—but that’s not necessarily guaranteed at this stage? Great choices I’ve got there.”

“
And yet, they’re still choices.
”

Alex huffed out a breath. “Okay, I’m sorry if this offends you, but it has to be said: you’ve kept me safe so far, but, well, you’re a
building.
Sentient or not, I’m having a hard time accepting your guidance, especially when it comes to these die-hard trust exercises. Are you
sure
there aren’t any other options?”

There was silence for a moment, and then—

“
I’ve enjoyed speaking with you, Alexandra
,” the voice said, and to Alex’s annoyance, it sounded amused. “
I hope we have the opportunity again soon.
”

Just like that the voice left, leaving Alex completely alone to face the raging river in front of her. She paced a few steps up and back as she tried to convince herself that it would all turn out okay. Part of her knew she would be fine, but another part of her was terrified anyway. It was just like when she’d jumped out of Darrius’s room above the clouds. She hadn’t died then, so she wouldn’t die now.

Or so she hoped, anyway.

“You can do this,” Alex told herself, and before she could change her mind, she closed her eyes and took a running leap into the river.

The force of the current pulled her straight under the icy water, tearing at her body and tossing her around like a rag doll. Within seconds she was dragged through the exit fissure, and all traces of the cavern’s glowing luminescence disappeared, leaving Alex in pitch-black darkness.

She frantically pushed against the tide, swimming with all her might to reach the surface for some much-needed air. The lack of light was terrifying, and even when she finally managed to break through the top of the water, the darkness
was all around her still, along with the loud, echoing noise of the churning river.

The further Alex travelled, the more frightening the darkness became. She couldn’t see anything, not even her own hand in front of her face. In fact, she was becoming so cold that she could hardly even
feel
her hands. She needed to get out of the water, and soon.

Alex felt a shift in the current as it began to pick up speed. The noise grew louder, and as the river churned and gurgled she had a sudden, horrifying idea about where it ended.

“Oh, please no,” she gasped, as a faintly glowing light brought her destination in sight.

The river was about to end, all right. In a waterfall.

Alex struggled to move her frozen limbs, but it was too hard to battle the current. She barely managed to put up a fight before she was falling over the edge.

The water crashed down around her. The noise was at once both deafening and silent as together Alex and the river plummeted to the ground. She tried to look down, but all she could see was more water falling beneath her and a cloud of mist much further on where the waterfall disappeared into whatever was below.

Falling.

Falling.

Falling.

Inexplicably, the moment Alex entered the mist she started to slow down. Her speed continued to decrease as she fell through the spray, blinded by the haze. When her vision finally cleared, her eyes widened in shock for a single moment before she crashed into the watery surface below.

It wasn’t the landing that had surprised her, but rather the scenery around her. She’d seen it before, only an hour or so ago, hanging in the foyer of the Library. It was as if Alex was
inside
the oil painting—as if she’d fallen down the same waterfall and into the lake that spiralled through the valley.

She didn’t have the chance to wonder about the impossibility since, even though the vapour had slowed her progress, the fall had still pushed her deep into the water. Instead of stopping, Alex felt herself being pulled further down, and she tried not to panic as everything became darker all over again.

After a few seconds Alex noticed a light up ahead, almost as if someone had turned a lamp on underwater. Whatever was pulling her down continued to drag her closer to the light, and it became larger and larger until she was pulled straight into it… and out the other side.

Alex landed on a cold, hard floor, sucking in huge gulps of desperately needed air. She was frozen to the bone, saturated, and lying in a pool of water. But she was also alive and back in the Library’s foyer, after having apparently fallen straight through the oil painting. As she lay there gasping and shivering, she stared at the picture and remembered her earlier thoughts about it being so masterfully created that it looked like the water was rushing straight out of the picture. Someone clearly had a warped sense of humour.

Alex painfully sat up, shaking feeling back into her frozen limbs. A long, hot shower and some nice warm soup would have her back to normal in no time, she hoped. Fletcher would never let her live it down if she had to visit him twice before term even started. That just wouldn’t do.

Distracted by her thoughts and the uncomfortable sensation of her circulation easing back into her now tingling extremities, Alex only realised she wasn’t alone when someone cleared their throat, interrupting the silence.

Oh, the librarian was going to
kill
her for the watery mess she’d accidentally caused.

“We have to stop meeting like this.”

Alex frowned in confusion when she heard the smooth, melodic voice that definitely didn’t belong to the grisly librarian. She looked around and, after gaping for a moment, Alex came to her senses and forced herself up to her still-tingling feet.

Despite having just fallen out of a painting, Alex’s only thought was that she must look like a drowned rat with her dripping hair and her clothes plastered to her trembling body. If there was one person in the world who she most certainly did
not
want to look like a drowned rat in front of, it was this man.

“Aven,” she breathed, still panting lightly after her previous lack of air.

“Alexandra,” he greeted, smiling as he leaned casually against the wall. “I’d hoped we’d meet again soon, but I must say, I never presumed the circumstances would be quite as
dramatic
as this.”

“Heh,” she tried to laugh but it sounded awkward. She felt like she’d just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“I decided to drop by for a visit,” he continued, taking a step towards her, “but I have to say, your arrival was much more spectacular. This is indeed a pleasant surprise. I had no idea you were so…
familiar
… with your Library here.”

Alex swallowed nervously. He was too entrancing, too mesmerising—just like the other times they’d met. She shifted backwards, and his narrowed gaze followed her movement.

“I like to study.” Alex tried to act nonchalant. “Libraries are good for that.”

“This one in particular, or so I hear,” he said, his golden eyes staring straight into her own.

She wondered for a horrible moment if Aven was gifted with mind-reading abilities, like Professor Marmaduke and possibly Marcus Sparker. He’d claimed to have studied at the academy, which meant he must have a gift of some description, but she had no idea what he was capable of doing.

Dancing elephants wearing pink tutus
. She dredged up the bizarre mental image and watched his face for a reaction. None came. No surprise, no amusement, nothing to indicate that he could read her thoughts—much to her relief.

“I guess it’s pretty good,” Alex agreed. She then started rambling, hoping to distract him. “But it doesn’t always help much with the practical subjects. You would know that, since you went here. Studying doesn’t work for PE, hey? Or even Combat. Actually, most of the classes here are pretty hands-on, come to think of it. So, yeah, it’s a great library, but not always a big help in those areas.”

She really didn’t like the look in his eyes. It was a calculating, knowing look that left Alex with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was definitely time for her to get out of there.

“I’m making a mess,” she said, validating her excuse by gesturing to where her clothes were still dripping water onto the floor. “I should get going.”

Aven moved then—much faster than she thought possible—and he clamped his fingers around her upper arm.

“I don’t believe we’ve finished catching up yet.” His grip was so firm that it was almost painful, especially considering her body was still tingling uncomfortably. “It would seem we now have much more to talk about, Alexandra Jennings. All along I’d hoped I was right about you, but I was never certain. Now, much to my pleasure, I’m confident in my belief of who you are and what you can do.”

Alex tried to pull away from him, but he only tightened his grip more, enough that she was sure he would leave bruises.

“Let me go!” she ordered him. She was sick of being manhandled by bullies. It was as if someone had painted a target on her head that said ‘Easy Pickings’. Well, no more.

When he didn’t release her, she aimed a kick at his shin, hoping that if nothing else, surprise would make him loosen his grip. Instead, the impact on her pins-and-needles foot caused her to hiss in pain.

“Do you seriously think you can fight me?
Me?
” Aven laughed at her. It was a horrible noise, full of dark amusement. She shuddered at the sound, more chilled now than when she’d been in the icy water.

Alex winced when his fingers tightened even more around her arm, and she started to lose feeling in it—again. There was no way she could even try to fight him in her current half-frozen state.

“Let’s take a walk, shall we?” Aven said. “It’s time to test what you can do.”

He pulled her forward and she had no choice but to follow. Despite her annoyance—and her growing fear—she managed to amuse herself by kicking water up at him with every forced step. But when his grip increased to an almost snapping-bone level she followed along sedately, although grumbling all the way. She was tired, hungry and freezing. Not to mention, soaking wet. All she wanted was some food, a shower and her bed. Was that too much to ask?

“Why are you here, Aven?” she asked him wearily. “What can you possibly want from me?”

He laughed again. “Strangely the two are the same, as fate would have it. I’ve been searching for you for years, it would seem. And now here you are, perfectly situated to see to my will.”

“Not likely,” Alex murmured.

“You can’t resist me, Alexandra,” Aven said confidently. “And even if you could, you wouldn’t. For who better to aid me than you? We’re destined, don’t you see? And together we’ll change the world.”

“I like the world the way it is,” Alex said. “So it looks like you’re on your own with that.”

He just smirked knowingly and didn’t respond.

She tried to yank her arm back, hoping that his concentration would have lapsed somewhat, but no such luck. “Seriously, Aven. Let. Me. Go,” she said. And then for emphasis she added, “
Now
.”

“What are you going to do?” he asked, not breaking his stride. “You can’t fight me, you can’t escape me. There’s no point in trying. You’ll give in; it’s inevitable. You’ll see.”

“Not more riddles,” Alex grumbled.

“Riddles?” he asked, pausing to look into her eyes. “What riddles?”

“None of your business.” She turned her face away and noticed that they were already at the top of the stairs that led down into the Library.

“Tell me of what you speak or I’ll—”

“You! You’re not allowed in here!”

It was the old librarian,
finally
, and Alex wilted in relief at the sight of him.

“Who’s going to stop me, old man? You?” Aven laughed again, that horrible, chilling laugh.

“I don’t have to stop you, Aven Dalmarta, for you know as well as I that you can’t go where you wish without permission,” the librarian said, shaking his wooden cane angrily.

“
Without permission
,” Aven repeated, emphasising the words and looking meaningfully at Alex before turning back to the librarian.

The little man paled, but held his ground. “She won’t help you,” he said. “And she can’t be forced to do so, as you well know. Only through a decision made out of her own free will can you be given permission to enter. And judging by the look on her face, you won’t be receiving what you’ve come for.”

When Aven turned to look at Alex, he clearly didn’t like whatever he saw in her stubborn expression. His beautiful face turned menacing, with his eyes blazing furiously and his lips twisting into a sneer. He was terrifying to behold and Alex flinched away from him, worried that he might actually take a swing at her.