The Cleric Quintet 05 - The Chaos Curse by Forgotten Realms

Author:Forgotten Realms [Forgotten Realms]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-08T16:31:21+00:00

Nightfall

Shayleigh squatted atop the roof of the low structure behind the Edificant Library, eyeing the large, square building with mounting suspicion. She could tell that the fire had been fairly concentrated, as she would expect in a structure made mostly of stone, but it wasn't so much the fire that now worried the elf maiden. Two things struck her as more than a little odd. The first was the simple lack of activity around the library. Winter was on the wane and the trails were open, yet Shayleigh saw no priests milling about the place, stretching their weary limbs in the warming sunshine.

Even more curious, Shayleigh could not understand why all the windows were boarded over, especially after the fire—to her thinking, the library should have been thrown open wide to allow the smoke to filter out and fresh air to blow in. As it was, the Edificant Library was far from an airy place, but with the windows blocked, at least the ones on this side of the structure, the smoky air inside must be nearly overwhelming.

Percival, hopping along the branches of the nearest tree, did not provide much comfort. The squirrel was still obviously agitated—so wild, in fact, that Shayleigh feared he might have contracted some disease. He ran down right near her—she thought for a moment he was going to crash against her arm.

"What is it?" she said softly, trying to calm the squirrel as he hopped a circular dance on the branch.

Percival hopped down to the mausoleum roof, did that spinning dance again, chattering loudly, as if in protest, then leaped high, back to the low branch and sat facing the mausoleum squarely, still chattering.

Shayleigh ran a delicate hand through her golden hair, not beginning to understand what all of this was about.

Percival repeated the action, and this time, the squirrel's dance atop the low structure's roof was one of frenzy. He went flying back to the branch, again sitting facing the mausoleum directly, again sputtering protests.

Shayleigh realized that the squirrel was watching the low building, not watching her or the library.

"In here?" she asked, pointing straight down to the mausoleum roof. "Is something in here?"

Percival did a somersault on the branch, and his shriek sent shivers along the elf's spine.

Shayleigh stood up straight and stared down at the twig-covered slate roof. She knew enough about the customs of the humans to understand that this was a burial house, but that fact alone should not bother a squirrel, even one such as Percival, who seemed to have more understanding than a squirrel should.

"Something is in there, Percival?" she asked again. "Something bad?"

Again the white squirrel went into its frantic dance, chattering wildly.

Shayleigh crept to the front edge of the mausoleum and peeked over. There was one window, dusty and dirty, and the door was closed—but the elf maiden's keen vision showed her how clean the edges of that doorjamb were, showed that the door had been opened recently.

Shayleigh looked all around at the small field and the library's back grounds.

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