Throne of Sand (Desert Nights Book 1) by Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince

Author:Helena Rookwood & Elm Vince [Rookwood, Helena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The Order of the Scholars was based in a tower, a skinny, windowless structure that looked like a stick of charcoal wedged into the horizon, surrounded by huge, dusty slabs of rock jutting from the ground.

As Aliyah had promised, it hadn’t been far. The sun was still high in the sky as we approached, the dark, obelisk tower looming above us like an ominous shadow. I had wanted to ride today...even if this hadn’t been exactly what I’d imagined.

Aliyah, who rode in front, dismounted. She still wore the same dark clothes as before, but now her head was covered in a scarf, a crossbow slung across her shoulders.

The rest of the thieves began to dismount, so I followed, sliding down from my perch behind Rafi on his stocky pony.

The vast, wooden doors were closed, bands of shimmering copper running along them in whorls. Aliyah crouched in front of the door, lock picks flashing in her hand.

“You’re breaking in?” I asked. “Isn’t this just a library? Couldn’t we just ask–”

“We’re thieves, scholar girl. What did you think? I’d booked an appointment with the head librarian?” Aliyah didn’t even look back from her work as she spoke, but I could hear the distaste in her words. “Only members of the Order are allowed to borrow books from this library. Besides, today is a day of rest for them. The library is locked because it’s empty.”

“You swore I wouldn’t have to steal anything.”

“I swore on my cold, black, thieving heart. What did you expect? And you won’t actually be stealing. You read. We steal,” she replied through gritted teeth, still fussing with the lock. “Ugh. This would be a lot quicker if I still had my key.”

Guilt flashed through me, closely followed by satisfaction. Aliyah’s key currently sat in my pocket.

After another minute, something clicked, and the doors swung inward. A cheer went up from the thieves as Aliyah stood. She pushed through the doors, followed by Lisha, then Rafi and me.

We stepped into a large, windowless, stone antechamber. At the far end, illuminated by the torches flickering on wall mounts, stood three doors surrounded by stone statues and carvings of different animals and creatures.

The footsteps of the rest of the thieves echoed through the stone chamber as they filed in behind us. The hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end.

It’s just the cool temperature of the room. Nothing else.

Lisha grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly toward Aliyah at the front of the group.

“Get off.” I pulled out of her grasp.

“Time to read, scholar.” Aliyah pointed at the inscription above the three doors.

Words in the common tongue had been carved into the stone. They ran the length of the room in a long, ribbon-like banner. I was still too far away to read it properly.

I glowered at Aliyah, then walked down the three steps into the semicircle that surrounded the doors. As soon as I placed a foot on the flagstones, a tremor ran through the room and the door we’d entered through swung shut, cutting off the only sliver of sunlight.

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