The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole

Author:Frank L. Cole
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: 2024-07-18T20:04:41+00:00

I knew your parents quite well,” Garland said, taking a sip from her mug. “We worked together for many years.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?” I glared at Kobyn. If he’d wanted my help, I would think the fact his mother had known my parents personally would have been the first thing to tell me.

“I didn’t know if I was supposed to,” Kobyn replied. “I was shocked when I realized you were their daughter, so I had to make sure.”

“Make sure of what?” I asked.

“That he could trust you,” Garland explained. “That we could trust you. While you may be their daughter, your behavior seemed suspicious. You stole the Library Card and now it’s fallen into the hands of the enemy.”

“But that’s not my fault,” I said, rising from my seat. “I tried to stop Quaze, but you don’t know her. She stormed right into my house and . . .”

“You misunderstand,” she said, holding up a hand to calm me down. “I am not angry with you. Not anymore. On the contrary, you are not the one who bears that guilt.” Garland’s eyes moved toward Kobyn, and he shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. “My son should have never had that artifact in his possession.”

“I knew you stole it,” I said.

“I didn’t steal it—I borrowed it,” Kobyn said. “And if I hadn’t, you would never have taken it from me, and we wouldn’t have ever met. If anything, I think I did everyone a favor.”

“Ha!” Garland exclaimed. “Your argument is full of holes.”

“You actually knew my parents?” I asked, attempting to pull the conversation back. “How did you first meet them?”

“The first time? In a courtroom,” Garland said, smiling from the memory. “They were on trial for setting off explosions beneath a national monument, and I was the prosecuting attorney assigned to their case. It was their third offense of such a nature, and it should have landed them in prison, had it not been for the verdict of a lenient judge. Believe me, I fought hard for that conviction.”

Slowly sinking back into my seat, I blinked in bewilderment. My parents had been criminals? The idea wasn’t entirely strange, but hearing this woman share details about their past crimes was shocking, to say the least.

“And you became friends because of that?” Doler snorted.

“Oh no. I suppose you could say we were enemies at first. Then all that changed when I learned more about what was driving their criminal activity. They seemed like good people, and they were so determined. I found that intriguing. My investigation eventually led to the start of a friendship and a journey.” As she said this, I could see a change in Garland’s eyes. There was a deep sadness there from those memories, but then she shook it away. “A journey to find the Library. Now, what I would like to know is—how did the Overdue Archive come to be in your possession, Juni?”

Squirming uneasily in my chair, I took a timid sip of my drink.

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