Dawn Study (Soulfinders #3)(89)

They kept working.

Yelena finished before Valek. “Is this everything you found?”

“Yes. Why?”

She pushed the file away. “It’s missing a few journals. Ellis mentions experimenting with various substances, but he keeps referring to a lab book for more details.”

“It might have been passed down through the family. Owen is Ellis’s great-great-grandson.”

“Or it could be shelved under a different topic.”

They searched through the rows and rows of bookshelves for the lab notes but found nothing. Then Yelena helped him look through the rest of the botany books that she had collected earlier. Nothing. And the last of the light was fading. He hefted half the stack to return to the shelves while Yelena grabbed the rest. They all belonged in the same section of the library. When he slid in the last volume, another book title caught his eye. Ixian Horticulture. The image of the trees in the castle flashed. Could it be?

He grabbed it and brought it to the brightest spot in the library. Yelena followed him and leaned over his shoulder as he flipped through the pages. Unlike all the other books, he recognized many of the plants and trees. Funny how he’d never known most of their names.

Valek paused at a drawing of a familiar circular leaf.

“The Cheeko tree,” Yelena said with a laugh. “The leaves are good for camouflage. Remember?”

“That is one of my favorite memories.” When they’d first met, he’d suspected she was intelligent, but when she had glued them onto her bright red uniform in order to blend in with the forest, it confirmed his assessment. Plus she’d looked adorable, even with mud on her face and her hair covered with leaves.

Valek continued to turn pages, scanning each one as the light dimmed.

“There!” Yelena stabbed a page with her finger.

Excitement pulsed as he spotted the Harman tree with its distinctive leaves. He read through the description, but it focused on planting the tree for shade and listed the ideal growing conditions.

“Why can’t anything be easy?” he asked.

“Were you hoping for a footnote that tells us why Owen is so interested in it?”

“Yes.”

She patted his shoulder. “At least we know it’s grown in Ixia. That’s more than a few minutes ago. And maybe there’s something here that my father will find useful.”

He gripped the page to rip it free from the book.

Yelena stopped his hand. “The library won’t like that.”

Since so many student magicians had spent long hours in here researching over many years’ time, magic had infused every inch of this place—the library was very protective of the books.

“Will it let us take the book?”

“I don’t know.”

Feeling silly, he addressed the walls. “This book might help us solve a problem, and if we do, then the students will return and study here again.”

Yelena covered her mouth with a hand and her eyes shone, but she didn’t laugh.

“Come on,” he said, tucking the book under his arm. “We need to check in with Onora.”

They left the building without any shelves crashing down on them—a good sign. Crossing under the Keep’s wall, they ascended and slipped into the alley. No one appeared to notice as they joined the flow of day shift workers hurrying home. The streets buzzed with conversation. The sun had just set, leaving behind a flat gray twilight that would soon turn black. Valek held Yelena’s hand, keeping her close. Zitora had warned that watchers sought him. They would be on the lookout for a lone man versus a couple. He hoped.

They talked on the way back. Yelena said she was craving sweet cakes.

“You’re always in the mood for sweet cakes, love.”

“But this time it’s because of the baby.” She told him about Onora’s aunt.

“Anything else you plan to blame on the baby?” he teased.

“Actually...” Yelena explained about baby brain. “So it wasn’t my fault that I forgot about my disguise when I was going to drink from the Unity Fountain’s water spout.”

“It was due to baby brain?”

“Exactly!”

He laughed. “I thought I’d heard every excuse possible, but that’s a new one.”

She glared at him. Oops.

“However, since I have very limited experience with pregnant women, I’ll defer to your expertise in these matters from now on.” He brought their clasped hands up and kissed her knuckles.

“Was that an apology? Am I supposed to swoon now?”

“Yes it was. And I believe swooning is required. Don’t worry, I will catch you.”

“Men,” she muttered, shaking her head.

*

Onora waited for them in the apartment. She had purchased supplies for the rescue and bought half a dozen meat pies. Yelena groaned in pleasure as she devoured the warm, spicy beef. So much for sweet cakes. Onora and Valek shared an amused glance.

“Everything should be good to go,” Onora said after they finished eating. “However, the timing of your distraction is going to be crucial. So far, most of the activity in the Council Hall occurs in the late afternoon, when everyone is leaving for the day.”

“When do the guards change shifts?”

“About an hour before.”