The following morning, Vaelthira arrived at the Imperial Palace's Infinite Library with a notebook, three questions, and absolutely no intention of leaving without answers.
Kael stood beside the enormous entrance, looking suspiciously amused.
"You brought a notebook?"
"I am investigating a lost civilization."
"And three questions?"
"I expect to discover more."
"What are the questions?"
Vaelthira opened her notebook.
"First, how much information does this library contain? Second, who decides which records are preserved? Third, can I access its oldest dragon archives?"
Kael nodded thoughtfully.
"Excellent questions."
"Thank you."
"The answers are: more than anyone can count, nobody decides everything, and yes."
Vaelthira stared at him.
"You could have told me that before I wrote them down."
"I wanted to encourage your research habits."
She closed the notebook.
"Your Majesty, I am beginning to understand why your maid needs a clipboard."
Kael laughed and opened the library doors.
Inside, endless shelves stretched across a space that seemed larger than entire universes. Floating staircases connected distant sections, while luminous books drifted through the air like slow-moving birds.
Some shelves contained histories of civilizations.
Others held records of extinct languages, forgotten inventions, ancient treaties, and cultures that had vanished before the birth of many known pantheons.
Vaelthira looked upward.
"How many books are here?"
"An unreasonable number."
"That is not an answer."
"It's the answer I give when I don't want to count."
A librarian approached them. She was an elderly elf with silver hair and golden spectacles.
"Your Majesty," she greeted Kael. "The requested dragon archives have been prepared."
Vaelthira turned toward her.
"Requested?"
Kael smiled innocently.
"I may have mentioned your research interests yesterday."
"You arranged this before I asked?"
"I suspected you would ask."
Vaelthira sighed.
"Sometimes your thoughtfulness is almost as irritating as your power."
"I shall consider that a compliment."
The librarian led them into a restricted historical section.
Unlike the magnificent central library, this chamber was quiet and dim. Its shelves were protected by layers of silver seals, and each book carried a label identifying its origin, age, and preservation status.
The librarian stopped before a black cabinet.
"These are the earliest surviving records concerning Eryndor. Some were recovered from abandoned dragon settlements. Others were donated by civilizations that traded with its inhabitants."
Vaelthira examined the first volume.
Its cover displayed the same crest she had discovered beneath the lost city.
She opened it.
The pages described Eryndor as a center of shared knowledge. Dragon scholars, human philosophers, elven historians, and representatives of several divine civilizations had once gathered there to exchange discoveries.
One passage caught her attention.
Eryndor shall not possess the knowledge of the world. It shall help the world possess knowledge.
Vaelthira read the sentence twice.
"This was their guiding principle."
The librarian nodded.
"According to the surviving accounts, Eryndor's scholars believed that knowledge became dangerous when a single authority controlled it completely."
Kael leaned against a shelf.
"That sounds familiar."
Vaelthira glanced at him.
"Are you suggesting your Infinite Library follows the same principle?"
"I'm suggesting that knowledge should help people make informed decisions, not become an excuse to control them."
She looked back at the book.
"Then Eryndor was more than a dragon kingdom. It was an institution intended to prevent any civilization from monopolizing the truth."
"Possibly," the librarian replied. "But we should be careful. These records describe Eryndor before the First Betrayal. They cannot tell us everything that happened afterward."
Vaelthira nodded.
She appreciated the distinction.
For too long, the surviving histories had treated speculation as fact.
She would not repeat that mistake.
Several hours later, Vaelthira discovered a ledger describing the final gathering of Eryndor's council.
The document listed representatives from seven civilizations and identified the original agreement to protect the First Covenant.
However, the final page had been removed.
Not torn accidentally.
Carefully cut from the binding.
"Can the missing page be restored?" she asked.
The librarian examined the ledger.
"Perhaps, but we would need a related copy."
Vaelthira thought of the crystal tablets hidden by House Vaerond.
"House Vaerond possesses records connected to Eryndor. They may have preserved the missing information."
Kael's expression became serious.
"Have you confronted them?"
"Not yet. I wanted evidence before making accusations."
"Good."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You agree with my decision?"
"Of course. You are investigating your own civilization's history. You should establish the facts before deciding what to do."
"And if House Vaerond refuses to cooperate?"
"Then you will decide how to proceed."
Vaelthira studied him.
"You really are comfortable letting other people make decisions you disagree with."
"Not always. Sometimes I worry about the consequences."
"Yet you still allow it."
"Respecting someone's freedom means accepting that they may choose differently from you."
Vaelthira returned her attention to the ledger.
"That principle sounds admirable until the consequences become serious."
"Yes," Kael answered quietly. "That's when respecting it becomes difficult."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Their Soul Marriage connected them beyond ordinary distance, yet neither could use that bond to demand obedience from the other.
Vaelthira found comfort in that certainty.
She could disagree with Kael, question his decisions, and pursue her own responsibilities without fearing that their relationship would become a political weapon.
It was a kind of trust she intended to protect.
A silver communication crystal suddenly illuminated inside Vaelthira's pocket.
She activated it.
Elder Saerith appeared in a projection, his expression grave.
"Your Majesty, we have a problem."
Vaelthira straightened.
"House Vaerond?"
"Yes. Lord Varkhess has convened an emergency gathering of several noble houses. He claims the ancient records should remain under private custody until the investigation concludes."
"And House Vaerond?"
"They have denied possessing any additional records. However, one of their junior archivists has disappeared."
Vaelthira's eyes narrowed.
"Disappeared?"
"He left his residence last night. His chambers were searched, and several documents were removed."
Kael stood silently beside her.
Vaelthira continued, "Has anyone confirmed whether he is safe?"
"Not yet. We are searching the capital."
"Then prioritize finding him. No one is to threaten House Vaerond's members without evidence, and no private residence is to be searched without lawful authorization."
Saerith bowed.
"Understood."
The projection vanished.
Vaelthira remained motionless for several seconds.
Kael spoke gently.
"You're concerned about the archivist."
"He may be the only person willing to reveal what his family knows."
"And if he has been taken?"
"Then someone is trying to prevent the truth from emerging."
She closed the ledger.
"I must return to Nocthyr."
Kael nodded.
"I'll arrange your passage."
Vaelthira paused.
"Will you come with me?"
"If you want me there."
She considered her answer carefully.
"I want you to visit Nocthyr as my partner. But I will lead the investigation, and the decisions concerning my kingdom will remain mine."
Kael smiled.
"Then that is how we will proceed."
Before leaving the library, Vaelthira returned the ledger to its protective cabinet.
As she closed it, a faint inscription appeared on the inside cover.
It had not been visible before.
"WHEN THE RECORDS ARE DIVIDED, SEEK THE ONE WHO REFUSED TO FORGET."
Beneath it appeared a second sentence.
"THE LAST WITNESS DID NOT SURVIVE BY HIDING ALONE."
Vaelthira called the librarian over, but the inscription had already faded.
Kael examined the cover.
"Someone wanted that message discovered."
"Or the book has preserved a final clue that only appeared when the right person opened it."
"Either possibility deserves investigation."
Vaelthira carefully recorded the words in her notebook.
Then she looked toward the library doors.
House Vaerond had hidden records. A junior archivist had disappeared. And the last witness might have allies whose identities remained unknown.
Her return to Nocthyr would not be simple.
But she no longer intended merely to uncover Eryndor's history.
She intended to discover why so many people had risked everything to keep it buried.
Vaelthira turned to Kael.
"Ready?"
He offered her his hand.
"Whenever you are."
Together, they departed the Infinite Library.
Far behind them, in a section sealed from even the oldest scholars, a black book opened by itself.
A new line appeared across its blank page.
"THE QUEEN HAS FOUND THE FIRST ALLY."
And beneath it, a name slowly emerged.
HOUSE VAEROND.