For Connor, waiting until dawn gave him a few more minutes to think through this new aspect of the problem. Had Liam hit upon something? He couldn't tell if he hoped so or not because it opened up a far more extensive range of possible issues. History, in the fae sense, was very, very, very long.
Connor, though, had spent a good part of his free time up in the library and he at least had some idea of where to look for answers. He wanted, in fact, to find the answers there in the pages of old manuscripts and not at the clash of swords.
He hated everything that had happened, and if he got this mess straightened out, he thought he might willingly give the power over to one of the others. Connor would not, however, run from the war and let others face what he was not willing to deal with himself.
Druce was the one who finally nodded, and they began to gather themselves for the trip to the library. Liam kept to Connor's side, and that might put him in danger -- but then it might keep him safe, too. The others looked ready to protect them both.
Guards stood outside the door when Druce opened it, the light little more than a line of gray on the horizon. They'd not talked much, but just having them close had helped Connor to calm again. That and sitting in his own room. Druce spoke to them and nodded, which made Connor feel better. He didn't want to distrust everyone in the castle.
They met servants in the hall who reported that Rion had already gone up to the archives. The group trooped up that way, all of them worn and tired. Rion looked up from his desk, which sat almost blocking the entry. No one got past the man.
"Get to the point," Rion said with a wave of his hand. "I have the feeling we don't have a lot of time."
So Connor did, which seemed to relieve the others. He found a little humor in the idea that they still feared their teacher. However, Rion nodded, frowned, and nodded again.
"This may be the link you need, but do we have the ability and time to ferret this out? Call for breakfast -- yes, here. I trust none of you will spill things and destroy ancient and irreplaceable manuscripts."
"I think I'd rather not eat," Antisha admitted, starting to look worried at the shelves.
They sent for the food. Connor hadn't thought he was hungry until the baskets arrived, but as he reached for some fruit, Druce caught his arm. "Not until I check for poison," he said.
The food was fine. The work was tedious, and by mid-morning Connor and his companions were all, including Rion, starting to get short-tempered.
"If there is something buried, we'll need a better link than what Liam has given us so far. Any chance of that, Liam?" Rion asked.
"I don't know," he said, sounding embarrassed. "I wish I had some control."
"I know," Rion replied with a nod and a softening of his face. "This is not something we blame you for, boy. I've seen you struggling with this power of yours since you arrived, and it would not be a gift I would wish on anyone. At least you have pointed us in the right direction --"
"Or maybe close to it," Connor replied. He leaned forward, his hands on the table. "What about myth rather than history?"
That drew an unexpectedly startled look from Rion and then a look of surprise from Liam.
"I think --" Liam began.
"There is a myth," Rion said. He frowned and leaned back in his chair. "An ancient myth that says we won Northgate from the trolls, and they will take it back when the fae ties are broken."
Connor was on his feet before he even realized. "You must replace me! Now!"
He would have thought, given the situation, that they would have moved immediately. He didn't know what it would take? His death? He hoped not anything that drastic.
"No," Liam said.
He looked at his friend in shocked disbelief. "We can't risk --"
"You, clearly, have not lost the link to the fae," Liam replied and waved a hand to silence Connor when he started to speak again. Liam rarely sounded so assured. "If we act too quickly, we might do what the myth says. The myth might be created by trolls, which could be a way of keeping us worried about the wrong thing at a time of danger."
"Ah," Rion said. He looked impressed. "Liam is thinking quite a bit clearer than the rest of us, I see."
"There's a first time for everything," Liam replied with a bright smile. Then he reached out and caught Connor by the arm. "Sit down. We have to think this through, Connor. We dare not move too quickly. Think Connor -- there may well be a reason they are trying to kill you. It might be the true break that they want."
Connor settled in the chair, though still shaking his head. None of this made sense to him.
"I don't know if we should take the chance," he admitted. "Surely one of you -- a fae --"
"If you gave up the power now, it would go back to the court," Druce said, and Antisha nodded agreement. "Then we would lose the link to fae until the King named someone else and gave over the power. You have no designated heir, and you have not been Lord of Northgate long enough for the power to be stable and pass on. No, Connor -- you cannot give it up. There is no easy answer. We must be wise."
"And prepared," Liam added. He looked towards the door, his eyes unfocused again. "Trouble coming."
A moment later, they could all hear the sound of an attack.
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