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on the doorknob, Dagda says, “Xandra, if you need help you are to ask for it.”
     
    Kallen turns back to him and says, “You do realize who you are speaking with, right?”
     
    Dagda laughs.  “Yes, unfortunately I do.  Do your best to keep her safe.”
     
    Kallen nods and I roll my eyes at the both of them.  “Come on,” I say to my husband.  Both of them are chuckling as we walk out the door in search of the archives.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
    Did I say this would be an easy job?  As I stare at the rows upon rows of ancient tomes, scrolls and parchments in the bowels of the palace, I have to give major props to the scribe.  How in the world could someone maintain all of this stuff?
     
    A short, gray haired Fairy who looks as if he’s only alive because the Angels of Death can’t find him down here, ambles towards us from one of the many rows.  No, amble is too strong a word for what he is doing.  He’s moving, I’m sure of it, but it’s like a clock; you know the minute hand moves but you have to watch very closely to see it.  I think we had better walk to him.
     
    When we are standing in front of the scribe, I am impressed by the clarity and intensity of his green eyes.  His body may be failing him but his mind is still vibrant as ever.  I stick my hand out to him and say, “Hi, I’m Xandra.”
     
    In a voice so raspy it’s as if dust is speaking, he says, “I know who you are.”  He lifts up an arm so slowly, I want to help him and continues, “What you seek is down there among the dark magic scrolls.”  His eyes swing back to me, his hand lowering at the same pace it was raised.  I drop mine back to my side.  “Tread carefully in that section.  You are the first to traverse those halls since before my birth.”
     
    Oh god, I can’t even imagine how long ago that was.  “Um, don’t you have to maintain the information there?” I ask.
     
    He tries to chuckle and I swear a cobweb pulls apart at the corner of his lips when he smiles.  “That section maintains itself.”  A cackle escapes from between his lips and chills travel down my spine.
     
    “Come on,” Kallen says as he takes my hand.  There’s no hesitation on my part.  I want to get away from this creepy little man as fast as I can.
     
    I’m ready to eat those words now as we approach the dark magic section.  It is at least a quarter mile from the door and the light from the lamps barely reaches this area.   The air around us is changing, becoming thick and stagnant.  As I pull it into my lungs, it feels like I’m poisoning myself.  I instinctively shorten my breaths.  Kallen is wearing a grim expression and his breathing has also gotten shallower.  He must feel the same way.  “Oh my god, Kallen, the air down here is so bad.  How are we going to stay down here?”
     
    Before he can answer, a dark shape darts in front of us and I have flashbacks of being in the Shadow realm.  I clutch Kallen’s hand tighter as we pass the aisle the dark shape disappeared into.  There is nothing there.  Nothing small like a mouse that could cast a long shadow and no ghost playing tricks with the light.  Whatever it was just disappeared.  Hopefully it stays gone.
     
     As we move farther and farther into the dark, I start to feel like I’m in a Harry Potter book.  Pages ruffle as if a wind is blowing; books pull out on their own as if inviting us to look inside.  Some of them even shriek as we pass by. 
     
    “Where do we start?” I ask Kallen. 
     
    He shrugs, his eyes wary as he scans the shelves.  “I do not have a clue.”  As he finishes his sentence, his nose is suddenly bent out of shape like he just ran into a glass wall.  His hand is yanked from mine and a voice from somewhere deep within the dark magic section whispers something that sounds very much like ‘ not you’ .
     
    “What the hell?” he says, putting his hands up and pushing against whatever