Chapter 84: The Divided Book
The moonlight spilled across the private council chamber in cascading silver ribbons, illuminating the tension etched on every face present. Queen Elysia stood beside the massive oak table, her fingers tracing the edge of an ancient tome that Queen Elena had placed before them moments earlier. The book’s cover was weathered leather, but what captured everyone’s attention was its condition—roughly half of it had been torn away, leaving jagged edges like the teeth of some primordial beast.
"This," Elena announced, her voice carrying the weight of centuries despite her youthful appearance, "has been passed from mother to daughter in my line since before the Sundering itself."
Lyra leaned forward, her curiosity overriding protocol. "A family heirloom?"
"Not merely an heirloom," Elena replied, a shadow passing across her features. "This is the same book that led my mother and the Fire Kingdom into war. They managed to keep half of it, as did we."
Naia’s eyes widened. "You’ve kept this hidden all these years?"
Elena’s gaze remained fixed on the torn tome. "Some knowledge is too dangerous to be shared carelessly, Princess Naia. Even between allies."
Commander Maria stood statue-still near the chamber door, her scarred face impassive as she observed the proceedings. Beside her, Mika shifted restlessly, her usual swagger replaced by a barely contained agitation that had been growing since their arrival.
"And what knowledge does this torn book contain that warranted bringing it from Thornvale?" Queen Elysia asked, her tone carefully measured.
Elena’s fingers danced across the cover with a strange mix of reverence and hesitation. "I have never opened it before," she admitted quietly. "My mother forbade it except in the most dire circumstances."
With careful hands, she lifted the cover. The pages within were brittle with age, covered in script so ancient that even the scholars among them had to squint to decipher it.
"History," Elena breathed, her eyes widening as she scanned the text. "History that predates the Sundering, before our kingdoms were divided by elemental boundaries."