Page 84 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

A vague memory surfaces. I frown, turning to Paige. “When we went into the heart of the library, there was a book on display in the center of the room. Constantine attacked before I could see it clearly, but this looks a lot like what I glimpsed.”

“Strange that it would survive when nothing else did,” Blossom says. She reaches for the cover, pulling it open to a cloud of ash and dust that swirls into the air.

She leans back, coughing as we all fan the dust away. But then, something unexpected happens. The ashes don’t just dissipate—they begin to shimmer, catching the faint light like tiny stars, and then they start to swirl, gathering into a vortex above the book.

“Uh…is it supposed to do that?” Leo asks, taking a step back.

“Should we be worried?” Blossom puts in.

Fear twists my gut as I brace myself for Constantine reborn—or some other monster. But Paige replies, her voice tinged with wonder. “I don’t think so. Look.”

The swirling ash coalesces, the glowing particles forming into the shape of a figure—a tall, ethereal woman, her body composed of shimmering light and glittering dust. Her eyes are deep pools of knowledge, her hair flowing like pages in a breeze, and when she smiles, it’s as if all the wisdom of the universe is reflected in her gaze.

Even so, her skin is charred in several places, and her expression is lined with exhaustion.

“Athenaeum…” Paige breathes, staring up at the apparition, at the same time Leo and I both whisper, “Goddess.”

We all exchange a startled look.

The figure before us nods, her voice echoing with a melodic resonance. “I am Athenaeum, the spirit of the library, the guardian of all stories. Though the physical structure has been lost, I remain.” She coughs, and I wonder for how much longer. “I am known by many names. And many worlds.”

“You’re the goddess from Astronian legends,” I say. “The creator of our world. I’ve seen you in our history books.”

“How?” Paige asks.

“Energy cannot be killed, only remade,” the goddess says with a secret smile. “Speaking of which, it seems Astronia has fallen into good hands once again. Well done, both of you. And you,” she says to Leo whose eyes widen at the compliment.

“So, wait, if you’re here… does that mean the library is still…alive?” Mag asks.

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” the goddess replies. “The books may be gone, but the stories live on within me. They are eternal as long as there are those who remember and seek to preserve them.”

“How?” he asks. “This place was scorched.”

I wince, but the Athanaeum is unfazed. “As I said, energy cannot be destroyed, young Keeper, only transmuted.”

“So, the worlds contained inside the stories…” Paige asks tentatively.

Athenaeum offers her a reassuring smile. “They survived.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Blossom says. “But what about the monsters we stopped from escaping for so many years? Without the library to contain them…?”

The spirit’s expression grows somber. “The balance has indeed shifted. The Athenaeum was not only a sanctuary for stories but also a ward against the darkness. Without it, those barriers have weakened. The creatures once held at bay are now free.”

“When you say free…” I begin warily. “Where exactly did they go?”

“Some are set free inside their own worlds. Some found a way out into another realm entirely. Some escaped into Astronia before you stopped them.”

“What happens to the worlds now?”

“It’s hard to say without a central hub to act as a stopgap.” True concern flits over her pale features. “If left unchecked, the core of the universe will react to the imbalance… and I’m honestly not sure what that will look like. Most likely, the worlds will rip apart, and the universe will experience a reset.”

“All that from the creatures in these stories being loosed?” I ask.

She eyes me, nodding grimly. “The worlds were never meant to overlap.” Her expression turns thoughtful. “Except where Fate has intervened.”

She’s talking about Paige and me finding one another. Mag and Blossom too. And while Fate has my gratitude for it, I can’t overlook the danger that awaits us now. Dread roils inside me as I contemplate more battles to be fought.

It never fucking ends.

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