The fae who had carried her, ensured that not a single word escaped his lips. Her awareness of her surroundings did not escape their knowledge. The thought was chilling- a somber reminder that she truly knew nothing of the things Balor had involved himself in. The only sound that resonated was solid, determined footsteps and an eerie sweep of her dragging feet, in what Avelon had guessed was a hallway. A feeling of confinement had hinted at their surroundings, but Avelon knew the feeling could have easily been due to her entrapment in her own body.

The sweet, sickly scent that had incapacitated her had wafted around her senses as she was dragged along. Whoever had drugged her was urging the drug along as they walked- ensuring that she stayed subdued. The feeling of utter helplessness floated along her skin- prickling the sense of wariness and dread. Avelon had felt violated in a way that was indescribable.

"She should wake up soon." The same voice that had met her in the chamber- her ears prickled at the sound. She had to remember each of them in some way.

"O-okay." Brianne stammered, clearly stunned at the sight of her being dragged into their room- again, an assumption of her whereabouts.

Gods, Avelon was thankful to hear a familiar voice. A somewhat friendly voice at that.

Reality struck true as she hit a bedspread, her body still uncooperative- she could not tell Brianne anything. What would she say?

"What happened?" Brianne's voice was laced with concern. A subtle hint of anger lined her words.

"We do not explain ourselves to you, filth." The fae audibly spat and clicked his tongue.

A deep breath of air escaped someone's lungs before retreating footsteps filled the air.

"Fucking asshole." Brianne muttered under her breath- her voice seemingly closer than before.

Warmness spread across Avelon's forehead as Brianne rested her hand atop it, then moved it toward Avelon's cheek. Seconds passed where Brianne removed her hand and replaced it on a different area of Avelon's body. Finally, Brianne's fingers tucked into the side of Avelon's neck to check for a pulse. The steady beat of her heart had Brianne releasing a pent-up gust of air.

"What the hell happened, Avelon?" Brianne was questioning her, "Can you hear me?"

Avelon's breathing spiked, there was no indication that she had an ounce of awareness. How did Brianne know? Avelon inhaled deeply and blew out through her nose, trying to signal Brianne that she was in fact aware.

"I knew it. They gave you ciorra, it shuts off your body to an extent but not your mind." Brianne declared, the bed dipping on Avelon's side signalling that she was now seated.

"You should regain all your functions within a day." Brianne's reassurance did not have the intended effect on Avelon's wildly spiking mind and thoughts.

A day? Avelon was trapped inside her body for a full day? Gods, she really wanted to punch that fae that poisoned her, in the throat. Avelon made a mental note to request a very detailed description from Brianne on what a Ciorra looked like and how it was used.

"Why did Balor use it on you?" Brianne continued thinking out loud, earning a mental eye roll from Avelon. She made another mental note to enlighten Brianne regarding that too. Her list of mental notes was growing by the second.

"Okay, so let's do this. You breathe deeply for yes and stay still for no." Avelon did not move, she wasn't sure she wanted to do this with Brianne.

"Breathe for yes and stay still for no." Brianne repeated, clearly taking note of Avelon's stillness. A quick suck of breath from Avelon had Brianne moving on the bed.

"Was Balor punishing you?" Punishing? To an extent, yes. She did not want to lie to Brianne, but she could tell a revised version of the truth.

Inhale.

"Fuck, for what? We did nothing wrong. Did we?" Silence.

Avelon was not truly sure when it came to Balor, though she did know their foolishness in the barn was far from any wrongdoings.

"This isn't really helping." Frustration was evident in Brianne's tone, "The questions I want to ask don't really fit yes or no answers." Brianne chuckled lowly at Avelon's silence. Avelon wondered what Brianne had known. There had to be stacks of information that she had not shared with Avelon, but did any of those stacks involve blood bending, Ciorra and the rituals?

Amidst her innermost thoughts, bone crushing fatigue tugged at Avelon's consciousness. Brianne's ranting continued as she tried to determine which questions Avelon could possibly answer. Avelon listened, relaxing at the sound of Brianne questioning herself- darkness tugging the deeper lines of her mind. Soon she found herself falling into a dreamless sleep.

***

Relentless pounding, resonating in the middle of Avelon's temple, had awoken her. Confusion racked her short-term memory as she sluggishly pried her eyes open. Her eyelids had felt like sandpaper as she slowly blinked to clear the blurriness in her eyes.

"Took you long enough to wake up." Brianne mumbled, earning Avelon's half aware attention.

"Why are you watching me sleep?" Avelon's confusion ensued as she lifted her hand to rub at her eyes, "And why do my arms feel like deadweight."

Not just her arms, but her whole body had felt as though it was sinking into the spreads of her bed.

"I'll give you a few seconds to ponder that." Brianne smacked her lips together and handed Avelon a glass of water. Eagerly, Avelon propped herself on her elbows as quickly as possible and accepted the drink.

The coldness of the liquid running down her throat had Avelon groaning with relief. Not pausing for even a breath, Avelon finished the entire glass and lowered it her lips. The dull ache that had formed in her shoulders urged her to move herself into a more comfortable seating position, facing Brianne fully. The dull ache in her shoulders were nothing compared to the fully throbbing ache that replaced her entire body as she moved. Recognition at the cause for the ache had flooded her senses the instant she sat upright. Her gaze snapped to Brianne, who met her gaze. She was studying and analysing Avelon intently. Watching, waiting, for any clue as to what Avelon was involved in. The look on Brianne's face warned Avelon that Brianne knew something was wrong.

"I see your memory seems to have returned." Brianne uttered slowly, furrowing her brows as she continued to study Avelon's every move.

"Y-yes." Avelon nodded, damning the stutter in her voice. Swallowing hard, Avelon pushed past the growing guilt forming in her stomach. She had to lie.

For Fallon.

"I know you're not going to tell me what happened." Brianne dropped her gaze and fumbled with her fingers.

"I just- I know we're not really friends." She shrugged and shook her head, shifting her gaze to the wall next to her.

Her lips pursed as she signed in consideration of her next words.

"Are you alright?" She looked back at Avelon, her brown eyes shining with emotion. The worry, visibly lining Brianne's eyes had surprised Avelon.

"It's hard finding someone in this place worth actually liking." A small smile played on Brianne's lips as she answered Avelon's unasked question.

"I'm fine." Avelon's gaze lingered on Brianne, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them.

Silence followed as they both considered where to continue their conversation. Neither of them knew whether they wanted to pry. Avelon was unsure about what knowledge Brianne had regarding Balor's experiments. She did not want to risk asking.

The silence stretched, filled only by the distant echoes of the fae far away in the palace.

"Listen, Brianne," Avelon began, her voice steadier than she felt.

Brianne listened, waiting for Avelon to tell her exactly what happened. Avelon wondered for a brief moment whether Brianne would say anything to any other fae.

"Is there a library somewhere in the castle that we can use?" Deciding against confiding in Brianne, Avelon opted the alternative.

Information. She needed to gather as much information as possible.

Fleeting disappointment crossed Brianne's face before her eyes softened, the edges of her concern visible even in the dim light.

"Yes, there is," Brianne replied, her voice a mix of curiosity and resignation. "But it's not a place the slaves are welcomed freely. You'll need someone with you who knows their way around the hidden corners and forbidden shelves." Avelon's heart quickened at the prospect.

"And would you be that someone?" she asked, her eyes searching Brianne's. Hoping and praying that Brianne would not ask more questions than she would be able to answer.

Brianne hesitated, then nodded.

"I can be. But why the sudden interest in old books and dusty scrolls?" The conversation has propelled in an entirely different direction.

The honest confusion lining Brianne's face was enough to make Avelon want to tell her the truth. Avelon considered her next words carefully. Biting her tongue with every word to prevent her from saying too much.

"Let's just say I'm looking for answers to questions I can't yet ask aloud." A scrap of truth to her situation.
She could lie without lying. Understanding flickered in Brianne's eyes, and she stood, extending a hand to help Avelon up.

"Then we better find those answers before the questions find you." Brianne hinted to more as she made her way to the door, tugging Avelon along.

"I need more information about this library. For starters, if fae slaves are not allowed how do we get in?" Avelon pried. She needed to know what she was getting herself into.

Mischief shone in Brianne's eyes as she gave Avelon a sly smile.

"We're breaking in of course." Brianne led Avelon through dimly lit corridors, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpets that lined the castle's floors.

Carpets? Avelon had not noticed the grey carpets before. Blending in so completely they looked like stone.

"Breaking in?" Avelon whispered, suddenly remembering Brianne's words. Her pulse raced as they hurried along.

"What if we're caught?"

"We won't be. Not if we're careful." Brianne glanced back at Avelon, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Avelon's mind raced as she listened for any sound other than their soft, hurried footsteps. Night had fallen, she noticed as they passed a window. How much time had passed since Balor had taken her from the stables?

They reached a nondescript door, its wood worn and chipped. Avelon noted the lock, but before she could question it Brianne produced a slender silver key from her pocket.

"This is our way in," she said, stuffing the key into the lock. A soft click the only sound indicating the release of the lock. Avelon hesitated as the door swung open, revealing a narrow stairwell spiralling downward.

"Why are you helping me? You barely know me." Worry raged in Avelon's mind as they took a step into the darkness of the stairwell.

"Because sometimes alliances form in the darkest corners." Brianne's smile was wistful as she tugged Avelon into the darkness.

"Because I've seen enough suffering." Brianne's voice was the only thing guiding Avelon as she continued forward. Concentrating hard not to miss a step in the darkness.

Avelon followed Brianne, her heart pounding. Each step took her deeper into the heart of the library and deeper into trouble.

As they descended, a sudden whoosh flickered torches to life along the walls. Avelon's fingers brushed the rough stone, as she gaped in awe.

"How is that even possible?" She whispered, fearful that her voice would carry along the walls to a guard.

"The library is enchanted to illuminate for any visitor." Brianne's own wonder at the beauty of the flames mirrored Avelon's.

Avelon's mind relaxed slightly as they continued down the stairs. The atmosphere had changed into what felt like a warm embrace. Avelon welcomed the feeling as they continued, relishing the feel of comfort.

"The library is sentient," Brianne said suddenly, taking hold of Avelon's attention.

"It knows what you seek. But it demands a price." Brianne casually gestured in front of her.

"What price?" Avelon asked, her breath catching. Avelon had never heard of something like that before.

She had glimpsed her home library a few times—a vast chamber with towering shelves, each crammed with scrolls, grimoires, and texts older than memory. That library, however, was not enchanted and certainly did not require payment upon entry.

"A memory. A cherished one. It feeds on them, you see. In exchange for knowledge." Brianne's gaze held hers.

Avelon felt her face drop at the oddity. Her mind raced. What memory could she spare? What piece of herself was worth the answers she sought?

They reached the library's threshold at the end of the stairwell. Moonlight streamed into the hall through a gaping skylight. The beauty of it enthralled Avelon. Moonlight. What time was it?

The grey of the floors and stone walls shone silver with the light that streamed through the skylight. The onyx door leading to what Avelon presumed was the library pulled at Avelon. It was a simple door, no intricate carvings or curves lined it, but the beauty of it had made Avelon's breathing hitch. Brianne placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Choose wisely," she said. "And remember, some truths are better left buried." A shiver ran down Avelon's spine at her choice of words

Brianne definitely knew more than she was letting on. Brushing the feeling aside, Avelon closed her eyes, and tried to ignore Brianne's lingering gaze. Avelon shut out the world around her by recalling Fallon's laughter and the warmth of their shared secrets.

She whispered her choice, surrendering a memory of her and Fallon embracing each other the moment Fallon had made the awakening. Tears streaming down both their cheeks with sobs of relieve wracking through their bodies.

Air rushed past Avelon's face, her eyes shooting open in apprehension. The black door groaned as it opened to reveal what lay hidden behind it. Shelves stretched into what seemed like infinity, lightened by torches sputtering to life adorning blue flames, which provided more light than the red torches from the stairwell.

Avelon stepped inside, her resolve firm beside her wandering awe. She had never experienced something so alive within itself. It was hard to voice the feelings stirring within her.

The library stirred, its pages rustling as if coming to life. Avelon's mind prickled— all her most recent occurrences swirling about in her conscience. Balor, the rituals, the Ciorra's origins, all the information rustled about in her mind as she wandered further into the Library.

"Remember, some truths are better left buried." Brianne shouted, her voice muffled by the ringing in Avelon's ears. Vaguely aware of Brianne's petite hands clasping her shoulders.

The library was somehow in her head like a living entity. She clawed at the unauthorized visitor, thinking about water sprites as she tried to bury the information in her mind. Avelon was not entirely sure how or why the library was prying, but she was not opening up her mind. The ringing in her ears subsided as she felt the library relax. The memory she'd sacrificed slipped away, leaving a hallow ache in its wake.