Ylorc, I should be able to get a message to you if need be."
'Of course. I'm sure the dragon's cave is a regular stop on the mail caravan's route," Achmed replied, a note of angry sarcasm creeping into his voice.
'Don't start," Rhapsody warned, casting an eye over toward Jo, who was chatting with Ashe.
'No," Achmed agreed. "I just thought I'd give you a little send-off." He handed her a scroll of tightly bound parchment. "Be careful. It's very old and very valuable."
'If it's another version of The Rampage of the Wyrm , I'm going to stow it forcibly in the place I suggested to you earlier this morning."
'Have a look."
Carefully Rhapsody unbound the ancient thread of silk that tied the scroll closed. Achmed had made a substantial study of the writings from Gwylliam's library and reliquary vault, but the collection was so vast that it would take him hundreds of years to examine even half of it. The fragile parchment crumbled a bit as she unrolled it. It was a careful rendering of an architectural design. 't't After a few minutes of staring intently at the plans, she looked back to find the Firbolg king watching her with equal interest. "What is this?" she asked. "I don't recognize it. Is this someplace in Ylorc?"
Achmed looked over at Ashe, then back to her, moving slightly nearer. "Yes, if it exists. It was Gwylliam's masterpiece, the crown jewel of his vision for the mountain. I don't know if he got to build it or not. He called it the Loritorium."
Rhapsody's palms grew moist. "Loritorium?"
'Yes, the corresponding documentation describes it as an annex, a deliberately hidden city, a place where ancient lore was housed and the purest forms of elemental power in the Cymrians' possession would one day be stored, along with a vast conservatory in which to study them. I believe the sword you carry might have been one of those exhibits, based on the dimensions of the display cases and some of the notes."
She turned the scroll over. "I don't see any words. How do you know this?"
Achmed nodded slightly toward Ashe and lowered his voice even more. "I'm not an idiot; I left the text safely in the vault. I've told you repeatedly that I do not trust him. Besides, I didn't know if the dew might damage the scrolls.
'From what I have been able to glean, this place was never opened to the Cymrian inhabitants of Canrif. It may never have been started, or if it was, it may never have been finished. But of course, it may have been both, and just known to Gwylliam and a few of his closest advisors. Who knows?
'What is most fascinating is the way the complex is laid out, at least according to these maps. The cases and displays must have been intended to contain something with great care, judging by the detail with which those elements were rendered. Gwylliam devoted a good deal of effort to designing the defenses, both from the outside and the inside. I'm not sure whether he was more intent on protecting his displays, or protecting the Cymrians from them."
Rhapsody shuddered. "Any idea what it might have been, besides Daystar Clarion?"
'No, but I plan to find out. While you're gone, Grunthor and I will be checking into some of the Cymrian ruins, the parts of Canrif that were built last and destroyed first when the Bolg overran the mountain. We've already seen some signs that point the way to what might have been the Loritorium. It promises to be a fascinating exploration if we find it. Interested?"
'Of course I'm interested," Rhapsody whispered fiercely, annoyed by the smirk on his face. "What Namer wouldn't be interested in a place like that?"
'Then stay," Achmed suggested with mock innocence. "It certainly would be better if you were along. Grunthor and I, clumsy oafs that we are, might inadvertently make a mess or destroy something of historical significance, who knows, perhaps even a one-of-a-kind piece of ancient lore." He laughed as her cheeks reddened with smoldering anger. "All right, we'll wait for you. We'll locate the
'Of course. I'm sure the dragon's cave is a regular stop on the mail caravan's route," Achmed replied, a note of angry sarcasm creeping into his voice.
'Don't start," Rhapsody warned, casting an eye over toward Jo, who was chatting with Ashe.
'No," Achmed agreed. "I just thought I'd give you a little send-off." He handed her a scroll of tightly bound parchment. "Be careful. It's very old and very valuable."
'If it's another version of The Rampage of the Wyrm , I'm going to stow it forcibly in the place I suggested to you earlier this morning."
'Have a look."
Carefully Rhapsody unbound the ancient thread of silk that tied the scroll closed. Achmed had made a substantial study of the writings from Gwylliam's library and reliquary vault, but the collection was so vast that it would take him hundreds of years to examine even half of it. The fragile parchment crumbled a bit as she unrolled it. It was a careful rendering of an architectural design. 't't After a few minutes of staring intently at the plans, she looked back to find the Firbolg king watching her with equal interest. "What is this?" she asked. "I don't recognize it. Is this someplace in Ylorc?"
Achmed looked over at Ashe, then back to her, moving slightly nearer. "Yes, if it exists. It was Gwylliam's masterpiece, the crown jewel of his vision for the mountain. I don't know if he got to build it or not. He called it the Loritorium."
Rhapsody's palms grew moist. "Loritorium?"
'Yes, the corresponding documentation describes it as an annex, a deliberately hidden city, a place where ancient lore was housed and the purest forms of elemental power in the Cymrians' possession would one day be stored, along with a vast conservatory in which to study them. I believe the sword you carry might have been one of those exhibits, based on the dimensions of the display cases and some of the notes."
She turned the scroll over. "I don't see any words. How do you know this?"
Achmed nodded slightly toward Ashe and lowered his voice even more. "I'm not an idiot; I left the text safely in the vault. I've told you repeatedly that I do not trust him. Besides, I didn't know if the dew might damage the scrolls.
'From what I have been able to glean, this place was never opened to the Cymrian inhabitants of Canrif. It may never have been started, or if it was, it may never have been finished. But of course, it may have been both, and just known to Gwylliam and a few of his closest advisors. Who knows?
'What is most fascinating is the way the complex is laid out, at least according to these maps. The cases and displays must have been intended to contain something with great care, judging by the detail with which those elements were rendered. Gwylliam devoted a good deal of effort to designing the defenses, both from the outside and the inside. I'm not sure whether he was more intent on protecting his displays, or protecting the Cymrians from them."
Rhapsody shuddered. "Any idea what it might have been, besides Daystar Clarion?"
'No, but I plan to find out. While you're gone, Grunthor and I will be checking into some of the Cymrian ruins, the parts of Canrif that were built last and destroyed first when the Bolg overran the mountain. We've already seen some signs that point the way to what might have been the Loritorium. It promises to be a fascinating exploration if we find it. Interested?"
'Of course I'm interested," Rhapsody whispered fiercely, annoyed by the smirk on his face. "What Namer wouldn't be interested in a place like that?"
'Then stay," Achmed suggested with mock innocence. "It certainly would be better if you were along. Grunthor and I, clumsy oafs that we are, might inadvertently make a mess or destroy something of historical significance, who knows, perhaps even a one-of-a-kind piece of ancient lore." He laughed as her cheeks reddened with smoldering anger. "All right, we'll wait for you. We'll locate the
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