Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 238 of 619

Ajax woke before dawn with the library on his mind. Aldric's books sat on open shelves behind a plain wood door. A stray coal or a thief could undo years of work in one night. He pulled on his loincloth and went to find Chalam at the hearth in the hall. "The library," Ajax said. "I want it warded. Fire and theft. Both. Today." Chalam set down his cup. "Fire I can hold with a working in the doorframe. Theft is harder. I can bind the shelves to Aldric's hand and yours and mine. Anyone else who lifts a book will freeze until you say their name." "How long?" "A day. The working costs nothing but words from my spell book." "Start now." Rowan came in from the yard with frost on his boots. He set his bow against the wall and pulled a folded list from his belt. "Winter's close. The men need furs. Bran and the port hands have thin coats. Cody's boy has none." Ajax looked at him. Rowan met his eye and did not look away. He had come in from the ridges three moons back and sworn to the gate. He said less than any man Ajax had taken on, and he was right more often than not. "How many hides?" Ajax asked. "Twelve. Deer for the workers. Bears for the sworn, if I find them." "How long?" "Three days.“ "Take Grayson." Grayson stood in the doorway with a cup in his hand. He had been listening. He crossed to the table and set the cup down. "I'll go," Grayson said. "Kael can hold the gate. Torren backs him." Ajax nodded. "Three days. If it turns to four, send a bird from the split pine." Rowan and Grayson left at first light with two pack horses and a spare bow. Ajax watched them clear the gate and then walked to the library. Chalam had chalk lines on the threshold. Aldric stood inside with his palm on the top shelf, waiting. "Names," Chalam said. "Ajax. Aldric. Chalam. No one else touches the books without my word." Chalam spoke over the chalk and the line went dark and then invisible. He moved to the hearth and did the second working there, longer, until his face was gray. He sat down on the floor when it was done. "Fire won't take," Chalam said. "Theft is bound to your voice." Ajax lifted a book from the shelf. Nothing happened. He set it back. Aldric lifted one. Nothing. Ajax stepped out and told a mason to try. The man's hand locked in the air above the spine until Ajax said his name. On the third day at dusk Rowan and Grayson came through the gate with twelve deer hides and four bear pelts lashed to the pack horses. Grayson had a cut above his eye. Rowan had blood on his sleeve that was not his own. "Something's in the north wood," Rowan said. "It took a deer off my line before I could bleed it. Tracks like nothing I know." Ajax looked at the pelts, then at Rowan's sleeve. The library was sealed. The men would have furs. But something new had come down out of the ridges.