VII. Library Card?

"Bull-crap!"

Shadoe jumped at Ryli's sudden outburst, her fox ears perking up.

"You kidnap us in the middle of the night, turn us into freaks, and you still expect us to help you?! I seriously doubt we could do anything for you- even if we wanted to. If you're not gonna help us get home, we'll find someone who can." Grabbing Shadoe's hand, Ryli tugged her friend towards the large, rough wooden door- before they could make it there, however, Actaeon leaped and landed in the way of their exit with a heavy thud of his boots. Ryli's ears lowered and she hissed. The involuntary and unusual reaction made her throat tickle; the small cough that followed attempted to relieve her discomfort, with some success.

"We wouldn't have gone through the trouble of finding you if we didn't think we needed you..." His expression was stern. "So let us finish." A flash of lightning lit up the room as Ryli held a staring match with the man for several long moments.

Artemus hurried to his brother's side and with an easygoing smile asked, "Please?"

"... Whatever." Ryli's tail swished as she looked expectantly from one wolf to the other. "Well then? Get to it."

"Alright, I'm on it, I'm on it. Well, my-" Actaeon began only to be promptly interrupted by Shadoe, who was raising her hand politely. "Uhm... Yes?"

"What did the prophecy say exactly?"

Artemus paused and tilted his head slightly. "Would you like to see it for yourself?"

Shadoe failed to notice Ryli's annoyed scoff and made the decision herself. "Sure!"

The princes led them down flights of stairs, through large halls with towering ceilings, and past countless doors, all outfitted with varying handles and hinges. Expensive, showy vases full of bright, exotic flowers sat on nearly every table they passed. Artemus reached for a particularly pretty flower as he walked by, and with a goofy flourish and bow, he presented the bloom to Shadoe. She smiled and twirled it between her fingers, falling into step with the young prince and listening as he pointed out portraits and antiques along their route. Artemus glanced back at the silent pair behind him and tossed his brother a grin. Actaeon rolled his eyes and inched even further away from the girl that was walking at his side.

The journey ended at a massive set of double doors. The surface of each was black, inlaid with silver markings. Artemus flung the doors open dramatically and with a gesture, directed them through. The room was at least twice the size of the girls' entire house back home. Shelves stretched from wall to wall, all filled with scrolls and ancient looking leather-bound books. Rain beat against the high, domed cieling that covered it all.

"Whoa." The two outsiders stared up in mutual amazement.

Actaeon sighed and waved a hand dissmissively. "Quite an architectural feat, indeed. Our father actually designed this addition. Not to mention it holds the largest single privately-owned collection of manuscripts in the country."

"Yes, yes, come along, let's find the scroll." Artemus trotted on ahead excitedly.

He led them up a spiral staircase to a set-apart room. A skylight provided the small space with natural light, and the downpour could be heard and seen as it hit the glass. Artemus grabbed Shadoe's hand and pulled her to a podium that was set in the very middle of the room. "Welcome to our personal study. And this here... Is what we've been studying." The prince gingerly unrolled the scroll and lay it out flat. The faded ink was difficult to make sense of- not to mention the letters were foreign, alien-looking, to the girls.

Ryli raised an eyebrow and squinted a bit. "... And these scribbles say something important...?"