nd rusted chains barring the entrance. But as Jerry and she stood in front of the building that morning, s

ure itself wanted to reclaim it. Broken windows gaped like dead eyes. The

ng my fingers over the cracked doorframe. "We'd pl

ry replied. "Just not

is coat and pulle

nd entering

corrected. "W

ort, and the chain slithered to the ground.

scent of decay and old paper. Bookshelves still lined the walls, their contents blackened or me

y, the floor groanin

d've been demolis

d. "Depending on what the

wn beneath the archive's back wing-a section half

something written on the wall behind it

ashes

cratched into the

aved in partially. We climbed over Trash and ducked beneath bent metal. Jerry found a stairwel

d at me

eart beat like

en the door. A rush of colder air met us-a d

w steps carved into bedrock. The staircase spiraled d

we stepped into a chamber

ad, and a symbol above the a

chive over this,

t," I said. "

ttered robes, scorched books, melted candleholders, jars of strange pow

ve. "This book" he reach

e: Rites of th

marked page a

. The Fire consumes. All things must

tructions," I s

r w

to the n

n. But the one who watches must neve

ilence," Jerry said.

omething she was

e hall, we foun

metal. Carved into the

er 21st

he archive fire

ed platform in the center. The walls were blackened with soot, but sym

gle c

lted to t

d it,

n as

ay, coverin

chair, grimacing. "This

down here," I said. "K

r, at the charred remains

I whispered. "They le

odged beneath the platform

ked i

.V. were engra

ra V

ered. "They tried to ki

he leave a lett

t have e

one help

aked with ash. Aunt Helena was waiting in the

g outside the archive decades ago. I re

mot

t Helena said. "But I don'

wn," I said. "That's why

e turned against them.

ned, and your grandmother tried to warn

d at th

finishes what

serious" aunt H

, where the forest crept in close and silence held its breath. No m

memory I couldn't fully name. All I knew was that something waited beneath