We walked into the next chamber, and I could have sighed with relief. I'd heard that these old books were down here, but I wasn't sure if it was just a rumour. Sure enough, this entire room was filled with books. Every single wall was filled with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and there were piles of books everywhere - on the desk, on the chairs, on the floor. We all looked around, open mouthed.
"Right, everyone take a corner." I said, marching to the furthest corner myself.
"What is it that we're looking for?" Asked Lamplight.
I looked at Cal, who was peering at the books, reading the titles that were delicately embossed in gold on the front covers. "I don't know what it'll be called or what it'll say, but I know for a fact that there will be a drawing of an archway with odd symbols on it. So search through each book for that drawing, it has to be here somewhere."
Lamplight and Spark looked at each other. It didn't take an idiot to figure out that I was here for a reason they didn't know about, but I hadn't steered them wrong yet, and their trust in me had them stepping towards the books. I reached out to grab a book just as Cal lifted a hoof to move the top one on the pile infront of him. I don’t know which of us touched one first, but regardless, the effect was immediate. Every single book in the room gave a little shiver, and I was instantly up on my feet and drawing my sword. I didn't have a good feeling about this.
Spark squealed and jumped forwards about a foot. "It bit me!"
As she said that, every single book came to life. Some crawled along the floor, trying to snap at our heels, others threw themselves off the bookshelves and flew at us, and others still literally swooped and flapped in the air like birds, wheeling around to hit us again and again with their metal encased corners.
The others were fighting the books as best as I could, but I was busy trying to see into them, even as they attacked us. Cal had retreated to the entrance to the room, and shouted to draw all of our attention. "None of them seem to be able to pass through the doorway, we're safe out here!"
I spotted Lamplight and Spark immediately try to head for the door, but were slowed down by the genuinely staggering amount of books that were pummelling them. I was still trying to hold of the books near me until I- THERE! I'd spotted the drawing I needed, inside a book that seemed to be determined to fly right at my head repeatedly. I tried to grab it but it kept evading my mouth.
"TI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Yelled Cal, terror lacing his voice. I glanced over and saw that Lamplight and Spark had managed to make it to safety too, and were watching me with worried eyes. I also noticed that there was fresh blood on my coat - some of these books were doing serious damage.
Okay. Time to go. I made one last lunge at the book that I needed, which earned me a vicious whack across the face, and then beat a hasty retreat to the doorway.
"I'm so sorry guys, I had no idea that they'd be cursed like that."
The others were panting, still catching their breath, but they'd gotten out of it a lot better than I had. They would have bruises, for sure, but nothing worse.
Cal shot me a look of concern. "Come on Ti, let's head out and get those wounds looked at."
I nodded and followed behind him. The others had a spring in their step and were chatting about how they'd fought off the books. None of them had spotted the ripped out page I'd stuffed in my satchel, but the delight I felt far outweighed the guilt of keeping a secret.