The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [179]
“It’s alright, I understand.” James assures him.
Placing the book between them on the table, he says, “Now, I find it strange that Ellinwyrd would have sent you here to deliver this book.” He looks at James for a response.
“Why?” James asks.
With a wave of his hand he says, “It’s a book of little consequence, quite common really. It’s hardly worth sending someone through a war zone to deliver. In fact, I have two copies already.”
James produces the letter Ellinwyrd had written and hands it across the table to Ollinearn. “He did send this as well,” he says.
Ollinearn takes the letter, breaks the seal and then reads it. After he’s finished reading the letter he looks to James and says, “He asks that I aid you any way I can, very strange.”
“Why is that strange?” James asks.
Placing the letter on the table he says, “He has never made such a request before. In addition, he makes no mention of your need.”
“I am in search of the god Morcyth,” James explains. “Ellinwyrd believed that the last temple to him was located somewhere around the Sea of the Gods and that you would be my best chance of finding its whereabouts.”
“Morcyth?” he asks. “Are you a historian?”
“Nothing like that, no,” James replies. “I am on kind of a quest and this is where it has led me.”
“Hmmmm…” Ollinearn muses as he sits back in his chair thinking. “We have several books detailing Morcyth and his religion,” he says to James. “Though most of those are already on their way to a safe area north of the Sea.”
“Is there anything you can tell me?” James asks.
He says to James, “There are a few books here that have yet to be packed for shipping which deals with religious history and related subjects.” He brings his hands together before him on the table and continues, “But we are very busy and do not have much time before the Empire knocks on our door. I am afraid that I will not have the time to spend in searching for the information you are after. I am sorry.”
James reaches inside his shirt and pulls out the medallion, showing it to Ollinearn. “This medallion was given to me.” He takes it off and lays it on the table before him. “I wasn’t told anything about it, but have learned that it has something to do with Morcyth.”
Ollinearn reaches out to the medallion and looks to James questioningly. When James nods his head, he picks it up and examines it closely. “I know this,” he says as his fingers trace the design on the medallion. He looks up to James, “Maybe I’ll find the time to help you after all, follow me.”
Still holding the medallion, Ollinearn leads James back out to the hallway and returns to the room where his helpers are almost finished packing the few remaining books. When they enter the room, he says to one of the men, “Pack as quickly as you can, I will be occupied for a short time.”
“Where will you be?” the man asks.
“Back with the histories,” he replies. “I shouldn’t be too long.” Taking a candelabrum with several lit candles, he leads James through another doorway and down a long sloping hallway. They pass several doors, many are open and James can see room after room of empty shelves. Ollinearn comes to the final doorway and is the only one which remains closed. Opening it, he precedes James into a room where the light from the candelabrum reveals dozens of neatly stacked books lining many shelves around the room.
“This is where the books chronicling the history of this region are stored,” he explains. “They are not of any great importance, so are to be packed last.” Turning to glance at James he says, “Which may prove to be providential.” Waving to a chair by a table against a side wall, he says, “Please rest a moment while I find the book I believe to have this design depicted.”
James sits in a chair and watches as Ollinearn closely examines one book after another until finally pulling one off the shelf and brings it over to the table where he is seated. Placing the candelabrum on