The Broken Seal - Chapter 4

After a hearty brunch, they decided to spend the remainder of the day on the porch swing. Jacob had a fine library, Sasha had found a book she hadn't read yet and he a volume he wanted to compulse. She sat with her legs bent beside her, his head resting on her thigh as he was lying down.

He thought it was so easy to be with her. She had great conversation, as he discovered the night before. They had started with the oil rig he always said he was working on, went to the economy of said oil, switched to its discovery and uses, moved forward to black powder in ancient China, and digressed on ancient civilisations. He almost told her about the rise and fall of Apep but he had remembered in time that she wasn't supposed to know about that. Or the Library.

A sound coming from inside the house made them both jerk. Jacob had a hard time recognizing the ring of his phone. Eve’s ringtone. He jumped from the swing.

« Sorry, I have to take that. »

She made a muted sound he took for an agreement and kept reading. He had to haste not to miss the call.

« What's up? Is there an emergency? »
« The Clippings Book is acting up. It didn't show newspaper articles, but some kind of pictograms, dragons, and what appears to be a monster of some sort. »
« It's my weekend off, Eve. Can't this wait ? »
« Are you still hungover? It's almost eighteen hundred! »
« No... I met someone. »
« Oh... Oooh! Okay, we'll keep researching on our side, you come as soon as you can.  »
« All right. Bye. »

Jacob hung up with a sigh. There was no way around it : their moment out of time was coming to an end.

When he came out, Sasha was leaning on the railing, looking at the scenery. She had a look of seriousness on her face that told him something was coming, and not from him. He rested his shoulder against the post next to her and waited for her to talk.

« Something... unexpected happened last night. »
« You mean the sex? »
« No, I thought it might happen... I liked you... I was not supposed to like you. »
« What do you mean? »
« I knew who you were when I walked into that bar, Jacob Stone. I knew you are a Librarian. »

Jacob couldn't believe what she was saying. He was feeling the anger rising.

« So it was all a setup? »
« I needed a way to meet you, and it was the easiest one. »
« And why did you need to meet me ? »
« Dire times are coming, and we need to help each other. We should get back to the Library. What is the fastest way ? Shall we take your car ? »
« There's a faster way. Come with me. »

Sasha looked at Jacob with interrogation when he entered the house. Jacob took his phone and dialed a number. 

« Eve? I'm coming back. Can you ask Jenkins to prepare a door? I'm at the ranch. Thanks. »

He went to the main door and closed it, did the same with the back door, turned out all the lights. He took Sasha’s hand and led her to the guest room. The door glowed blue when he opened it and they went through. 

They were transported instantly to the Annex. Inside, Cassandra, Ezechiel and Eve had gotten books out of the shelves, put papers and drawings everywhere and were in full research mode. Sasha had a low whistle of admiration.

« That's ingenious! »

Jenkins was at the door when they arrived. He looked happy at Sasha's sight. 

« Lady Alexandria! I'm so happy to see you again! »
« Galahad! Oh! What a lovely surprise! »

Sasha extended her hands, Jenkins took them in his and kissed them as he bowed deeply. The Librarians looked at each other in surprise. Their questions fused all at once.

« You know each other? »
« How did you meet? »
« Alexandria ? »

Jenkins kept her hand in his while he presented her to the group.

« Lady Alexandria and I met in King Arthur’s court in Camelot some centuries ago. »
« I go by Sasha now. »
« Old habits die hard, Mylady. »

Jenkins bowed again and she laughed softly. Eve came forward.

« Who is she and what is she doing here ? »

Sasha didn't answer right away. She went to the Clippings Book and looked at the open pages. She slid her finger on the dragon.

Cassandra was the closest to the table.

« We know dragons are involved. But we've been unable to reach Mr. Drake. And the one who's hidden under Rome is asleep again. »
« Qiángdà is a son of a bitch, and Quirinus an old recluse wishing it was still ancient Rome. Dragons are rarely involved, but when they are, it's important for humankind. »

Ezekiel sneered. « Yeah, like when Mr. Drake tried to help the Serpent Brotherhood take over the Library ! »

Sasha looked at him. « I said dragons, not snakes. »
Eve repeated. « Who are you ? »

Sasha looked at Jenkins with an air of regret.

« I'm sorry I never told you before. You should have known back then. »

She turned to Jacob.

« And I was afraid of your reaction when you learned the truth about me. »

Jenkins' face showed worry. Like Eve, he asked.

« Who are you ? »

Sasha stayed silent, still looking at Jacob, gathering her thoughts. When she talked, they had no choice but to listen, with their heart as well as their ears.

« They say dragons are as old as time itself. It's not exactly true, but their measure of time is millennia. When men hadn't started to express their thoughts in writing, demons roamed the earth. Seven of them, the most powerful, were called from the underworld, summoned by means of a seal, a blood sacrifice and ritual words. One seal for each demon. They brought chaos and destruction, blood and tears, fear and death. 
« The dragons hadn't yet learned how to take human form, but some had a liking for humankind. And when the demons brought the world on the verge of extinction, they decided to drive them back to where they belonged. It was a bloody war. But finally the seven seals were broken and the demons banished back to the underworld.
« The dragons had broken the seals in seven parts each, and each of the pieces was given to one of them for safekeeping in its lair. And they remained safe for the next six millenia. »

Jacob looked at Sasha with puzzlement. She was talking about dragons and demons with a knowledge only a Librarian would possess. But clearly she wasn't one. 
She paused again, while they were taking in what she was saying. They knew dragons were real, they had met two of them already. But they had never heard of their history before. It suddenly clicked in their minds : the Clippings book had shown pictograms, dragons and monsters. Not a coincidence. There never was.

« Who are you? How do you know all that? »

She looked at Jacob directly and her eyes shone of molten gold.

« I am dragon. »