The Hero's Tomb Read Online Free PDF Page B

his plan.
    Maybe she’s right. Maybe we should be scouring the streets of Azurmouth right now … Lately it seemed like Newton was always questioning his own decisions. It never used to be that way. But then, Tabitha didn’t know what he knew. She didn’t know about the other reason they’d come to Azurmouth.
    ‘Bed. I won’t ask you again.’
    ‘Good, because I’m not going.’ She tensed, as though he might try to drag her back to Master Gurney’s rooms.
    Which is tempting … except she’d wake up the whole Watch, not to mention half the Academy.
    It wasn’t much of a choice.
    ‘Keep quiet, then. And stick with me.’
    She nodded, still scowling. Only the glint in her eye betrayed her excitement, as she followed him to the end of the corridor.
    Above the entrance to the library was a wooden plaque inscribed with the Academy motto in gold: To LEARN is to DO. The words didn’t make much sense to Newton, but that was magicians for you. He pushed open the doors.
    The sight beyond took even Tabitha’s breath away.
    ‘Blimey,’ said Ty. ‘I think I like libraries.’
    The Library of Magical Arts was one of Hal’s favourite subjects of conversation – and Newton could see why. The shelves reached up like cliffs, hundreds of feet high, extending so far into the distance that the library seemed to go on for ever, like some vast, shadowy maze of books. Craning his neck, Newton could make out the ceiling – a glass dome through which the dark sky could just be seen.
    The only sounds were the scratching of quills and the gentle buzzing of fairies’ wings as they flitted around the shelves, retrieving books for the few black-robed magicians studying late into the night at heavy wooden desks. The only light came from the soft glow of the fairies, and the iron lanterns of the magicians.
    ‘Can I help you?’ It was a slight woman in a magician’s robes, with long, straggly grey hair and a kindly face. She was carrying a pile of books, which must have been almost as heavy as she was.
    Newton cast a glance at Tabitha. She was busy watching a pair of fairies struggle with a hefty volume of an encyclopaedia, before dumping it in a shower of dust onto the desk of a surprised elderly magician.
    ‘Aye,’ he said, in a low voice. ‘I’m looking for books about Corin the Bold.’
    The librarian raised an eyebrow. ‘I see.’ She noddedat a sweep of shelves disappearing into the distance. ‘That section is for books about Corin’s battle strategies. Over there’ – she indicated another set of shelves – ‘you will find a selection of studies on the nutrition of Corin’s army.’ She smiled. ‘Perhaps you could be a little more specific?’
    Tabitha was chatting to the fairies now, completely oblivious to Newton’s conversation.
    ‘I want to know about the Sword of Corin.’
    The librarian’s eyes widened. Then she set down her load of books and led Newton and Ty across the floor of the library. It was carpeted so thickly that their feet barely made a sound. All the same, Newton caught more than one magician shoot them an irritated glance.
    ‘Reckon we’re breathing too loud,’ whispered Ty.
    ‘ Shhh ! ’ said a nearby magician.
    Ty waited till they were round a corner, then made a face. ‘Why are you so bothered about this sword, anyway?’ he asked.
    ‘I’m just interested.’
    It wasn’t a lie. He was interested. Very interested. But he wasn’t about to explain why, even to his own fairy.
    ‘Here,’ said the librarian. She handed Newton a pair of black velvet gloves with a golden sun stitchedonto them. ‘Wear these at all times when handling the books. I’ll send you a lantern and a fairy to fetch them down. You’ll find a private reading room through that doorway, where no one will disturb you.’
    Newton looked up at the wall of leather-bound tomes: The Sword of Corin – A History; A Hero’s Sword; The Metallurgy of Corin’s Blade. He felt suddenly weary.
    This was going to take a