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“Could there be copies of the Books of Alios in this hidden library?” asks Lyr.
Even through the veil, the Hare’s expression is modest. “I have not read the books of Alios. I have not seen them in the old library. But I have been working on a translation of the works of Batraous. The philosopher.”
“Should that name mean anything to me?” says Damon. “I was educated as a prince and I studied all the great philosophers. I have never heard of Batraous.”
The Hare nods. “I am not sure that Batraous would be counted as one of the great philosophers. He lived in the early days of the Hevelikar dynasty. His works are mostly forgotten, but I have found them in the library. He writes a lot of the myth of Priam – Pia and Prim – he believes they existed.”
“He was Priam,” says Damon. “No wonder his works are forgotten.”
“I am from Klish,” Lyr says simply. Damon looks at him. He can’t help it. He would spend the rest of his life staring at Lyr if he could. He looks so sweet and delicate in his pale shirt. He only wears simple roughspun, not much smarter than the shirt and breeches he wore as a kitchen slave, but he looks as fine in them as a prince. Damon is struck by the sudden wish that the Hare would leave them. He could be alone in this room with Lyr. Take Lyr’s sweet mouth in the Rose Palace. The idea of that makes his heart thump.
“You know of the Dark Water?” The Hare is saying to Lyr. “The reason no ship can cross the Priam Sea?”
Lyr nods. “I do. I have not seen it. But the Dark Water is very real.”
“Batraous travelled to Klish to see it. He writes that the Dark Water was caused by Pia and Prim being sunk beneath the ocean a thousand years ago.”
“That is the legend,” says Lyr. “Even on Klish, few people believe it is true.”
“The legend of Priam is a crime in Azuria,” says Damon. “And it is nonsense. What could do such a thing as that?”
“Bellator,” says the Hare. “According to Batraous.”
“What’s Bellator?” Damon narrows his eyes. He thinks he has heard of Bellator. Once, somewhere.
“According to the writings of Batraous, Bellator are the offspring of Bell-ai fae who had children with the demons of the Amber Forest. Half-fae, half-demon creatures called the Bellator.”
Damon scoffs. “This sounds like a story for children.”
“I was always told that the Bellator were demons,” says Lyr. His voice sounds a little hollow. Even fearful.
The Hare shrugs. “Part demons. Part fae.”
Damon says, “What has this to do with the Books of Alios?”
“This story is in the Books of Alios. Batraous refers in his writings to the stories in the Books of Alios as the source for his ideas. He seems to be saying that the stories in those books are true. And that they have something to do with the Bellator sinking Pia and Prim.”
“Does he say more about these stories?”
“Not in detail. He writes a lot of the Priam Legend. How the Bellator ruled the lands of men thousands of years ago. And how they were finally defeated by men.”
Damon nods. “So, an old legend. And a heretical one.”
“More than heresy,” says the Hare, lowering his voice. “The most important part is that Batraous writes that the Hevelikar are prophesied to save Azuria from the return of the Bellator.”
Damon is shocked by this. He has never heard such a treacherous thing said aloud before. “And he read this in the Books of Alios?”
The Hare nods. “He lived during the reign of the Hevelikar. If the Hevelikar took the books to Jur-Mattan, those could be the ones he read. But his writings, if I find more, may contain further details about what was written in the Books of Alios.”
Lyr says, “The Hevelikar were his patrons. He would want to claim they were the saviours of Azuria.”
Damon nods, but he thinks, if the Books of Alios do claim that the Hevelikar are the saviours of Azuria, that would be a reason for Selim to want them destroyed. He says, “The Hevelikar are almost all dead. They will not be able to save us from anything.”
The Hare says, “The Hevelikar are almost gone, but their line is preserved. The Darek family are descended from the Hevelikar.”
Damon notices Lyr look at him suspiciously. “The Dareks are the Hevelikar?” He sounds shocked.
The Hare looks at Damon. “You know your history. You said yourself you had the education of a prince. When your ancestor King Sarelik defeated the Hevelikar, he had the last Hevelikar king – King Maider – executed along with his twin sons. Many more Hevelikar nobles were killed too. The ones that weren’t fled most notably King Maider’s aunt, Evangel, who took many Hevelikar treasures to Jur-Mattan.”
