Mathis looks at the first edition of The Luminous like it's his firsthatched child.
"Where… Where… Crimson. Where did you…"
"That's not important. Here's what is. I'm going to transcribe an auxiliary copy. And then I'm going to give that copy to you. I want you to keep it safe. Hidden. Do not tell a soul you have it. And don't say a word about the fact I have this."
"You… Truly?" His tired eyes are welling up. "Me?"
"Yes, you. But I wanted you to see it first, and ask you about it. So? What do you think? Is it legitimate? Are you able to verify that? Have you ever seen anything like it? And most importantly… Do you know what it contains?"
"What… What it contains? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean the revisions. The revisions that I've been informed were implemented in the fourth edition. I haven't had a chance to identify all of them, obviously, but the few changes I'm aware of are drastic. I'll show you my notes after I've completed my study."
"I can't even begin to guess." He's still fixated on the book as if it's the final ember of a dying fire. "No, I've never seen anything remotely similar. To verify it… May I… Look closer?"
"You're well aware I'm a lot faster than you are, yes? You cannot escape if you try to swipe it. I'm not saying you will, I'm just being cautious."
"No, no, I understand. And I have… I have no such intentions." His wrinkled brow furrows and his eyes darken. "I don't want that thing. It's utterly invaluable. Invaluable. I–I can't possibly keep it secure. Not possible. Thieves, humidity, fungi, any number of things could risk its integrity. A copy? Yes, I could keep a copy. I will, Crimson."
I nod, sliding it over. "Please. What do you think?"
He inspects the binding, the leather, the parchment, then wanders off while muttering about a magnifying glass, thankfully leaving the book with me. In his absence, I run things through my head again and find the same two questions at the forefront, bright and glaring.
One. Are the Scribes who witnessed Vander's corruption reliable sources? And two. What reason could the Fell possibly have for directing Wretched Vander to destroy the Archives, when the loss of the original records was a detriment to her, and allowed Fifth Thorn Lumos to be replaced with the current Seraphim Vitalius?
Well, assuming the Fell wasn't lying to me. Which she absolutely was. Of course. As if I'd ever fall for her lies. And Mathis declaring this book as a total forgery will prove that everything she said to me about this story was nothing but drakeshit, just as I insisted.
I catch myself fidgeting with the luminodiamond in my pocket and make myself leave it alone. Why am I even carrying it around anyway? Hells if I know.
As I'm standing here, waiting for Mathis, I start to realize what it is I'm actually doing. Simply being in possession of this book could potentially constitute treason. If I'm not careful, and the wrong people learn that I have it, I could be in serious trouble, if not grave danger. On the off chance the Fell was telling the truth, then the Goddess and her Primarchs would be extremely invested in stamping out any trace of this deception to prevent it from being revealed.
Another secret I have to keep. At least I've told this one to somebody. It feels a little less heavy. And I don't believe Mathis would expose me, not at all. If anything, he's just as curious and fascinated as I am, if not more so. Still, I need to be much more cautious going forward.
"I've got it, right here," Mathis says as he returns, carrying a wooden box of small tools. After setting a few out, he grabs the magnifying glass and inspects the cover page. "Hmmm. Check the other editions for me. Make sure they aren't auxiliary copies by different Scribes. I'll need an original Xikarius to tell for certain."
I start from the top. Nine, eight, seven, six, all auxiliaries. The fourth is an original. Opening it to the same page, I set it beside the first edition so he can compare. He then holds a thin unmarked parchment over them and scratches out the shadows of the writing from both books, setting them aside and making some fierce notations over the copied letters. Checking the handwriting, I think.
"Ah. I see, I see." He grabs some other tools and a few small glass bottles containing some kinds of tincture. "Well, Crimson. I… don't need to know who the owner is, but I'm going to assume you speak for them when you answer this. I'll need to do some tests to verify the ink and the parchment as authentic, which requires some small amount of ultimately harmless chemical treatments. Do I have your permission to do so?"
"Harmless?"
"Yes. Harmless. Just a swipe across a page with a gentle, gentle, gentle lifting agent, the traces of ink and paper material from which can then be evaluated for their composition. The effect on the paper is extremely marginal, undetectable, even. But some collectors are… uncomfortable with the prospect of anything remotely–"
"Yes, Mathis. I trust you. Do what is needed."
"Thank you, thank you. Of course."
If she has an issue with it, the Fallen Queen can take it up with me. Assuming I ever see her again, which I won't. This book is as good as mine now. If she wants it back, she'll have to come up here to the Heavens and take it from me. And… Maybe do that thing with my ear again… as incentive…
Fuck. No, no, no. Out of my head. Not allowed.
While he's working on those tests, I poke through the other editions to little avail. It's going to be a long, arduous, and tedious project going line by line through six highly detailed archival chronicles to check every single word, phrase, and sentence. But even in just these few minutes, I confirm what I already knew.
Fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth editions.
'Thus the Legend Vitalius was named Primarch Seraphim.'
First edition.
'Thus the Legend Lumos was named Primarch Seraphim.'
Hells, I wish I had a second and third edition. At least with even one of those, I would have some other source that confirms the difference. Those two questions I have regarding Vander the Black and the Great Incineration are burning holes through me, all these centuries later.
If Xikarius himself switched the names between the third and fourth editions, then the Scribes had to be in on it, so of course they would blame Vander's rampage on becoming Wretched. And the question of why the Fell would compel him to do so? The answer is blatant. Obvious. So fucking obvious.
She wouldn't.
Who would benefit from framing her?
The Goddess.
And if She's lying about the Seraphim…
What else is She lying about?
This is dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Thoughts like these are what drive Fables to become Wretched. The moment our faith in the Goddess is shattered, the moment our doubt becomes manifest, the moment we truly turn from the light, we are instantaneously corrupted by the Overgrowth and driven to blind obedience according to the Fell's black magic and terrible manipulation.
At least… That's what we're told…
Hells, what am I thinking? It's all drakeshit. The Fell is a liar through and through. Once these tests are done, it will be obvious. This book is a fake and she lied to me. It's that fucking simple. No question.
Mathis sets his tools down and breathes.
"Nyth's hallowed bones… It's… It's legitimate."
My heart sinks into the depths of frigid waters
"It's authentic. This is an original first edition."
The sky is falling and I am falling with it.