LSRO: Chapter 182 - Tethered (Patreon)

I feel like this is moving slow, but there are pieces I need to slot into place so I can get to the finale of book 3.

I think it's working...

Hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter 182

Tethered

Quinn was about to tell Dottie to bring Jasper to the restricted vault, when the Library intervened in her thoughts.

If you’re about to grant Jasper access, it might be better to simply meet her in your office instead.

Quinn frowned. Since she hadn’t been broadcasting, the interjection made it seem that her connection to the Library was deepening. Isn’t it just easier to do so here then?

I can make any room as secure as this one. However, right now, giving permission to enter this room while we’re still trying to discover what tomes have gone missing and how it was done is probably not the best idea.

That did track. Quinn shrugged. It’s not because you don’t trust her at all?

Of course it is. The Library sounded indignant. I don’t know Jasper. All I have to go on are your experiences and anything I’ve gleaned from her while she’s been here. She’s been helpful, but I can’t base everything on that. If being helpful were the bar to measure by, then the Aracnio twins would have been the nicest people ever.

True... Quinn sighed and thought about it before calling out to Dottie. “Tell her I’ll meet her in my office in a bit. She can go in and sit down and wait for me. I’m almost done.”

“Very well!” Dottie said in a singsong manner that was filled with light. 

Quinn really hoped Dottie was trustworthy. She just had to be. All of this suspicion was all getting way out of hand. She turned her attention back to the Library. “So, you can secure my office in the same way we have the vault done?”

Yes, the Library answered without hesitation. It’s not an easy task, but a necessary one in the case of the restricted area. After all, there are prerequisites to being able to come into this room. To allow people to eavesdrop would negate that purpose.

“But they can listen to me in my office.” Quinn asked, a little confused.

Of course they shouldn’t be able to, and it has a level of security layered over it, but with the recent turn of events it’s become obvious that’s insufficient. The Library paused. I didn’t have it reinforced with the same level of restriction. Granted, given the way things have currently been going, that’s a rather large oversight on my behalf, and I am in the process of rectifying it. I guess I’ve been extremely naïve.

Quinn felt a pang of sorrow for the Library. Bringing all this knowledge to everyone and assuming that others would reciprocate that love for sharing and making the universe stronger. But there were just some individuals out there who were selfish. Quinn wasn’t surprised. Her world was made up of so many types too, she knew the rest of the universe probably reflected the same.

Not everything could be a Utopia.

The upgrade of your office is complete. Let me know if I missed anything. The Library interrupted her train of thought. 

“Thanks.” Quinn glanced back at Lynx. His eyes were flickering again, so she wasn’t entirely sure he was paying any attention to her. “You ready?”

It took several seconds for Lynx to pull himself out of that mode, and he blinked at her as his eyes reverted back to their usual deep, purply black. The runes slowed in their spiral and a tight smile spread across his face. “As ready as I’m going to be any time soon.”

Quinn paused, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to, and then decided blurting worked perfectly well. “any luck retrieving more of the blocked information?”

“That’s not what you want to ask. I can feel it.” Lynx smiled, but this time, for the first time in a long while, it wasn’t filled with sadness. “And yes, I can actually attune to your wavelength far better than I’ve been able to. In the way, I should always have been able to.

He frowned and his runes began to twist again. “Actually. Wow. How did you get any of the things done that we asked you to do?”

“What do you mean?” Quinn stretched and moved out toward the door, Aradie sitting tight on her shoulder. “Tell me while we walk? I can’t leave her waiting forever.”

Lynx blinked next to her. He didn’t move like a human anymore. No, he now had access to all the power he’d been missing, to the fragments of himself that had been lost. While he might not be able to use everything yet, his lithe grace mimicked the lynx form he seemed to prefer.

“Your information centers. How we tried to transfer the information to you when you were first brought to the Library. It’s all over the place, and not the correct brain chemistry configuration. I’m surprised you could access anything. That was definitely an oversight on my behalf.” While he sounded regretful, there was also a business like air to the way he spoke. 

“You’ve mentioned before that my genetic make up means the chip wasn’t set up properly. What’s different now?” She asked, genuinely curious.

“Now I have access to many of my abilities again, to a wider spectrum for our connection, which allows me to be more in tune with you... and you with me... when the situation calls for it or when one of us deems it necessary.” Lynx kept up a smooth pace as they approached her office.

She watched him for a few seconds, unsure whether she liked the changes that had come over him or not. Perhaps they’d be end up being more useful, and he for sure had more confidence than previously. But there was a part of her who missed the Lynx who seemed to need her.

This version... no longer had a sense of bewilderment about him.

“You’re telegraphing to me.” He said without meeting her eyes. “Our connection is more stable and your reflections reach me in a more concentrated manner than they did before.” Then he stopped shortly before her office and cleared his throat.

“What?” She crossed her arms and waited.

“I need you to know that I appreciate everything you did. Every little sacrifice you’ve made since you got here, including fighting those damned worms. And not limited to retrieving books we needed that should never have been let out of my care. So, thank you, Quinn. For not throttling me when I couldn’t help you.”

She blinked at him and sincerely examined the words. “Um, you’re very welcome. Thanks for not losing your temper much with all my constant questions.”

Lynx grinned at her, and there was a glimpse of the Lynx he’d been. He was still in there, just hidden beneath capability now that he had access to more of himself again.

And that’s what it broke down to, really. Lynx wasn’t quite repaired. Neither was the Library, but they were more whole than they’d been the entire three or so months she’d been the Librarian. The recovery brought with it a refreshing breeze of relief. But it was one they couldn’t afford to let lull them.

“Shall we go in and not keep Jasper waiting?” Lynx winked at her.

“We shall.” Quinn grinned, and they headed into the room.

Jasper crouched down, one hand resting lightly on the couch as she conversed with Dottie. “I don’t see how you even eat... you’re just fascinating.”

“I’m not a scientific experiment. We eat through sustenance absorption.” Dottie sounded haughty, as if she was mildly offended.

“Sorry!” Jasper held up her hands as if in defeat. “I just find you remarkable and am genuinely curious... so...” but she trailed off and jumped to standing to twirl around and grin at Quinn. “Finally! Took you long enough.”

“Like literally fifteen minutes or something,” Quinn said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I’m sure there’s something you need to tell me and I have a to-do list that’s three miles long and growing steadily every day, so spill so I can add things to the list and we can all move on.”

Jasper laughed, this time a full throated and happy sound.

Frankly, it put Quinn at ease. It had remnants of a lulling effect in it, and she wasn’t sure how she could tell, except that she simply could. Had all her senses been upgraded when the Library’s pathways were renewed with the sequencing? Did that mean Quinn’s connection to the Library had also upgraded?

But Jasper’s laughter calmed down and her eyes shifted ever so briefly in the direction of Dottie. Quinn got the hint straight away and turned to the bench. “Hey Dottie. Can you leave us be for a few? I think I saw them having trouble at the check-in desk as we made our way down here.”

Dottie, who was no fool, gave Quinn the distinct impression she was rolling eyes she didn’t have. “Fine. I know when I’m not needed.”

“Silly Dottie.” Quinn said. “You’re always needed and welcome. I just have some stuff I have to go over right now.”

Dottie didn’t even say anything else as she left, which meant she was probably irritated now. Quinn would have to make it up to her later. 

“Come on Jasper,” Quinn couldn’t help smiling. If Jasper turned out to be a spy, she was going to be very put out. “Spill. What is it that’s of such dire importance?”

A shadow came over Jasper’s face and she looked down and away. “So, you’re probably going to be a little angry at me for this.”

Quinn took a breath and counted to three. “Just start at the beginning and we’ll see,” she encouraged in the most even voice she could muster, thanking Milaro in her head yet again for having taught her all of the control he had. It made dealing with situations far easier.

Lynx scowled, but Quinn sent him a mental nudge and he smoothed his expression over immediately.

Jasper paced, and it was obvious she was struggling with something, but then she stopped, planted both feet shoulder width apart as she turned to face them, and put her hands on her hips. Determination washed over her face and she sighed before she spoke.

“So, you remember when I did the tracking ritual, right? The one to locate the missing books that shouldn’t have been missing?”

Quinn nodded. “Of course we remember. I mean, it was a bit of an ordeal with the jail being underneath us and all...”

“Exactly.” Jasper preened slightly, but then cleared her throat. “Well, you were having difficulties, remember? With the map and the locations, not being able to pinpoint them all precisely. Then there was the transfer of the locations, and it was a whole ordeal for Lynx to shift them over to the Library’s central systems.”

“We do remember.” Lynx said, cracking a smile as he continued. “Even I remember now, and I’m not likely to ever forget.”

Quinn chuckled. “Come on Jasper, stop drawing it out. You know you’ve got a captive audience as is.”

“Yeah. I just... you see, I may have done not the wisest thing in the world.” She wouldn’t meet Quinn’s eyes.

Quinn’s gaze narrowed. “You mean less wise than lying to Savinth, stealing a Library book, trying to kill the Librarian, and then holding the tracking ritual longer than was healthy for you?”

“Yeah...” She shrugged, “Perhaps even more reckless than all those things put together.”

“What did you do?” Lynx’s eyes shifted and his gaze let off a strange intensity. He let out a groan. “Oh no... I mean, it was a good idea in theory, but what a mess you’ve made. Did you even know how to execute that spell?”

Jasper scowled. “In theory. I’ve read up on it and practiced it a thousand times.”

“But never implemented it.” Lynx said, his voice flat.

Quinn looked between them, and tried to get a read on Jasper, completely lost in the conversation. She’d give them another few seconds before she demanded to know what the hell they were talking about. But even as she narrowed her eyes again, trying to take in any changes in Jasper, she thought she saw something.

And that something triggered another flare of foreboding in her gut.

“That last book... the one that was so difficult to center.” 

She was beating around the bush again, and Quinn groaned because a part of her knew where this was going, or, at least, she had a very good inkling. “Ririn’s Dimensional Distortion Through Sacrificial Means?”

“Yeah,” Jasper said, refusing to meet Quinn’s gaze. “That’s the one.”

“You didn’t...” Lynx said, sounding like he already knew she’d done precisely what he anticipated.

“Yeah. I tethered a tracking signal to me. It’s really weak and all, but I can tell you one thing.” This time Jasper looked up sheepishly. “The book has now moved from that sector.”

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DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN

I'm so damn excited for the next parts of the book haha. Just have to write them now.

Much love

KT