Time's Tragedies- The Books Of Beginning [2]

69. No Answer

A manic giggle pulled from Lili's lips. They had done it! They truly had done it! After one daring heist, three near-impossible trips back in time, and a whole lot of planning and teamwork, the four children and their devoted father had pulled it off. The Scroll of Souls had been remade, and now it was at its full power, something that not even Robert Lloyd had ever achieved or had access to. Now, perhaps, the Wibberlys could finally seek out solutions to their problems, could finally start making progress in this battle which had dragged on far too long for their liking. 

"Lili," Rafe said gently, "you good?"

"This is happening," Lili replied breathlessly, "I almost don't believe it."

"I know," Rafe agreed, "I'm holding my breath, wondering if this is too good to be true. But the Scroll is real. It's right in front of it, with answers and magic built into the parchment. All we have to do is ask the right questions."

Lili looked down at the blank, browned, now whole sheet in front of her. Never before had a piece of paper seemed so intimidating. She looked to her father with wide eyes, "can you... can you do it?"

"Absolutely," Rafe replied, secretly grateful that she was asking him. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, or any of his children, to handle this complex situation, he did. They were all smart and capable, and he had faith in them. It was that the Scroll's magic was still new to them, and he didn't want them to be in danger from it, just in case something happened. He would rather take on that burden himself than let them get hurt. 

The children scooted out of the way, making room for him to stand before the table with the scroll. Abby and Jake peered over one shoulder, clutching his non-dominant arm fiercely. Lili and Eternity hung over his other arm, clinging to each other, as was habit for them now in times of stress. 

"Let's get this show on the road," Eternity said bravely, with only a slight tremor in her voice. 

"What should I ask about first?" Rafe asked, knowing what he wanted to ask about, but not wanting to neglect any feedback from his children. 

Abby's answer was immediate, with no hesitation, "ask how to wake Mom up."

"Yeah!" Jake agreed eagerly, "ask about Mom!"

Lili didn't say anything, merely nodded, never tearing her eyes away from the paper, even when Eternity squeezed her hand comfortingly. 

"Alright then," Rafe said, and without further ado, he picked up the safety pin that Abby had found for him in the junk drawer, and pricked his finger, allowing a single ruby red bead of blood to drip down onto the ancient strip of parchment. He watched the blood sizzle on the paper, changing from deep reds and browns to a dark green color, an ink, words quickly blossoming on the page. 

Hello Rafe Wibberly. 

 "Hello," Rafe said, prepared for this after all their research into the Scroll of Souls, but still wary, knowing how volatile magic could be, "I'm sure you've noticed you have a change in ownership, and are now complete."

Indeed. My power is unified once more. 

"That was our doing. But before I ask my questions, I want to make something clear. You are to tell me if there is any way for Robert Lloyd to be drawing any new information from your power, even if he does not have the scroll in his possession anymore," Rafe said firmly, too cautious to simply trust that Robert wouldn't have such a trick up his sleeve. 

No. My power does not work that way. It is tied to the scroll, and only when physically in possession of me, and through forging a connection in blood, can one ask me questions.