Free The Thirteenth Scroll by Rebecca Neason

death—though for that, at least, Aurya felt a twinge
     of grief—no longer mattered. She had her purpose and knew who she was at last.
    Aurya was so filled with exultation, she almost did not notice when her arms began to tremble. Then, with what seemed impossible
     speed, the trembling spread through her body. Her arms came down of their own accord, and she collapsed, spent, upon the ground.
    The wind stopped. Aurya lay in silence, hearing only her own heart beating wildly. She could not move; she barely had the
     strength to breathe. Yet she was happy… no, more than happy, much more. She had honored her teacher in the way she knew Kizzie
     would have wanted, and that in itself pleased Aurya. But she also knew that this night she had crossed over the threshold.
     No one could hurt her now—not in body or in spirit. She would learn to master the power she had now tasted until no one dared
     stand in her way.
    This older Aurya had learned. She was a master now, self-taught and self-proclaimed. Yet she knew that in the silent depths
     of her soul, she still yearned for
more
.
    Suddenly impatient, she pushed back the cover under which she lay. She would gain only more
nothing
by staying in her bed.
    She had to call twice before a servant answered, bleary-eyedand only half-awake. “What time is it?” Aurya demanded.
    “Near two hours past midnight, m’lady,” the girl answered. “Everyone be sleeping—even Lord Giraldus.”
    Aurya tapped her foot while she thought. She was awake now and eager to get under way.
    “Fill my bath,” she ordered. “Then rouse the household—including Lord Giraldus. Tell him to come here. Then go to the kitchen,
     wake the cook, and get the fires stoked. There’ll be no more sleep here this night.”
    “Yes, m’lady,” the girl answered softly.
    Aurya heard the weary edge to her voice but chose to ignore it. They could all sleep their lives away once she and Giraldus
     had departed. Until then, there was work for them to do.
    Finally, her bath was ready. Aurya dismissed her servant to carry out the rest of her instructions, then lowered herself into
     the steaming water. Giraldus, she knew, would not be pleased at being roused from his bed, but his mood would improve once
     he heard what Aurya had to tell him. Many of the things that had perplexed her tired mind now, after her long sleep, seemed
     clear. She knew where they were going and what they would find when they got there.
    Lying back in the water, surrounded by the warm, rich scent of ambergris, the only scent she ever wore, Aurya laughed out
     loud. It would all be hers—soon the entire kingdom would be at her command and hers for the taking. At that moment she saw
     only success ahead.
    “I’m glad
you
can laugh at such an hour,” came Giraldus’s voice behind her.
    Aurya did not bother to turn. “I have much to laugh about,” she replied, “and so do you.”
    “Now is not the time for riddles, Aurya,” Giraldusgrowled. “You may have just awakened from full, restful sleep, but I have not.”
    Aurya could not help but laugh again, and this time she did turn to face him. “More than restful, Giraldus. It was enlightening.
     I understand it—the prophecy. I know where it wants us to go.”
    Aurya watched the grogginess leave Giraldus’s eyes and his face light up at her words. “As simple as that?” he said. “Just
     follow the scroll’s instructions?”
    “As simple as that,” she answered. “Tambryn’s prophecies are gone, his writings banished and destroyed. Were it not for Elon,
we
would not have them. But we do—we alone, of all the kingdom. With them to guide us and the courage to do what we must, we
     will succeed.
You will be King
… and I know you do not lack courage for that.”
    “Or anything else,” Giraldus assured her. “Come, my heart, and show me. I am now as eager to hear what you have learned as
     you are to tell it.”
    Aurya rose and stepped from her bath. Then, after toweling