Guardian Cats and the Lost Books of Alexandria

Chapter 62: Rejoicing

Marco ascended the stone steps with Lily nestled in his lion’s mane.

“I would never have believed that if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” said Lily.

Alaniah lighted their way and Lily kept chattering all the way up. “You had light coming out of your mouth! How’d you do that, Marco?”

He moved with quiet strength and grace. As a lion, he could conquer anything. As the king of beasts, he could not imagine returning to being a stray cat of no consequence. Now he could protect the Book, the library, even the other cats.

Aware of every sinew in his powerful body, he shook his head, feeling the fan of fur that was his mane, almost unsettling Lily. He roared with the pride of this power, reveling in his new size and stature.

“You’re scaring me Marco,” said Lily. “But I like it.”

When they reached the top step, Alaniah said, “You have done well, Marco, but your rejoicing will be short-lived.”

Puzzling words, thought Marco, as he waited for her to open the portal. When she did, he stepped into the library, and indeed, his rejoicing moment was over.

As if such a thing were possible, the library seemed more desolate than before.