They investigate a library, but fall into a trap!

Becky walked through the doors to see a disappointed Robin sitting in one of several, ostentatiously large stuffed chairs. They were covered in a warm, red fabric which only managed to hold Becky's attention for a split second before she was drawn to the rest of the room. Both floors of the high-ceiling-ed room were covered in book shelves, filled to the brim with all manner of seemingly expensive tomes.

Becky hurried over to the closest shelf, cracking a random volume and flipping through it's pages. A story book, by the looks of it, illustrated in all manner of colorful inks and illuminated with gold foil. It was likely worth as much as a small house, but held no useful information. Becky slid it back into place and darted across the room, where taller, thicker books lined the shelves and pulled one down.

A fully featured (if comparatively bland) reference book on the mating habits, maintenance, and useful properties of a particular breed of Gallian snail. Now that was more her speed. Becky flipped to the appendix, and was thumbing through it for interesting tidbits when she felt Robin tap her on the shoulder.

"I don't think there's anything here, either..." Robin said with a sorrowful look. "Or, at least, if there is something--like a note tucked in the pages, or maybe a book that triggers a secret passage--if there is something here, we'd have to spend so long searching for it, that Lord Highwater could be halfway to the wastelands before we find it..."

Becky stared at her dumbfounded. She could feel the snail reference book growing antsy in her hands from lack of use.

"I'm sorry I wasted so much of your time," Robin continued. She reached a hand up to rub the back of her head. "I guess you were right--there really wasn't anything up here..."

Becky had just opened her mouth to respond when she heard a click. In that moment, three things happened all at once.

First, the grandiose double doors slammed shut with a solid thunk, and an external lock clicked into position. Second, the bookcase Becky had retrieved her informational tome from shook, then suddenly slipped into a hidden hold in the floor, revealing a long spiral staircase that disappeared into the depths of the castle. And third, several large metal cannisters flew into the room from various hidden compartments throughout the library, tossed in by a number of quickly retreating hand.

After a moment, the canisters split open, leaking a thick and sweet smelling pink smoke.

The two women were frozen, staring all around the room while the room slowly filled up with gas. It wasn't until she heard Robin coughing that Becky's own sudden drowsiness registered.

Cursing that she was stuck in this frilly dress, rather than in her coat with her alchemical supplies and mask, Becky pressed her sleeve over her mouth, gestruing for Robin to do the same. "Come one!" she urged Robin, taking her hand and pulling her through the secret passage. Although the two hurried forward, the angle of the stairs carried the gas along with them, and soon Becky could feel herself getting....dizzy. She stumbled on the stairs as the world spun around her. Naturally, the thin cloth of her dress had done little to protect her from the gas. How silly of her to think it would have....

"Come on!" That was Robin's voice. Becky felt a hand reaching out to pull her up, then Robin's face was close to hers, the other girl's eyes twinkling with determination, and... something over her mouth? Before Becky could register, Robin had grabbed the collar of her dress and pulled her into a kiss.

Becky gasped, air suddenly filling her lungs as she stumbled a few steps back up the stairs, away from Robin. A barely visible glowing blue bubble of light shifted and flowed over Robin's mouth, and when Becky glanced down, she could just barely make out the faint outline of a similar bubble covering her own nose and mouth.

"It's a water breathing spell!" Robin beamed, her chest puffed out with pride. "I don't really swim that much, so it's never been much use before. Sure am glad I had it here, though!"

***

This chapter was co-authored by Shandy (https://chyoa.com/user/Shandy)--please check out his stuff! :)