“Is that the one that goes, ‘Revolving moon and spinning sun, forged a crescent blade,’ and…something, something, something, ‘May the flags of Arendelle ever wave’?” Anna asked.
Elsa nodded. “Exactly.” Anna’s embarrassment subsided as Elsa pointed a little above the smudge to a blur. “I think that might be the yellow diamond in the pommel, and then there”—she moved her hand—“see how the blade curves? According to myth, the curve is where the sword first struck the earth. That’s how the sword got its name. ‘Revolute’ means ‘curved.’”
“Magic swords are nice and all,” Anna said, tilting her head and fanning herself with her hand. It was getting hot in the windowless room. “But I don’t really see why it would be helpful to be able to make cuts into the earth.”
Elsa fiddled with her braid as she looked at the painting. “Apparently, the sun bestowed Revolute with great powers, and with the sword in his hand, Aren became known as the protector of the people, unifying them against a dark fright. He was a great leader.” A strange expression settled on Elsa’s face. “History seems to be full of great leaders.”
Anna glanced at her sister. For some reason she did not quite understand, Elsa seemed to have left the room, even though she hadn’t physically gone anywhere. She no longer looked at Anna. Instead, her gaze was fixed on a shelf full of books, bottles, and jars.
“Why were they studying magic? And why did they seal off the room and never tell us about it?” Elsa asked, her voice so soft that Anna wondered if she’d meant to say anything at all. Elsa stood there, with her back impossibly straight, standing the way a queen should. But at that exact moment, Anna didn’t see Elsa, queen of Arendelle. She saw Elsa the lonely child, who’d spent her days alone in her room with only patterns of frost to keep her company.
Anna reached out to touch Elsa’s arm. Her sister was stiff, as if she didn’t just wield cold and snow, but were made of it. “I have the same question,” Anna admitted, glad they were in this together. “But think about it: why do people study art?” she asked. “Why does Baker Blodget spend her entire life in pursuit of baking the best butter biscuits in the world? Why does Kristoff keep trying to sing?”
Elsa remained silent, so Anna answered for her, reaching down to pick up Secrets of the Magic Makers. “Because talents are worth exploring. Because butter biscuits are delicious, singing is fun, and your magic is beautiful, Elsa. Maybe they wanted to know more about it.”
She slipped a hand in Elsa’s, and waited. A few seconds later, Elsa squeezed her fingers, and Anna squeezed back. Without meeting Anna’s eye, Elsa moved away from her and toward the exit.
“I need to go.” Elsa’s voice was quiet. “This place creeps me out.”
“What do you mean?” Anna didn’t think she had ever been in a more beautiful room with still so much to explore. The possibilities were endless!
“It’s all these things in jars.” Elsa waved her hands. “Contained and locked away.”
“Well,” Anna said, tucking Secrets of the Magic Makers under her arm, “maybe that just means it’s time for them all to be brought to the light of day.” Excitement again rose within her. “The answers to how to stop the Blight could be in here! Maybe there’s even more magic out there, magic that can actually help us!”
Elsa flinched.
“I—I didn’t mean it like that,” Anna said. “Your magic is really helpful. Just not in this situation.”
Elsa took a step back. “I need to help the livestock before we can start really delving into this room, okay?” Elsa said. “There’s no time to waste. I…I have to go.”
“Of course. But—but we…I can stay here and keep looking for clues,” Anna suggested. “We may be able to find the answers to what’s happening to—”
Elsa shook her head. “I really think we should leave this place alone for now.”
“Hold on,” Anna said, desperate to keep her plan in place, desperate to help. “There’s so much we haven’t uncovered! The books might have the answers!”
“I have to go now.” Elsa’s voice was sharp as an icicle.
“But we—”
“We should leave this room in the past. There has to be a reason Mother and Father wanted to keep it secret. Besides,” she said as she gestured toward the door, “the answers to our problems are out there.”
No, Anna thought, her fear big and full and pressing against her chest. It was happening again. Her plan to prove herself to Elsa was falling apart! Who cared about being able to go on some silly grand tour? Anna wanted to do what was best for everyone, but she seemed to have a knack for doing the complete opposite these days.
“Stay away from this room, Anna,” Elsa continued, turning away from her and stepping toward the library. “It was left hidden for a reason. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Elsa—”
“Leave it alone.” And when Elsa spoke in that tone, more like a queen than a sister, Anna knew there was no point in arguing.
Silently, Anna nodded. As she placed Secrets of the Magic Makers back onto a shelf, Elsa returned to the library and strode to her next scheduled appointment. But Anna couldn’t bring herself to leave—not just yet. She let herself look one last time at this secret room, imagining how her mother might have sat at that worktable, translating symbols into words, while her father studied the objects on the shelves and cracked a clever joke.
Without really thinking about it, Anna reached her fingers back toward Secrets of the Magic Makers, but they stopped just short of touching the soft leather. Elsa might be really upset with her if she found out what Anna was thinking, but Elsa would be even more upset if the animals kept getting sick. It would be worth it, Anna told herself firmly, when everything had been fixed—when Anna had fixed things. Besides, Elsa had only said that Anna needed to stay out of this room, but she hadn’t said—or at least, hadn’t said specifically—that Anna couldn’t take some of the room with her.
And with that, Anna tugged her mother’s book free and hurried away.
IT WAS VERY LATE NOW, and Anna was hungry.
Stopping to grab a plate of cheese, crackers, and apple slices from the kitchen, she chatted with the castle cooks, catching up on local gossip: who was most likely to grow the biggest pumpkin in the village patch this year, how many people would attend the annual harvest feast, and the very exciting rumor that an engagement ring had been purchased at the jeweler’s shop, but by whom?
Usually, Anna would have loved to stay and muse, but she knew the more time she spent down there, the less time she’d have to research. And so, excusing herself with her cheese plate, Anna rushed into her warm bedroom, clambered into her most comfortable pajamas, and began to read.
Secrets of the Magic Makers was more than just a collection of stories. It almost seemed like a field guide, as if someone had traipsed through the wilderness collecting information on various mythological creatures while also gathering ingredients for turning flowers into frogs. There were histories of enchanted forests, and things that looked like recipes. And while several of the text passages had not been translated by her mother, many had.