Disclaimer, I don't own abhorsen trilogy, also please read and review
"Help," Lirael motioned Sam to grab and end of the desk.
Together, they pulled the desk an extra foot apart, revealing an indentation.
"What is this?" Sam felt for charter magic.
"I don't know," Lirael shook her head, "I cut myself the other day, and it bled onto the metal. The metal sucked my blood from my finger. Then the desk was broken into two."
"I think that it is some sort of drawer," Sam ran his hands gently over the indentation. It was the same ruddy wood, but filled with ancient, gray dust.
"I thought as much," Lirael too touched the silken wood. "I've tried every spell I know. I even cut myself again, to see if it needed more blood. Nothing worked."
Sam was slightly surprised; Lirael was as strong a charter mage as he was. "Does Mother know?" He asked absently.
"Yes, I told her. She suggested all the same spells I tried. Though I suspect she was rather preoccupied. Then, she sent you."
Sam leaned in closer, like all of the desk, the wood danced with charter marks. These were different. They were locking and hiding spells. Only one descended from the Great Charters would even be able to see it. But, as Sam whispered a spell, the marks shifted into words.
"Wait," Lirael pulled back her long, black hair, "It says something about- a secret, and there's the sign for the Abhorsen."
"It says, 'The Abhorsen Isabiel', then 'The Secret Shame of Clariel'," Sam furrowed his brow, "I've heard of Isabiel, she was the Abhorsen several hundred years ago. But not of Clariel."
"I'll ask Sabriel," Lirael ran down the steps, skipping every other one, to fetch a message hawk.
Lirael found the bird quickly. "To the 53rd Abhorsen, Sabriel," she addressed her message. Then she spoke to the bird, knowing it would record her voice. She uttered the charter mark to start the message, then began, "Sabriel, regarding the issue that Sam came for. We have an idea. What do you know of the Abhorsen Isabiel and of the Secret Shame of Clariel. Please respond soon. Your sister, Lirael."
The message hawk squacked loudly, then flew away into the sky.