The vast shelves of books stretched out before me, their knowledge completely at my disposal. There was no librarian, and the dust hung heavily in the air. Okay, so nobody reads anymore, I thought to myself as I ran my finger through thick cobwebs on a desk attached to a reading lamp.
It felt like stepping into a time capsule, a forgotten haven filled with stories waiting to be uncovered. Each spine was a promise, a potential adventure, yet the silence screamed louder than the words they contained. I could almost hear the faint whispers of the authors, their voices mingling with the stillness, urging me to explore.
I hesitated, though. The dust was thick, and the musty smell of old pages mixed with the eerie quiet made me feel like I was intruding on a sacred space. But curiosity tugged at me, compelling me to venture deeper into the labyrinth of literature.
As I wandered between the towering stacks, I traced the titles with my fingertips, feeling the textured covers beneath my touch. There were novels thick with intrigue, histories weighty with the burdens of the past, and theories that promised to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
The labels on the shelves were mostly legible, despite being yellowed with age. I had to find all the documentation on my family and, of course, about the Battle of Telmytherin. I needed the damn truth. Just as I was getting absorbed in my search, I heard the library doors creak open behind me.
I turned just in time to see Kaleigh and Ryan stumbling in, coughing harshly. "Holy crap, Darksbane, it smells like the inside of my gram-gram’s urn!" Ryan exclaimed between fits of coughs, waving his hand in front of his face to clear the dust.
Kaleigh placed her hands on her knees, rubbing her eye as she looked at me incredulously. "What are you doing in this crypt, Kiri?"
I couldn't help but giggle at the absurdity of it all. "Nobody asked either of you two to follow, and I'm researching. It's something Ryan said on initiation day... it stuck with me."
Kaleigh lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "So, let me get this straight. You walk into a deserted and desolate part of the academy with Azune stone, and you don’t expect us to follow? And what about what he says? He says a lot!"
I sighed, a wry smile creeping onto my lips as I spotted the exact section I was looking for. It was just up a metal spiral staircase near the far door. "Well, you have said it too, about how everyone feels one way or another about my dad and that nobody knows the real story. I guarantee someone does. They had to."
With determination fueling my steps, I dashed up the staircase, not waiting for Kaleigh or Ryan to respond. The thrill of discovery pushed away my earlier anxieties, and as I reached the top, I felt a flicker of hope.
Ryan rolled his head back and groaned, "Where the hell was that speed a month ago? Damn, does she ever stop?" He sounded exasperated, clearly frustrated. Kaleigh glanced back at him, her expression determined. "Shut up. Kiri is my friend. If she believes her dad is innocent like you do, then isn’t it worth seeing if we can prove that innocence?" Her glare was sharp, an unyielding.
I was skimming through the books on the shelves running my finger over each title and spine, looking for something, anything, that could help. Finally, I found it—a copy of The Telling. I flipped it open, eager for any mention of the Battle of Telmytherin, but as I turned the pages, they crumbled in my hands. Blackened, burned, and barely legible, the words had faded into ashes as if the book itself had borne witness to a fire.
“What the—?” I muttered, staring in disbelief at the disintegrating pages scattered around me. How could this have happened? This book was ancient, a relic of history, not something that should be in such a state. It felt like a warning. could it be a spell?
Kaleigh and Ryan paused, their argument forgotten, as they crouched down to help me gather the crumbled pieces of history that just seemed to fall apart as we collected them. "This can't be right," Kaleigh whispered, her brow furrowed as she examined the remnants of the pages. "What does this mean?"
Ryan’s annoyance gave way to an uneasy silence. “Maybe it means someone doesn’t want us to know what happened,” he said.
“So what do we do now?” I asked, trying to steady my voice despite the unease creeping in. The ache within my heart stung, what if i never find out the truth.
“We dig deeper,” Kaleigh said resolutely, a fire igniting in her eyes. “If this is all we have left from that battle, then we’re just getting started.”
Ryan nodded, looking between us. “Yeah, we figure out what happened at Telmytherin, and we will find out why someone’s trying to erase it from existence.”
I shook my head, raising my hand to emphasize my point. "No, I will not risk the lives of my friends for this. Whoever put this spell on this book clearly didn't want anyone to know the truth of that day, which means they are dangerous. I will not risk it. It's not your burden to bear."
Ryan glared at me, his ears turning a few shades darker than his hair. "No, fuck you. You don't get to tell me to stay out of it. It isn't just your history; it's ours too. My father said Orin Darksbane was a hero, and I believe that! Despite everything, he spared my family! So no, you don't get to tell me to stay out of it. You are my friend, and unfortunately for you, your history includes me."
Kaleigh nodded in agreement. "Exactly! You need to learn to trust us a little, Kiri. This is our history too, and if our hate is misplaced, then I want to prove that to the others!"
Ryan added, "We're already a part of this, Kiri. Deal with it."
I raised my voice, frustration spilling out. "I don't want you to get hurt!"
“Too bad,” Ryan shrugged, determination etched across his face. “We’re already in it"
I sighed at them both and hugged them tightly. "If it is my grandfather, then we face the wrath of the council, and he will execute you and your families without a second thought," I said, meeting both their eyes. Ryan grabbed my face, his grip gentle yet firm, as he held my gaze.
"Okay, but if we can discover your father's innocence, we could change the course of history! So if that means execution, then call me a rebel, I guess, because I’d rather the truth be told than people live with a lie."
Kaleigh nodded in agreement and smiled at me, her expression filled with warmth and understanding. "Kiri, you and I have been friends our whole lives. I know how much it means to you for your father to be innocent."
Their support wrapped around me like a protective shield, and I felt a surge of determination. Together, we would uncover the truth—not just for my father, but for the lives impacted by the council’s decisions. The road ahead would be perilous and if we are caught before the truth is found we would certainly meet our end...
“Alright, well, if you want to help, these three shelves will need to be examined.” I nodded and met their eyes.
“I hate reading, but for you, I’d marry a slug if it made you happy. Let’s kick some literature ass!” Ryan declared, his enthusiasm reminiscent of a love-struck puppy.
I raised an eyebrow and smacked my hand against my forehead. “You read literature; you don’t kick it…” I sighed, trying to stifle my smile.
“Here…” I said, grabbing three books from the shelf. “These should get you started: Dragon Fire by Midnight, Shadow and the Dragon, and Dead Silence.” I placed them in his hands.
Turning back to the shelves, I reached for three more books and handed them to Kaleigh. “These are for you. killing before your killed is written by my dad, id like to see it after but see if anything seems like code. i have one of his journals hes a real read between the lines kind of guy. then we have blood from below and when worlds collide.”
She took them with a mixed expression of excitement and apprehension. “You really think we can get through all this? and are you sure you want me to read your dads book”
“Absolutely,” I replied with a grin. “We’ll make it a challenge. Let’s see who can summarize their book the fastest. i trust you kaliegh, your one of the smartest people i know if anyone can see the code before i can its you.”
Ryan’s eyes lit up at the friendly competition. “You’re on! Just don’t count on me to take it too seriously.” He winked, already flipping through the pages of Dragon Fire by midnight.
Kaleigh chuckled, her earlier hesitation fading. “Alright, I guess this won’t be so bad. Just keep your slug comments to yourself, Ryan,” she teased.
“Deal! Let's conquer these books one page at a time!” Ryan replied, his infectious enthusiasm already setting the tone for our impromptu study session.
We settled into the old black leather chairs, practically sinking into their embrace. Despite the crackle of dry leather, they were remarkably soft, offering a sense of comfort as we began to delve into the memories of my father. I thumbed through a book about him, speed reading for anything that might hold significance. And then, there it was—bingo!
“It says here my dad was very soft-hearted when he first arrived here and that he requested a change of study several times...” I paused, trying to wrap my mind around it. “He wanted to be a medic? That does not sound like him.”
Kaleigh nodded thoughtfully. “It may not sound like it, but it says here that his first love was his plants. Nyreah would often find him tending to the potions and concoctions of alchemy.”
“What a twist,” I mused, imagining my father surrounded by greenery, nurturing life instead of ending it. It felt like discovering a hidden layer of him—one that contradicted the tough exterior I had always known. “I can’t believe he wanted to be a medic. That’s such a departure from everything else we know about him.”
Kaleigh leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “It shows he had a compassionate side, one that maybe he buried but it also speaks to his mercy at telmytherin. It also explains why he was so insightful about plants and their properties in this book he talks about the effects as if he experimented on himself. It runs deeper than just science; it was about healing.”
I flipped through the pages, my heart warming at each new detail revealed. “It makes me wonder what he would think of me being here, would this have been his choice for me if it wasnt even in his plans for himself. I wish I could talk to him about it.”
Kaleigh’s expression softened, empathy shining in her eyes. “You carry his spirit with you, you know. All the passion and stubbornness—it’s in you. He’d be proud.”
I smiled, "That is kind of you to say. Professor Wornsworth said the same..."
Ryan's face twisted, and his eye began twitching as he held the book out between his thumb and index finger, covering his eyes. "What?" I asked, cocking my head to the side in curiosity.
"Look, you're hot and all, and I would be a liar if I said I didn't fantasize about you since I was 14 years old. But I did not need this horrible image of your parents!" Ryan exclaimed, clearly flustered.
"Wha... what?" I said, stunned.
He passed me the book, and as I glanced at the open pages, blood rushed to my face. "Apparently, after your mother conquered the island of Ilmara, your dad and she finally got a chance together after being apart for months. I guess your parents just had to record it in the books."
My stomach almost turned over as the realization sank in. my parents getting intimate with one another was not an image i would ever want in my head and it almost made me feel bad for ryan, their was however a part of me that thinks ryan may have enjoyed it for a moment.
“I really didn’t need to know any of this!” I blurted out, my voice higher than intended.
Ryan chuckled nervously, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, now we both know. Let’s just pretend we didn’t. So, um, how about we never speak of this again?”
“Agreed!” I exclaimed, slamming the book shut and placing it back upon the shelf. "okay so, the books that are not damaged just tell of their great deeds, seems this isnt where we will find answers but we have more books to get through i glanced at the window and sighed "it will have to wait. we have to get back to our dorms before curfew"
Kaleigh yawned and then placed the book in her lap, her eyes drifting toward the window. “I mean, technically, we don’t have to. Nobody really knows we’re here.”
I nodded but felt a knot in my stomach. “Except Azune. And he is kind of my boss, and he’s a freak for timeliness.” I spoke softly, still aware of the quiet around us. “We could meet back up here every personal day and read more. But if we don’t stick to a schedule, suspicions do rise.”
Kaleigh leaned back against the wall, her brow furrowed in thought. “Yeah, I get that. It’s just... it feels nice to have a moment where it’s just us and not all the pressure of everything else,” she said, her voice trailing off. " i am taking the books with me, they cant stop me for books"
i smiled " nope because all students are permitted the use of anybook in the library." ryan stretched and nodded " thems the rules." he said as we made out way down the spiral staircase.
When I arrived back at my tower bedroom, it almost felt natural walking into this room now. It felt more like home. I stepped in the doorway with a yawn, tossing my rucksack down in a chair before collapsing onto my bed. My gaze drifted up to the curtains that adorned my four-poster bed, and I let out a content sigh.
Today had been a whirlwind, especially with Azune’s unexpected change in his mood. He broke up with Parker? That was hard to believe—I didn’t want to believe it. Just yesterday, he’d tried to poison me over that very woman, and now he just breaks up with her for real? The whole thing felt surreal. But God, was he handsome. Those silver eyes practically haunted me, dancing through my mind like a soft melody.
As I lay there, I felt a a tingling spread through me at the thought of his hands on my body. The way he moved, the way he commanded a room without saying a word—it left me breathless. What I wouldn’t give for that man to be mine, to have him look at me like I was the only person in the world.
But then reality hit me—Could a betrayed like him ever feel the same way could he learn to love his enime? I closed my eyes, imagining the way his fingers would brush against my skin igniting a fire deep within me.
A light rap on the hard oak door pulled me from my thoughts. Who could be bothering me at this hour? I sat up and slipped on a soft pair of shorts. My hair tumbled down my shoulders, the tips grazing my hips with every step as I approached the door. My tank top highlighted my curves, making me feel more greatful that my uniform left a bit more to the imagination.
When I opened the door, there stood Parker, her face flushed with rage. "You did this, didn’t you, you little bitch!"
I instinctively backed up, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Woah, what are you talking about?"
Without warning, she spat in my face, and the slap that followed was sharp enough to send a jolt through my body. I reached for my mouth, feeling the warm trickle of blood from my split lip. "Azune! Him and I have been together for three and a half years, and all of a sudden he breaks up with me! I'm going to fucking kill you!"
Her furious words hung in the air, electric and heavy, but behind the wildness in her eyes, I noticed the pain and hurt within her. I struggled to keep my composure, the sweetness of surprise mingling in my chest. "Parker, I swear, I didn't do anything to him. You know how he is—he's complicated."
Her anger was palpable, but beneath it, I sensed pain. "So he just decided you were better? Is that it? after one goddamn month! what the fuck makes a killers daughter so special huh do not preceive to act as if you know him!" she shoved me backwards
"I have no idea what happened between you two," I replied, trying to steady my breathing, "but I promise was not trying to come between you. I wouldn’t do that to anyone."
Parker’s eyes narrowed, and I could see the internal battle waging within her. "You think this is a game? Because I’m done playing." she kicked me in the stomach as i went flying in to the wall next to my bed pain shooting through every part of my body.
As my eyes met hers, I saw a familiar shadow behind Kaleigh. "Touch her again, Parker, and I will not hesitate to kill you," a deep voice warned, its tone laced with icy resolve. The words sliced through the tension in the air, making my heart race.
Parker looked taken aback as he processed Azune's threats. “My reason for breaking up with you is because you’re a self-centered, jealous bitch, and sometimes you do more than get on my nerves,” he spat at her, his voice brimming with frustration. As soon as the words left his lips, I sensed the balance of power shift.
Parker’s form went rigid, and I could hear the audible swallow as she turned to face Azune, who stood with a predatory calmness. His lips were pressed tight, and a dagger dangled from his fingers, poised like a warning. His eyes were cold and lifeless, and the fury bubbling beneath the surface was palpable.
“But baby, we can talk about this! I promise I’ll be better—” Parker started, but Azune interrupted with a sharp roll of his eyes, exuding disdain.
“No, clearly you cannot. I told you not to touch her again. I warned you to leave her be," he said, his voice filled with lethal precision. "I told you when I broke up with you this morning that if you continued to go after her, I wouldn’t forgive you. And you promised me you wouldn’t, Parker. You lied.”
The atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with unsaid words and unrelenting emotions. I could almost feel Azune’s rage and his odd need to protect of me. A chill skittered down my spine, what drugs had he been taking?
Parker stepped back, her bravado faltering as the reality of Azune's threat sank in. The steely gaze he bore was unyielding, and she could see he meant every word.
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