Page 44 of Hollowed

Despitemy feelings about his rejection of my advances,Iwas quick to take his hand, the leather of his gloves soft against my skin.Ifollowed as we walked to the back of the store, to a shelf filled with aging books.Iitched to run my fingers over their tattered spines, to read each title, giving them the attention they craved.

Thewitch said something as she confidently pulled book after book from the shelf.Shestood with her back to me, and the pages absorbed her voice so thatIcould not make out the words she said.

“Yes,” he replied, squeezing my hand lightly before letting it drop.Takingthe books fromPriscilla’sarms, he glanced at me and then answered the secret murmuringsIwas straining to hear. “Sheis.”

Priscillaturned, placing a final book onto the stackAlexanderwas holding.Shelooked me over, her eyes running from my face down to my boots.Thewarm pools of brown landed back on my face, and she stared long enough that my body itched to move, to turn around and escape the intensity.

ButIclenched my muscles and held my ground, letting her study my glamoured appearance.Herlip curled slightly, a movement so smallIlikely would have missed it hadInot been staring at her mouth.Herchest moved with the soft grunt she let out. “Well, those books will get you started.”

“Thankyou,Priscilla,”Alexandersaid, bowing at the waist as best he could while holding the seven thick books she gave him. “Doyou mind if we read them here?”

“Iinsist upon it,” she said, waving at the chairs at the front of the store. “Thosebooks must not leave my shop.”

“Ofcourse.”Heset the stack on the table between the chairs. “Iwill return them when we are finished.”

Priscillagave me another lingering look before she turned and made her way back to the shelf she had been working on when we entered.

Takinga deep breath in through my nose,Isat down on the chair on the right, putting my hearing ear towardAlexander.Idesperately wanted to speak.Ineeded to ask aboutPriscilla’sreaction to me, what she said, and what books these were.ButuntilIcould learn more aboutPriscillaand why she looked at me with such intensity,Iwould hold my words back.Bitingmy tongue to keep the questions from spilling from my lips,Islid the top book from the stack and opened it in my lap.

“Youhave been quiet,”Alexandermurmured, picking up his own book from the stack.Hedid not look at me as he pulled his gloves off and began thumbing through the pages.

Theprominent veins on the backs of his hands and the strength evident beneath the skin caught my attention.Hisbare hands were comforting to me, and yet looking at them now,Iknew without a doubt they could cause death in an instant.Ashiver ran down my spine.

Icleared my throat, discreetly pinching my thigh to bring myself back to reality. “Ihave much experience knowing when my words would not add value to a situation.”

BeforeIrealized what was happening, his bare hand was holding my chin, tipping it up to make my eyes meet his.Myheart fluttered at the sudden touch.Hiseyes darkened as he intensely held my gaze, studying me again. “Neversay that your words do not add value.”

Mycheeks heated yet again, andItried to turn my head away from his attention.

Hepulled at my chin, his fingers firm and warm against my skin. “No.Lookat me and listen.Yourwords, your thoughts, your actions—youhave value.Neverlet anyone convince you otherwise.Theyare either ignorant or jealous.”

“Thankyou,”Iwhispered, afraid that raising my voice any higher would allow an emotion to escape.ApartfromHenry, no one had ever said anything this kind to me.Andno one, not evenHenry, had ever said it so emphatically.Ialmost believed his words.Almost.

Grippingthe book in my lap,Itried to look back down at it to begin our research.Alexanderwas not having it though, and pulled my chin back up, leaning in so closeIcould feel his breath wash over my face, warmer than his touch. “Imean it,Katrina.Youare valuable simply by existing.Youburn with a fire brighter than the sun.Donot let anyone dim you.”

Fightingthe urge to look down,Ikept his gaze, nodding once.Myconfidence, typically fueled by my anger, was nowhere to be found in the face of this man.

“Thankyou,”Isaid again, my voice louder this time.

Heheld my gaze a moment longer before nodding and releasing my chin, turning back to the book in his lap. “Good.Now, let me know if you find anything worth sharing.Wehave a lot of reading to do before this evening’s party.”

Twenty

Thesun was setting, and we were on our last books, leafing through the pages with a palpable franticness.Wehad learned nothing valuable from our readings, much to both of our frustrations.

“Iknow all of this already,” he muttered, mussing the carefully kept dark blond strands on his head.Heturned through more pages, muttering to himself.

WhileIhad been learning interesting information about the sluagh, including how they were formed and how they occasionally manifested as a flock of large gray birds, anythingIshared withAlexander, he claimed to already know.Still, he had asked me to share anythingIthought would be helpful.ThoughIwas doubtful we would find anything before we had to leave.

Turningthe page in my book, my eyes landed on something interesting. “Didyou know that some think the sluagh can only roam during the night?”

Hishead popped up with almost comical speed. “What?No.Showme that.”

Wordlessly,Ipassed the book over to him, tapping at the passage in the middle of the page. “Itsays that direct sunlight is deadly to them, and if they are manifesting when the sun rises, they will die?Disappear?Canthey truly die if they’re already dead?Perhapsif the sunlight is harmful to them, my fire is as well.”Irubbed my chin and pushed my fingers through my hair. “Butthen, why did the fog show up in the afternoon?Itwas overcast, certainly, but the sun was out.”

“Perhapsit was overcast enough to risk.Didyou see anything about whether the summoner could control or unleash them?” he asked, flipping through the pages ahead and behind the oneIshowed him. “Orare they at the sluagh’s mercy with the rest of us?”

Ishook my head. “No, nothing of that sort.ThoughIwould imagine no one would summon something they have no control over.”

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