Page 61 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

My little corner resided towards the back wall on the second floor of the library, pressed up against four large paned windows, allowing for plenty of natural light during the day and the perfect view of the moon and stars at night.

The space had a large plush rug, a long couch, two oversized chairs, a desk, a coffee table, and of course, a bar cart.

Books were already stacked on carts surrounding the area so I placed my findings on the coffee table and got to reading.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when I heard the door to the library open, even two floors up the metal creaking of the doors was distinctive. I had no idea who would be in the library at this hour—it was rare anyone ever entered the library in the first place besides the Scribes. Maybe one of them had come back to get some more work done. I leaned forward on the couch, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever had arrived.

My stomach did an involuntary flip at the glimpse of hair the color of moonlight making its way up the staircase.

“Is this your room?” Nico asked, his surprise evident as he took in my state.

“No, this is my reading nook.”

“Okay.” He sat beside me on the couch. “Reading up on the catacombs, I assume?” He picked up a book from one of the piles and surveyed the cover.

“How’d you guess that?”

“I didn’t take you for someone who did anything without being properly prepared.”

“More like properly researched.”

“What I didn’t take you for is a library girl.”

“Why’s that?” I tucked my braids over my shoulders.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess all the people I’ve met that like to spend time researching in libraries don’t also know how to fight a male with a sword within an inch of his life.”

“People can surprise you.”

“You surprise me.” His words sent a tingle down my spine.

“What are you doing here anyways?” I asked, trying to ignore the impact his words were having on me.

“I figured you might need some company.”

Nico was a distraction I didn’t need when we were short on time. But if he could manage to stay on task it might allow me to get a couple hours of sleep in between the two of us reading.

Against my better judgment I handed him a book from the pile on the table and stretched across the desk for a pen and paper, passing them to the wolf. “Here, write down anything you find about the catacombs or the labyrinth or anything about the spell that got Astria back into the sky.”

“I’m not really the reading type.” He flipped through the book.

I glared at him. “Then what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to help you, I didn’t say I wouldn’t read them, I was only trying to make conversation, Lucy.”

I huffed a breath. “We don’t have time for conversations Nico, I only have a limited time to do all the research I can before we leave in the morning.” I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to ignore the wounded look on his face. “So are you going to help me or not?”

“Got it, I’ll shut up and read.”

“Thank you.”

Dawn was still several hours off when we left for the catacombs. Nico and I had stayed in the library until—late. Only allowing for a couple of hours of sleep at his insistence.

If it were up to me I would have stayed up all night.

We were silent as we departed on our horses. The catacombs were about a two-hour ride from Arcadia. We had decided we’d travel by horse so I could save all the magic I could for whatever we might encounter. If all went according to plan we should arrive with the sun.

I could feel it as we got closer. The air became thicker, it was rimmed with magic. I could feel it pressing up against my skin, it made me uncomfortable, magic like this, when I had no control over it. There was no controlling the magic of the catacombs.

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