Page 54 of Restored

I lift my head as I walk into the room to marvel at all the books lining the walls. The library is grand and smells of the pages of old books and lilacs. I inhale deeply. The space is cozy and pristine, not a speck of dust to be found.

“Stunning,” I whisper as I meander further into the space.

My feet move on their own accord, leading me further into the room. My fingers run over the edges of the spines and the preserved wood of the shelves. The library is dim, and a slight breeze rustles my hair.

I realize there are glass doors that open to the gardens outside. There is a sette and a few cozy chairs surrounded by flowers and plants.

It is so perfect I already mourn the moment I must leave. I could lose myself here for a very long time.

“There is no escaping you is there?” I jump at Ledger’s voice, gripping my chest. I missed him sitting in the gardens. He lounges on a settee, a bottle dangling precariously from his fingers.

“That’s rich coming from you.” I stroll over to him snatching the liquor and taking a long swig, sputtering andcoughing at the stringent taste. “You have horrible taste in alcohol,” I choke, and his lip twitches as I hand the bottle back.

“Sleep eludes you?” he questions, looking up at the sky.

“It appears sleep eludes us both.”

“Indeed.” His face is blank, his shoulders slumped in defeat. His Adams apple bobs as he takes another long drag from the bottle.

It’s then I realize he is bleeding; his face is swollen, and there is a line of dried blood from his temple to his jaw. His clothes are tattered and bloody. He holds what looks like a piece of crumpled paper in one fist.

“What the hell, Ledger? You’re hurt!” My hands are already glowing as I hold them up. My power purrs at the thought of caressing his skin again.

He grabs my hands and pushes them away. “Leave me, Layla. I do not wish to be healed.” He takes another swig of the amber liquid as my hands drop falling limply at my sides. My power flares angrily with the need to steal his pain.

“Are you going to tell me where these wounds came from? Or what that paper you are holding says? Was our journey here not exciting enough for you?”

He doesn’t respond, instead cranes his head up to the stars. His tongue flicks out to lick some of the alcohol from his full lips, the movement catching my attention. He shoves the paper into his pocket.

“Fine. Keep your secrets.” I snare the bottle from his hand before it can reach his lips and take another mouthful, wincing before forcing myself to swallow. “I thought maybe there’d be some books in here that could help with healing your father.” I motion to the library, and Ledger’s eyes drag over the full shelves. “Was he always sick?” I sink onto the settee next to him, careful not to brush his thigh with my own.

He picks some flowers next to the settee and begins weaving them together like I’d seen him do times before.

“He’s been sick since I was a boy. Never this bad. He did what his body allowed but there were many limits. A lot of responsibilities fell on me.” Ledger pauses from braiding the flowers together to take the bottle from me, but he doesn’t drink. “With my mother gone, I raised my sister. I knew where I had to step up and what was expected of me. I owned what he couldn’t. Took ownership of things I was far too young and underqualified to do. I overcompensated where I could to take the attention off of him.” He sighs bringing the bottle to his lips.

It all makes sense now. Ledger is the epitome of a man who never had the chance to be a boy. A man who makes everyone’s well-being his responsibility. A man who blames himself for the death of his sister, who will blame himself for the death of his father if I fail.

“I’ve been desperate to find a cure for him ever since my sister died. All consumed by it. I suppose if I can save him,it will somehow make up for me not being able to save her.” His fingers tighten on the flowers as he stares at them.

“I’m sorry about your father. And I’m sorry you were forced to grow up too soon.” I fidget under his gaze as it moves to me.

“You don’t believe he is beyond saving?” He looks like he’s holding his breath as he waits for my answer.

“No one is beyond saving, Ledger.”

He pauses before nodding and tying the stems into a pretty loop. He hangs the finished product from his knee. His thumb and pointer finger glide over the petals before he glances back up at me. Taking the flower crown in his hands he holds it up.

“May I?” The question catches me off guard, but I extend my head forward anyway.

A grin tugs at my lips as he places it just above my ears. The sweet floral scent tickles my nostrils and when I look up, Ledger is staring at me intensely enough that I almost blush.

“Beautiful. You’re so godsdamn beautiful.” He shakes his head, the corner of his mouth tipping up.

“I never stood a chance.”

The compliment is unexpected and makes my stomach flip. I snatch the bottle twirling it in my fingers while looking at the dark liquid. “How is strong is this stuff?”

Ledger lets out a laugh and I startle. His dimple pops as he throws his head back. The sound is pure, melodic and makes my stomach flip. It stops me in my tracks.

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