Page 32 of Her Shadow so Dark and Lovely
Queen.Did that mean Vika was another wraith? She certainly appeared to be. It was a wonder that no one had noticed.
“So what is it, then? You have come to ask me to spar because you are bored? Because if so, you have wasted your time,” says Sila, sterner than the oldest Librarian. Well, second oldest Librarian, maybe. How Vika is just standing there with Sila speaking to her like that, I’ll never know. If she spoke to me like that, I would shrivel up and beg for death on the spot. Her words are punctuated by the telltale sound of a blotter being used rather aggressively.
“Don’t be dull, Sila. You’ve got to give me something, otherwise I’ll be the one to start killing them,” Vika says. There’s a sound of restless movement, chain mail moving against itself.
“I’ll not be goaded or flattered into it, Vika. Not by the likes of you,” replies Sila.
“Fine. Then I will have to settle for a conversation with my oldest friend,” says Vika. An armchair creaks as Vika settles in.
Sila laughs, cold and indifferent. “When have you ever ended a conversation with something other than your fists?”
“Oh, well, I think I had one last week… hmm, maybe not.”
“Why are you really here, Vika?”
My heart thumps in my chest, and there is a burning in my thighs and calves as they begin to cramp. There’s not a chance on this dark earth that I’m going to move.
“Can I really not pay a friend a visit?” Vika almost sounds hurt. Almost.
“No,” says Sila. “You put us both at risk.”
Vika’s laugh is an unexpected and wholehearted bark of a thing. “Oh, that’s very good,” she says. “The only thing dangerous in this place is the incredible stupidity of its population. Each of them more idiotic than the last. Thecaptainthey’ve placed me with, Sila. When I tell you how much I have to restrain myself from crushing her pretty little face.” Vika makes a noise of disgust.
“We all have trials to bear,” says Sila, drier than a neglected inkwell.
“Oh, and what of you, Sila? I hear your mark has disappeared.”
“Have you now?” Sila says icily.
“I’m surprised. How hard is it really to murder a sad little scribe? Don’t you Librarians do that daily, anyway?”
“You are testing my patience, Vika,” returns Sila.
“Look, I don’t care if you want to play with your food, Sila. Just make sure you finish the task. I don’t want to have to do it for you.” More movement.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” says Sila. I hold my breath, every muscle tense.
“I’m sure you do,” replies Vika.
“Don’t make threats you can’t keep, Vika.”
“I would never threaten a friend, Sila.” Restless footsteps come closer to the bedroom door and it is a good thing I can’t scream because when Vika next speaks, she sounds like she’s right next to me. The curse in my chest stirs, and this time, it is alert. Watchful. All raised hair and twitching tail. “I’m hurt you’d even think that.”
“Get out, Vika.”
“Fine,” says Vika, her footsteps moving away from the door again. “I was getting bored, anyway.”
Just imagining the look Sila must be sending her has me quailing and hoping that the ground will swallow me whole. Myheart continues to pound long after the door shuts behind her. I jam my eyes shut, willing myself to calm down. Not one, but two of them.So far. If I had any doubts left before, I have none now.
Chapter 18
Lorel
With a pack settledon her shoulders, Sila strides down the hall of the Librarians’ dormitories and I trail behind her. The hall is all narrow dark stone with a vaulted arched ceiling and a dark plush red carpet running the length of it. Wall sconces, set low, light the way.
Sila has hardly spoken since Vika left. She had clearly been unsettled by the conversation. It worries me to think that there is something in the world that Sila is afraid of. It worries me, too, that Vika could so easily and carelessly walk these halls. Because her presencehadbeen a threat, outside of all the bluster.
As we walk, I hear a scream echoing down the hall. Whispers. Occasionally, a wailing noise like the dead have risen, and maybe one has. I can’t say what Librarians get up to in their rooms. I’m not sure I want to know.
