Page 30 of Straw and Gold
“Yes,” he grumbled, continuing his work.
“Can you shift with things? Heavy things?”
“Yes, Morella.”
“Is that how you got my bed and wardrobe into our room so easily? You’re quite strong. I bet you could maneuver both on your own.”
“Your assessment of my strength is cor—what are you eating?” He finally looked my way again as I nibbled on another nut absentmindedly.
I swallowed my mouthful. “They’re thistle nuts. I eat them throughout the day.” I pulled one from my pocket, holding it out in an offering. “Would you like one? They only grow in the Brackish Wood that I know of.”
Reaching across the desk and taking the nut from my outstretched hand, he eyed it in curiosity before biting off a corner.
I tossed the rest of my small handful into my mouth, enjoying the confusion on his face.
“You eat these everyday?”
Nodding, I replied, “If I don’t eat enough, I tend to succumb to exhaustion.”
He chewed the rest, eyeing me with caution.
I dusted my hands and swept crumbs from my dress. “Well,” I started, standing awkwardly, “if you need me, you know where I’ll be for the next hour or two.”
He began writing again. “I won’t need you.”
Well, fuck. Our second week was going swimmingly.
“You really don’t have to do that, you know,” I burst before I could rethink what I wanted to say.
“Do what?” he asked, barely acknowledging me.
“Dismiss me so trivially.”
He tossed his quill into the pot of ink and slammed his book shut with a thud. Rising from his chair, he darted around his desk, flexing his hands before slipping them into his pockets. He jerked his head towards the door as he passed me, with the simple instruction of, “Come.”
With the excitement of whatever this was, I followed him like a lost puppy, practically running to keep up with his heavy footfall across the gilded halls of our castle. Nodding to eachservant and guard we passed, he didn’t say a word, nor did he slow his pace as I huffed behind him, begging him to slow down. He had at least ten inches on me and his legs were long, massive things as he strode down the halls and stairwells without so much as a misplaced breath.
I lost track of our way at stairwell number six and completely bumped into his enormous back as he stopped abruptly at a door in a dark stone hall. He turned just in time to catch my wrist before I fell on my ass and embarrassed myself further.
“Count to one hundred and then follow me down these stairs.”
Frowning, I nodded as he opened the door and descended into the dark. I peeked after him and began counting in my head, but beyond the first few steps, I couldn’t see a thing.
I had the feeling I knew exactly where he was leading me, but why now, why right as I let my mouth run away with me, I couldn’t guess.
As I reached ninety-nine, I was already several steps down, following the pale golden glow that had lit up the stairs around number seventy-two.
This staircase wound around a center pillar like the western tower, and as I cautiously took each step, the light became more insistent and my heart beat in frantic curiosity.
At last, I found the last few steps and gasped in absolute awe of the true library of the castle. Pillars of translucent golden citrine, pure and tower in shape, erupted from the cavern walls like growths of divine light. Varying in size, each held a glow within, illuminating the books tucked into the cavern walls as far as my eyes could see. I stepped further into the tunnel, near to tears and overcome with the glorious underground library.
Killian watched in silence as I trailed my fingers across a crystal larger than me before finding my way to a shelf carved into the walls.
“The books you’re looking for are here,” he called softly, his voice echoing in the cavern. He gestured to a few rows of books with red leather casings. I pulled one from the shelf and read, “Céaduah, Language of the Changelingfae, Volume four.” Meeting his eyes, I asked, “How many volumes are there?”
“Thirteen.”
Holding back a shiver, I replaced volume four, pulling volumes one and two instead.
