Page 57 of These Eternal Bones
“Was there something you needed, mistress?”
“Oh, you can call me Molly.”
“Rather not.” He deadpans, and irritation pricks my chest before I offer another smile.
“Actually, yes. I need help finding a few books.”
“I have not found any withpictures.”
Deep breath.
“I can read.” I grit out.Well enough.
He simply raises his eyebrows, nodding, a hint of amusement in his eyes. He places his book in the waistband of his loose-fitting pants. “I’m not sure I could be of any more help than the master. It is his library, after all.”
I shrug, attempting to seem casual. Judging by the look in his eyes, it fails.
Perhaps Elric told me in no uncertain terms to let it go, that nothing could be done, and he simply wished to enjoy our time together. Perhaps Elric has no clue how difficult that is when you have less than half of the information regarding your own life, er-lives,I suppose. Perhaps I’ve decided to ignore his request, tactfully, of course.
“And what is it you’re not supposed to be looking into?”
My head snaps toward him, my mouth gaping. “I can do whatever I please.”
“Except read certain books, or explore the upper halls, or ask too many questions deemed too messy to answer, yes?”
“Are you going to help me or not?” My pleasant tone slips, my eyes cutting daggers into his soul.
He has the mind to at least look a little guilty. “Why do you want to know so badly?”
I pause for a moment, again questioning the sanity of everyone in this castle. “Wouldn’t you? If there was even the slightest chance you could stop this, would you?”
His eyes widen, and I almost scream as his eyes flash with light as he steps forward. Gone is the casual, off-putting snide man, traded for someone…troubled…uneasy. “You would choose to end it, if you could?”
“Of course.”Why wouldn’t I?
I almost ask him what’s wrong, what happened to put that look in his eyes, to take the chip off his shoulder as he nods, swallowing hard. “I can’t help you.” He works his jaw, and I can tell there’s more he wants to say.
He simply holds out a hand as I go to speak. It's then that Tien blips into the library. If what I did was stare daggers into Cartiel, he staresbombsat the man. My brows furrow as he adjusts his shirt, hiding the book tucked into his pants as he passes me. “Oh, but mistress, please be careful of the ladder. It has a weak step toward the top.”
My eyes dart to the library ladder, its golden wheels tarnished with time, where it sits toward the back of the library. Irritation floods through me as he leaves, making me huff. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
I should tell Tien about the stolen book. If nothing else, then just to spite the jerk.
It’s then that Tien speaks up. “Miss Molly, perhaps some afternoon tea in the solarium.”
I sigh. “Yes, please. I’d love to spend my time surrounded by dead plants.”
He chuckles at that, washing away a bit of my grumpy mood. “Who wouldn’t?”
I bite my inner cheek, hiding my smile as he follows me out of the room,lockingthe door behind us.
29
Ladders with Weak Steps
Molly
It is unsurprisingly difficult, convincing an immortal vampire to do something that he does not wish to do, especially when that vampire has tendrils that cling, pull, and truss you up at his mercy at a moment’s notice. I drag my brush along the canvas that he has some unfortunate soul stretch and prepare for me since I have long depleted the town's stores. Where one unicorn painting once graced his office, my art now lines the walkways and walls, replacing art I cannot fathom the value of. It's that which makes me steel myself, leaning into the patient resilience I built up around myself over my twenty-three years of frustration and silence. Because, where I am still finding my place along the walls, he never doubted my value.
