Page 12 of Brambles and Bellflowers
“Damen is leaving early tomorrow,” Finn said, cutting into what was supposed to be a peaceful silence. “I can drop you off at the school—that is, if you plan on hanging around all day.”
“Oh.” I looked over my book. Damen had asked me to go with him, but, “How early does he want to leave?”
“Six,” Finn replied, and I scowled. “My class isn’t until ten. So we’d leave here about nine-thirty. You can meet up with him after he’s done working.”
“I—” That was a much better option. I hadn’t let him drive me anywhere since we’d first arrived on campus, and the need for slumber was strong. “I would like that,” I whispered. “Thank you.”
He didn’t reply, but I could have sworn a smirk broke out in the corner of his lips.
Finn droppedme off as planned, but now Brayden—whom I’d planned on surprising—was nowhere to be found.
I considered waiting for him, maybe finding a spot to settle down, but the idea of wasting time doing nothing made my skin itch. Instead, I decided to explore until it would no longer be rude for me to show up at Dr. Stephens’s office.
There were more hidden corridors and rooms than I’d previously assumed, so it was likely Brayden had disappeared into one of them. Still, it wasn’t until I was about to give up and head back to the coffee shop—where I could dedicate my time to more productive pursuits, like creating a new seasonal flavor—that I discovered it.
Tucked into the furthest corner of the topmost floor was a bookcase that didn’t belong. It was a dark wood unit nestled between metal shelves.
Something about it felt… off.
There was a radiance to it, an almost otherworldly presence, that made my heart begin to race, and the hair on my arms stand upright.
A pressure moved against me, pressing against my skin, and a strange, expectant hush felt heavy in my ears. I hesitated before reaching out, brushing my fingers lightly over the wood.
It felt old, ancient, despite the new, shiny appearance, and my touch drifted, brushing against the spine of one of the leather-bound books. A ripple passed through the air, and my breath caught as my hand passed through.
There was only a brief resistance before my fingers slipped into emptiness. I barely had a second to process what had happened before the invisible weight pulled me forward.
I stumbled through space, and when my hands found solid ground, I turned with a panicked breath. The exit—if I could even call it that—was behind me now, visible only as a large brown door with golden hardware.
It didn’t appear I’d have any issue leaving.
But then I turned and looked, and my breath caught in my throat as my attention moved over the rest of the space. I’d fallen straight into a scene from a dream. The room around me was circular with dark green walls and chestnut bookshelves lining the perimeter. Books filled the shelves to bursting, and a crystal chandelier dangled from the ceiling, casting gentle light over the plush seating and grand fireplace
I touched my mouth and stepped back. A fire was burning in the hearth, which meant this room wasn’t as secret as it first appeared.
But yet… it didn’t seem that anyone else was here.
My attention lingered over the space before I took a cautious step forward toward the shelves and allowed my fingertips toghost over the spines of the books. I had no reason to be here, but there was something humming in the air.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t, I couldn’t help but explore. My heartbeat echoed in the silence as I pulled a book from the shelf, its weight surprisingly solid in my hands.
I took a seat and traced the embossed title, but it was written in a language I couldn’t place.
Maybe Brayden would know?
Before I could move, the doorway rippled, and an older, white-haired man entered the space.
He paused, touching his black tie as the door solidified behind him, and his shaven square jaw tightened as his bright blue eyes landed on me.
“Who might you be?” he asked in a deep baritone.
I squeezed the book closer to my chest. “S-sorry.”
I wanted to escape, but he stood between me and the exit.
My hesitation seemed to draw a sharper focus from him. He arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, his gaze piercing as he considered me further. “I’m afraid that scarcely answers my question.”
“I’m—” My voice escaped in a squeak as my shoulders tensed. “I’m Bianca…”
