Page 11 of Legends and Librarians
With my arms full of books, I made my way to the library’s door, setting a single book on the path in front of it. Then I took a half step back and placed another book down, and then another, and another, creating a little trail of books. Hopefully it would lead the story spirits far enough away from the library that I could slip in without them stopping me.
Unless they were smart enough to realize this was a trap and continued to ignore me.
If that happened, I’d gather the books before dew ruined them overnight. If the story spirits really did love books, they’d want to do the same. They had to. At the very least, they’d probably be annoyed enough to stop me at some point.
So I kept going, placing book after book on the ground, leading a winding path away from the library.
“Nyssa?” a man’s voice called out, making me jump and almost drop the last book. Roan walked into the open courtyard in front of the library, holding his hands in the air. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Oh, hello!” I put on my best fake smile, standing between him and the trail of books I’d been making. “What are you doing back so soon?”
“I was, um, hoping to be your first patron?” He peered overmy shoulder, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “But it looks like you might be busy...”
Heat burned my cheeks as I watched his eyes follow the curling trail of books to the library’s door, like candy left out for a child to hunt down. I scuffed my boot in the dirt, avoiding his smirk. Just who did he think he was coming back the same day? It would take months for this library to be repaired enough for people to return, maybe longer.
“What are you really doing here?” I raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me it’s not about those rumors going around town about this place.”
“Can’t a guy just want to read?” he asked, his smile growing.
He’d avoided the question, which meant he probablyhadheard the rumors. The town thought the library was haunted of all things.
Well, I had to admit, they had good reason to think that, but it didn’t help my goals at all. If I hadn’t recognized the golem as a character from a book I’d read, I wouldn’t have believed they were story spirits either. And if I barely believed it, how could I convince anyone else?
I had to keep the library safe at all costs, which meant keeping the story spirits hidden until I came up with a plan.
Roan stepped closer, his eyebrows pinching together. “I also wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?”
“I’m fine,” I said, nodding. “But we won’t be open for a while. You’ll have to take a raincheck on those recommendations.”
He tilted his head, glancing from me to the library. “Maybe I can help out then? I’m sure you could use a hand with something.”
I sighed. “You’re really not going to leave, are you?”
“Not until you tell me what’s up with the books.” He nodded at the very suspicious book trail. “They are half mine, remember.”
Damn him and his over-the-top spending habits. He was right though. These were half his, so he had a right to know why they were littered all over.
“Okay, so here’s the thing,” I said slowly, “there’s....people that sort of took over the library while it was shut down. And they don’t exactly want me there. They threw me out actually.”
Calling them people was a stretch, but I didn’t want to reinforce whatever rumors he might have heard. Especially if I could convince him to leave before he saw any of the story spirits.
“What people?” He reached for his sword. “Are they like the lending libraries, something spawned of wild magic?” His gaze roved the area. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you here like that, I’m sorry.”
“No, no, no,” I said, holding up my hands. “It’s nothing like that. They’re just people who love the library so much that they don’t want anyone else to go inside.”
He raised an eyebrow at me, but put his hand in his pocket. “Okay, and remind me again how these books are going to win them over?”
“Oh, they’re not,” I said, shaking my head. “But I bet I can slip inside while something comes out to get them.”
“And what kind ofthingdo you think that will be?»
“I don’t know, maybe a—” I snapped my mouth closed. I’d said somethinginstead of someone. He was way too perceptive. “Guess we’ll see.”
It’s not like I could keep it hidden from him forever, but if the story spirits didn’t come out, then there was no point in bringing it up. He’d just go off on his merry way again and be none the wiser. No wild magic to see here, none at all.
“You’re adorable, you know that, right?” He grinned, making his way over to an old stone bench I hadn’t noticed. It was surrounded by trees, as if the forest was taking over the opencourtyard. “Mind if I wait with you?”
He paused before sitting down, turning back to look at me. When his eyes met mine, I felt a small flutter in my stomach. He might be cocky, but he was also polite and cared about what I wanted. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having him here. He was an adventurer, so the story spirits shouldn’t freak him outtoomuch.
