Page 1 of Legends and Librarians
Chapter 1
Nyssa
Standing at the top of a rolling ladder gave me the perfect view of the magical library below. Dozens of books hung from the great book tree’s branches like apples waiting to be plucked.One of them disconnected and flew off, flapping its cover like wings until it nestled onto a bookshelf. The stacks groaned, growing larger to accommodate the new book.
Magical libraries were constantly changing and it was a joy watching them grow. I shelved the last romance novel in my arms, running my hand lovingly over the bookshelf. The wood was warm beneath my fingers, alive with the library’s magic.I loved working here, but another library needed me more than this one. Much more.
The very first library I ever visited, the one where I fell in love with reading, was in dire need of repair. It hadn’t gotten the story gods’ blessing in years and would lose its magic entirely if it missed a few more. Unfortunately, the month-long Tales and Tomes Festival was already underway, so I’d never have time to renovate the library before the final ceremony. That’s when the most popular magical libraries were blessed with enough magic to thrive for years to come.
But next year? That blessing would be all ours.
The Librarians’ Guild had finally approved my proposal,awarding me part of the Tomekeeper’s Endowment, but when they tried to investigate the property to see what I’d need to do to revitalize it, the door was locked. They’d almost shot down my proposal right there, but I’d convinced them to let me handle it all. If they gave me the funds, I could make the library a wonderful place again.
But to do that, I needed books. Lots of them.
I made my way downstairs to help the other librarians with the book sale that would be the start of my library renovation plan. The endowment only provided so much money, and since I wasn’t positive what the library would all need yet, I didn’t want to spend too much of it too early. Which made this book sale the perfect opportunity to restock on a budget, especially if I took advantage of the closeout sale we’d inevitably do at the end of the day.
I trailed my fingers over an old leatherbound book with gold engravings, casually placing it underneath an end table where nobody would ever look. Books were meant to be read by the public, not gathering dust in a private owner’s home.
I kept my eye on the other librarians as I moved around the room, sliding books underneath chairs, benches, tables, or whatever I could find. I’d collect them all later and buy them for the Misty Mountain Library. Nobody could be upset by that.
As I made my way around the sale, I felt a man watching me with bright blue eyes almost hidden beneath his wispy red hair. A faint smile curled his lips, as if I amused him. Guilt coursed through me as I dropped the book in my hands on a table, talking to a patron as if nothing happened. I wasn’t hiding books. Nope. Nothing to see here.
I started actually doing my job and helping people find what they were looking for, butmy gaze kept drifting back to the man watching me. Everything about him screamed danger, from the sword strapped to his back to the way his muscled body moved.He was a fighter, trained in battle I assumed from the scars.
So what was he doing at a library book sale? And why was he staring at me with that amused smile on his face? My curiosity drew me closer.
“Hello, can I help you with anything?” I asked, peeking at the book he held. It was old, too faded for me to read the title from this angle.
“I’d like to buy this,” he said.
“Let me see.” I smiled, reaching for it. It was a book of roughly drawn maps of the minotaur’s labyrinth. They all ended abruptly, as if the creators hadn’t survived long enough to finish them. Based on the different paper textures and stains, these looked like the originals, not copies. Definitely too rare to let go of. “Are you sure you want this book? The maps aren’t even finished.” I glanced at his sword again. Maybe he was an adventurer or a bounty hunter. “We have plenty of other dungeon maps.”
“This one is fine. Unless there’s a problem?”
His eyes sparked, challenging me. Had he seen me hiding books? Or was I imagining things?
“I just think you’d prefer these,” I said, leading him to the dungeon map wing. “They’re not for sale though, so you’d have to check them out.”
“Trying to get me to come back, huh?” His low suggestive tone sent a shiver down my spine.
“Just doing my job.” I cleared my throat as I slipped the labyrinth map book back on the shelf, making a mental note to grab it later.
“Do you always do that?” he asked, moving in front of me with a wicked glint in his eye.
“Do what?”
“Deceive people,” he whispered, leaning closer.
The scent of leather and steel washed over me as he staredme down, his eyes shimmering.
He took another step closer. “I’ve been watching you, hiding books under furniture like they don’t matter. It made me curious. You’re either a terrible librarian or...”
That snapped me out of the moment like a bucket of cold water.
“I am agreatlibrarian.” I took a step backward. “Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll prove it.”
“Okay.” His grin widened, like he wanted to gobble me up. “I’m part of the adventurers’ guild. I’m looking for obscure maps I couldn’t find elsewhere.”
