Page 10 of Legends and Librarians
“I never said I—”
“Just forget that library and leave town already,” Jade snapped. “It’s the only thing you’re good at. We’ll go check on the librarian for you and deal with anything that’s there.”
My jaw clenched. Nyssa might be in danger, so now was not the time for Jade to throw a tantrum. I glanced at Master Carmine for an assist, but he just avoided my gaze like he’d always done when we were younger. He preferred we deal with our issues ourselves.
The more comfortable I’d become in this guild, the worse her attitude had gotten, as if every kind word her father had for me was a step toward me taking over the guild instead of her. It wasn’t my fault I was more skilled than her. It was literally the reason her father had hired me, to train her.
And despite his current silence, I’d always trusted his judgment. The way he’d phrased the haunting, sayingifI believed the stories, sounded like he thought something else might be at play here.
If that was true, then I had to figure out what. Jade–and the other adventurers at this guild–were the kind of slice first, ask questions later adventurers. If I left it to them, they’d just burnthe place down eventually and call it a day.
“I’m not leaving until I settle this,” I said, trying to get to the quest board to take the missions, but Jade still stood in my way.
I didn’t have time for this. If Nyssa was in danger, I had to get there. Had to help her. Abandoning people in need was not something I did. Ever.
“Move. Or I’ll make you move,” I said coldly. She was not my sister. This was not my guild. I owed them nothing.
Jade stepped closer, filling my personal space. “You think you’re tough shit, but one day, everyone will see you for who you really are. A coward. Just run along and let the adults handle this.”
My blood pounded in my ears, but I refused to take the bait. She was a shadow of the girl I’d trained, just violence and anger now. I stepped around her and ripped all the library missions off the board, slamming them down on the counter next to the guild’s receptionist.
“I’m taking these missions,” I said.
“All of them?” she squeaked out, gaze darting to Jade and the guild master.
“All of them.”
Jade shook her head, laughing. “Okay, but don’t come crying back to us when you can’t find anything either. Or maybe, you will find something and the spirits will gobble you up.”
Nyssa. I had to get to Nyssa. I gripped my sword hilt firmly as I displayed my adventuring credentials so the missions could be assigned to me.
“You’re still a member of this guild,” Master Carmine said. “If you need help, ask. I’ll be ready.”
“I’m fine on my own. Always have been, always will be.”
The moment the receptionist was done, I was out the door, heading for the Misty Mountain Library, the pained look on the guild master’s face echoing in my mind.
Chapter 5
Nyssa
I crossed my arms, staring down the toughest foe I’d ever met: the Misty Mountain Library’s door. I’d been trying to open it again all day with no luck; the damn door just would not budge. I glanced up at the sky as the sun lowered beneath the tree line. It would be dark in a few hours and I really didn’t want to climb down the mountain at night.
If I was going to do this, it had to be soon. I refused to leave without getting back inside to see what those creatures really were. They’d looked like characters from books, as if they were the spirits of the stories coming to life.
Like they were story spirits.
Wait. MaybeIwasn’t the one who had to open the door...
I rushed over to the cart full of books with a wonderful new plan: tempt the “story spirits” into coming outside so I could slip inside behind them. It was clear that they’d been taking care of the few books that were left, dusting the shelves and doing what they could to maintain the library. Which meant they probably loved books. And what book-lover could stand to see a pile of books just lying on the ground uncared for?
I eyed the dirty cobblestone path in front of the library, already cringing at the idea of putting books on it, but it had tobe done. For the library.
A few lending libraries leaned over the cart full of books, hopping with excitement as I started sorting through them. One of them nudged my arm like a puppy with a cold nose begging for pets, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Fine, fine, you can each have one more,” I said, “but that’s it. I need the rest for my mission.”
They jumped happily as I searched for which books to lure the story spirits out with. I should probably go for wholesome happy ones just in case they came to life like that golem. Better safe than sorry.
