Page 5 of Myths and Manuscripts
My shadows dissipated in an instant as my fans’ happiness doused every bit of rage I’d managed to muster up. They snapped a few pictures, standing next to me and hanging off myside like I was some kind of display piece. This was not what my author had had in mind when he was planning my big ending. I was sure of that.
Lisa’s shoulders shook with silent laughter as a grin spread across her face. “And that’s the kind of darkness you’ll see in the final book everyone. I wish you all the best entering the contest!”
“Gee, thanks for your help.” I rolled my eyes, jerking away from the newest fan who was clutching at me. “As if I need a group of amateurs writing my book.”
“Oh, he’s just kidding, you know how he gets.” Lisa waved the rest of the fans away with a smile before focusing her attention on me. “What were you thinking? You’re lucky they enjoyed that.”
“I’m the bad guy, what do you expect? I know the library needs patrons, but these fans are getting too forward. I can’t deal with them every day, not when a contest means there’s going to be even more of them prying into my life.”
She sighed. “I know this has been an adjustment, but we’ll make it work somehow.”
The library used to be a quiet, wonderful place, until the Tales and Tomes Festival. It had been such a success that our home was now filled to the brim with people wanting to talk to us, poking and prodding as if we were a carnival act just because we were characters from their favorite books come to life.
I rubbed my hand over my face, leaning against a bookshelf. “I just...miss when there was nobody here but us. Is that so wrong?”
“No, but scaring patrons is,” she said softly. “I thought we moved past that. Let me talk to Nyssa and see what we can come up with. You shouldn’t have to feel this uncomfortable. I really thought you’d be happy...”
She glanced away, busying herself with reorganizing books on a shelf. She’d been the one finding me all the fantasy booksI’d been reading, helping me see what kind of stories were out there. She wanted me to figure out my story just as much as I did. She’d understand if I told her my fears about being a joke of a Demon Lord, but somehow, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Saying it out loud would make it real and ruin all my hard work trying to be evil.
I took a deep breath. “Iamhappy. Thanks for letting me know about the contest.”
“You’re welcome.” She frowned at me like she could sense I wasn’t telling the truth. “Look, if you’re that worried about it, you should just find your own writer and work with them on the story.”
I blinked at her, frozen in place. What an absurd idea. “You want me to find my own writer?”
“Of course, take your story into your own hands. Make it what you want it to be. You deserve whatever kind of ending you see fit, and you’ve got the rare opportunity to make it happen.” She smiled, hugging a book tight to her chest. “We’re characters from stories, but that doesn’t mean we have to be governed by those stories. You can be whoever you want to be.”
That didn’t feel right. Characters were written by somebody else. I couldn’t just go rogue and become something my author hadn’t intended. We might have stepped out of our books, but we were still part of them.
Finding my own writer wasn’t a bad idea though. Somebody who would do my story justice while staying true to the original author’s plans. I wanted to go out with such a bang that everyone would remember it. I wanted an epic ending, one full of meaning and emotion that explained why I did all the things they claimed.
I wanted a real story. And maybe, just maybe, I’d even get a name.
It felt a little crazy, but a tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest. This contest might be exactly what I needed after all.
Chapter 3
Willow
The mountain air was crisp, verging on chilly, now that I’d taken a break from herb-gathering. I leaned back against a large tree, staring at the blank pages of my journal. Why had I even brought it with me? I was done with my book, so I didn’t need a journal on hand to jot down any bursts of inspiration. Not that they’d helped anyway. My book was obviously terrible. I shoved the journal back in my bag, glaring at the manuscript I’d hidden in there too. I’d put so much work into that story, but the gods had rejected it almost immediately.
I ran my fingers over the faded and well-worn piece of paper they’d sent me, staring at the words written on it.
The story speaks, but the heart is silent.
If that was my reward for all the time I spent writing, for all the nights I lost sleep just to get a few hundred more words in, then it definitely wasn’t worth it. There was no way I’d put all that effort into a book again, not after that reaction. I assumed they’d love my book just as much as I did and I hated this gross feeling in my stomach now, like I’d failed something important.
This was exactly why I never should have tried in the first place. Getting attached to something only ever led to pain. Which was why the main character in my book succeededwithoutfalling in love. The opportunity was there when hergreatest enemy turned into an ally, and they even had sparks and good chemistry, but she chose her duty as a Queen. She saved her kingdom from a long war and named a new ruler, ending the story as a powerful woman who didn’t need anyone else.
It was dark and a little tragic, but full of emotion. That apparently wasn’t enough for the story gods though.
“What will it take to get this book out of my head?” I muttered, staring at the bright blue sky. “I just need to get over it and move on.”
“Hard to do when you keep talking to yourself about it,” a familiar voice said.
I jumped to my feet, dropping my bag as I whipped around to see the Demon Lord of all people. He waltzed up to my tree as if he owned the mountain, dark shadows contrasting with the bright noon sun. I’d never seen him outside in the middle of the day like this, not to mention all the dragons flying around him like he was some kind of shepherd and they were his flock.
“Are you stalking me?” My heartbeat pounded in my ears. “First my apothecary shop and now here?”
