Chapter 16 - the Library

Phaedra and I divided the library into two sections, and made up a strategy to get through the books as efficiently as possible. Luckily, the library had a pretty good filing system, and we were able to narrow down the books to ones that mentioned blood fairly quickly.

Unfortunately, there were still far too many books for the two of us to get through before dinner. We flicked through books, scanning the pages until our eyes were red and dry. I had just put down another book when Aricor stepped into the library, carrying what looked like two hand pies. He bobbed his head in the direction of the hallway, and we quickly followed him out.

“Five meals a day, Eloweth,” he said, handing me the pie. “Have you guys found anything yet?”

I shook my head, my mouth too full of pie to respond.

“I’ve read enough about blood to never want to see a drop of it ever again,” Phaedra complained. “And to think you’re a blood wielder,” she said to me, and made a dramatic gagging noise.

I flipped her off jokingly. “There’s nothing about black blood,” I said after swallowing the last of my pie. “It’s all just boring, ordinary red blood.”

I glanced down at the pendant which I had tied to a leather string and put back on again. Like before, it rested against the space between my breasts, vibrating with each heartbeat. And then it hit me.

I gasped, and put both hands into my hair, in a futile attempt to get some sort of grip on myself.

“That’s what she meant,” I breathed, and looked at Phaedra. “Aeloria — when I went to see her for the second time! She said “You found the answer, it’s very close to your heart, isn’t it?” I thought she meant I was the answer — as I was the one to open the gateway, but she meant the pendant! Close to my heart — literally!”

I sat down on a pile of books, trying to calm my racing heart. “Why can’t anyone just tell me what they mean?!” I called out, slamming my hand onto another pile of books, “I’m so sick of all these riddles!”

“The answer to what, though?” Phaedra said, ignoring my little tantrum, “the prophecy? What does the black blood have to do with the prophecy? You were able to open gateways before you found the necklace, weren’t you?”

I sighed, and mulled over the thought. “I suppose,” I said eventually, “but I’m certain this means something. There’s probably something else I have missed along the way.”

I mumbled some more angry words about no one getting to the point, but Phaedra and Aricor had already begun talking amongst themselves.

“We’ll do some more reading, maybe you can see if one of our connections in the Aerial or Terrestrial palace know anything about black blood,” Phaedra said, and ushered me back into the library.

We read until we couldn’t anymore. All of the words had started jumbling into one, and all symbols seemed to have lost their meaning. I slammed shut the book I had been reading so aggressively it blew a cloud of dust into my face.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, and rubbed the book’s cover apologetically. “Let’s get out of here, Phae,” I said and walked into the hallway.

I craved fresh air — longed for a summer breeze to brush over my face. I peered out the window. The view, which was objectively quite beautiful —the lovely little houses around the palace casted golden light onto the streets around them, and the dome of water around the city reflected the light of the moons in the most mesmerizing way— but suddenly, it all seemed dark and gloomy to me.

We walked back to the dining hall in silence, both too worn out from all the reading to speak to one another. I ignored the inquiring expressions on Thoridor’s, Warrian’s and Aricor’s faces, and plopped down on a chair, resting my head on my folded arms.

“No luck, then?” Aricor gathered. “Not yet,” Phaedra mumbled.

Our dinner consisted of some sort of thick soup and a stack of disk-shaped pieced of dough meant for dipping. Warrian and Aricor told us increasingly outrageous stories about their childhoods, making everyone else laugh and listen in awe. It was the first time I had truly felt at home since I had gotten here. I sat back and locked the moment into my brain — just a careless dinner with friends. Friends. I hadn’t even realized before, but I now considered these Ardanians my friends. It made my heart swell with joy. I caught Thoridor’s gaze from across the table.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” his voice echoed through my mind.

“I am,” I replied, and sighed contently.

“Good,” Thoridor said, “do you feel like going for a walk, after dinner?”

I glanced at Warrian, who was engaged in conversation with Phaedra now, blissfully unaware of Thoridor’s and my internal dialogue. It made me feel a little guilty.

“Just to get some air,” Thoridor said, “and to get to know each other a little better.” I smiled at him.

“Okay,” I said, “just a short walk. I’m too sore to walk far anyway.”

Thoridor flashed me a sly grin. “I could always carry you if—”

“THIN ICE,” I reminded him, and focussed my attention on Aricor again.

Everyone hung out at the dinner table for another long while, and then, one by one, everyone started going to their respective chambers. I contemplated going to my room too, and waiting for Thoridor as to not hurt Warrian’s feelings, but decided against it in the end. A part of me wanted to just wait it out —knowing Thoridor would wait with me until Warrian had eventually gone to bed too, so he’d never know about us meeting— but then I figured I should probably just come clean, as I was the one complaining about everyone’s secrecy in the first place.

I pushed myself out of my chair and cleared my throat. “I’m going to go on a little walk around the palace with Thor,” I announced to Warrian.

Thoridor raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Oh,” Warrian said, “Is that what you two were discussing earlier?”

I tilted my head quizzically. “The intense eye contact at dinner,” Warrian clarified, “I figured you guys were speaking mind-to-mind.”

“You know about the mind thing?” I asked bewilderedly.

“Of course, it comes with the mating bond,” Warrian confirmed, and glanced at Thoridor, “you didn’t tell her?”

Thoridor shook his head. “I didn’t think about this not being normal to a… To Serin,” Thoridor replied. “I’m sorry, love,” he continued, “I should have explained. Come on, I’ll teach you how to shut me out, if you’ll still have me.”

I smiled. “It’s okay,” I said, “but yes. Do teach me to throw you out of my mind.”