Chapter 13
The Wraith King was terrifying. No doubt about it.
But the first thing I noted were his bare, clawed feet. The talons were black, gleaming like onyx in the dying firelight.
It reminded me of Azure. The talons on her tail legs were the same color.
From there, I could only see similarities to my best friend. The claws. The sharpened teeth. His set of fangs along the bottom were so large they protruded from his mouth even when his lips were closed. And every single tooth that showed when he spoke was sharpened like the point of a dagger.
Azure’s teeth were the same. She often mocked me for my dull, rectangular teeth, claiming they couldn’t possibly tear meat properly.
There were, of course, several major differences between King Varius and Azure.
For instance, his two rather large black horns that added several inches to his already impressive height.
His eyes were jet black. The bare chest visible from his open tunic was firm and muscular, along with his powerful arms. I was certain he could crush my windpipe with one hand.
His thin, barbed tail curled behind him, and I noticed the jagged edges were long and sharp, slightly different from Azure’s shorter and wider barbs .
If Azure stood in this room with us, the Wraith King would look quite normal alongside her. I would be the odd one out.
The notion calmed my racing heart and helped me see Varius with new eyes.
He’s a dragon, I thought. Nothing more.
My grip on the jeweled dagger tightened, and a renewed sense of boldness took over me. I had ascertained that the Wraith King liked to be surprised, which was why I told him an excessively affectionate husband would have terrified me the most.
It wasn’t a lie. If someone like the Wraith King had insisted on remaining by my side, touching me constantly, and taking me to his bed every night, my circumstances would have been a lot more horrifying.
After bidding me good night, the king turned and strode from the room.
My eyes bulged at the sight of his massive red wings tucked against his back.
I hadn’t noticed them before. They weren’t quite as big as Tislora’s, but I imagined that, when they were open wide, they were just as long as his body height.
As soon as the door slammed shut from Varius’s departure, lanterns in the walls flared to life, as if his shadows had intentionally kept the room dim while he was here.
The pearly white orbs I recognized from all over the castle burned to life against the wall, one by one, making my jaw drop as I took in the vast space.
It was a library. And it was ten times the size of the library I was accustomed to in the Earthen Court.
The massive space stretched three levels high with a dome-shaped window on the ceiling that revealed the starry night sky.
Spiral staircases were in each corner of the room, leading up to the next two levels of shelves.
In front of the fireplace were the two wing-backed chairs I had noticed earlier.
And Stones , there were so many books! From floor to ceiling, the walls were covered in shelves of books.
Now that I was aware of it, the familiar smell of old parchment filled my nose.
How had I not noticed it before? Azure would have commented on my weak human senses if she were here.
Rows and rows of leather volumes and ancient tomes were stacked neatly along the shelves, with tiny labels underneath that were most likely in Agnarrish.
Already, I itched to run my hands along the books, to see what knowledge I could glean from them. Were they all in Agnarrish? Were there some in other languages I had never heard of before?
Maybe there was something about the enchanted rose here.
I strode forward, determination fueling me as I squinted at the spines closest to me. Yes, they were certainly in Agnarrish. But they didn’t make any sense. One was a cookbook for cultural delicacies in the Shadow Court. And the one right beside it was an encyclopedia on winged fae.
Frowning, I glanced over the next few volumes. A History of Unseelie Warfare , The Traveler’s Comprehensive Guide to Foliage , and The Family Tree of King Farabor IV .
This organization system made no sense. There was nothing in common between these volumes. Was there something I was missing?
I glanced at the guide to foliage again. “Maybe this has information about roses,” I muttered aloud, stretching my hand to remove it from the shelf.
Before I could, a faint rumbling sound echoed around me. I stilled, my heart racing as I whirled around, expecting to find an unseelie fae about to charge toward me.
But I was alone in the room.
The rumbling grew louder until the books on the shelves began to tremble. My hands flew outward to steady myself as I waited for the earthquake to rend the ground in two or for the walls to come crashing down.
A loud thump next to me elicited a shriek of alarm. I jerked backward, nearly colliding with the bookshelf as I tried to avoid whatever had landed in the center of the room. Pulse skittering, I looked around, only to find it was a book.
A book had seemingly fallen from the ceiling and landed in the center of the library.
I remained frozen for a full minute, waiting for the book to spring legs or grow fangs or do something . Clearly it was enchanted; otherwise, how had it magically appeared there? Was it safe? Would this book attack me if I drew nearer?
Another minute passed, and my curiosity got the better of me. Slowly, I approached the book, each step cautious and hesitant. The book didn’t move. I continued until I stood directly above it, my brow furrowing as I inspected the burgundy leather cover.
I crouched down, hands hovering close to the book, waiting for it to move. When it didn’t, I held my breath and grabbed it, my hands closing over the soft cover.
Nothing happened. It felt like… an ordinary book.
It wasn’t warm or trembling or alive. I turned it over in my hands, marveling at how unexceptional it appeared.
For all I knew, this book could have come from my own shelf back in the Earthen Court.
I ran my fingers over the embossed title etched into the spine: How to Grow and Nurture Rosebushes .
My heart stuttered in my chest, and I looked around the room once more, searching for eavesdroppers. Had someone heard me talking about roses? With so many unseelie fae around, it wouldn’t have been hard to overhear my mutterings.
But the room still seemed eerily empty.
Even so, perhaps someone had some sort of invisibility magic I didn’t know about. It wouldn’t be that far-fetched.
Swallowing hard, I cradled the book to my chest, trying not to let my fear rule me. It wasn’t lost on me that an empty library frightened me more than the beastly appearance of the Wraith King .
But it was always the unknown that terrified me.
Which was one of the reasons why, when the king had dispersed his shadows, he had seemed less frightening.
Oftentimes, my imagination conjured the worst scenarios imaginable, so removing that unknown factor was almost a relief.
I had pictured a four-headed beast with a scorpion tail and four sets of eyes, with fangs that dripped venom.
So, naturally, the king’s true appearance had been a relief.
“Where are you?” I murmured, inching backward, my eyes still roving over the expansive library. Surely someone must be hiding nearby.
A faint, low growl sounded from afar, and a chill raced down my spine. The growl came again, and I frowned, recognizing it.
“Az?” I muttered, then quickly touched my amber necklace.
“Where the hell have you been?” Azure snapped. “I was about to burst in there and rescue you.”
I laughed because Azure only swore when she was truly in distress. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I got distracted. You can come in.”
I would have said, I’m alone , but I wasn’t sure if that was true.
The door across from the fireplace creaked open, and my dragon’s hulking blue form appeared. In the cathedral-sized library, she almost looked minuscule, and I happily noted how fitting this space would be for her, provided we could keep it hidden from the castle staff.
Azure’s blue eyes surveyed the spacious room with suspicion and distrust as she padded toward me, talons clicking along the stone floor. When she finally reached me, she inhaled deeply.
“It smells like the magic from before,” she said. “That same curious feeling.”
“The castle?” I asked, confused. “I thought that magic was only associated with the doors.”
“A castle consists of more than just doors , human,” she said in a bored voice.
I rolled my eyes. “I know that, dragon . But I thought the magic only extended to the doors. Obviously, I was wrong.”
I gazed at the book in my left hand, trying to puzzle it out. “Castle,” I said slowly, feeling ridiculous, “if you can understand me, could you please send me a book about trolls?”
Azure snorted. “You are insane.”
I shushed her as that same rumbling sound overtook the room. I spun, my gaze flicking over the shelves as I realized the books were shaking. A hesitant smile spread across my face, and when the book fell from the ceiling, I was ready for it.
“ Oof !” I grunted, catching the book in my arms. The force of it was so intense it knocked me on my rear, and I ended up dropping both books. Beside me, Azure wheezed with laughter.
“Shut up,” I muttered, stumbling to my feet and picking the books off the floor. The newest one had a forest green cover and was titled, Tilly the Troll Voyages Across the Realm . I flipped through the pages, noting the detailed illustrations. It looked to be a children’s tale.
My smile widened. “The castle controls the library. It hears my requests.”
Azure stilled beside me. When I shot her a triumphant grin, she only blinked at me warily.
My smile faded. “What?”
“Be careful, Sybelle. I worry this place can discern more than just thoughts that are voiced.”
The joy in my heart shriveled, dissolving into ash as I realized what she implied. Could the castle read my thoughts? And, if it couldn’t, what was stopping it from acquiring such a power? What if, the longer I was here, the more this place could creep into my mind?
My diamond dagger.
My plans to locate the enchanted rose.
The plot to destroy the king and his shadows.
Icy cold dread filled my chest, and I abruptly set the books down on the table between the wing-backed chairs. “We should go,” I whispered.
“Agreed,” said Azure, already heading for the door, which was still ajar. I followed, stepping over the threshold. I cast one more longing look over the library, wishing I could stay and unravel its secrets.
But that magic could go both ways. If I could explore this library, then it could explore me as well. Already, it could be reporting everything it had learned about me to the Wraith King.
Which meant he would know about Azure.
I hurried into the hallway, letting the door close behind me. Panting, I turned to Azure. “You need to leave,” I hissed. “ Now. ”
“Let me see you to your rooms first,” she insisted. “I don’t trust this place.”
“Me neither.”
Azure led me down the hall, and I swallowed around a knot of emotions, trying not to panic.
Just when I feared all the doors had been closed, we reached the set of open ones—mine and Ramia’s.
My breath left me with a relieved exhale as we darted inside.
The balcony doors were still open, and Azure made her way toward them, wings folded against her back.
She angled her head toward me, eyes intent.
“Be careful, Sybelle. I won’t be far.”
I nodded. “Stay hidden. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“That’s your habit, remember?”
I chuckled as she leapt off the balcony and took off into the sky. The silhouette of her great form, wings spread wide, shone against the moonlit sky. With each flap of her wings, my heart settled into a steady rhythm. Still, I kept my fingers wrapped around my amber stone, just in case.
When Azure finally faded from view, and all was quiet once more, I could finally breathe easily.