Chapter 25
The Mueller Library was exactly as I remembered it. The familiar atrium buzzed with students. A massive cement stairway led us up to the reservations area. That was where Christian waited, standing with two library employees. They were wearing slacks and polos with the WU insignia on the breast.
“Took you long enough,” Christian said, his eyes darting to me. “Rose, right?”
“Yep,” I said weakly.
Christian’s gaze lingered on Bastian, a question in his expression, but he didn’t voice it.
“This is Alex and Sarj,” he said, instead.
Student employees. Alex was heavy set, with pale skin and shaggy auburn hair.
Sarj was gangly and darker skinned, a medium brown toffee, with black hair expertly styled.
They both fidgeted, glancing nervously between Christian and Bastian.
“Alex and Sarj are going to show us to the glass displays that are missing their artifacts. Gentlemen?” Christian stepped aside, motioning with his hand.
We were taken to the third floor where the stacks began.
This had always been my favorite floor. It was filled with academic texts from A to Z.
A Mecca of learning. I’d spent countless hours on this floor, curled up on one of the many couches, or at the tables, studying.
Now it was just a reminder of what I’d given up. A reminder of the past. Of Luke.
A shudder raced down my spine. Bastian's hand found my lower back, fingers stroking gently before dropping away.
The first glass case was medium sized, empty except for the artifact stand, and a plaque with a black and white image depicting the location it had been found along with information about the item.
The Cauldron of Illoch, was written in calligraphic letters.
Beneath it, a description of what it had been used for, to prepare meals, and the types of people that would have used it.
I knew it as Hayden’s Cauldron, which had been found amid the ruins of Illoch, the temple of rejuvenation.
But it was certainly not used for eating, if the rumors of its magic were to be believed.
We moved on to several more displays, all of which were items believed to be simple artifacts, of nothing more than historical value, but I knew better.
With each empty display, my belly sank lower.
Ayla’s Bag, Pybalt’s Horn, Meera’s Comb.
The list went on. My limbs turned cold at the last, though.
Gideon’s Harp. I bit my lip, regarding the empty case, reading the description.
Professor Miller had acquired the harp on one of her archeological adventures long before I’d arrived at the university. I knew she had extensive records about it, had even mentioned it in a class or two, remaining within the limits of human belief.
Alone, she and I had discussed it more deeply.
This was it. It had to be. I didn’t believe in coincidences this perfect. I caught Bastian eye. He must have noticed my expression. His gaze darted to the empty display, then back to me. I lifted my brows.
“Well, that’s all of them,” Sarj said, a nervous pitch to his voice. “Is… Was there anything else you’d like to see, sir? Anything else we can help with?”
Christian shook his head. “I think that’s good for now. You guys can head back to the front desk. We might hang around a bit, if that’s fine with you.” It wasn’t a question.
“Of course,” Sarj said, nodding vigorously. Alex elbowed him. They both turned and fled.
“Interesting development, don’t you think?” Christian asked, giving Bastian a look.
“I suppose. Not sure how it all ties together.”
“Me either.” Christian rubbed the stubble along his jaw. Then his eyes darted my way, like perhaps he was too reluctant to be forthcoming in my presence.
I cleared my throat. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind perusing the books while we’re here. I’ll leave you two to…talk.”
It wasn’t a lie, exactly. I did want to look through the books, for one in particular. I wasn’t sure if it would still be here. Bastian nodded, said he’d come find me in a bit.
So I left them to it.
The stacks were long and deep. While the entire Mueller Library had been built in a modern style, with floor to ceiling windows, the stacks didn’t get a whole lot of light, and a section of the third floor had study rooms that hogged the windows, making the area I prowled dimly lit, as it should be in any proper library.
But that was just my own personal opinion.
I ran my fingers along the spines, inhaling. The smell was nostalgic—old paper, binding glue, wood. My grin was wide.
I found the section I wanted, then ran my fingers down the titles.
I knew exactly what I was looking for—had studied from it often enough.
High on the top shelf, I spotted the textbook with its black spine and gold lettering.
Music: The Art of Sound Through the Ages.
Musical instruments were notoriously favored for magic throughout history.
I reached up, standing on my tip toes—
“Here, allow me.”
I gasped and jumped backward as long, pale fingers snatched the book. My hand went straight to my chest. “Sorry, you… You caught me by surprise.”
“Ah, forgive me.” The stranger turned to face me. I immediately recognized the dark shag of hair, so black it had hints of blue. My muscles tightened and I glanced toward the end of the stacks. The male held the book forward, waiting for me to take it.
“You… I saw you on the news. You’re—”
“Oh, right! Forgive me. Marsh Thadur.” He shifted the book and reached out a hand, smiling.
I stared at his hand, then blinked. The transparent overlay revealing his glamor shifted his ears to points, sharpening his features into fae.
Handsome fae. Swallowing, I reached out and shook his hand.
His grip was firm, and he held on a moment longer than I was comfortable with.
When our hands dropped, he lifted the book and regarded the title. “Ah, interesting. A fan of music? What do you study?”
“I—”
Marsh Thadur’s eyes lifted and his expression suddenly changed. There was a presence at my back. My shoulders immediately relaxed.
“Marsh.”
“Bastian.”
“I see you’ve met Rose.”
“Ah, Rose. She failed to give me her name.”
“Purposefully, I’d assume.”
“No matter,” Marsh said. “We were just discussing her book.” He held it forward again.
This time, I snatched it from his grasp, clutching it to my chest. His smile widened, the expression disarming, transforming his face into the kind of handsomeness that made me forget what I was doing here. I blinked.
“What are you doing here, Marsh?” Bastian’s question made my thoughts sharpen. Helped me remember where I was. Unlike so many others, Marsh didn’t appear intimidated by the goblin.
He waved a dismissive hand. “Board of trustees meeting for the university. All-day thing. Thought I’d get some fresh air. I find libraries so…quiet. The perfect escape.” His eyes met mine and held.
A shiver crawled down my spine.
“Well then, we’ll leave you to it. Sugar, you ready?” I nodded and Bastian placed a palm at the base of my back, steering me around Marsh. He stayed silent until we reached an empty study room, closing the door behind us.
“Are you okay?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
“Fine, I suppose?” I exhaled, slumping into a couch near the window. “Something about him gave me the creeps.”
“Yeah. The feeling is mutual. He’s a royal pain in my arse.”
“You seemed to know each other pretty well. He didn’t look very afraid of you.”
“Oh, he should be very afraid. In terms of power, I far surpass him, though we’ve never had the opportunity to face each other.
He knows I’m a threat, but he’s also a lot higher on the food chain in terms of status.
Fae don’t like the threat of low-borns, but they like bastard half-breeds even less. ”
“I only recognized him because of the news.”
“Ah yes. He’s a well-known public figure, politically. Supernaturally? He’s one of three reps on the SC. He’s also hoping to replace Endorian as pinnacle.”
“Pinnacle?”
“Every supernatural creature race is represented by three delegates on the SC. Of those three, there is always a pinnacle, a point of power. The other two are supports. Being pinnacle comes with additional privileges. Even though the SC relies on a voting system, it’s still a coveted position.”
“Huh.” I frowned. My gaze darted down to the book and I was reminded of why I’d wanted it. Fae politics were the least of my concern right now. Pushing my disarming encounter with Marsh Thadur out of my mind, I focused on the matter at hand.
Bastian plopped onto the couch beside me. “I take it this has something to do with the missing harp?”
“Yep.” I began flipping through the pages. “Gabriel’s Harp.”
The pages had been combed through so many times, there were finger smudges, pencil marks, even passages highlighted and underlined.
History of Music was a popular course in the art history track.
Music was art, expressed through instruments, after all.
And since my minor had been in anthropological archeology, this course had been one of my top choices.
I found the chapter on various instruments. There was an entire subsection on harps, specifically Gabriel’s Harp. I cleared my throat and read the first few paragraphs out loud to Bastian.
While harps have always been iconic throughout music’s history, there is none more so than Gabriel’s Harp.
His harp is believed to be the first “frame harp” ever constructed.
Prior to this, harps were shaped like bows and couldn’t handle significant string tension.
By including variations of a straight forepillar, this allowed for increased tension and higher string counts.
Given the early stages of evolution, Gabriel’s Harp had only twelve strings.
Historians have speculated over this number, in particular.