Chapter 25 Audryn
AUDRYN
“How was breakfast?” Draven stopped chopping an onion and looked up. “Did you like the sage I added?”
“It was delicious.” I made my way to the basin and dumped the remaining orange juice from my cup. I used every opportunity to take my tray or dishes to the kitchen to get to know the man better.
“Making anything in particular today?” The aroma of fresh vegetables consumed the air and made my mouth water, though I couldn’t possibly eat another bite.
“Soup,” he said, returning his eyes to the task in front of him. “Would you like to help? It’s King Sutton’s favorite.”
On any other day, I would have dropped everything to gain access to the King’s food, but Ryder promised we’d see my father that afternoon, and I couldn’t possibly pass up the offer.
“I’m going into town today to see my father.” My voice dripped with regret as I walked through the door and waved goodbye. “Next time though, I promise.”
The halls were empty aside from the single guard standing at the end of each corridor. I stopped at the library door, causing Fisher to almost run into my back.
“Daydreaming?” I hummed. “Or just trying to get close to me?”
“Not funny,” he responded plainly.
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, gesturing with a hand and pulling open the door with my other. “I’m going to speak with Vera for a moment. You can stay out here.”
He shook his head.
I groaned and walked inside the enormous, book-filled cavern. Shadows crept at every aisle and corner, reminding me not to be as careless with my words as I had been in the past.
“Good morning, Guard Fisher.” The woman’s voice beckoned from the small desk. “Nice to see you again, Audryn. I hope you’re enjoying the books?”
“Yes, thank you so much.” My eyes wandered around the room. The library was just as impressive as the first time I’d seen it.
“How’s your daughter, Fisher?” The woman asked as she thumbed through a book.
“Good, she’s living with a friend near the western coast. She’s nearly forty now, if you can believe it.” The guard’s voice carried.
I started walking toward the center of the room in hopes I’d find some sort of signage to direct me.
“Wait!” Fisher boomed behind me.
I turned just in time to see the librarian scold the guard. “You’re in a library, lower your voice!” the woman hissed. “And let her roam if she wishes. There’s only one way in and out, no need to follow her about like a watchful beast.”
I raised a brow at my shadow; he bristled but gestured me away with a jerk of his head. The two continued their quiet conversation as I strode away. Finding the closest spiral staircase, I ascended to the second floor.
Bookcases formed the aisles as well as constructed a perimeter around the outer walls.
My fingers drifted along the spines as I breathed in the scent of old books, earth and leather entwined in a beautiful dance.
I continued forward, turned the corner, and smacked directly into the wide chest of a tanned man.
“King Grave,” I blurted, and dipped into a bow, averting my eyes. The etiquette classes had come in handy. They might’ve been awful, but properly greeting a royal had been hammered into me. Ryder’s scolding at the workshop only solidified them.
“That’s unnecessary,” he grumbled.
I stood and found a book in his hand. “You read?”
His shoulders bounced as he laughed. “Yeah, Audryn. I do, in fact, know how to read. Though your prince might try to convince you otherwise.”
I grabbed the book and flipped through the pages. “You’re reading about … rocks? Stones? Surely, there’s more exciting material out there, especially with at least a million books here.”
“What do you read?” His brow lifted, and he snatched the book back. “What makes your mind sing?”
Turning my attention to the nearby shelf, I selected a book. The binding was thick chocolate leather, holding at least a few hundred papers. I flitted through it, seeing information on battle tactics, and sighed.
“I’m here for my father, not for me.” I returned the book to its home. “Ryder—Prince Sutton, is taking me to see my father today, so I’m bringing a few with me to keep him entertained for the next couple of weeks.”
“What does your father enjoy?” He leaned against the shelf lazily.
“Mostly adventure.” I selected another; ugh—a book on swords. Quickly, I re-shelved it and chose the next. I frowned—more swords.
“You’re in the wrong aisle,” Grave muttered.
“What?”
“Adventure is over here,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away.
He moved down the wall, took a sharp left, and continued through an aisle with colorfully dyed leather covers. I followed reluctantly. How he could navigate through the maze with such ease was beyond me, especially when all the aisles looked the same.
“Here.” He stopped and stood in front of a tall bookcase.
“How’d you know where to go?” I asked.
“I read, remember? What type of adventure does he prefer?” Grave ran his fingers over the spines, removing one and handing it to me.
“Exactly this.” I thumbed through the book, a smile creeping across my face. “Sea creatures, pirates, all tales in between. He’s obsessed with the ocean.”
“Sounds gripping,” he mused. “Almost as thrilling as reading about the mortals without magic.”
I scoffed and moved down the shelf. “As if that exists.” I removed a thick book, the spine stiff and unworn: Balthazar and the Great Sea. Perfect.
Grave stepped toward me and plucked another from the shelf, opening it up and letting the pages skip through his fingers.
“Worldwalkers write books on the subject plenty.” He shelved the book and plucked the one from my hand, flipping through it slowly.
“They’re pretty convincing too. Have you read any? Maybe you’d enjoy one if—”
His words stalled, and when I looked up to see why, I found his eyes settled on the four small purple blemishes adorning my skin. My face heated. I’d known I should have worn longer sleeves, but this was the only dress I’d received back from the laundry service.
“It’s not a big deal,” I said, dismissing his observation.
“It is.” His voice was low and gritty. “I should’ve ripped his arm from his body and fed it to Zalzre.”
I ignored him and stole the book back, focusing on the first page of the story.
“I’m sorry for not stepping in when I should’ve done something.” He was pensive. “I shouldn’t have let him treat you that way.”
“It wasn’t your place,” I replied, lowering my voice. “I’m not some princess locked in a tower in need of rescue.”
“Not yet,” he said smugly. “Give it a month, a wedding, and then—”
“Don’t mock me.” The books slipped from my hand, and we both bent down to retrieve them, knocking our heads together in the process. I threw a hand to my forehead and swore under my breath. “You can’t help yourself, can you? I don’t need your assistance.”
“Yeah, you made that pretty clear yesterday.” He gestured to the rogue books sprawled on the floor. “They’re all yours, go ahead.”
“Not that I need to explain anything to you, but he feels awful.”
“Uh-huh.” Grave said. “I bet he does.”
I plucked the books from the ground. “He apologized, and it will never happen again. ”
“Right,” Grave drawled. “I’ve heard that before, and it never stops.”
“If I hadn’t been there to begin with, the entire situation could’ve been avoided.
” I moved down the aisle staying only half a dozen steps in front of him.
I didn’t want to talk about Ryder, but I wasn’t ready to end the conversation either.
“I don’t really care what you think,” I chirped.
“You don’t know me, and you certainly don’t know Prince Sutton. ”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” He followed as I turned down another aisle.
“I’ve been attending meetings since I was ten.
And though I was only around the asshole once or twice a year, I’ve gotten to know him well over the last twenty years.
So yes, Audryn, I do know your prince. Yesterday was a small appetizer to the grand entrée of his personality.
I hope for your sake you have a hefty appetite.
” Grave turned and strode away, disappearing down the closest staircase.
An hour later, Fisher found me with my back against a bookcase and my nose in a book.
I’d spent too much time browsing and would need to meet Ryder soon.
We rushed from the library and toward my room, but Roark stepped away from the corridor wall, blocking me.
Shifting on his feet, he glanced between Fisher and me.
“Was there something you needed?” I narrowed my gaze on the man.
Bending down, he pulled back the flowing drapes and picked up a navy leather-bound book. “This was uhm … this was left.” He looked between Fisher and me once more. “This is yours.” Roark dropped the book onto the stack I was carrying.
“Thank you?” I mumbled and walked down the hall to my room.
“What was that?” Fisher looked over my shoulder at the book on top.
“I don’t know, he’s an odd man. One can never tell just what’s going on in his mind.” I pushed open the door to my room.
“No, what book is—”
I shut the door before he could finish. Had Jaspar sent me a message?
No, a royal guard would never allow communication from an outsider, especially one that was surely on a resistance watchlist. I inspected the room, making sure there wasn’t anyone hiding inside.
Then I locked both the main door and the one leading to the bathing room.
The leather cover was wordless, offering no indication of its contents.
I flipped the book open, letting the cover flex gently.
My eyes landed on the first page: Time and Distance: Atlantis.
What in the Divine? A small note slipped out as I turned the page.
The paper swayed side to side as it dropped to the floor.
The handwriting was messy; it clearly hadn’t come from a scribe of the Suttons.
For your father. May another sort of adventure bring him joy.
-C
Had King Grave hidden his name to keep his identity safe? With shaking fingers, I flipped through the pages quickly, unable to let my eyes truly land. An unfamiliar map was sketched at the back. It wasn’t a depiction of Crofea or the Oras, it was something different altogether.
A knock boomed against the door, followed by Fisher's stern voice. “We are officially late. Let’s go.”