Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
~ Galen ~
Fatigue drags at me as we finish our lunch in our private living room. The demons had wanted to dine with us, but I needed a moment. Thankfully, Thane understood this without me needing to explain.
After spending the morning creating illusions to demonstrate the power of the Xalgrith, I need time to rebuild my energy. And I know just the place that will help to do the trick.
“So, it’s mental training this afternoon, huh?” Shade says, putting her plate on the coffee table. “I guess we’d better get going.”
Thane lifts to his feet, and Raith and Knox do the same. Shade goes to stand as well, but Thane shakes his head. “Not you.”
She gives him a questioning look. “But you told the demons to report to the auditorium after lunch?”
“Yes, the demon queen, kings, and their commanders will be undertaking mental training with the rest of the students,” Thane replies.
She frowns. “But…I won’t be?”
Thane stares at me as if it’s his way of answering her, and I let my shadows lick along her skin, drawing her attention to me.
“We’ll be busy elsewhere, treasure,” I say.
Her expression flattens. “If your plans involve more physical training for me, I’m going to slap you.”
I laugh softly. “Don’t worry, I promise we’ll be doing something much more interesting than sitting in on Professor Lankin’s class.”
She doesn’t look convinced, but she settles against me.
Raith rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, ‘bout that. You sure I can’t skip as well?”
Shadows swirl in front of Thane as he creates a pathway. “We need to maintain our presence and ensure the demons are receiving the appropriate instruction.”
Raith scowls. “So that’s a ‘no’ then?”
Not giving him an answer, Thane looks at me one last time before disappearing into the pathway. Knox follows after him, and Raith reluctantly does as well. When they’re gone, I pull Shade to her feet and create my own pathway.
Shade checks her creature’s egg is still secure in the sling across her chest, and we walk the pathway in silence until we exit into my office, but I don’t stop there.
Moving toward the bookshelf behind my desk, I reach out with my power, and the shelves dissolve into layers of shadow until there’s an opening revealing a narrow staircase.
Torches flame to life on the stone walls that lead downward, activated by my presence and illuminating the darkened passageway.
“Well, that is…” Shade trails off.
“Impressive?”
“I was going to say creepy, but sure, let’s go with that.”
Smiling, I lead on and Shade follows behind me. When we’re beyond the opening, my illusion moves back into place, sealing us in.
Shade yelps as it grows darker again. “So are you going to tell me where you’re taking me yet? This had better not be another dungeon.”
My lips quirk up. “If it were a prison, I would gladly be confined here.”
My mate runs her hand along the wall as we make our way down. “Not me. Have I mentioned that I’m not the best with small spaces?” She shudders, her eyes becoming haunted, and I take her free hand, guiding her down the stone steps.
“Don’t worry. It opens up soon,” I reassure her, my shadows moving around her protectively.
We descend for a little while longer before moving onto a dark landing.
At our presence, more torches flare to life, and Shade’s appreciative gasp sounds in my ears as a cavernous room is revealed.
As though they’re appearing from the shadows, rows and rows of bookshelves come into view.
They line the walls from floor to ceiling, with extra shelves branching off further into the space.
“Holy crap,” Shade squeaks, her brows practically hitting her hairline. “I think I just came a little.”
I laugh and press my hand into the small of her back as I guide her forward. “I thought you might appreciate this.”
“Appreciate it? It’s like I’ve just stepped into a book lover’s fantasy.” She walks further into the room, moving past one of the many seating areas that has a selection of plush couches and armchairs. “There must be thousands of books in here.”
“Tens of thousands,” I correct her.
She makes her way to the closest shelf and reads the sticker on the spine. “State Library of…Landercast,” she mutters, then whips her head toward me. “Galen! Are these stolen library books?”
The look of horror on her face makes me smile. Strolling to the closest shelf, I run my fingers along a few of the spines. “I’ve only collected books that were about to be thrown away from overuse, or in some cases, burned. I guess you could say I gave them a new chance at life.”
That seems to appease her, and she moves forward inspecting more of the titles. She pauses with her finger on a book that has golden foiling on the spine. “But they all look like they’re in such great condition.”
“Yes. The ones in need of extra care have been restored.”
She blinks at me. “Wait. So you’re saying you’ve been collecting used books and… restoring them?” She’s gone from staring at me like I was the devil to regarding me as though I’m an angel instead.
“That’s correct.” Smiling, I turn and lead her toward my work area set up further in the room.
She hurries to catch up to me, and her jaw goes slack when we come to my long wooden workbench.
A thick hardcover is still held in the clamps, the edges half painted and showing an emerging dragon flying above snow-capped mountains.
“I hadn’t wanted to spoil the surprise, but the paint was wet, and I didn’t dare move it. ”
“What surprise?”
“This is your latest gift, treasure.” I motion toward the hardcover. “In progress.”
She moves closer, staring at the book like it’s an ancient artifact and she’s afraid to touch it.
“It will be lovely when it’s finished. I promise.”
She shakes her head. “It’s already gorgeous. You’re so talented.”
I dip my head humbly, enjoying the way she appreciates the painting of the dragon, its tail curling down the edges.
The dragon’s violet scales are dull in comparison to the glittering mountains, but I’ll be finishing them when I get the time.
“In this case, I’d say it’s mostly practice rather than talent.
We all had to find our hobbies over time at the academy.
I suppose this is mine. Though, I will admit there’s been a lot more… color since you came along.”
A smile lights up her eyes. “Galen, I love it.” She grows contemplative then. “You know, none of you have told me who you were before coming here.”
I shrug my shoulders. “That’s because our human lives were such a small existence in comparison to what we have experienced since then.”
“But who you were as a human would have completely shaped who you are now?” she counters.
I think on that. “It has been a long time since I’ve bothered thinking about my life before coming to this place. Memories of my life in the human realm have become hazy, but I suppose you’re right.”
“If you were chosen by Lady Fate to become one of the originals, you must have been someone important in the human realm. Let me guess, you were a king or something?”
I laugh, letting my shadows skitter along her skin. “That depends on who you ask.”
“Okay, an artist then?”
“Only if you include the art of survival.”
She frowns.
“I was the eldest son with six younger sisters,” I explain. “You can imagine my parent’s disappointment when I voiced my wish to become a scribe.”
Her gaze softens. “So what happened?”
“I did what I could to provide for my family, of course. Being a scribe was unacceptable.” I let out a heavy breath, but my smile lifts as my memories drift back to me.
“But my sister, Tori, wouldn’t have it. She insisted that she run the family business, and she urged me to leave. To explore the world as I wished.”
My mate smiles. “She must have loved you.”
“Yes,” I say softly. “But back to how this library came about. I always hated seeing discarded books during my travels with Raith and the others, and so one day, I decided to rescue them and I brought them here.”
She frowns. “Hey! What about the rule that we’re not supposed to bring items from the human realm?”
I chuckle. “That rule is for students.”
She scowls, but her lips curve up again shortly after. “So, you just happened to come across discarded books while collecting students for the academy?”
“There may have been a few detours involved,” I admit.
“But speaking of discarded books, that’s the reason I brought you here.
” I start walking toward the far back of the library, where the torches dim.
Against a seemingly bare section of the wall, I dissolve my illusion and a small bookshelf appears revealing a collection of ancient books.
The leather covers are hard and worn, and a thin layer of shadows dance around them.
I gesture to the bookshelf, and Shade moves closer, squinting at the spines.
“What do you think?” I ask, studying my mate.
“It’s hard to make out the writing. Why haven’t you restored these ones?”
I smile. “You tell me.”
She leans even closer and mumbles under her breath, “Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Three…” She pauses. “The titles on the spines look handwritten. What are these? Your personal journals?”
When I don’t answer, she turns her head and frowns at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I keep my gaze trained on her. “Because, my mate, these are not mine. Last night Raith and I took the opportunity to revisit the oracle’s last known location again.”
Her breathing hitches. “Okay,” she says, though it’s clear she already understands where I’m going with this.
“I’ve searched the oracle’s cave numerous times over the years. Mostly, I’d hoped that one day the oracle might return, but also, I’ve always wondered if there’s something we’ve missed all this time.”
My mate barely looks like she’s breathing. “And this time you found these,” she whispers.
I gesture to the leather-bound books. “At the far back of the cave, against the left wall there was an illusion, not so different from the ones I’m able to create. When Raith and I approached, the small bookcase simply appeared, as if it had been there the entire time. This is what we found.”
She blinks. “Holy crap. Do you think the illusion was triggered by your proximity? Is it possible you never went close enough to that side of the cave?”
“No, little shadow. Our searches have been extensive. Especially when the oracle first disappeared.”
She tilts her head, mumbling the titles of the books again. “So what changed then? You think the oracle has been back there and left them?”
“No.” I shake my head. “There was no sign of entry. No sign that anyone has been there in a very long time. The creatures of the forest act like they dare not enter. As if there’s a spell placed upon the cave.”
“So what are you saying?”
“This is the first time we have visited that cave after you quite literally stumbled into our lives. I think that bookcase showed itself this time because it detected…you. That somehow the illusion magic detected your scent or your power.”
She sucks in a sharp breath. “That’s only a theory. There could be another reason.”
“Well, seeing as the titles you just read are in a language no one else would be able to decipher, I think it’s safe to say my theory has some merit.”
Her brows lift. “But that’s…I mean, what you’re saying is impossible. How could the oracle have left something for me? Knox only found me a few years ago, and it’s not like you’ve even seen the oracle since then.”
“And now, there’s the mystery,” I reply. “One that we’re hoping will be solved by whatever information is in these books.”