Chapter 3 #2
My hackles rose at the comment. It wasn’t true. Not with the criteria Gabriel had shared. My feelings on the matter were complicated, and I didn't want to discuss them with these two. Regardless, I knew Landon’s voice was too loud. Evelyn had absolutely heard it.
“You know they’d never put a half-fae in the position, no matter the changes at Compass Lake. It’d be unheard of…” Landon trailed off as he looked up and noticed Evelyn was still within earshot.
I met and held Evelyn’s gaze across the room.
She couldn’t think that I believed this nonsense, could she?
What had Gabriel said in his office? She knew I didn’t need to be tested.
But how could he know that? I’d apologized to her for Lord Arctos’s words, but had I clarified that I’d never thought that way about her? Not even for a second?
The moment extended between us. I opened my mouth to speak, but she clutched my paper to her chest and fled.
As if the day could get worse, Evelyn hadn’t been gone for more than a few minutes when my father entered the Great Room. He didn’t come to the library often, but as soon as Landon caught a glimpse of him entering through the large double doors, he stopped mid-sentence.
“We should get back to work,” Tatyana said, but with little energy. She knew she didn’t have enough time to escape without appearing rude.
I knew neither Landon nor Tatyana cared about getting back to a specific project as much as they cared not to be with me when my father approached. He had earned a reputation with even the newest researchers.
“Ambrose,” Father called as he made his way to me. A cane preceded him as he walked. He slid it back and forth with each step to ensure nothing was in his way. His eyesight wasn’t entirely gone, but it was severely impaired.
He paused upon reaching me and turned his head imperiously toward Tatyana and Landon. “Don’t you two have work you should be doing, instead of gossiping?” He shook his head in distaste and dismissal.
“Yes, of course, Mr. Yarrow,” Landon murmured, and the pair disappeared.
They most certainly weren’t out of earshot when Father added, “Maybe if those two spent half as much time learning our history as they do spreading rumors, they might make something of themselves.”
I cleared my throat. It was rude, but honestly, I was still upset with them about what they’d said regarding Evelyn and the historian position.
I hadn’t had a chance to correct them with my father’s arrival.
I would try to do so before I left for the day.
The entire library needed to stop speaking carelessly about half-fae.
“And what about you, my boy? What do you have to say for yourself? Standing around here when I know you have work to do.”
I clutched the journal tighter. I did need to start reading this, I just didn’t think Father would care for its contents. “You’re right, I have work to do. Did you need something before I begin?”
He tilted his head in consideration. “Good, good. It’s good that the competition for Vesten historian isn’t the first thing out of your mouth. It shows you’re going to work hard even though you’re guaranteed to win.”
I stood up straighter. “That’s not—”
He waved away my objection. “I know you’ll win, given everything I’ve taught you. You know the history and you have the legacy for the position, but it doesn’t serve to act like it’s a done deal.”
My nostrils flared as I responded. “Evelyn is the best blood magic researcher this library has ever seen. I don’t in any way think it’s a done deal.”
Father waved his hand in another dismissal. “I just spoke with Gabriel—he knows the future of the Vesten Court is with its history, not with blood magic. I know he’ll make the right choice.”
I couldn’t imagine what discussion my father thought he’d had. Everything about this conversation seemed pointless, but still, I continued. “It’s not Gabriel’s choice. It’s the Vesten Point’s, and he seems to prize the study of blood magic greatly.”
“Yes, yes, that’s because it’s new and flashy. He’s young. He’ll learn soon enough the dangers. He’ll realize that only history can truly be trusted to guide us.”
My lips threatened to curve into a smile as I considered the book I held in my hand.
It was over five hundred years old. There was no question that it was history.
Yet Gabriel, Carter, and Lord Arctos thought it held information about blood magic that we needed to know.
Maybe blood magic and history were more interconnected than we all thought.
I wouldn’t share that information with Father.
It was classified, and at this point, his opinion was so entrenched that I wasn’t sure facts would sway him.
He didn’t notice my pause. “I’ll let you get back to work. I’m on my way to pick up Sasha and Timothy. I just wanted to tell you I’m proud of you. This is everything we’ve been working for.”
And like that, I deflated. There was no winning here. Father’s words were just as rare as Evelyn telling me what she wanted. The only problem was that Father’s approval was only given if I followed directly in his footsteps.
I didn’t want to do everything precisely as he had.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want the Vesten historian position.
On the contrary, I did. I wanted the opportunity to shape our court’s research.
I wanted to make an impact, especially under the direction of the current Vesten Point.
But doing everything that Father had done was like a suit two sizes too small; it didn’t fit right.
It was why I’d dipped my toe into the study of blood magic to begin with.
Father still didn’t know about that, though.
“I’ll see you for the evening meal,” he said.
I swallowed, unsure how to proceed with so many conflicting thoughts circling in my head.
“Yes, Father,” barely made it past my lips before he left.
I had decisions to make, and the only thing that would help was thoroughly documenting the pros and cons.
My notebook was already in my hand, a habit that required little thought, as I returned to my desk and started writing.