Chapter 9
Why would Lord Rhyel bother to join the tour?
Surely, he had better things to do than waste his time walking around a castle he knew everything about.
Sana stole a glance at him. Her heart thumped at her hand resting in the crook of his arm and the feel of his muscles under his leathers. Her eyes trailed up to his neatly trimmed beard, deep sapphire eyes, and his long black hair that was shorn on the sides and wrapped up in a tousled bun.
Rhyel Darcanos was a beautiful man, and she had no idea why he'd ever want to be seen walking around his castle with someone like her.
She didn't know what to do or what to say to someone as magnanimous as him. He walked with purpose while she was merely along for the ride, hoping to disappear or fade into the background.
Everyone treated her like his equal, but really she was just an imposter and someone was bound to call her out.
"Sana? Are you alright?" Rhyel said, catching her gaze.
A blush burned over her cheeks as she looked away from him to the floor where her eyes should've been. "I...I'm fine."
"Oh, because I was asking you if you had a favorite book or author. You might want to take a few books to read in the evening?" Zena said as she waved her hand over the cavern of bookshelves that reached up to the high ceilings.
"I...I, um, I don't have a favorite book," Sana said, slipping her hand from Rhyel's arm and squeezing her hands together. "I've...never been to a library."
This was embarrassing. She didn't have a favorite book or know any authors because she wasn't allowed to read anything other than recipes and instruction manuals. She wasn't allowed to read for pleasure.
"Then I'm glad this is your first," Rhyel said and her heart thumped again as he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. "There are thousands of books for you to get lost in. The library is open for everyone to enjoy no matter their station."
"Really?" she said, daring to look up into his soft blue eyes.
"Mm-hm, would you like to find something to read?"
"No." She shook her head. "I wouldn't know where to start."
"That's kind of the beauty of the library," Rhyel said. "Sometimes I wander in here until I find something that grabs me."
"I...don't think we have time to wander, my Lord."
"Sure you do." Zena grinned. "And while you're doing that, I'm going to check on our lunch preparations."
Sana's heart clenched in panic. Zena was going to leave her alone with Rhyel? What would she say to him? She'd just embarrass herself with her lack of knowledge about books.
"Where are you having lunch? I'll bring Sana there once we finish here."
"It's being prepared in the conservatory, but don't rush," Zena said, bowing to them. "I'll see you both soon."
Sana gulped as Zena left them standing before the stone arched entrance of the library. There were a few people browsing the shelves and shooting a few curious glances their way.
"Are...are you sure you want to do this with me? I really don't want to waste your time, my Lord."
"Wandering around the library is never a waste of my time," he said as he guided her into the cavernous room of books. "And I'd like it if you called me by my name. There's no need for you to speak so formally to me. Can you do that?"
"Oh, okay. Yes, I-I can do that."
"Good," he said. "Now, what kinds of things do you usually read?"
"Um, just recipes and instruction manuals. Nothing very interesting."
"Mm, I see," Rhyel murmured and her heart sank.
If he hadn't realized it before, Rhyel was surely going to know she was an uncultured woman, undeserving of holding a title. Ladies of Houses were well read and most knew how to navigate a library, but she was completely out of her depth with everything in this castle.
"You might like to start with history," he said as they walked through the foyer of plush green couches and a few reading nooks tucked away in the corners.
"I'll show you where that section is, but if you come here on your own, you can ask the attendants to help you," he said, nodding to the woman standing behind a high oak desk with the signature Darcanos wolf painted on the stone wall above her.
Sana's eyes grew wide as she eyed the attendant with her long pointed brown ears and iridescent wings folded behind her. "She...she's fae."
"Yes. My family has always had close ties with the fae, but most of them live in colonies beyond the wall, except for a few families who live and work here in the castle."
"I didn't know that. Zena said the wall prevents anything living beyond it from coming into this realm."
"It does, but there are a few exceptions, like the fae."
"And the golems?" Sana whispered, sliding her hand over her throat.
Rhyel turned to her and shook his head. "Golems are creatures of the forests," he said with his blue eyes full of shame. "I'm sorry they attacked you. That won't happen again, I promise."
A blush tingled over Sana's cheeks as she looked down at the waxed floors. "You don't have to apologize."
"I do. You're my betrothed and the Lady of this House," he said, hooking his finger under her chin and tilting her face to his. "It's my duty to make sure no harm comes to you."
Her heart thumped and goosebumps prickled her skin at the tenderness swirling in his eyes. Did he truly mean that? No one had ever said anything like that to her before. No one had ever cared what happened to her. "Thank you."
"You don't need to thank me for that, but you're welcome," he said as his fingers slipped from her chin and her skin tingled where he touched her. "Would you like to meet the attendant on duty?"
Sana nodded. "I-I would, yes."
"Very well," he said, guiding her to the desk where the fae woman was diligently cataloging a stack of books.
She looked up at them brushing a few wisps of her long purple hair from her face and a bright smile graced her lips as joy radiated in her gray eyes. "My Lord, what brings you into the library at such an early hour?"
"I'm taking Lady Sana on a tour," he said, turning to Sana. "This is Maena. She's looked after the library since before I was born and can tell you anything you need to know about the books and where to find them."
"It is so lovely to meet you, my Lady," Maena said, bowing her head. "I hope you're settling in well."
"I am. Thank you and it's lovely to meet you as well."
"You are so sweet." Maena smiled. "I don't usually get to meet Lord Rhyel's betrothed. Are you looking for anything in particular today or just having a wander?"
"Lo- um, Rhyel was going to show me the history books, but I may come back to have a wander on my own."
"Well, I'm usually always here, but if I'm not, my husband, Teun, is usually tinkering around dusting the shelves if you need any help," Maena said, looking up at Rhyel. "But I'm sure you won't need any today since you can walk these halls with your eyes closed, my Lord."
"I can." Rhyel chuckled, and the baritone sound of it sent a warm tingle down Sana's spine. "I'll introduce you to Teun if we see him."
"Well, enjoy your time and I'm sure I'll see you around the castle, my Lady," Maena said, bowing to them again.
"Maena and Teun were my tutors when I was young. Besides my parents, they taught me everything I know about this realm and my ancestors. That's how I fell in love with the library and reading anything I could get my hands on."
A smile tugged at Sana's lips. "I never would've thought you'd be an avid reader. That's not how you're portrayed outside of the north."
"Mm, I know." Rhyel smirked. "I'm the cold and fearsome lord of the north who rules over my barbaric people with an iron fist, right?"
"Yes. I'm sorry if I offended you," Sana said, lowering her head. "That wasn't my intention."
"I'm not offended, Sana. I don't mind my reputation across the realm." Rhyel shrugged. "It keeps everyone safe from people wishing to exploit beings like the fae or covet the vast powers of the beings that live beyond the wall."
"Does that happen often?"
"It used to," he said, and his eyes took on a faraway look as if he were remembering something. "But that's not a conversation I should ruin your tour with." He cleared his throat. "Besides recipes and manuals, is there anything you might want to know more about?"
"Yes. Are there any books about Tsidian moths?"
"Mm-hm. There are many books about them. Are you curious about the one that came to you this morning?"
Sana's eyes grew wide. "Yes, but how did you know?"
"You're not the only one who rises before the sun," he said with a slight smile on his face as they walked down a long row of books. "I saw you on your balcony this morning and I was very surprised that you weren't afraid of your new friend."
"Oh, I...I used to care for butterflies with my mother and moths are no different."
"My mother used to have a butterfly sanctuary, too. She was from the southern House of Barshaa near the Kezrar sea and she brought her love of butterflies here to the north."
"I thought it would be too cold for butterflies up here," she said as Rhyel plucked a book from the shelf.
"It is, but my father built my mother a sanctuary that could sustain her butterflies," he said, handing her a black book with 'The Ancient Beings of Tsidia' written in silver lettering on the cover. "Would you like to see it?"
"Yes, I'd love to," she said, frowning at the book. "What is Tsidia?"
"Tsidia is what this realm used to be called and the great Houses are descendants of some beings in that book.
The Darcanos are descendents of Accalia, a great she-wolf born from the moon," he said, taking another book from the shelves.
"If that sort of thing interests you, you might like this book, too. "
"A history of the gifted?"
"Yes." He nodded. "That's required reading for the soldiers who don't possess any abilities."
Sana raised an eyebrow. "You allow soldiers without abilities in your ranks?"
"I certainly do. In this House, we don't discriminate against those without abilities and that book tells the story of where shifting and magic came from. That we all started without them and whether someone has gifts or not, doesn't mean they aren't worthy of pursuing the life they want."
Sana trailed her fingers over the cover of the book. That's why he didn't care about her lack of abilities, and she didn't have to fear anyone looking down on her because of it. That wasn't the way of life here.
"I had no idea. Thank—" Sana's heart clenched as her moth fell from her hair onto the books in her hands. His big black eyes were slowly closing while his white furry body shivered. "Oh no. What's wrong?"
"He needs some food and a good rest," Rhyel said, slipping his arm around her waist. "Come with me."
Sana was too concerned with her moth's labored breathing and graying fur to notice the way Rhyel held her close as he whisked her through the library, or notice the curious onlookers whispering about his unusual behavior as they passed.