23. Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“It is not that far of a stretch when I have enjoyed you for the last few months. You’ve lived life next to me as an equal in everything we’ve done.”
“There is no equality in the monster battles.”
“It’s getting pretty close. And if I want you as my queen, then the only one who will stop me is your will. Nothing or no one else will matter when it comes to the decision.”
I wiggle out of his hold. “How do you keep making me forget we have a curse to break?”
“That isn’t me.” He locks me between his knees, kissing up my arm.
“What is it then?”
“The curse gets heavier the longer it stays unbroken. It gains power and doesn’t want you to break it.”
“You’re saying it distracts us more and more, so we fall into a simple life together.”
“Precisely. Would a simple life be such a bad thing?” He kisses me like it’ll convince me life together will be perfect.
I pull away and hurry toward the bathroom. “It is when more than us are on the line.”
After dressing, I run from his room before he can make it across the room to stop me.
He doesn’t even shout for my return, so my focus goes to my quests.
If Zyon is right and the curse wants me to forget my goals, I need to get better at reminding myself of them more often.
The library is my first stop, where Gladia is sorting books on shelves.
Her hand flies to her chest, and she gasps. “Neera, dear, you startled me.”
“I apologize. That wasn’t my intent, and I only wanted to see if you had any luck with the necromancy book.”
“No, miss, I’m sorry. It is possible it was moved to the king’s private library.”
“Where is that?”
She looks over both her shoulders and leans forward. “It can’t be accessed. No one is allowed there.”
“Does anyone know where it is?”
She turns a little away from me. “I’ve been to it, but I could get into much trouble for telling you. It’s something I’d do if not that my son may then not have a mother.”
“No one would ever know from me that you told me.”
She pecks at the bookshelf a few times. “It’s in the secret wing. The one that isn’t a direction.”
“Where is that?”
“Between the north and the west there is a door painted with stars. Through there.”
“Thank you. I promise nothing will happen to you.”
She nods and gives the bookshelf another peck. “I need to quit doing that before I damage everything in here.”
“It’ll just give everything character.” I leave her to her work and go back to my room, just in case Maximo is watching and follows me to the star door. The less of a link between the library and the forbidden areas, the better.
Gladia’s fear gives me further doubt in Zyon, and I can’t even ask him about it because he won’t know himself. I put on a black dress and wrap my hair into a braided bun to make myself feel stealthier. Lastly, I search through my wardrobe and put on a cloak to match the rest of my outfit.
The map I borrowed from the library weeks ago gives me a probable location.
I walk normally until I spot the door of stars, and then I slide along the wall to stay buried in the enormous shadows cast by several random statues.
The door is locked, but the same slight tug as with the god hall tumbles in my gut.
Begrudgingly, I go all the way back to the room, put on my winter clothes, and fetch Aldric and Morvin from the apothecary building. The little mouse fits easily into my pocket.
Aldric hides inside my hood. “You’ve stayed away a long time. I thought something terrible happened because the winter is still going on. That means you wouldn’t have left to break the curse yet.”
“I ran into some complications and was under the weather for a couple of weeks.” I walk casually back to the star door and hide behind a statue to make sure the area stays empty.
“Oh dear! I wish I had known. I’d have cooked you some soup. My mother had a recipe that would have picked you right up.”
“You cook?”
“Yes, I should show you sometime,” he says.
“I’d love to try a meal from you.” Once no one passes by for several minutes, I return to the door and slip Morvin underneath it. The knob clicks, and I duck inside after taking one last look to be sure no one is watching. “Can you and Morvin make it back to the apothecary building okay?”
Aldric bows to let Morvin climb onto his head. “We can, but are you sure you don’t need our assistance further?”
“No, I’d rather you both be safe because I’m not sure what lies ahead.”
“That’s all the more reason for us to stay with you.”
I scoop the little bone bird up and give him a kiss on the beak. “Think of Morvin and get him home safe.”
“You’re right. Very well. We will see you later. Don’t get into any kind of trouble.” He jumps to the ground, and they both disappear along the edge of the wall.
I turn my attention back to my goal and lock the star door behind me. The walls are smooth, transparent, and conceal swirling colorful rocks as though the gems underneath are too fragile to be exposed to air.
The floors are a bright blue swirled together with grey, like potions in a cauldron that won’t quite mix.
Enormous statues like the ones in the god hall create a circle around a large white marble reading pedestal.
As I get closer, it becomes clear that the insides of the gods’ bodies are carved into dozens of bookshelves.