Page 108 of A Deal with the Shadow King

I feel lighter than air as I make my way to the library.

The hole in the stained glass has been magically mended, and rain beats hard on the windows, a bolt of lightning streaking through the sky. The strong winds clearly managed to send half the books flying from the shelves before the sprites could fix the window, and puddles of water shine across the glossy floors.

Lori is sifting through a series of wet books on the third floor, sitting with her legs crossed in the middle of the puddle closest to the previously broken window.

She sighs as I draw near, pinching a spine between her index finger and thumb. Water drips to the ground as she lifts it up. “The damn spiders derailed the spell that protects the stacks. Some of these books have no known copies. They’re invaluable.”

She lays her palm flat against the cover of the leather-bound volume to dry it, but I can tell by the tired frown on her face that she’s exhausted.

“Here. Let me help.” I kneel beside her and pick up another damaged book. “Talk me through the process.”

She slides the book she just dried into its rightful spot. “It’s easier than healing flesh. You’ll be fine.”

I flatten my palm to the cover of a leather-bound volume about Demeter and push a hint of magic forward. The moisture dries up in an instant, the water sucked right from the pages, and my skin itches with heat. While drying books is easy, it does take quite a bit of energy to do it.

“How many of these have you done?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” She shrugs, her gray gaze empty as she prepares to fix yet another book. “A couple hundred so far?”

I rest both of my hands on her shoulders. “Alright. Time for a break.” I lead her down the stairs to the librarian’s desk, and the docile way she follows my instruction tells me exactly how tired she is.

“You’re all wet and cold. You need a hot shower and some food. I’ll take over for a while.”

Shivers rock her slender body. “Thank you. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

I know better than to scold her for being so hard on herself. Two of her friends just died, and even if I didn’t know Mitch or Fiona for a long time, I grieve their loss, too. “I’m so sorry about Mitchell and Fiona.”

She screws her lids shut and shakes her head. “We trained together—I just… Sometimes, I feel like we’re all going to die.” She cries in my arms for about a minute before drying her tears with her hoodie’s sleeve. “I’ll take a quick shower and come straight back. If you hear anything—and I mean anything—hurry inside the tunnels, okay?”

“I will,” I promise.

After she’s gone, I take stock of the damage. If magic didn’t exist, most of these incredible tomes would be ruined. I dry and inventory the books that fell from the top floors and line them neatly on the desk after I’m done.

I work in silence for about fifteen minutes until a freakishly warm breeze caresses my cheeks, and I turn back toward the main entrance. A minute ago, a wooden beam held the thick double doors shut, so the low creak of the hinges quickens my pulse.

“Who’s there?” I call out, spooked.

An uneven wind blows forward, fanning the pages of the books laying on the table. Instead of a spider, a beautiful man appears, his bare feet not touching the ground. He looks lighter than air and ready to step off a cloud, but he finally lands and finds his footing on the checkered floors.

“Hey there.” He buries his hands in his elegant jacket’s pockets and stares up at the chandelier above Lori’s desk. “Nice digs.”

I hold my breath.

Heavy rain seeps through the cracks left over by the intruder. He’s got short dark hair, and his light brown skin is perfectly smooth. A clear purple gaze meets mine and turns my brain to mush. An array of silver earrings shines along the curve of his pointy ears, and his embroidered black and gray ensemble makes him look fresh out of a fairytale.

I’ve never seen a high-born Fae without a mask—besides One. The way this man flaunts his hauntingly beautiful eyes for everyone to see feels scandalous.

“Who are you, darling?” He leers at my long blonde mane the way a wealthy lord examines the show horses at an auction, and my spine stiffens.

“I—I’m Nell.” I want to walk away, but I offer him my hand to kiss instead, and I have to chew on my bottom lip hard not to blurt out my whole name.

“I’m looking for Damian, Nell. Can you help me?” He tilts his head to the side and ghosts his full, sensual lips over my knuckles, and a zap of electricity travels from my hand to my belly.

This creepily handsome Fae is lurking around the castle, looking for Damian like the Shadow King is as accessible as any man. What the crops?

“Hey!” Lori dashes over to us, no longer wearing her uniform, but her hoodie and jeans. “You’re not allowed here.” She shoots me an alarmed glance over her shoulder, keeping most of her focus on the stranger. “Put on your mask, Nell. Quickly.”

She pries her own mask out of the big pouch at the front of her hoodie. I retrieve mine from my bag, and we both secure the accessory over our awestruck faces in unison. With the mask on, the stranger doesn’t look quite as enticing as before. He’s still gorgeous, but I no longer want to give away all my secrets and obey his every whim.

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