Page 52 of Heir to His Court

“But come!” He straightened. “I will escort you to the library to retrieve your books, and we will discuss your thoughts on your education while we walk. I'm assuming your study has been unorthodox, and perhaps intermittent, so far?”

“How did you know?” I asked wryly as he came around the desk. Lavendre opened the door, gesturing for us to proceed.

Alawarre made a humming noise. “You wouldn't be the first Lord of a House who set aside the pursuit of a formal higher education in order to deal with House matters.”

House matters. How delicately he reframed a centuries long blood feud.

“In fact,” he added as we strolled through the hall, “it's more the norm than the exception. And a good sign, I think? That you now have the leisure to pursue such things?”

His tact amused me. “Yes. A good sign.”

We left the main hall and entered a narrower version behind a door labeled faculty only.

“Where does this lead?” Lavendre asked.

The Dean glanced at her. “It's a shortcut to the alumni and faculty library. I assure you, warrior, your Lord is safe.”

“Lady,” I corrected. “I am not a Lord.”

As Heir Presumptive of the House I could be called Lord by those who wanted to toady, but only Danon could invest me Lord of Faronne and I'd been a teen at the time of his capture. Teenagers were not given formal rank. Lady was a courtesy title within my human father's purview as House Regent to bestow, which he had.

Alawarre lifted his narrow shoulders slowly. “You'll have Ninephene and Avallonnian political history—considered rather esoteric, so exciting—and a course of study on Courts of the Dark Fae. Everenne's peoples are mostly descended from the former two, but you may always pursue. . .”

I listened as he chattered, Lavendre and I exchanging a look.

“House Faronne has its library, I expect,” he continued, “but High Lord Embriel specialized in acquiring texts written by sources considered neutral to the influence of Court politics.”

We followed the Dean into the library. I noted rows of long tables with no obvious seating arrangement, a few cluttered desks which I assumed belonged to the librarians and their aides, and rows and rows and rows of bookshelves. The bookshelves soared to the ceiling, rolling staircases posted at intervals. The walls were naked stone, light streaming in from stained glass windows set high above and warming the rich cherry wood floors.

I thought the Dean would stop, but he continued guiding us through the library, ignoring the quiet attention we received, and into a smaller antechamber.

It couldn't be more than twelve feet, a windowless square smothered in more bookshelves. Some of the shelves held artifacts and tools, boxes containing what I assume would be documents and other items. A sturdy table sat in the center with only three chairs though it could easily sit six.

Right. If they hadn't taken the extra chairs out during the last five years, whoever had studied in this room hadn't appreciated company any more than I did when closeted in my office.

Alawarre plucked gloves off a shelf and put them on, then lifted a locked wooden box and brought it to the table. And then another. And then another.

He glanced up and paused at the look on my face. “Ah. . .perhaps this is enough for now. I'm getting ahead of myself.”

“Are those full of books?” I asked.

“Books, notebooks, various implements,” was the vague reply.

“Of destruction,” I added under my breath. His eyebrows rose into his forehead. “These are the boxes Embriel left for me?”

He gave the room a cursory glance. “All of the contents of this room are yours, Lady.”

I stared at him.

The corner of the Dean’s mouth twitched, a hint of malice in his eyes—but it was purely a teacher enjoying the dismay of a student who'd been hoping for a book, maybe two, and to go about their merry way.

“All of the contents,” I said slowly. “The Prince will allow this?” I could do this. I would do this.

Alawarre's expression was neutral now. “I believe you would know that better than I, Lady.”

I nodded, gesturing.

He opened a box and reached in then sat a cloth wrapped bundle on the table and drew aside the velvet. Three leather bound tomes were revealed, the spines as thick as my index finger. He set a third, smaller and slimmer volume on top.

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