Page 45 of Saving Destiny

I’m smiling when I hop soundlessly from the pedestal. The leap is easy and my front legs absorb the shock of my landing while my wings provide balance. Once I’m on all four paws, I tuck my wings against my sides and ensure my talons are fully retracted to protect the ancient floor. Garrett and Avery don’t move until I do, although Kodi and Bren have gone on without me.

It takes me a second to realize that Avery’s steps are slower and more hesitant than usual. “Is something wrong?” I ask him quietly.

Avery frowns and the bond between us reveals his emotions. They could be mine, I realize, as I sense his vulnerability and disgust that he might present a burden. My empathy overflows and my side rubs against his thigh in a subconscious effort to give him comfort.

“I admit that this level confuses my eyes. The magical energy is so strong that it resembles physical boundaries or obstacles. I fear I might run into something,” he admits sheepishly.

Although we’re speaking quietly, the goblin has no difficulty hearing. He glances over his shoulder and past his wings, but I don’t sense judgment in his expression. “Allow me to offer some insight, Master Avery. There are five paces between each bookshelf, ten paces between the end of each shelf and its respective wall or balcony, and the shelves are each twenty paces long. Furthermore, the ambient magical energy should be a single color that isn’t apparent in anything else.”

Avery releases a breath I hadn’t known he was holding. “Ah. It’s the last that confused my senses. You have my gratitude, Master Fin.”

Although it would have been easier for the goblin to direct one of us to guide Avery, he provided the vampire with a way to navigate independently. It seems like such a simple courtesy, but I know how important the distinction can be. The coiled tension inside him eases, soothing the pressure in my chest at the same time.

“What color is the ambient magic?” This isn’t the first question I intended to ask, but it escapes in true filterless fashion.

Avery frowns like I’ve asked a question about organic chemistry rather than the color of something. “The protective magic is orange-yellow but somewhere in between that isn’t golden.” He pauses. “Are colors equally difficult for everyone to describe with words or is this a personal failing? The memories I have of colors are vague and could be entirely wrong.”

Garrett, who’s remained silent while he surveyed the floor, shakes his head and turns to Avery. “I have extreme difficulty describing colors, but I’m also color-blind. I can’t see certain colors at all and can’t tell the difference between a few similar shades.”

“You’re color-blind?” I echo with surprise. I learn something new about my guardians every day. In this way, they’re like books. Each page offers information and plot twists that can be pleasant or unpleasant.

“It’s actually very common in males, although not as common among shifters in their human forms,” Bren tells us from several paces ahead. He’s rocking back and forth in his purple and yellow socks as if eager to continue the tour. “His griffin sees every color, though, which is rare for shifters in animal form. Now come on,” he adds the last bit with impatience before turning away. Garrett’s gaze meets mine and we both smile at Bren’s antics. A shiver courses through me because the shared look seems to hold more intimacy than usual.

Avery regains his typical grace and purpose, so I shamelessly leave him with Garrett and bound toward the others. I’m amazed at the distance I can cover with four legs as opposed to my usual means of travel.

“Are there special rules for this level?” I ask the goblin when I reach the small group. Kodi cedes me his position, but he remains hovering above me as if he’s afraid to go too far. Bren brackets the other side of the goblin while the shifter and vampire follow us soundlessly.

Fin’s fluttering wings lower him to just above eye-level in my sphinx form. “Aye, there are rules ye must follow on this level that ye don’t on the others. Most of the books in the shelves closest to the stairs are accessible without any special precautions. Farther in, though, there’ll be older books that are more delicate. Ye won’t be able to touch them without gloves.”

Bren produces a pair of silk gloves from thin air, but I realize they’ve in his back pocket the entire time. If I hadn’t been preoccupied with flying, I might have looked more closely at his butt. “Like these?” he asks with a grin.

The goblin appears amused. “Aye, but ye needn’t carry them with ye, young one. If a book is restricted, you’ll know it when you try to take it off the shelf. The magic will resist ye and gloves will appear. After ye put them on, you’ll be able to remove the book.”

Bren nods, but he looks a little upset that his preparation was unnecessary. As if it has a mind of its own – which I’m beginning to believe – my tail extends through the space between us and gently strokes the back of Bren’s leg. He doesn’t appear startled by the random touch, and his cute smile makes me more appreciative of my tail’s flirtatious nature.

Fin continues speaking as if he doesn’t notice our interaction, but I doubt the goblin misses anything. “The library has decreed that only the librarian and her guardians are permitted on this floor.” The creature’s tone is serious enough that I return my full attention to his words. “It’s not historically been this way, but she’s laying down a new law considering the enemies we have. If any person or creature attempts to breach the magical barrier, they will experience excruciating pain and trigger an alarm. To all but the five of ye, this floor doesn’t exist. So powerful is the magic that protects it that no one will even believe the arcane level exists. The items we protect here hearken back to the first peoples, and it’s crucial that ye show them the proper reverence.”

I nod agreement and understanding to each of the goblin’s rules. Inwardly, I’m relieved that the floor will be closed to everyone but us; it makes my job easier. I already feel responsible for so much that the lessening of my duties is a gift.

As for reverence, I don’t think any of us need to fake it. The prickle of magic on my skin and the awed adrenaline warming my chest is the closest I’ve ever come to a spiritual experience. The bitter scent of powerful magic combines pleasantly with the odors of leather, parchment, ink, and ancient timber. The only sounds that accompany us are our breaths, the rustle of our clothing, and the occasional hum of Fin’s wings. We speak quietly even though there’s no reason for the silence.

“Earlier, you mentioned relics. Do you speak of books or does the library house more than books?” I ask with cautious curiosity. Part of me still struggles to believe I belong in this space. I’m afraid they’ll declare me a fraud and cast me out at any minute.

The goblin studies me with shrewd intelligence. “Aye, Librarian Zosia.” He places particular stress on the title and I drop my gaze. Did he read my thoughts just now? I don’t have time to wonder about it as Fin points beyond the next two bookcases where there appears to be no shelves. I can glimpse a glass case if I squint into the shadows. “We display some of them in the center of this floor – just there. Many are so precious that they require being encased in glass.” He looks at each of us sternly as he points toward the empty area. “Please don’t touch the glass. I despise cleaning fingerprints and you’ll trigger the spells that protect them.”

Kodi, who was about to fly over the bookshelves to inspect the cases, freezes in mid-air. He knows, as I somehow do, that these spells can harm him whether he’s alive or not. I’ve never had close or extended family, but I’ve read enough fiction to stereotype Fin as the gruff grandparent. On occasion, he might enjoy the company of his grandchildren, but he’s very particular about his stuff.

“Can I mentally access the books on this level like I can the ones on the lower floors?” I think I know the answer, but I still feel inclined to ask.

“You cannot, young librarian. Your mind is full enough already and many of these tomes contain mysteries and juxtapositions that would confuse ye more than aid ye.” His strange accent comes and goes. It's unnerving, but I’m starting to get used to it.

I nod to indicate that I heard him, but his reason isn’t the one I conjured and I’m not sure I understand his reasoning. The shelves we’ve passed so far contain works that vary widely in appearance. Some resemble modern, mass-marketed publications and others don’t even look like books. A few appear to be two scraps of animal hide connected by twine or other plant fibers, some are rolled parchment, and others look like bound pieces of thin wood. Only magic has prevented some of them from rotting into dust.

Although it’s slightly disgusting to think about the production of the books bound in real leather, the smell of them is more natural and welcoming than the lower floors’ contents. This seems to be the norm for the first major publications, and they feel more magical – even if their topics are decidedly non-magical, such as aqueduct design.

I could spend days wandering these shelves despite the lack of cozy nooks that invite readers. I only spot one or two chairs and they don’t look particularly inviting. However, the magical security cloaks the entire floor in a mantle of peace and quiet that feels relaxing.

The tall bookshelves part to reveal the area I’d glimpsed before. The empty space boasts several glass cases positioned at even intervals like a museum. I peer into the closest one without touching it and see several stone tablets that might hearken from a time before homo sapiens dominated the landscape.

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