Page 42 of Tempest Awakening

Pippa laughed, a tinkling sound. "Told you! Now, I’m sure this Oral History project is the cat’s meow and all that, but I want to know more about these rumors I’ve been hearing…”

I paused mid-chew, my fork hovering in the air. "Rumors? What rumors?"

Pippa's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, you know, just a little birdie telling me that a certain new librarian has been spending quite a bit of time with some rather interesting characters."

I swallowed hard, feeling heat creep up my neck. "I'm not sure I follow," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Well," Pippa leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "word around the library is that you've been working closely with a rather handsome fae gentleman on a special project."

My cheeks burned. "You mean Kane? We're just working on the Oral History project together. It's purely professional." Even as I said it, I knew my flushed face was betraying me.

"Mhm," Pippa hummed, clearly not buying it. "And then there's our enormous and famously reticent gargoyle. I hear you two have been spending quite a bit of time together as well."

"Mason?" I squeaked, my voice an octave higher than usual. I hadn't realized anyone had noticed our interactions. "We're just... friends."

Pippa's grin widened. "Oh honey, your face is redder than a dragon's scales. You're not fooling anyone."

I buried my face in my hands. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to someone with eyes," Pippa teased. "So, which one has stolen your heart? The dashing fae or the brooding gargoyle?"

How was I supposed to answer that? The past couple weeks flashed through my mind.

Kane. Every time we worked together on the Oral History project, I felt... alive. His blue-violet eyes sparked with intelligence, challenging me to think deeper, to question everything. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once. He made me feel like my ideas mattered, like I wasn't just the token human in a magical world.

But then there was Mason. My old friend, now this protective presence in my new life. We’d had lunch a few times together in the dining hall.

Being around him felt safe, comfortable, but also... different from before. I couldn't help noticing how his muscles moved under his dark skin when he reached for a book on a high shelf.Or the way his eyes softened when he looked at me, like he was seeing more than just his childhood friend.

How could I choose? The intellectual spark with Kane made my mind race, while Mason's steady presence grounded me when everything else felt chaotic.

I remembered how my heart skipped when Kane's hand brushed mine. And the warmth that spread through me when Mason stood nearby, silently shielding me from those who thought humans didn't belong here.

"I... it's not... they're both just..." I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Pippa's eyebrows shot up. "Both? Oh my, you are in trouble, aren't you? And here I thought you were just being friendly with Mason. There's clearly more to that story."

I groaned, slumping in my seat. "Mason and I... we actually knew each other as kids. We hadn't seen each other in 20 years until I started working here."

"Well, well," Pippa said, her voice filled with glee. "The plot thickens! Childhood friends reunited? That's practically the start of a romance novel right there."

I shook my head vigorously. "No, no, you've got it all wrong. They're not interested in me like that. I'm just... me. Nothing special."

Pippa's eyebrows furrowed. "Now, that's not the impression I've gotten at all."

"That can't be right," I insisted, my voice small. "I mean, why would they be? I'm just a regular librarian. Nothing exciting or remarkable about me."

"Oh, honey," Pippa said, her voice softening. "Is that really how you see yourself? Because let me tell you, that's not what anyone else sees."

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "I guess I'm not used to thinking of myself that way. My family always made it clear that I was the unremarkable one. 'Bookish Tess,' they'd say, 'always with her head in the clouds.'"

Pippa reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Well, forget all that. You're in the Supe world now, and clearly, you've caught the eye of not one, but two very eligible bachelors. Your family's opinion doesn't define you."

Despite my discomfort, I couldn't help but chuckle. "You make it sound like I'm building my own harem or something."

Pippa's eyes lit up. "Ooh, now there's an idea. Tess and her magical menagerie of lovers."

"Pippa!" I exclaimed, feeling the blush creep back into my cheeks. "Don't even joke about that."

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