Page 87 of Shrine of Fire

He wasn’t looking at Stefan like he was going to jump him, which only made me more irritated. Stefan was gorgeous. If another omega was gonna make eyes at the alphas in the pack, Stefan was as alluring as Hashir.

Vicente led us to a small sitting room, covered in wall-to-wall bookshelves.

“Nikki is gonna be so jealous,” Stefan grinned.

“He is,” I smiled back, and put my hand in his. There were several lounges but no big couch where we could all sit together.

I paused, trying to decide who I needed next to me the most, but failing. Hashir for sure, but Aki’s shoulders were tight, and he was doing the sexy prowling thing because we were in a strange place. Cuan kept laughing and talking and it made me want to sit in his lap and do sexy things to him. Kalahar seemed much more relaxed here, and Vicente kept stealing glances.

Vicente looked at me, and his cheeks grew red again. He took the chair furthest away from me and clasped his hands together.

Damn it, I was being unreasonable. I let out my breath and sat in one of the lounges. “Have you been a Librarian long?”

Hashir slid in next to me, and Stefan took the other side. Kalahar, Aki, and Cuan arranged themselves on another chaise. Some of my frayed nerves settled.

“Most of my life.” He swallowed hard, his gaze dragging over to Hashir again before he looked to the Duke. “Was there a certain subject you wanted to research?”

“Spirits,” I said, trying to give the other omega a smile. “We wanted to see the Spirit Oasis ourselves and research past spirits before the Shrines went up.”

Vicente blinked, the hazy expression he’d worn up until this point dissolving as he snapped to attention. “Because you fought the Faceless One? You think it might be a problem?”

He was quick. He was going to make someone a great omega. “Exactly.” This time I didn’t struggle to smile. “Spirit magic is slowly coming back to the world, and we want to be prepared.”

“I’ve noticed the increase in spirit magic.” Vicente shifted in his seat, and Aki frowned at him, looking thoughtful.

“Anything you have on ancient spirits would be helpful.” Kalahar looked at Vicente, and even I thought it looked like he could see right through the omega. “Better yet, show us to that section in the library.”

“I can do that.” Vicente stood up stiffly and gestured for us to follow him.

Down a long winding hallway, and a few flights of stairs, we came into a giant library. It opened into the mountain, with a huge dome above us depicting a swirl of humans and spirits alike. Every inch held books, and the musty-sweet scent made my heartbeat slow. There were three levels you could access with ladders and polished stone staircases.

Vicente walked confidently to the far side of the massive room, near a small alcove. “Spirit Lore is over here.”

He gestured at stacks and stacks of books.

I sighed. “It’s gonna take forever.”

“Somewhere to be, pet?” Hashir kissed my temple.

I almost told him in my bed, with him knot deep. My pussy walls fluttered against nothing, and I shook my head instead.

“Perhaps the Spirit Oasis will settle your nerves?” Duke Antu looked thoughtful. “Vicente can show you the way, and I’ll stay here with Maruis. To give you space.”

“That would be perfect.” I looked at the librarian. He shifted, his shoulders tense. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” He gave me a brief smile.

We were back to following him down hallways. I tried to relax, wishing I could sense the spirit magic flowing around me. Kalahar and Cuan had already perked up, their shoulders straighter, their gait easier.

“How long have you been at the Oasis?” Kalahar asked. He looked like a regular human, but occasionally I caught a yellow-orange flash in his eyes.

A memory flashed into my mind of him grinding up into me this morning as I cried out, and my core clenched again. A sweat broke out over my face, more from my internal body temperature than the heat of the jungle. One more day, and we could go back to our suites, and I could have a nest.

“Most of my life.” Vicente gestured around the beautiful carved stone walls. “I came to apprentice as an archivist when I was ten.”

“Is that common?” Stefan frowned. “I thought the Archivists didn’t start their internships until they were fifteen?”

I tried to follow what they were talking about but kept getting distracted by the sight of Cuan’s butt. He was so big and tall, and it was right there in front of me. I bit my lip.

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