Page 14 of Destined for the Fae King

The door to the room opens, and we all turn. A guard holds it open as several fae enter carrying large platters of food.

“I’d guess that’s dinner.” Alexis shoves to her feet with a sigh. “I’m outta here.”

“Alex,” Grace calls after her, but she just stalks toward the door.

“We can just go?” Adeline asks, watching her leave.

Alex says something to the guard at the doors and walks out, her own personal guard separating from where she’d been leaning on the wall and hustling after her.

I shrug. “I guess so.”

And if she’s going, so am I. I’ve been grazing on the assortment of foods in the room all afternoon and have no appetite for anything else. Besides, I might go a little crazy if I have to sit here any longer. Conversation dried up an hour ago, and I didn’t think to bring a book in here with me like Adeline.

I stand and gather my notebook from the side table.

“You too?” Grace pouts. I do feel a little bad that we’re all abandoning her. Adeline has already gone back to her book. But if the king isn’t coming, nor anyone else, I’m wasting valuable time I could use for something else…if they’ll let me.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I say.

Tharin isn’t one of the guards hanging out in the room, but I’d wager he’s somewhere nearby, probably even more bored out of his mind than we are.

“Giving up on the king already?” Cora quips as I pass by her chair, not bothering to look up from where she idly paints hernails. I swear she’s been working on the damn things for over an hour.

I halt and turn to her, waiting until she finally bothers to look at me. When she does, I grin. “Hardly.”

I don’t wait for a response before striding to the door.

The guard doesn’t even stop me. Two others linger in the hall with Tharin.

“Lady Mira,” he says as I approach.

“Are we allowed to go other places in the palace?” I ask. “I was hoping someone could show me to the library.” Best not to make any assumptions. “If we’re allowed to go there, that is.”

Elaine might not have remembered much of anything about the competition she won due to that damnable effect Faery can have on human memory, but I’d bet it’s recorded somewhere, probably many somewheres. The fae keep excellent records, and I’ve heard the Court of Fire’s capital library is breathtaking.

The hint of a grin pulls at the corner of his mouth like I’ve said something funny. “Of course. And an excellent choice. I would have suggested that, had you asked.” He gives a sweeping gesture toward one end of the hall. “Right this way.”

The walk to the library passes quickly, a few turns, a long hallway, and then we’re there. Thank goodness for that, because everywhere we go, the fae we pass stare at me like I’m an A-list celebrity. I suppose I might be if I achieve my goal, but the feeling is still odd and uncomfortable, especially after a life of blending in as best as I could back in my world.

Tharin shows me into the library, and the sight that unfurls before me roots me in place just inside the threshold. It’s not just big. It’s huge. Bookshelves soar up entirely too high in a room that’s probably three stories tall. A balcony walk rings the room about halfway up the wall providing access to higher levels. Theyeven have those moveable ladders on rails. Fae lights float near the ceiling like giant firelights, illuminating the place in a pleasant, dim light, soothing yet bright enough to read by.

“Incredible.” I gape, turning a half circle to take it all in.

“It is quite lovely.”

I glance over and catch him smiling as he eyes the place, as if he’s seeing it in a new light.

“Is there a particular section you’re looking for?” he asks.

“I hoped to learn more about previous Choosings.” Though now that I’ve seen this place, I really want to see every inch of it.

“Ah.” His brows rise. “An apt subject. The head scholar has probably left by now.” He leans in as if to whisper a secret. “She prefers mornings.” He winks. “Though I think…” He trails off, glancing down some rows to my left. “I think you may find some helpful books over here.”

He leads me to a few rows into the heart of the library. Oddly, we only pass one other fae, but maybe that’s because it’s dinner time. We turn down a row of books, and Tharin stops near the middle.

“You might find what you’re looking for around here. The books spelled for humans are marked with this symbol.” He taps a finger on the spine of a book, right over a crimson diamond.

“Well, that’s helpful,” I say. And it will narrow things down quite a bit since only one in a handful appear to bear that mark, at least in this section.

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