Page 132 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

The library is silent around me and seems empty, apart from the librarian who greets me at the main desk.

He shows me a stack of books waiting to be returned to the shelves, and I get to work. Many of the librarians and runners who help with this have some kind of gift that enables them to put books back onto the high shelves without needing the giantladders, but since I’m not that fortunate, I’m once more climbing up and down, this time with books in my arms.

My muscles are starting to protest, my movements much slower than earlier in the weapon’s chamber, and I dread tomorrow.

I’m on top of the ladder, stretching and leaning over to put a big leather book back when the world does a slow turn around me. I wobble and curse, tightening my hold on the rung of the ladder, my knuckles turning white.

I close my eyes and concentrate on holding on, breathing deep and slow until the world steadies again.

Missing lunch, the constant work, as well as a sleepless night, are starting to take their toll, it seems.

“Are you all right up there?” a voice asks, and I groan. Trust me to nearly faint and fall off a ladder when someone is around to witness it.

“Yeah, I’m great.” I keep my eyes closed, wishing whoever was down there would leave.

“Doesn’t look like it to me.”

“How do you know I’m not simply enjoying the air up here or the view?” I quip.

The man laughs. I open my eyes and find him looking up at me, his laugh infectious. I haven’t seen him before.

I slowly make my way down the ladder, letting my weight rest against it while I go, my legs still unsteady. A dragon will freeze solid before I ask this stranger for help.

A cool breeze on my back alerts me to the fact that my shirt is creeping up.I groan when I realize it got stuck on a nail poking out from the ladder. Grumbling, I try to free it one-handed. When that doesn’t work, I balance my weight against the ladder, trying to get it free.

One minute, I am up on the ladder trying to tug my shirt free; the next, I’m falling, blinded by a shirt that is now halfway overmy head. I brace for impact, but two hands grab my waist and stop my fall.

I tug my shirt down, my face hot, and look up at the stranger who kept me from face-planting and is currently doing his best to stifle his laughter.

“Thank you,” I mumble.

“Oh, I thank you. That was far more entertaining than all the shows they put on for us today.” He grins, flashing two dimples.

He has unruly dark blond hair and piercing blue eyes, and since he seems to be here with my brother, that is my cue to get going.

I shake my head at him, my cheeks still flaming.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but what man doesn’t enjoy an angel falling into his arms?” He sends me a wink. I roll my eyes at his cheesy line, making him laugh again.

“Not good?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Definitely room for improvement,” I state and laugh when he acts deeply wounded.

“How about I hang around and practice?” he asks.

I hear the pounding drum in the distance.

Damn, is it that late already?

I curse colorfully, making the man’s brows rise in astonishment. I grab the little cart the books have been on and shove the two books left on there into the next opening, not caring that it’s not where they belong.

My new acquaintance chuckles while watching me.

“Sorry, I’m late!” I toss over my shoulder, not waiting for an answer before I hurry back to the desk.

I race to my room, which is thankfully empty, and retrieve the dress from the bottom of my pack, the same one I wore on my trip to the tavern with Sloan. I pull my shirt over my head, loosen the wrap, and tug on the dress instead. The pantsstay since the dress is long enough to hide them, and it’ll make climbing more comfortable.

Within minutes, I’m out the window, thankfully catching a guard’s break right away. After scaling the fence, I take off in a run.

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