Page 27 of Research with Rivals
Should I be concerned that he’d started the conversation with Evelyn instead of me? We were competing for the position of Vesten historian, after all.
At the thought of Evelyn, the uncomfortable twist in my chest was back. This insistent tug in her direction was becoming increasingly inconvenient. I’d felt her distance when she left theferry this morning. Felt every step that she put between herself and me as I stood on the boat.
What was going on? And why did she seem so unaffected?
Yes, I found her attractive. My wolf certainly liked her, but that didn’t warrant this type of behavior. She’d never done anything but express exasperation and general dislike of me.
I guessed that wasn’t true. She seemed to enjoy discussing theories with me, like I did with her. That glow she seemed to effuse as we solved a problem, the excitement just below the surface every time we agreed on a hypothesis, that wasn’t faked.
But now there was this contest. We were pitted against each other for a position my father had trained me for. Worse, she wanted it, too.
I sighed, having arrived outside of Gabriel’s office. My hand raised to knock before I could consider how silly my explanation might sound.
“Come in.”
Gabriel sat behind his desk. His hair was mussed, and his shirt was wrinkled. I wondered when he’d last left the library. He’d looked ragged for days. It made sense that he was working long hours, given that his beloved son required this information. Gabriel would do anything for him.
The head librarian peered up at me from behind whatever book he was reading. He must have asked something that I missed, as silence hung between us.
“Sorry, what did you say?” I asked, running my hand through my hair again.
He chuckled. “I know the feeling. My question was along the lines of, how can I help you, Mr. Yarrow?”
“Ah, right.” I was suddenly nervous, as if the whole trip had been the wrong decision. There was no way Gabriel would say no, right? I scratched the back of my neck as I found the words. “Lord Arctos thought we might gain some insights from readingone of Kenna’s journals in the restricted section. I wanted to make sure you knew.”
Gabriel’s smile was one of pity. “We?”
I swallowed, realizing my mistake. “Yes, me and Ms. Knowles.”
“And you think that the god of our court and the researcher you claim pushes every boundary waited for you to get approval before walking into the restricted section?”
His eyes twinkled with fondness, even though his smirk was slightly condescending. I knew I was being ridiculous; his pointing it out was unnecessary. But Father had paid a high price for not heeding his own warnings. The least I could do was keep them in mind in my research. The rules were there to protect us and those around us.
My justifications were weak, even to myself.
“Alright, then. You have my approval,” Gabriel said.
His response was so easy. It only made me feel more foolish. I turned to leave, ready to see how much I’d missed in the Great Room. They’d probably already read the entire journal and were on to some new part of the investigation.
Gabriel cleared his throat behind me. “Ambrose.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“I didn’t hire you because of who your father is.” He tapped his fingers on the desk as if unsure how to proceed. “Did you ever wonder why I approached you to research blood magic?”
The question was one I had almost asked a hundred times. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. Gabriel knew my father’s view on blood magic. He should have expected me to say no to his request immediately. Yet I hadn’t.
Gabriel didn’t wait for my answer. “You are our best historian. You know every date, and you understand the historical context of every era. Why not leave you to what you’re good at?”
“Did you think I’d say no?”
The small smile that crossed his lips was brief as he shook his head. “I hoped you wouldn’t. You are diligent, inquisitive, and make connections throughout history that others miss. I knew you’d apply the same skills to this new critical study, if you could get past … well, if you could get past what your father thinks about blood magic.”
The words washed over me, but it felt like a fire was crackling in my ears, stopping the words from truly soaking in. Father had always claimed he was the one who got me hired. He said his word still carried weight at the library. It sounded like Gabriel had hired me despite my father.
“Thank you for the opportunity, sir.”
With that, I hurried back to the Great Room. Evelyn stood next to the study carrel that I had claimed today. Even though I now knew where the chair for the desk across from hers was hidden, its location sent a clear message about whether I was welcome. I folded my arms over my chest as I approached.
