A lady’s maid?
“My name is Ara,” I replied, momentarily stunned.
“I was told to bring you food as you have not eaten today,” she said meekly. “I was also ordered to give you this message from the king.”
She placed a small, folded note on the tray before turning to leave, dashing from the room as quickly as she entered. As she disappeared down the staircase, I rushed to the bed, picking up the parchment.
You are free to roam the castle as you please, butdo nottry to escape.
-Rogue
While I may be confined to this castle, I wasn’t confined to this room and that was enough. For now.
In a burst of courage, I pulled on my boots, grabbed the dagger, and slid it into my boot. Jogging to the door, I continued down the stairs two at a time before I lost my nerve and turned around. But once I reached the bottom, my feet stopped, unsure of where to go from here. I stared down the dimly lit hallway and decided to just go forward, following it to the opposite end where it opened into another elaborate archway, leading to a library.
My steps slowed as I entered and the smell of old books engulfed me. Tears pricked my eyes as I took it all in, the magnitude, the history, and an overwhelming sense of awe filled me. There were shelves upon shelves in every direction, several levels, and sliding ladders reaching all the way to the ceiling. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of books.
I strolled to the closest bookcase, examining the spines along the shelf at eye level with me. The entire row was full of thick books, heavy with dust and cracking leather, indicating age. Pulling one particularly thick one from the shelf, I flipped it open. Blowing the dust from the page, the title read:The Long and Thorough History of Healers.
Closing and replacing it on the shelf, I reached for another,Draigs and Their Wyverns of Old,when a raspy voice spoke behind me.
“Hi, can I help you?”
He was a tall, elderly man, slumped at the shoulders, with thick, white hair hanging down past his waist and pale gray eyes. As I met his stare, his lips parted and shock registered on his face.
He must realize I’m the human. My heart thundered in my chest and I tensed, prepared to reach for my dagger, but his expression relaxed, returning to one of curiosity.
“I see you’ve found the history section of the library. Do you like to read?” he asked genuinely with a smile.
I settled some, giving a quick nod.
“Well then, if I may make a suggestion…” He stepped over to the shelf, grazing the titles, and pulled out a large tome bound in black leather. “This is a full history of the past monarchs of Ravaryn. Being as you are in this kingdom now, it may be helpful, or at least interesting, to read about the royalty and customs.”
He handed me the book and took a step back. It dawned on me then that he was being careful to give me space. While his consideration surprised me, I was extremely grateful for it.
“Thank you… We do not have access to such works in Auryna,” I said, walking to a nearby table to take a seat.
“My name is Alden, by the way.” He ambled over with his hands clasped together in front of him. “I have been the librarian here since Rogue became king.”
I glanced up at him and his eyes were kind, wise. Trustworthy, I think.
“My name is Ara,” I replied.
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Ara.”
Chapter Eleven
Ara
Ispent the rest of the evening in the library strolling through the aisles and reading through the tome Alden gave me.
Because it was so large, I decided to start at the end and work my way forward. Opening the book with a thud, I flipped through the pages. The motion sent a cloud of dust into the air and I coughed, waving my hand. I leafed through the last few pages, noting Rogue’s most recent predecessors—Vaelor and Adrastus—and stopped on the last, and current, king of Ravaryn.
Under his name was a detailed sketch of Rogue’s upper half, including his wings. They were drawn in the same deep shade of red as his eyes. His hair was shorter here, black and curled, but his face was the same, unaged. The page was smooth as I ran a finger along the sketch. My finger slid over a wing and down to his neck where the thick scar should be but wasn’t.
Under the sketch, it read:
Rogue Draki