Blooming Stars

Chapter 11

I blinked, not quite believing my eyes. I was not on the ladder anymore. I wasn't even in the library. A room spread before me. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined one wall. These were protected in locked glass cabinets. I looked down at the open book in my hands as a magic circle faded away on the page.

The room was constructed with dark wood, a warm atmosphere. The chairs and couches were leather, their deep creases suggesting longtime use. An unlit fireplace was in the wall opposite the bookcases. But the most spectacular feature was the spiraling wood staircase. It curled upwards to a second floor; the railing was so intricately carved that I couldn't comprehend how any ordinary woodworker had crafted it. My mouth dropped open as my eyes followed it upward.

"How did you get in here?" said a voice behind me.

I jumped and yelped, almost dropping the book. I clutched it to my chest and turned to the speaker. I could've fallen to the floor after sighting his blond hair. How did we keep meeting like this?!

His eyebrows drew down when he realized it was me, seeming more confused than anything. I took in his beautiful uniform and how it flattered his athletic figure. I shifted my gaze to his face, ashamed at my own thoughts, but even his face had my mind going certain places. How did someone have such rich green eyes? ...Oh, green is my favorite color, isn't it?

He glanced at the book I held. He extended his hand, and I gave him the book. He flipped through the pages. "This book has been missing for several years. Where did you find it?"

I bowed my head in respect for him. "In the library, Your Highness. It was in the section on magic."

"Hm." He closed the book with a light slap. "All of the books in this room contain magic that will return them here if they are stolen, but someone has to open the book first. Whoever stole this never opened it."

"Um..."

"Yes?"

"Is this room restricted?"

"Yes, one needs permission from the emperor to enter."

"Who stole the book, then?"

"We don't know, but it was long ago and we don't care much now. Why were you in the library?"

It was strange. He didn't seem bothered that I was in a restricted space without permission. Knowing this, I was able to calm my heart a bit. "I was looking for information on Ghost Stars."

Now his eyebrows lifted. "Today I reviewed the library catalog." He turned to the shelves in the glass cabinets. "There is only one book that was written solely on Ghost Stars, and the imperial palace has it."

I gasped, my excitement building. But then I remembered something. "Your Highness...am I allowed to be in here? Should I leave?"

He walked to a sliding ladder near the bookcases and began to drag it along. "It's fine. I'm here, after all." When he had positioned the ladder where he wanted it, he took a ring of keys from his pocket, selected one, and then looked at me. He tilted his head toward the ladder.

Did he want me to use the ladder? "Um.... Can I do that?"

He nodded. "Take this one," he said, holding a key out from the ring.

I still didn't understand, but I became eager knowing that the book I'd been searching for was here. I took the keys from his hand, noting the large emerald ring he had on his middle finger, and how lovely and masculine his fingers were. They looked strong, and even his nails were clean and perfectly trimmed. It must be nice to be royalty and always look good.

When I glanced at him again, his green eyes shifted away from me and to the shelves again. Odd. Had he been looking at me, too? Did I look weird?

"It's safe," he said, but I didn't know why he said it. "It's just on the fifth shelf, not that high."

I began my ascent up the ladder. "But what does the book look like?"

"It's called—" The name he gave was from a foreign language I cannot repeat here. "The spine is all gold and the lettering is dark red."

I reached the fifth shelf and scanned the books until I saw it. It stood out starkly from the others. I unlocked the cabinet, opened it, and then pulled the book. After closing the cabinet, I began to descend again when he said, "You can drop it."

"Eh? Drop it? Won't that damage the book?"

"No."

He stared up at me blandly. He didn't even hold out his hands for it. But he was the crown prince, and if he said I could drop the book, then I could drop it. And I did.

The book hovered above the floor before it hit, encompassed in a gentle green glow. It floated to his hands. "You should be able to use both hands to go down the ladder now."

Oh. He was being considerate by putting my safety above the book's. My heart warmed at the thought.

When I reached the floor, he placed the book in my hands. The whole cover was gold, and I gazed at it in awe. But it was a very thin book. I was afraid to open it, however, as it felt like some kind of sacred object. What secrets would it reveal to us? My heart pounded. I went to say something to the prince when I noticed his startled expression. "Your Highness, are you all right?"

"Don't move."