A Guardian's Fate (Book #2)

Chapter Fifty

At dinner, Udolf had mentioned there was a library near his bedchamber.

"It is not as enormous or beautiful as the one in your home, but it is dear to me," he had said.

Elouise rolled her eyes now as she thought back to that conversation. She stood at the bottom of the dark staircase, figuring some reading would keep her mind cleared while she waited for Henry's return. 

However, going up there felt like walking right into a trap.

"Sorry I'm late!" Ivy called from behind.

Elouise smiled over at her. Fortunately, she wouldn't be alone.

"Do you think Udolf will allow me to borrow some of his books?" asked Ivy, hooking her arm through Elouise's as they started walking up the stairs.

"Perhaps," Elouise simply replied. Although Udolf had been behaving like an ideal gentleman the entire day, she couldn't even imagine him being decent enough to let Ivy borrow books.

Great Holy Deity. She needed to remain calm. For all she knew, Udolf was actually innocent. If Henry could see good in Haven, why couldn't she find any good in Udolf?

At the top of the staircase, they were greeted by a set of wooden double doors with an iron latch. Ivy pointed to them and raised an eyebrow at Elouise.

"You don't think that's his bedchamber, do you?"

Elouise widened her eyes. "I do now. There is even a padlock." She nodded toward the item in question.

Ivy looked forward at the doors again. Elouise watched her features slowly scrunch up. She made no further comment, though.

"Udolf explained that the library would be a few doors down to the right," Elouise told her, gently nudging her in that direction.

Ivy led the way and opened the door. She poked her head in first and let out a quiet yet intrigued gasp. Then she released Elouise's arm and scurried inside. Elouise eagerly followed suit and halted in her tracks as she took in the view.

Shelves had been created within the walls and filled—corner to corner—with books of every color and size. There were only a few spaces in-between the shelves for candles hanging on the walls and the wide window across from the door, which provided the only source of light as evening was slowly shifting to night.

Ivy was drawn to the shelves next to the door. While she picked out a few books, Elouise carefully wandered through the room, examining every little detail in plain sight: the dried flowers sticking out from some books as if used for placeholders, the drawings of ladybugs painted onto the spaces surrounding the candles, and the row on a middle shelf that'd been stacked with leather folders.

Elouise peered over her shoulder. Ivy already appeared indulged in a particular book, too distracted to notice anything else around her. Elouise faced forward again and quickly picked out one of the folders. Inside, she found documents dated decades ago and signed by Udolf's parents. Nothing quite fascinating about any of them—merely laws that were passed by them which were of typical nature.

She put that folder away and picked out a second one.

This was one lighter in weight and contained only one document—the treaty created by her father that Udolf had agreed to months ago.

Elouise glossed over the words. She hadn't been informed what exactly they had agreed upon. Reading it now, she wasn't very impressed that her father promised to assist the Interlopers with grain and cotton in exchange for Udolf's promise to keep his people from stirring trouble. She scoffed and shook her head. No wonder Udolf had easily signed this. He must had taken her father for a fool.