Queen Regnant ( Ace of Queens #3)

Ch.13 Standing ovation

"I'm going to the palace library," Mavi held up her hand with the ring.

"I'm coming with you," Owen said immediately.

"No," Mavi's voice came out a little louder than she had intended. Owen froze and looked at her. "I can do it on my own."

"I don't doubt it," Owen said. "But two heads are always better than one."

Mavi thought about what he was saying. The palace library was huge, it would take her hours on her own to look through all the books.

"Fine," Mavi nodded. She tried to tell herself she had agreed solely because he would be there to help and not because her heart was aching to be with him alone.

As Owen stepped out of his room, Mavi opened the portal by turning the ring on her finger. They each took a deep breath as they stepped through the portal together.

On the other side, the library was dark. The only source of light was the fire burning in the fireplace. Mavi looked around and felt a sense of comfort knowing she was back home. But she also knew she couldn't let anyone see her. They would all ask too many questions.

"Make sure you stay quiet," Mavi told Owen. "I don't want anyone knowing I'm here."

Owen nodded, "Alright."

Mavi pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight, Owen did the same. With quiet steps, they moved to the back of the library and began to search the shelves. There was hardly anything about Hestia or Libelle. Owen, by some luck, had found one book on dragons. He went back to the shelf in hopes of maybe finding something else on shapeshifters.

Just then, Owen heard the door to the library open. He ducked behind a shelf and turned his phone off. His eyes landed on Mavi and he dashed towards her in silence.

When he wrapped his arm around her waist, her lips parted in a gasp, but Owen's free hand fell over her lips covering her mouth.

Mavi's eyes widened as Owen spun her around in his arm and moved her into a corner of the library. He motioned towards the door of the library.

Someone's here, he mindlinked her.

He felt Mavi still in his arms. They both stood quiet as statues as the footsteps grew closer and closer. Mavi's hands gripped the fabric of Owen's shirt as she stood pressed against his body in the tiny space. From the corner of her eyes, she spotted Mardick through the books on the opposite side of the bookshelf. She prayed to god, the old man wouldn't turn his head.

Mardick looked around at the empty library before bending down to feed the fire one more log. Mavi and Owen waited patiently as the old man picked out a book from one of the shelves and read the back.

Please tell me he's not going to be reading in here, Owen prayed through the mind-link.

Mavi's thoughts mirrored his. But to their luck, Mardick tucked the book under his arm and slipped out of the library.

Both Owen and Mavi sighed. Owen removed his hand from over Mavi's lips and apologized.

"Sorry about that," he said.

Mavi could tell she was blushing in the dark, "It's fine."

"I think we should head back," Owen said and Mavi nodded.

Even though Owen had removed his hand from her face, they were still pressed against each other between the bookshelves. Owen's eyes dropped to Mavi's lips for the briefest second and her heart picked up it's pace.

It had been so quick, the rational side of Mavi's brain tried to convince her she had imagined it.

When they portaled back, Owen handed Mavi the book he had found and disappeared into his room. Mavi stood in the halls staring after him. After a few seconds, she convinced herself it wasn't a good idea to fake needing his help and making him read with her. She sighed and went back to her room.