FOR A MOMENT, air was stripped from Ravenna's lungs and she could feel her cheeks began to burn bright red. She was not expecting to run into Mylo.
Especially not in her nightgown.
Mylo arched an eyebrow at her. His gaze flickered downward, taking in her flowing white dress. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shuffled closer to his table, hesitant to join him. "What are you doing awake?" he asked her.
"I have trouble sleeping," she answered quietly. Her fingers curled around the back of the chair across from him. "May I?" she asked.
He nodded and gestured for her to sit. His expression filled with curiosity as she slid into the chair. "Do you always have trouble sleeping?"
She nodded. "I have nightmares," she told him. Terrifying nightmares. Nightmares that may cause harm to others. But she couldn't tell him that.
"I see," he murmured. He paused for a moment, his eyes piercing through her. "What exactly are your intentions?"
The question was vague, and it made her stomach tighten with knots. She mulled over her words before she spoke.
"I wish to learn more about the royal family," she told him, her words laced with honesty. "I want to know more about the history of this kingdom. I come from a small town, on the outskirts, and I was not taught much."
He hesitated.
Her answer wasn't the one that he'd been hoping to hear. It was obvious in his guarded expression. She now knew that he had meant her intentions at the palace, with his best friend, the crown prince.
She wasn't prepared to answer that particular question yet, however.
"I came here to find reading material," she continued. "I am hoping to find a book that goes into detail about the royal family in particular. I don't currently know much and I want to research as much as possible."
Mylo heaved a quiet sigh. "Follow me," he said. He placed a light lilac ribbon in between the pages of the book he'd been reading and then closed it shut. His chair slid back and he stood, his movements too graceful for a mere human to make in the wee hours of morning. Ravenna followed him through the maze of bookshelves that surrounded them. Her gaze scanned over the multicolored book spines that faced her, curious.
Mylo lead her toward what she assumed was the back of the library. Dust coated each shelf that they passed. The leather bound books and scrolls were situated more haphazardly on the shelves. The further back that they went, the more Ravenna developed the urge to sneeze. She could even see dust particles floating on the air, pirouetting against the gentle witch light that illuminated the room.
He slowed to a stop, his gaze focused on the books in front of him. She scanned over the leather spines as well, curious. None of the books looked familiar to her. Mylo bent down, his finger tracing over the edge of the shelf until it stopped in front of a small book. He pulled it out and stood, handing it to Ravenna.
She held it carefully in her hands. It was almost as small as Caelan's spellbook. Intricate engravings covered the leather binding, creating elegant filigree patterns. She opened it, revealing cracked paper that was yellow with age. There was no markings, no indication if a title or identifier for this book.
Ravenna arched an eyebrow at him. "What is this?" she asked.
He chuckled at her. "It is what you are looking for."
She thumbed through some of the pages. There was a single, blank page at the very beginning. After that, every single page overflowed with words, all written in the smallest script Ravenna had ever seen. She blinked in surprise and then squinted at the pages. "How am I supposed to read this?" she asked.
"I look forward to seeing how you resolve that issue," Mylo stated. He started to walk again and she followed him.
Her lips pressed into a tight line. Instinctively, she thought to use magic. There was most definitely a spell that could help her read the small words. A spell wouldn't work in front of Mylo though, especially not within the walls of the castle. She didn't want to reveal her abilities just yet. Not until after she took control of the crown.
She needed a new idea, something else that would allow her to read.
As she followed Mylo back to his table, her gaze scanned over the shelves surrounding them. Several people walked around, their arms filled with books. They wore the sleek, white and gold tunics of the castle staff.
She approached one, a young woman with light hair and dark eyes. The young woman lowered her books to a nearby table and focused her full attention on Ravenna. "How can I assist you, my lady?"
"I would like to read this," Ravenna told her. She opened the book in her hands and pointed to the words. "Can you help me?"
Confusion flickered across the young woman's face. She extended her hands and Ravenna passed her the book. The staff member held the book closer to her face, struggling the read the words. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of smoothed glass.
She held the glass to the page and then began to read, aloud, "The complete history of the kingdom of Kahl..."
Ravenna smiled and reached for the book, "I appreciate your help, but you don't have to read it to me. Can I borrow that thing in your hands?"
The young woman passed the book and the piece of glass to Ravenna. "Of course. Can I assist you with anything else, my lady?"
"No, thank you," Ravenna told her. She held the piece of glass in her hands. It was warped, its edges smooth to the touch. She made her way over to where Mylo was sitting, his book open in front of him again.
She hesitated as she neared the table. He glanced up from his book, an eyebrow arched. "Thank you for helping me," she told him earnestly. She hugged her small book to her chest, her gaze dropping to the empty seat across from him. "I really appreciate it."
A moment of silence passed between them. Mylo stared at her, his dark eyes filled with emotions that she couldn't decipher. Then his eyes dropped back down to the open pages in front of him.
"You are more than welcome to join me," he said. "That way you don't have to track me down if you come across a confusing passage or have questions."
A smile tugged at Ravenna's lips. Her heart fluttered an extra beat. She slid into the seat across from him and opened her book.
And so they read, all through the night, until sunlight illuminated the world around them.
~
Hello friends!
Surprise, surprise! Things are still a little scary in the world so I wanted to upload an extra chapter of Ice this week. There isn't much that I can do but hopefully this will help cure some boredom!
My goals for this week are to spend some time attempting to revive an old story-idea of mine as well. If all goes according to my plan, it should be available on Patreon this weekend and on Wattpad next Wednesday! I am also going to try to record a video for YouTube this week. I do a little bit of everything on my channel, literally ranging from writing advice, gaming, to makeup and challenges. If there is anything in particular that you'd like to see, let me know!
I love you all and hope that you are safe, healthy, and happy! ❤
ash ❤
p.s. I'm sorry I don't have my little "note" graphic in this chapter! I am still transferring files to my new laptop and I wanted to go ahead and post this!