Iwoke up earlier today, eager to revisit the library and our research. I don’t wait for Claudia, and instead grab another bright dress and braid my hair myself on the walk to the library.
When I reach the back table in the library, I find that it’s empty. Yesterday, Callum had mentioned that he sparred in the morning with Ginna, so I assume that’s where he is today.
I use the time alone to roam around the shelves of books, my fingers brushing the spines as I peruse. I had a few books as a child that I cherished, and some in the camp that I’d taken from others after they were left behind. Reading helped to ease some of the loneliness that would gnaw its way through me, diving into the pages to find myself in another world. Already the creeping sense of isolation tingles throughout my body, threatening to overwhelm my senses as only my footsteps echo in this large space.
My mind returns to the conversation I had with Callum last night. How he’d admitted he had been in love. It was clear that was a topic he did not want to talk about, and I didn’t press him, but as I grab a book and head to my seat by the window, I’m wishing I did.
What must it feel like to have that strong of a bond with someone? Sure, I had flings with some of the men passing through the camp, but that was mainly a quick form of comfort for me. I never grew attached to anyone in the camps after Sage, knowing the hard lesson that everyone was temporary. I barely felt anything for Soren, either. Our rendezvous were impersonal at best, but those were still the only times I’d felt a semblance of relief and wasn’t as alone. Until I woke up by myself, as usual.
To be in love must be completely different entirely. Something I’d only read about in books and dreamed I’d be able to find it myself one day.
I like Callum, and I hope that we become friendly enough that he might be able to share his past with me, if only so I can live vicariously through his past relationship. Then I could understand what being in love would feel like. If I could ever find it myself.
“Elia?” A voice I don’t recognize takes me out of my thoughts.
My eyes flitter in the direction of the voice, only to find a man with unkempt, coppery red hair. His face is covered with hundreds of freckles and he’s flashing a huge grin.
“I’m Hanson. Callum told me you’d be here. He’s finishing up for the morning but he and Ginna will be here momentarily.” He hands me a steaming cup, and I perk up immediately at the scent of the coffee. “Callum also said you would want this.”
I take a sip and try not to moan. I truly have not experienced anything as wonderful tasting as a proper coffee. “Callum would be right.”
“I usually am.” Ginna snorts as she and Callum join us, taking seats at the table.
“I can recallat leastseveral times when that was not the case,” Ginna interjects pointedly.
“I’d say at least a dozen,” Hanson chimes in, taking the seat next to Ginna.
“Like that time we were coming back from finding that diadem and hesworehe knew the route back.”
“Except we ended up going in circles for two days before he admitted we were lost!”
Ginna and Hanson laugh loudly, and my mouth quirks in response, their energy infectious.
“Okay, okay. Let’s not dissuade Elia from forming her own opinions about me.”
“Oh no, please don’t stop on my account. This is the best entertainment I’ve had in a while.” I peer innocently at Callum over my cup.
“I’ll take that coffee back,” he jokes threateningly, half rising from the table.
I swallow the last mouthful in one large gulp. “Too late.”
“You might be more trouble than you’re worth, Siren.” Callum smirks at me and my heart skips a beat. Damn his dimple.
“I already told you that I would be.”
“Alright, enough flirting you two,” Ginna reprimands, forcing me to break my gaze away from Callum’s. “Do we have any new information that can help us?”
Callum grows serious, and that one second of playfulness disappears almost as fast as it came. “No,” he grumbles. “I caught Elia up on everythingwe have so far, and that’s about where we ended yesterday. Still at the beginning with no leads.”
“What do you know about relics, Elia?” Hanson asks. “You’ve found more than the three of us have combined so you must know better than us.”
I shrug. “Honestly, like I told Callum, I don’t know if I can add any value. Any relic I found in camp was pure coincidence and chance. Every day we would be assigned an area of land in our lot and we’d spend maybe twelve hours or so digging and combing the sand until we found something. We would rotate the lots often, trying different places until we found something.”
“But how did you know if you found a relic or if it was something worthless?” Ginna asks.
My brows furrow together. “What do you mean? Relics feel like relics. You can sense the remnants of magic in them - that tingling feeling? Useless objects don’t have that. The guards would do their usual tests later to confirm, but I always knew which ones were relics.”
Three pairs of eyes land on me all at once and I hear their sharp inhales. Silence falls.
