Page 37 of A Bond So Deadly

“Okay, an artist then?”

“Only if you include the art of survival.”

She frowns.

“I was the eldest son with six younger sisters,” I explain. “You can imagine my parent’s disappointment when I voiced my wish to become a scribe.”

Her gaze softens. “So what happened?”

“I did what I could to provide for my family, of course. Being a scribe was unacceptable.” I let out a heavy breath, but my smile lifts as my memories drift back to me. “But my sister, Tori, wouldn’t have it. She insisted that she run the family business, and she urged me to leave. To explore the world as I wished.”

My mate smiles. “She must have loved you.”

“Yes,” I say softly. “But back to how this library came about. I always hated seeing discarded books during my travels with Raith and the others, and so one day, I decided to rescue them and I brought them here.”

She frowns. “Hey! What about the rule that we’re not supposed to bring items from the human realm?”

I chuckle. “That rule is for students.”

She scowls, but her lips curve up again shortly after. “So, you just happened to come across discarded books while collecting students for the academy?”

“There may have been a few detours involved,” I admit. “But speaking of discarded books, that’s the reason I brought you here.” I start walking toward the far back of the library, where the torches dim. Against a seemingly bare section of the wall, I dissolve my illusion and a small bookshelf appears revealing a collection of ancient books. The leather covers are hard and worn, and a thin layer of shadows dance around them.

I gesture to the bookshelf, and Shade moves closer, squinting at the spines.

“What do you think?” I ask, studying my mate.

“It’s hard to make out the writing. Why haven’t you restored these ones?”

I smile. “You tell me.”

She leans even closer and mumbles under her breath, “Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Three…” She pauses. “The titles on the spines look handwritten. What are these? Your personal journals?”

When I don’t answer, she turns her head and frowns at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

I keep my gaze trained on her. “Because, my mate, these are not mine. Last night Raith and I took the opportunity to revisit the oracle’s last known location again.”

Her breathing hitches. “Okay,” she says, though it’s clear she already understands where I’m going with this.

“I’ve searched the oracle’s cave numerous times over the years. Mostly, I’d hoped that one day the oracle might return, but also, I’ve always wondered if there’s something we’ve missed all this time.”

My mate barely looks like she’s breathing. “And this time you found these,” she whispers.

I gesture to the leather-bound books. “At the far back of the cave, against the left wall there was an illusion, not so different from the ones I’m able to create. When Raith and I approached, the small bookcase simply appeared, as if it had been there the entire time. This is what we found.”

She blinks. “Holy crap. Do you think the illusion was triggered by your proximity? Is it possible you never went close enough to that side of the cave?”

“No, little shadow. Our searches have been extensive. Especially when the oracle first disappeared.”

She tilts her head, mumbling the titles of the books again. “So what changed then? You think the oracle has been back there and left them?”

“No.” I shake my head. “There was no sign of entry. No sign that anyone has been there in a very long time. The creatures of the forest act like they dare not enter. As if there’s a spell placed upon the cave.”

“So what are you saying?”

“This is the first time we have visited that cave after you quite literally stumbled into our lives. I think that bookcase showed itself this time because it detected…you. That somehow the illusion magic detected your scent or your power.”

She sucks in a sharp breath. “That’s only a theory. There could be another reason.”