Forbidden
It had been far too long since William last came here.
He climbed the concrete stairs, his mind relaxing at the mere sight of the library’s facade. The sun gleamed across the spotless windows, and the building’s white brick sparkled like fresh snow. Although it had stood there for decades, the library looked as if it hadn’t aged a day. This city valued its institutions.
“It’s a beautiful building,” Adathan said. “A fitting homage to the collective knowledge it hosts.”
“It is,” William said, choosing not to correct him. Granted, part of the selection was educational, but the library also had plenty of stuff like romance novels and comic books. William doubted anyone would become a genius reading those—but he supposed they made for good entertainment for whoever was into that sort of thing.
He opened the door for Adathan. “After you.”
Adathan placed his hand on his own chest in mock modesty. “Why, thank you.”
William couldn’t stop his lips from curling up. Adathan looked absolutely radiant.
They’d gone to the store right after their visit to the biodome to get Adathan hair accessories. William had told him to pick whatever he wanted, expecting Adathan would grab simple hairties and pins. Instead, he’d surveyed half the selection and ended up choosing a black hair stick engraved with golden flowers.
It hadn’t been cheap, but when Adathan disappeared into the restaurant’s restroom and returned with his hair in an elegant bun, the butterflies in William’s stomach sang their approval.
William followed Adathan inside the library. The scents of new and old books enveloped them, mixed with a hint of citrus and cleaner. They headed to the reception desk, where a man with green hair and red-framed glasses greeted them with a big grin.
“Hi,” William said as he and Adathan took a seat. “He’d like—” He looked at Adathan, remembering he had no reason to be speaking on his behalf.
“May I get a library card, please?” Adathan asked.
“Absolutedly!” The man looked at his computer screen and clicked a few times. “I’ll just need to see your ID, please.”
Adathan took out his brand-new wallet and handed him his health insurance card.
“Mister . . . Gabriel Eden.”
Shit.
Adathan’s eyebrows twitched, but he stayed silent, his smile unwavering.
William leaned forward. “Would it be possible to use his preferred name instead?”
The man handed Adathan his ID back. “Of course.”
“Thank you, sir. My preferred name is Adathan Eden.”
The man’s smile widened as he typed on his keyboard. “Like the angel?”
“Yes! Like the angel.”
Huh.
William hadn’t realized Adathan was an angel’s name. It figured that a company selling slaves like consumer goods wouldhave no qualms about using divine names for their so-called products. Not that William was religious, but his mom believed in angels; she’d be profoundly hurt if she knew.
William wondered if she had an Adathan figurine at home.
“Here ya go,” the clerk said, handing Adathan his library card. “Just sign right here.”
A brief surge of anxiety hit William, but Adathan picked up the pen and signed the back of his library card with practiced ease.
Another false alarm. They’d been in public all day, but nothing in Adathan’s behavior had betrayed the fact that he wasn’t supposed to be a part of this world. He was impressive.
A smile tugged at William’s lips as he recalled the very first conversation they’d had at the hotel. Adathan had rolled up his sleeve to show William his barcode tattoo, apologizing for not being a real person. Since then, he’d been gloriously proving himself wrong every day.
