I was supposed to train with Lore again tonight, but how could I go to him after what I’d done with Merrick today?
What kind of woman was equally attracted to two men? A woman who had no business spending time with a man who was not her husband, that was who.
The stupid mark on my wrist appeared when I first touched Lore. Yet I was married to Merrick, and he was capturing my heart with his flirtatious ways and charm.
And let us not forget his wicked tongue.
It was clear he wanted me in his bed, though he said he’d wait until I was ready.
At the rate our relationship was progressing, I suspected he wouldn’t be waiting long.
So . . . I didn’t go to Lore.
The next daypassed much like the one before with only a few slight differences. No court was held in his throne room, but Merrick spent time with his advisors while I puttered around inside my suite all morning, completely bored.
In the afternoon, I left for the library with my entourage, leaving only Faelith behind with Farris. With some of my guards in front and the rest behind me, we walked to the fourth floor, where I found Valera sitting at her desk.
She stood as I approached, rounding her desk to drop into a deep curtsy. “My queen. You honor my library with your presence once more.”
“I came for those books.”
“Perfect. I have them right here.” She bustled over to a small cabinet behind her desk and slid a pile of books off one of the shelves. “Here they are.” Returning to stand in front of me, she handed them to one of my guards who frowned down at them before he took them, striding over to wait by the door with the other guards. “Keep them for as long as you’d like. When you’ve finished, I’ll be happy to collect more.”
“You’re amazing.”
Her cheeks pinkened. “It was no bother, my queen. If there’s anything you need from the library, just ask me, and I’ll find it for you. If it’s not here, I’ll procure it from one of the other court’s libraries.”
“You communicate with the other court’s librarians?” An interesting notion.
“Yes, we’re all quite friendly, my queen.”
“No warring among you like the kings?”
“Never,” she gasped.
“I read about why they’re enemies yesterday, but the books didn’t give many details.”
“Such is the way, is it not?”
Not usually. Most history books stated things plainly. They didn’t tease the details. “The books stated the conflict began around the time of the three court’s son’s seventeenth birthdays, but they didn’t state what the young men argued about.”
“While secrets bloom slowly under moonlight, haste might shatter their delicate petals,” she said.
I lifted my eyebrows. “What does that mean?”
“Books, my queen. So many books and never enough time to read them all.” Her hand swept out to the enormous room ingeneral. “I’ve spent my life trying to catalogue them all, as did my mother, but I fear the task will not be completed in my lifetime.”
“You said that secrets bloom slowly under moonlight, but that haste could shatter their delicate petals.”
Her lips twitched. “I don’t . . .” Her eyes flashed an almost milky color, but I could be mistaken. Sunlight blazed within the room, making me blink.
“I could swear you said that.” No, I knew she had. Another odd thing about Evergorne.
“I’m terribly sorry. Perhaps I did, though I don’t know why. The other court librarians and I enjoy sharing. Books are our passion and our pleasure, and if you’re happy reading, there’s no time left for battle. Don’t you agree?”
“That sounds wonderful.” Perhaps I should start sending books to others as gifts. I’d start with Erisandra if I thought that would soften her heart. “Do the other libraries have books that might tell me more about Evergorne’s history?”
“I don’t believe so. Long ago, there was a horrifying book purge, and many were removed and destroyed. Books are a lifeline to this world and beyond, and to destroy them . . .” A shudder ripped through her.
