“Anything that looks suspicious. Journals. Plans. Books. But you must put everything back exactly where you found it, or he’ll know.”
“Won’t the guards hear us in here?”
Jareth shook his head. “Those two are fools. They tend to doze off. Another reason I chose this time. Just be quiet.”
They searched the massive white-walled room for almost an hour—the rustling of pages and the occasional frustrated mutter from Jareth the only sounds.
Skimming through a book, Ava said, “There’s nothing in here we can use. Nothing about Andras or Deidamia. Daemons. Portals. Nothing. It’s just political strategy I don’t even understand.”
“How are you going to rule if you don’t understand political strategy?” Jareth asked from beside a towering bookcase.
“I don’t want to rule. I’m willing to help with decisions when needed, but Thorne has it covered. Besides, I’m still learning. I didn’t grow up around this. We don’t even have kings and queens in the government where I used to live.”
He tilted his head, curious. “You don’t want to rule? Why not?”
Ava shrugged. “I don’t care about power. And I’m not the biggest fan of being the center of attention and all that. Do you want to rule?”
Jareth replaced the book he was thumbing through and pulled out another. “I do.”
“Why?”
“It’s what I know. What I was trained for…” His voice trailed off as though he’d stopped himself from adding another detail.
“And?”
“And what?”
“There’s more to it. I can tell.”
Jareth shelved the book and met her gaze, his violet eyes bright against his golden hair. “I don’t agree with the way myfather does things. Now stop asking so many incessant questions, you’re getting on my nerves.”
Ava sighed, continuing her search. Another half hour of looking and still nothing. Jareth was now leaning against the wall, eyes closed with his hands in his pockets.
“You’re useless. You’re not even looking anymore,” Ava said.
“You seem to have it handled.”
“Does he have any secret compartments or something? I doubt he’d leave anything incriminating out in the open.”
“How would I know? I’ve never been in here before.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Ava muttered, replacing the current political tome she’d been thumbing through.
Are you having any luck?Luna asked.
“Not yet.Jareth’s not even helping me look anymore.”
Shall I bite him the next time he comes into your suite?
Ava suppressed a laugh.
“What?” Jareth asked.
“Luna threatened to bite you if you don’t help.”
“Keep that filthy beast away from me,” he said flatly, eyes still closed.
“He just called you a filthy beast.”
