by Rue Volley
No one cheered or said a word. It seemed that this problem between Vampires and Necromancers ran much deeper than I expected.
But I parted my lips as she asked me again. “So, which of these Kingdoms do you desire, Rook Dagger?” I made the one decision I already knew in my heart.
“Nightshade.” Everyone gawked at me. I nodded. “I’d love to be placed there.”
She released me and I returned to my seat while Nadia offered a nervous nod and a rub to my arm.
I didn’t regret my decision. Not for one minute.
“Figures.” London spoke up and a few kids laughed.
Professor Ravenmoor clapped her hands together, sending a wave of visible sound out across the room. Everyone covered their ears, blinking away the volume.
“Today, we will learn more about the Kingdom of Nightshade.”
Grumbles rolled across the room until our professor lifted her hands and silenced the protest.
“It is customary that a new student chooses the first Kingdom of study. But don’t fret, we will cover every single one of the Seven this year.”
I felt confident in my decision, but I also knew that I had gained no new friends.
But I felt a kinship with vampires. They had been judged and pushed aside, and I also had a battle to fight and win. I knew that not everyone was a fan of my enrollment at Hemlock Academy. London and Paris couldn’t be the only ones who looked down on me because of my human blood.
I peeked over and G’s eyes were locked on me, he noticed I was staring at him, so he quickly turned his head and buried his nose in the book.
Chapter Eighteen
Class lasted for four hours and I loved every minute of it. Hemlock taught several classes a day but each group of kids learned one thing. It was a rigorous curriculum, and they believed that by doing this they made sure we understood the one subject we were studying. After the four hours we would break for lunch and then after that we worked on whatever assignments we had been given. Professor Ravenmoor explained how The Kingdom of Nightshade was the youngest of the Seven Kingdoms with the oldest souls. Vampires pre-dated all others in the Tree, and yet they had to fight the hardest to be recognized.
I felt sorry for them because I feel like I have to fight too.
My human blood is seen by some as a weakness, and it made me different.
Our assignment included an essay on any topic about vampires since The Kingdom of Nightshade was what I chose. I don’t think everyone was happy about it, especially London and Paris. But I really didn’t care.
I sat eating in a stupor at lunch, dreaming of that Kingdom full of immortals. But vampires can be killed and that’s where a Necromancer comes in handy. Someone like me.
“I think it’s only right that the mutt would be in the worst of the Kingdoms.”
I lowered my spoon into my chicken gnocchi soup. It’s one of my favorites, and the school had provided some that rivaled my Mom’s—but I’d never tell her.
“What?” I asked as Nadia slid in beside me. Cole took a seat across from us. I turned and no one was there. It made me wonder if I imagined it.
“So,” I stirred my soup, “Emma Green was a Necromancer, right?”
Cole nodded before shoving a slice of pizza in his open mouth. The buffet line was a dream come true. You could get pretty much anything you desired. A piece of eggplant fell off his slice and hit his tray. Nadia’s nose wrinkled.
“And her boyfriend—was a vampire, hated by her father. I’m going to write about them for the assignment.”
Nadia brightened. “I love it—it’s so dark and romantic.”
Cole swallowed his bite and leaned in. “Why are you so obsessed with Emma Green?”
My eyes blazed with memory. I kept thinking about that dream, but I didn’t want to share it. Not that I needed to hide anything, but there was something special about seeing them sitting under that tree, holding each other. I wanted to share that feeling. That undying love and loyalty. That desperation to fight against bigotry and misunderstanding.
I took another bite of my crispy piece of naan bread complete with roasted red pepper hummus. I grabbed a slice of cucumber and held it out, staring at it while I decided exactly what I wanted to say.
“I just love tragic romance stories and you have to admit that hers is pretty sad.”
He shrugged a shoulder and accepted my reasoning. “Yeah—it sucks.”
I took another bite of my soup. Nadia pointed at my tray. “You have some weird taste.”
I wagged my eyebrows while taking another bite. “I just love food.”
Cole rolled another piece of pizza and gawked at it. “I think it’s cool, Rook. I mean most girls eat like birds, but you get in there and pile it high.”
Nadia’s face contorted when she surveyed her tray. She had two pieces of celery and a dollop of vanilla pudding flanked with yellow wafer cookies.
“I’ll be right back.” She made her way over to the buffet.
I took another bite of my naan bread and Cole grinned. “She doesn’t eat enough, and the stuff she eats is like popcorn and celery—and pudding.”
I adjusted on the seat, “Well, I’ll make sure that changes.”
“She thinks—”
I interrupted him. “I know what she thinks and she’s wrong. Nadia is perfect. She has pretty eyes, a cute nose, a great laugh, and a killer sense of style. Girls would do anything to have her closet, it’s crazy.”
“I’ve tried to tell her that,” He bit into his pizza and chewed.
I was forced to tap my glasses back up my nose.
“So,” he pointed at my frames and then at his, “How do you think people with our gifts ended up with bad eyesight?”
I swirled the antique silver spoon in my soup bowl, searching for another piece of perfectly cooked pasta. “We can’t be great at everything.”
He balled his hand and let it hover between us. “Preach.”
I awkwardly fist bumped him. It was nice to make friends. Real ones in the real world.
“Hey, I think I’m going to spend some time in the library now that class is over for the day. I’d like to look up whatever I can about her to help with my essay.”
He adjusted his glasses. “Do you want us to go with you?” he asked.
I watched Nadia bounce on her toes, making her way back over to us. She had piled some food on her tray.
She sat down, and Cole’s eyes widened. Nadia hadn’t held back. She had a little bit of everything.
“What?” she asked with a nervous expression forming lines on her forehead.
He reached in and took a brownie covered in white icing. “I love it.”
She leaned in and they kissed. I caught myself watching them. I rubbed the side of my neck when they stopped and G came into focus between them. I shot up and nearly tipped my tray. I had to reach in and stop my Boylan Cane Sugar Cream Soda from spilling over. It’s the best, but I wasn’t even thirsty now that he showed up—the traitor.
I gathered my things, “I’m going to go work on my essay in the library.”
Nadia stopped chewing, but her cheek was puffed out like a squirrel with a nut. “Want me to come with you?”
I shook my head while glancing in G’s direction. I didn’t mean to, but he just makes me so nervous. It’s annoying. “No—you eat and hang out with Cole. I’m good, I promise. I won’t even be there that long.”
She laughed. “Right—a book lover like you? Hemlock has the biggest and best library in the world.”
“The world is a big claim.”
She cocked a brow while tearing off a piece of bread and dipping it in pizza sauce. Cole joined her. “Just wait.”
I took one last look at them and decided it was time to go. I don’t always want to be the third person in that relationship, or cause any problems, so gi
ving them time to spend together was important.
I walked my tray back and then left, feeling the excitement build as I thought about the library.
Nadia was right.
Chapter Nineteen
I stepped into the Hemlock Library and immediately felt the tears well up in my eyes. The room was three levels high, with wood floors. The staircase sat in the middle of the room, with red velvet covering each step that led straight up and then off to the right and left. The entire structure sagged in the middle forming a golden smile. The banister consisted of hand carved spindles, one after the other, meticulously placed from the bottom step, to the top.
I took a deep breath and held it in.
“Books.” I cooed.
I tilted my chin upward and could see a rectangular piece of stained glass set about a foot into the ceiling that let in a little bit of light. Well, with what little light we did get here. It had been cloudy so far with two rainstorms, but I was in heaven.
The stain glass had sections of teal, baby blue, and white, all connected with bundles of hemlock. I audibly gasped.
But where to start?
This was a place that could easily overwhelm even the most dedicated book lover, but I was determined to conquer it again and again, taking in as much as it had to offer.
No amount of exhaustion would be too high a price to pay to unlock every secret on every shelf in every section.
Then I noticed something amazing. The bottom rows were colorized. This is a quirk that I have. I colorize all of my books, unless it’s a series, but series get their own section anyway so it doesn’t matter. I felt like I was stuck in place until a hand brushed the base of my back and I turned just as G stepped around in front of me. He looked—for a lack of a better word—perfect.
As usual.
It annoyed me, so I looked away. He leaned in, trying to get back in my line of sight, but I wouldn’t. I just can’t.
“Did I do something to upset you?” he asked.
“Nope.” My lips formed a straight line.
He grinned. I side eyed him. “Are you sure? You act like I did.”
I don’t know what kind of game he was trying to play with me, but I didn’t like it one bit.
He was attentive and nice one minute, then aloof and smug the next.
It was starting to make me dizzy.
I adjusted the bag on my shoulder. “We have an assignment, you know? Homework.”
“I know, that’s why I’m here.” He retorted.
I shrugged, “I figured you’d be hanging out with the wolves.”
His eyes sparked with interest, “Does that bother you?
I tugged at my shirt collar, “Should it?” I asked.
He moved in close. His hands rested right beneath my chin, while loosening my tie.
“I am capable of undoing things.” I cleared my throat and his lip curled.
“So am I, Rook. I seem to be an expert at it.”
I think I knew what he meant, but I was scared to dive too deeply into his mess—because he is a mess. I recognized it. I had watched my Mom become like this after Dad left. It was painful and confusing. There were days she wanted nothing to do with me, and others where I couldn’t get away. I didn’t know what had happened to make him like this, but I could easily not ask and happily go on my way.
His knuckle brushed my chin. My eyes dilated.
Having him this close to me again was unsettling to say the least. I felt weakened by him—vulnerable. I could see why other girls found him irresistible.
My gaze floated over his full lips, and his chiseled jawline. And that nose! It was just the right size. Perfect. His skin was luminescent, delicate—but I knew it couldn’t be true. He wasn’t delicate at all. He was dangerous. I could feel it. My hairs stood up on the back of my neck the same way they do when a tornado is forming in the sky.
But it was much more than that.
He was a hurricane.
My hurricane.
And I hate how I feel when he’s this close to me.
It’s the same hum—the same vibration, that tore through me when I held that small bird in my hands. And nothing scared me more.
If I can’t control this thing inside of me then I could hurt him, just like I did my cat.
I gasped, while taking a step back. It was a natural reaction. His hands lingered for a second.
“Are you nauseous again?”
I shook my head.
“Well, I know this place can be a little overwhelming so I’d be happy to show you around.”
I tried to slow my breathing while placing my hands behind my back. That vibration was trying to surge through me and if it released itself here then I’d not only run the risk of destroying these books, but G wouldn’t survive it, and who knows if he could be brought.
I couldn’t risk it.
The terrifying thoughts swirled in my head until he said my name. “Rook, look at me.”
So, I did without question. It was like he demanded and I obeyed.
“Let me show you around, okay?” he asked as I shook my hand out behind me and the last traces of the built-up energy faded away.
He waited with an outstretched arm, very gentleman-like, until I passed him by and began to climb the steps that led upstairs. He walked right beside me and we looked at each other more than we needed, to, but something had changed—the mood, a feeling, his suggestion seemed to calm me down when nothing else could.
It was then that I knew I was in trouble.
But I had no will to fight it.
To fight him.
None at all.
Chapter Twenty
We sat at the far end of the library in a small room that was visible from the center staircase. Being alone with him would’ve bothered me, if not for the open portal to the outside world in the shape of an arch.
We also had a thick table between us, which helped.
The more things between us the better.
I had collected a few books of interest that I felt would help with my essay. Books about the legend of Emma Green, the forest, and Hemlock. All things I hoped I could focus on as this boy sat right across the table from me smelling like amber and sage.
I stared at his perfect blue hair.
He looked up.
I looked down.
It was a game I needed to escape.
G had one book, that’s it, just one, which I thought was ambitious. He ran his hand over the cover and down the spine. His fingers moved slowly—with intent. My heart fluttered. Ridiculous.
He seemed to enjoy toying with me, which gave me every reason to run, but instead, I stayed.
He spied my stack of books, and grinned, while opening his up, caressing the page.
He needs to stop, because I don’t care. I really don’t. I don’t care at all—not even a little bit.
I craned my neck, trying to see what he was reading. He turned it in his hand. “The Hobbit.” He offered up the information while I adjusted in the chair and acted like I wasn’t trying to figure out what he had.
“I don’t see how that’s going to help you with an essay about Nightshade.”
“It’s a first edition, signed.”
I gasped, while scrambling around to his side, I leaned in, letting my braid hit the table. I looked down and G’s face was close to mine. Our lips sat only a couple of inches apart. It would be so easy to lean in and finish what that crown had started.
Then I blinked. Standing up and rubbing my hands on my skirt.
“See?” he asked as he flipped it back to the opening page. There sat the signature and the date.
JRR Tolkien, 1937
“That’s amazing.”
He adjusted in the chair, then turned it to face me, leaving the book on the table.
“This library is full of first editions. That’s all it has. First editions, all signed.”
I stared at my stack of books. I had dropped them on the table after refusing to let him carry them for me. They were extremely heavy, and if it was Cole, I would’ve said yes.
But not with G. Never with G.
I know I can be difficult, but this thing—whatever it was—between me, and this boy couldn’t be. I would never forgive myself if I ever lost control, and hurt anyone, especially someone like him—who makes me feel like I do.
Which is confusing and totally yet to be defined, but it’s there, here, and all around us every time he gets near me.
“So, what did you grab?” he asked while getting up and making his way over to my side. He perused my selection of books and then rested his hand on the last one. Something shifted in the room, which may’ve been his mood. I could feel it just like the sun beating down on my skin. It warmed me to my core.
“Emma Green.” He said.
I nodded.
“So, what do you want to know about her?” he asked, like he was speaking from experience, which was impossible.
“I want to know what really happened.”
He appeared lost in thought for a few seconds, and then sat down in my chair.
