Page 30 of A Vow of Shadows
“I couldn’t sleep.”
Her answer was brusque. I looked down at her arms wrapped firmly around her middle and knew she was lying.
That was fine. She didn’t owe me any truths. Her secrets were hers to keep. Fate knew I had plenty of my own.
“I wouldn’t know anything about that.” So much for cordial. “You could at least have bathed after I’d gone through the trouble of fetching your garments.”
I mentally berated myself as she lifted her chin, fixing me with a glare that would put Death to shame.
“Your disgust is noted. Perhaps if you answered my questionshonestlyinstead of waltzing around them, I’d have found it in me to bathe and dress for polite society. As I seem to be in the company of a heathen, I think it perfectly suitable for me to maintain my present state of filth.”
Her chest rose and fell with rapid pants. I’m ashamed to admit I found the sight oddly captivating. I tore my gaze away, fists clenched at my sides.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.” I called the shadows to me, unwilling to continue this petty back-and-forth.
“I intend to!” Her answering shout pierced the darkness that enfolded me just before I was swept away.
Chapter 24
Katrin
The Ferrier’s words had hurt, but it wasn’t anything I was unaccustomed to. At home, they’d called me cursed, tainted, infected, but those words didn’t wound nearly as much as abandoned, ignored, and disappointed.
My shadow guards brushed along my arms, apologizing for their master’s curt dismissal.
“It’s fine,” I sighed, and it was. I hadn’t come here seeking friendship. Frankly, I hadn’t expected any pleasantries from one that referred to himself as the “Right Hand of Death.” No, this situation was far from what I’d thought it would be, but I didn’t hold my breath in hopes of him changing his stance on our conditional alliance.
One of the shadows brushed my arm again then appeared to gesture toward the stairs. I didn’t know if it was offering to carry me up or insinuating I should follow after the Ferrier. Either way, I wanted to be as far from him and his dark mood as possible.
I shook my head and chewed on my lower lip. If anything, our sad attempt at a conversation—well,myattempt and hisadamant refusal—had reminded me that my time here was temporary. I needed to find a cure. I needed to return to my life.
With the sun giving life to the mist beyond the windows, the dark rooms and eerie corridors became abandoned relics once more, aged and empty, but no longer haunted.
I retraced the steps of my earlier wandering and headed for the library. Upon first inspection, it had seemed like all the tomes within were written in some ancient script unknown to me, but I thought it as good a place as any to search for clues to the manor’s mysterious master. The only other place I was likely to have any luck was currently occupied by the man in question. Though it was likely to be one of the few times the room was unlocked, I didn’t fancy a venture up two flights of stairs to barge in on someone who’d just insulted me for asking about his night.
ButIwas the fool. It had been only days ago that I was hiding my trembling hands in my skirts as I stood before him. What had happened between now and then? Was I so much a product of my upbringing that an alluring face and sculpted form would have me ignoring everything I knew about this man?
Apparently.
When I reached the library, I paused before the great double doors, one hand resting on the bronze doorknob. In the silence, my mind replayed every word of our conversation like actors rehearsing the same scene over and over again. I pressed my forehead to the wood and squeezed my eyes shut like I could force out the memories
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” I punctuated each word with a knock of my head against the door.Thud. Thud. Thud.
He’d warned me that he was no longer human. He’d told me, in no uncertain terms, that he no longer suffered such weak emotions.
In less than a week, I’d forgotten. Had I imagined our similarities? Created parallels between us where there were none?
He was not my mirror. He was an agent of Death, and I would be wise to remember that.
Exhaling, I pushed away my train of thought and opened the doors to the exquisite room beyond.
The Ferrier’s library was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Easily double the size of the ballroom, several rows of enormous free-standing shelves stood like giant dominoes awaiting their fall. A rolling staircase sat at the end of the bookcase closest to me, providing access to the highest shelves. The entire room glowed in blue, green, and amber hues courtesy of the sunlight coming through the stained glass windows on the far wall. Several iron chandeliers hung between the rows of books with lanterns capping each end. There were multiple seating areas, some with large wooden desks and others with plush sofas and chairs. Somehow, the overall effect of the cavernous room was cozy, inviting.
My guards flitted off to a darkened corner as I walked up to the first shelf. Inhaling the scent of aged paper and leather, I ran my hand over the worn spines. The words beneath my fingertips were foreign to me as they had been upon my earlier perusal.
I moved to the next shelf and the next, waiting for something familiar to stand out among the nonsense. If this library was as old as I suspected, it was possible every text within was written in the same language. If so, I was out of luck.
Five shelves into my search, I had to stifle a yawn as exhaustion finally settled over me. Not wanting the trip to have been in vain, I grabbed a random book off the shelf and carried it to one of the tufted sofas by the unlit fireplace.