The Heart Collector (Under Editing)

Chapter Twelve: Discrepancy

Earlier that morning, Agatha was put on the first train to Westin Brookes. Fare sat by the window in the diner several blocks from the Thirteenth Division. She had a meeting with Novus in an hour. With Agatha gone, she could fully focus on why she was there in the first place. Next to her in the booth was a black backpack that almost disappeared on the vinyl seat leather. She had made copies of the material that she had on Kila's case and made sure the originals were in a safe spot. While she decided to take a leap of faith, Fare was still a creature of habit. She took a sip of the steaming cup of black coffee in front of her. When she placed it back in front of her, someone slid into the seat across from her. It was Novus and he was in civilian clothes. It took Fare a moment to register that it was him because she was used to seeing him in his grey Truthfalls uniform and not a red V-neck and jeans.

"What are you doing here? I thought that we were meeting in an hour?"

"Officially, yes. I had told Sheila that I had a personal matter to attend to and that I was leaving early for it."

Fare furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"I thought that meeting outside of the Thirteenth Division would be more comfortable for you and since there are literally eyes everywhere, I thought that it would be safer for you."

Fare leaned back and crossed her arms, "So you think that this diner is the best place to have this conversation."

"No. I actually have another place in mind."

Novus reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He placed a ten-dollar bill on the table then got up to start walking out. Fare stared at the bill then at his retreating form a few times before she got up to follow. When she made it outside, Novus was waiting for her to catch up. When she did, he began to walk again. After they walked for several blocks, Novus stopped in front of a building. It had roman ionic columns that decorated the front. The stairs that led to the door were cracked in several spots and the double doors were barely hanging onto their hinges. The windows were all boarded up, but what drew Fare's attention the most was the letters that appeared above the doorway: Grand Library. Fare immediately looked at the street sign that: Grand Avenue.

She turned to Novus, "This is-."

"Yes. I wanted to show where Kila was found."

Fare swallowed hard. She had not expected to be brought here and it stirred up something inside her. It was not sadness or anger. It was determination. Before Novus could say anything else to her, she raced up the stairs. When she reached the doors, she felt like a pebble under the immense size of them. The large wooden doors were darkened with unuse, but Fare could make out some of the carvings. Since Fare was not a native to Meridia, she was unfamiliar with all its past. She did however know enough of it to recognize that one of the panels represented the signing of the first Treaty between man and Fae.

Novus came up behind her, "Spectacular isn't it. It's a shame they had to close. I remember coming here as a kid."

Fare turned to face him, "Why did they?"

"It depends on who ask. Some say they ran out of funding. Others say that the owner just decided to sell it one day."

"I was under the impression that libraries were funded by the city."

"Most are. This was different. It was owned by one of the oldest families in Meridia. Their fortune was what kept it funded. Now it's just at the mercy of the elements."

"Have you ever looked into it?"

Novus chuckled, "Why would I look into it? It closed when I was sixteen."