When The Bell Tolls (Darra Blackwell)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Off to the library, we went. Even if it was nighttime, we went to the library to study my curse. Darra, Lia's family, and I spent nearly the whole night at Maxwell's library, trying to figure out what the riddle was talking about. We knew that we needed to be in the library since that had all secrets about magic in it, and once I walked through the magical wall, I knew I was supposed to be there because all the answers were supposed to be here, but we couldn't find anything at all. Jasmina and Wyatt were so surprised that the bookstore had a secret library behind it, but they settled right in by moving around on the ladder, trying to find books we could study. 

Holly's expression on her face when she walked through the wall burned in my mind. Her dark eyes were closed as she took everything in again for the first time in such a long time, and her hair was pulled back in a bun to keep out of the way just in case something terrible happened. Once she felt the magic pulsing through her body, she changed. Her physical appearance stayed the same, but there was an obvious change in her. Her skin practically glowed as she walked through the wall, and it looked like she was walking on a cloud. I'm glad she was able to come back here after all the years she spent away. 

Part of me wished they didn't come with us, though. I wanted to spend the day with Darra as we went through the riddles and books about the topic of riddles and curses and many other things because it had just been the two of us trying to figure this thing out since the beginning. I wanted Darra and me to figure it out by ourselves, just like in the old times. With their help, though, we narrowed down the number of books we had to go through, so I'm glad about that. I just wish that I was all alone. I didn't even want Darra here, and that's saying something since he was the magical creature a part of this world that has been helping me. 

I was ready to fight for my life, yes, but that doesn't mean I was willing to put my friends in danger. This was my curse to bear, my riddles to figure out, my life to fight for. There is no point in having my friends get hurt just because I tripped over a freaking bell at the beginning of this vacation. I could use their help in figuring out who created this curse, but after that, I will do it on my own. I know it. I just hope they won't hate me for taking matters into my own hands.

Thankfully, Lia and her family had to go about an hour ago. They had to go home because it was so late in the night, and Lia's aunt and uncle had to go to work in the morning. Lia begged her aunt and uncle to stay with us, to watch over me, but they managed to make her leave with them. I was happy watching them leave, but now, not so much. Darra and I are laid out on the floor, reading through the many, many books that are surrounding us. He's been quiet all night long, making me frown. 

Sneaking a glance over at him, I see his nose buried in a large book wrapped in green binding. His shiny hair is draped behind a pointy ear, and for some reason, my heart jumps in my chest. He looks in his element like he spends his days reading through the books that decorate the shelves in the library. I can see one eye of his, and it sparkles in the soft moonlight coming from the skylight and lamplight from the lanterns. The sun is starting to rise in the distance, sending its rays onto Darra as well. He lets out a sigh, so I avert my gaze from him, focusing back on the book I'm supposed to be reading. 

"Have you found anything yet?" he asks, throwing the book down on the ground. I gently lay mine down and face him again, trying not to show him that I was watching him read. He rubs his hands across his face, and I can tell that his eyes are tired. Mine are burning, but that happens a lot more than I care to admit. "Because I've found nothing. It's like this person doesn't want their curse to be known by anyone other than the one cursed."

I let out a sigh, taking my glasses off of my face. Everything instantly becomes blurry since I've been reading all day, and I dig the palms of my hands into my eyes before a few tears slip out. "I need to figure out who cursed me and why they did it," I say, taking my hands away from my eyes. Stars dot my vision as I look back at Darra. "This is my life we're talking about. I'm not going to let this person take it from me."