THE UNBREAKABLE PIECE (FIRST BOOK OF THE HIDDEN WORLD) English version

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: INTO THE WRONG HANDS

My heart pounded in my chest as I hurried through the halls of Alba, followed by Lloyd, who had been assigned by my father to be my shadow. I must say, he did his job well as he didn't even omit a sound against the tiles; he seemed to float over them. But in these moments, I needed him to guide me through this labyrinth to the library. It was the ideal place to start gathering information about the prophecy displayed in the main square of the citadel. Since I had seen the rock and Madelaine's name on its surface, something gnawed at me from within, like sand in my shoes. And if I were lucky, I would still find Gerard there with his nose in a book to help me.

The castle fed on my anxiety, so its corridors lengthened with every second, and its walls narrowed with the echo of my boots. Time here in Alba was experienced subjectively, making me feel like a character in a novel who had not yet understood their purpose, and the passing days were grains in an endless hourglass.

I reached the library after running in circles for a while. I took the doorknob in my hands, totally determined, but the sound of his voice sealed my feet to the ground. That deep voice, like the wound of a sword, and as rough as sandpaper, had sounded in my head every night since I met him, reminding me of my favorite song. I missed him; I couldn't explain why, but I did. I missed his shadow over mine and his eyes attentive to each of my movements.

"Gerard, messing with a Hallywell never ends well. You know that."

Hallywell was my mother's maiden name, the one carved on her Onpix ring. I pressed my ear against the door, ignoring Lloyd's judgmental gaze. I moved my fingers through the air, indicating with just the gesture that he could leave me alone.

"Although I won't lie to you, the messing can be fun."

This time, I rested my forehead on the wood; it didn't feel right what I was doing, but I needed to hear his voice once more. Since I had pushed him away, and from the moment he had decided to disappear from my routine, nothing felt the same.

"Even if we are soulmates. Annette wants nothing to do with this world, Eamon." Gerard's voice moved around the room. "After Christian's death and her sister's disappearance, it's not the same for her. I know my wrists and my heart tell me that I should follow her to the ends of the earth if that's what she wants, but my heart is also in Alba. And I don't want to leave you and your sisters behind. Especially now that Amy is back; she needs me too."

I smiled behind the door; Gerard could talk as much as he wanted, but he was one of the best people my new life had brought. His plaid shirts and glasses reminded me of my father's old self in New York, always ready to help others even if it meant inconveniencing himself.

"Eamon, I know your gestures as well as I know every time you lie to me, and I know you need to talk..."

"Amy?" Ben ran his hand through his hair, the other always resting on the slim sword hanging from his waist. He walked toward me briskly from the other end of the hallway.

"I'd love to stay and listen to the incredible speech you have prepared about my recklessness," I whispered as loudly as my vocal cords allowed, "but at the moment, I'm approximately..." checked my wrist even though I didn't have a watch "seven hours late for my history class. And you know I hate being late."

"Amy..."

Ben pursed his lips, ready to unleash another one of his rages on me, but I was quicker. I knocked twice on the door before entering without an invitation.

The change of scenery hit me in the face; the dust here bathed the spines of the books with its fine layer. A completely different landscape from the library in Axis that Gerard managed. He had a cloth in his hand with the remnants of dirt he had already cleaned. His glasses nestled into the bone just above his nose. The trace of blond beard began to show on his impassive face.