The Seelie's Mirror

Chapter 19 Crystal Ball

Chapter 19

 "That was Zhier, right?"

"Yes, it was." Klovis nods.

"What is he doing here?"

"That's what I would like to know." Klovis seems really calm about this and is oddly focused on looking at me. "Livia, besides that, I think that we should focus on something that involves something big."

"Something big? What could be bigger than seeing Zhier here!?"

Instead of answering me, Klovis points at the massive bird that's rubbing its head affectionately at me. I am aware of what's happening, but I refuse to acknowledge that an urban creature is acting like an affectionate kitten.

After we went through the exit on the last floor, it delivered us to a library. The place reminds me of the one in fantasy castles where they have a decorative ceiling and floor to ceiling shelves full of books. The arrays of book shelves lining up before us seem endless and almost intimidating. If this wasn't part of the stage setup, I would have bounced with joy and begun looking through sections upon sections on the shelves.

"Krrrr~" It sounded so pleased, even when I was pushing it away.

"Get off of me, big bird!"

"Kraa~!" Just a small touch from me and it flaps its wings joyously. Klovis and Jade even have to avoid walking behind it when it begins to wag its tail.

If it were human, I would think that it was a perverted masochist.

"Klovis, can you do something about this guy?" I look at the Unseelie Prince, who I suspect is secretly enjoying how I am struggling not to get pushed by the walking fossil.

"What do you want me to do? I am not a monster that would separate its child from its mother." He snorts, discreetly hiding his laugh from his fist. "Livia, you've dealt with animals back in the human realm. You know how hatchling imprints work."

I click my tongue. I know how it works and I hate that he is the one to point it out. However, it doesn't change how uncomfortable it is for me.

"This is the last floor, right? What's the rule—HEY!" Since I was ignoring the big bird, it got mad and decided to seek my attention by pulling my hair. Klovis didn't miss the opportunity and began to laugh loudly, while Jade just stared at his master with curiosity. "Klovis!"

"Alright. Hold still." When Klovis tries to coax the cockatrice to release me, it ends up trying to peck him. Klovis managed to dodge and pull me back along with him, freeing me from the bird's grasp. "That's not a very friendly bird."

"It seems pretty friendly to me." I answer him dryly in a sarcastic manner. The cockatrice once again has its attention on me. I realize my mistake. I should have kept quiet because the moment it heard my voice, it began to move towards me, and I had to extend my hands just to keep the creature at arm's length. "Klovis, do you mind checking your arm for the rule so we can get this over with and leave?" I look over at Klovis while trying to keep the bird from cuddling me. Klovis is standing and looking intently at his arm. He was so silent that I was starting to worry. "Klovis?"

"I don't know." He murmurs, searching his whole arm, like he is trying to make sense out of reading it. "It's not making any sense. It just says, 'find me.'" Klovis looks lost when he looks at me, wondering if I have a clue what the rule is at this stage.

"Find who?"

"Me." Klovis says it unsurely. "I am not sure who or what it is talking about."

There's a reason why I wasn't particularly happy about being in a library—it's because these rules always add twists that would make me want to leave.