The Prophecy - ACOTAR

Chapter 68 *

Astrid had spent most of her morning walking around the streets of Velaris while she tried her hardest to ignore the pull she felt towards the library. Clotho might have tolerated her presence when she was asking about Wren, but she highly doubted the Priestess would tolerate it again. Especially not for a random feeling that had showed up overnight. But the more that she worked to ignore it, the harder it pulled.

Azriel had gone to the Autumn Court after lunch and had offered for her to come with him, but she had mixed feelings about wanting to go. Astrid would love to see him work, but he was still Rhys's spymaster and he needed to focus on his task. Her mind was spinning with doubt and a tinge of anger, she wouldn't be able to focus, and if she was unfocused, he would be worrying about her.

Astrid stood on the bank of the Sidra and watched as the water flowed past her. Scenario after scenario passed through her head of Wrenica's reasons behind her deceit. It just didn't make sense to Astrid that the female would lie to her just because she had fallen in love with Beron or because she wanted to hook up with him. There had to be more, there had to be a bigger reason.

The pull that had started the day she declared herself Queen of the Court of Shadows, yanked on her mind and she found herself walking back towards the house. It had slowly been building up until she was struggling to resist it. There was something in the Library that either wanted her to come to it or that she was meant to see.

She let the phantom feeling pull her towards the shadows of the mountain that houses the library. The shadows closed in around her as she closed her eyes, the chilled feeling always brought her comfort, more so now that Azriel was in her life. As her feet hit the stone floor of the library, she grimaced at the thought that he would want to be here. He probably wouldn't be to happy with her keeping this from him, but it's not like she had planned to follow the pull.

It was something she would have to deal with later as she walked towards one of the railings to look over it. The darkness at the bottom seemed to call to her, it urged her to walk down into its shadows and let it engulf her. Before she could turn and follow the path down, Clotho walked up next to her.

It wants me to come down. Astrid spoke into the priestess's mind.

Clotho gave her a curious look; I don't remember Rhysand saying you were going to be down here.

Astrid flashed her a sheepish grin, I didn't know I was going to come here.

Clotho hummed a reply as she reached over and squeezed Astrid's shoulder, Be careful down there. I would tell you not to go, but I have a feeling it wouldn't matter.

Clotho quickly disappeared into the stacks of books, leaving Astrid alone with her thoughts. The priestess's semi warning should be enough to stop her from walking down the stairs to the dark abyss at the bottom of the library, but it was only part of a warning. The part of the warning that had been given didn't hold much umph behind it, which almost encouraged her to continue down.

Her boots thudded lightly against the stone stairs as her hand trailed over the chilled, metal railing. As she neared the bottom, the shadows stirred expectantly at her feet. They didn't seem overly excited, nor did they seem to be warning her away. It was like they knew this moment was coming, like they knew the importance before she would.

She stepped off the stairs and made her way to the middle of the space and waited. She didn't know what she was waiting for, but the pull from earlier had slowly changed to a curious caress on her mind. Astrid wasn't disconcerted by the feeling, but she didn't love it either.

The soft sounds of pencil scribbling on paper and shuffling feet drifted down from the higher levels. A strange coldness slowly circled her as she stood as still as possible, and her breath stilled in her throat. She wasn't afraid, but it was impossible to miss the thrum of power that slithered along with the cold. It was old, so old, but it didn't give off a threatening energy.