The Reunion of Loved Ones

9. Midnight's visit to the library

They wasted no time. The three sisters brought a weary and increasingly ailing Seithre to their home, where she was warmly welcomed by their mother, who had dealt with elves in her past and consequently developed a soft spot for the Old Folk. Enjoying a steaming bowl of soup, Seithre recounted her adventurous journey north to their mother and stepfather. At one point, the three sisters excused themselves under the guise of fatigue and retired to their beds. Once they were certain no one was watching them, they climbed out of their bedroom windows and rendezvoused at the shed.

When they were sure no one had seen their escape, the girls crept towards the village, where Sutarebil's small library awaited them. Surrounded by ivy-covered walls and sturdy oak doors, the modest library loomed before them after half an hour. The building itself was not imposing, rather rustic, with stone walls that had stood the test of time and a thatched roof that kept the elements at bay. The three girls looked over their shoulders vigilantly to ensure no one was watching them, but Ivana knelt at the lock and quietly forced it open. They all froze when the heavy door creaked open loudly. The three sisters exchanged glances and remained still until they were sure no one would catch them. Then they slipped through the doorway and closed the door softly behind them.

Upon entering the library, the smell of old parchment and wood shavings enveloped them immediately. Lana detached herself from the group and quickly lit some candles with her gift, providing a bit of light for their quest for answers. The books in Sutarebil's library were stacked in various sizes and shapes, some bound in leather, others in simple linen covers. There were parchment scrolls carefully rolled up and placed on shelves next to wooden chests full of handwritten manuscripts. The content ranged from ancient religious texts to medical treatises and stories of knights and dragons that sparked the imagination.

The person who managed the small library was a venerable scholar named Albertus. His greying beard and kind eyes testified to a life dedicated to study and sharing knowledge. Albertus could always be found behind his wooden desk, surrounded by stacks of books and artifacts from bygone eras. He welcomed villagers and travellers with a smile, ready to assist them in their quest for information or simply engage in fascinating conversations about the mysteries of the universe. However, even for Albertus, this was an unheard-of time to assist fellow intellectuals, and as a result, his desk was empty, lending a foreboding atmosphere to the normally warm-looking library. Ivana also doubted that the always-friendly Albertus would approve of the three girls plundering his stock, no matter how noble their intentions were.

The three sisters nodded at each other before spreading out in the small space and systematically scouring each bookshelf for something that might help save Seithre from the looming fate. Ivana searched through the weathered pages of the old books in the library with a mix of determination and desperation. Her fingers slid along the yellowed edges of the parchment scrolls as she feverishly searched for information on curing vampires. The candle lights cast dancing shadows over her concerned face as she delved into the texts of times long past. Ivana's heart pounded in her chest as she slowly began to realize that time was against them.

However, the three girls nearly had a heart attack when the caretaker's nightly rounds began just after midnight. Simultaneously, the three girls darted into the same corner, and Dana whispered the spell that would make them invisible. However, they were not quick enough to extinguish all the candles. One candle in the middle of the aisle remained lit and seemed to point in their direction like a reproachful finger. The caretaker's cat obediently trotted along with him into the library, stopped, and sniffed the air as if she knew exactly that there were intruders.

The caretaker had no suspicions, although he scratched his head briefly when he saw the burning candle. "Dangerous," he muttered. "Albertus isn't as sharp as he used to be." Whistling, he extinguished the candle and continued his rounds. When the man turned his back to them, Ivana quietly threw some books into her bag and nudged her sisters towards the door. Hand in hand, they ran back home, where they only dared to reappear in Lana's bedroom.