The Awakening

Chapter fourteen

"You looked wilder than the Quillshifter!" Brianne howled with laughter as they walked down the shelves. Avelon mentally took note of each and every curve as they walked. She would not be caught off guard again.

Smirking, Avelon shook her head at Brianne's words/ The owl had long since departed, though not before snapping in Avelon's direction to prove a point. Crazy creatures.

"That whole scenario was wild!" Avelon chuckled along, swiping her face in utter disbelief. She had honestly thought she was going to die, amongst all the other times.

It seemed as though not a day would pass where death would not be taunting her.

She really hated Teine.

"Isn't the Quillshifter a bit useless in this specific library?" Avelon wondered aloud, implying that the library was vastly capable- on its own, of warding off fae with ill intentions.

Brianne laughed, "Yes, very. But he likes scaring fae and refuses to leave." Avelon chuckled, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance.

"Did you at least find what you were looking for?" Brianne smiled hopefully, brushing her fingers along the spines of the books as they walked.

Avelon studied the action, wondering how the books did not zap at her. Perhaps it was coincidental.

"I think I did, though I'm not sure. I was-" Avelon smacked her lips together, "Interrupted."

Another cackle rose from Brianne, eliciting a spur of laughter from Avelon as well. A moment of comfortable silence passed between her and Brianne as their laughter died down, allowing Avelon a moment to really admire the library. They had made it to the centre of the library, where they had entered. The onyx door loomed before them. Brianne paused in the middle, intentionally giving Avelon a few minutes to take in all of the beauty that was the library. Avelon nearly whispered her awe aloud as she gaze upon the library's beauty.

When they had entered, Avelon was only intent on finding information- not studying the area. The beauty of the library completely nullified alongside her internal needs.

Rows of shelves barrelled out from around the centre, each fully stacked with tomes and old parchments. The layout almost reminded Avelon of the way she would draw a sun when she was a child. The centre of the library, where they had stood, was adorned with the same grey stone she noticed in the entirety of the palace. Though the stone of the library seemed vividly silver and shone brighter than any other room she had encountered. The floor itself was lined with the finest black spirals, something she would not have noticed had she not paused to look at it. The floor was the only fine-work notable in the whole chamber. The library only had one floor, though the ceiling rose unremarkably high- illuminated by the light emanating from the torches. The blue flame of the torches cast the library in a cold tone, though the dark wood of the shelves and the yellowing of the parchments somehow warmed the library. The contrast was oddly comforting. The life within the library gave the atmosphere the feeling of being held- coddled even. At first, the feeling was oddly terrifying, but now that Avelon had understood it a bit better she embraced it.

"It really is beautiful." Avelon praised the library with a smile. She looked up at the ceiling above her, the earthiness of the ceiling had heightened the feeling of the library being alive. The smell of earth filled her nostrils momentarily before being replaced by the smell of old parchments and then the smell changed to some flowery smell- rose? Her eyes widened. The library seemed to vibrate. Was it enjoying her surprise? Of course it could alter the smell inside. She wondered whether the layout changed as well.

Brianne hummed in response, studying the ceiling as well. Avelon shook her head, realizing that she completely zoned out.

"Would we be able to come back?" Avelon thought aloud, the tome that she found suddenly intruding her thoughts.