Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter thirty-eight

Mattheo

June 22nd, 8:20 p.m., Arabian Desert

The library stood before us, looming in the twilight like a relic from a forgotten age. Its towering spires and intricate carvings stretched skyward, casting now shadows across the sand. It was unlike anything I had ever seen—ancient, powerful, and utterly magnificent. But as awe-inspiring as the structure was, my focus was solely on Lucia.

She stood beside me, eyes wide with wonder as she took in the sight of the massive building she had just summoned from the depths of the desert. Her face was pale, though, her breathing slightly shallow, and I could tell that the strain of using so much of her ancient magic was already weighing heavily on her.

"Lucia," I murmured, stepping closer to her. My hand found the small of her back, and I could feel the slight tremor in her body. "Are you sure you're alright?"

She waved me off, her gaze fixed on the towering library in front of us. "I'm fine, Mattheo. Really. I just... I need to see what's inside."

Her voice was breathless, filled with excitement and wonder. But that wasn't enough to calm the unease that had settled deep in my chest. I could feel it—her exhaustion, the toll that this magic was taking on her. As much as I hated telling her what to do, I knew I had to make sure she didn't push herself too far.

"You need to slow down," I said, my voice firmer than I intended. "You've just summoned an entire building from the sand. Let's take a moment to—"

"I'm fine," she cut me off, her tone more insistent now. She turned to look at me, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of irritation in her eyes. She didn't like being told what to do any more than I liked doing the telling. "Mattheo, I'm okay. Really."

I stared at her for a long moment, my jaw tightening. It wasn't that I didn't trust her judgment, but I knew her too well. Lucia had a habit of throwing herself headfirst into things, especially when it came to her magic. And I wasn't about to stand by and let her burn herself out.

"Look," I said, stepping in front of her now, my hands gently gripping her shoulders. "I know you want to go inside. But I need to make sure you're alright first. You've been using a lot of magic lately—ancient magic. That stuff is different, it drains you. And I can see it. I can feel it." My gaze softened, my voice lowering. "Just... let's make sure you're okay before we do anything else. Please."

Her expression softened slightly, and for a moment, I thought she might push back again. But then she sighed, her shoulders relaxing under my hands. "Fine," she muttered, though I could still hear the excitement in her voice. "I'll give you that. But only for a moment."

"Thank you," I breathed, relieved that she wasn't fighting me on this.

After a few moments of standing there, letting her catch her breath and letting me make sure she wasn't about to collapse from the strain of her magic, we both turned our attention back to the library.

It was immense, even more so now that we were standing directly in front of it. The walls were made of smooth, pale stone, covered in intricate carvings that looked like ancient Arabic script mixed with magical symbols. The air around it buzzed with energy, as if the very building was alive with power.

"We should find the entrance," Lucia said softly, stepping forward, her excitement returning.

I nodded and followed her, still keeping a close eye on her movements. We walked side by side, my hand instinctively finding its way to her waist again, holding her gently but firmly. I wasn't sure why I kept touching her, why I felt the need to keep my hands on her, but it wasn't just to steady her. There was something about the energy in the air, the power emanating from the building, that made me feel... protective. Like if I didn't keep her close, something could happen. Something I couldn't control.