So Many Books, So Little Time

•Chapter One•

It was no secret that Aleah loved to read. She always carried a book in her hands, or stuffed a few of them into her backpack. Every birthday she'd ask for books, and every Christmas she'd ask for even more. Her bedroom was littered with books, although they were always nicely stacked and organized. All of the allowance and extra money she earned was used for books, bookcases, and fancy bookmarks.

Some even said that her whole life revolved around books. It didn't matter what genre it was, Aleah read them all! Her favorite was fantasy, specifically dragons and magic, but she wasn't picky and would just as readily read some facts on lizards. She spent most of her time in either a bookstore or a library, and was always searching for new ones to explore. On one of these expeditions, she encountered a cute little bookshop called Inkland Adventures.

She had been walking down the sidewalk from school, so she was in possession of her backpack (and the little bit of pocket money she kept for surprise book outings). Her mother had allowed her an hour or two to explore, and Aleah was using that time to enjoy the fresh air. When she turned a familiar corner, she was pleasantly surprised to find an unfamiliar establishment. She hadn't noticed anyone moving into that building yesterday! In fact, she could have sworn it had been a bakery called Red's Velvet Cupcakes.

However, she was not one to pass up an opportunity, so she mentally shrugged off the tingling feeling the strange occurrence had caused her and eagerly pushed the door open. A bell immediately began chiming from somewhere in the shop, although it wasn't hanging over the door like most bells usually did. This both mystified and intrigued Aleah, who glanced around but could not find it.

The bookshop had a nice, homey atmosphere. Its interior was mostly wooden, and all sorts of books were scattered and stacked on the shelves, the floor, and the numerous beanbag chairs. Wooden stairs off to her left curved upwards, hinting at a second level. She was tempted to sneak up there, but she wasn't sure if it was filled with more books or if it was the owner's living arrangements.

There was a computer sitting atop a desk in the far corner, which seemed like it was supposed to be for the cashier. But the whole shop was empty of living things. The only inhabitants were the books. Curious and a bit suspicious, Aleah decided to explore and check out what kind of books Inkland Adventures sold. She chose an isle at random and slowly started walking down it, running her fingers reverently over the spines of the books. A bright flash of color caught her eye, prompting her to read its title.

Magic Ink.

That sounds awesome! Aleah thought, interest sparking in her eyes. And it's only like ten bucks. For such a thick hardback, I would've thought it'd be at least a couple dollars more.

Feeling ecstatic at having found such a beautiful hidden gem so quickly, she slid the sky-blue, emerald-green, and blood-red book from the shelf it had been sitting on to read the back. It didn't have a cover sleeve like most newer hardbacks, and instead felt like leather. This delighted her even more, causing her mind to give a little victory tingle. Despite having such an odd (yet wonderful) exterior, it still had a description imprinted on the back.

Magic ink was given to humanity by the dragons, who believed that magical knowledge was meant for all beings. This ink was forged from the scales all newborn dragons shed once they become of age, which was then melted with dragon fire and mixed with raw magic. The ink was stored in this very book to be used by anyone the dragons deem worthy.

Sadly, the dragons are believed to have died off due to war and pollution, taking their magic with them. However, the magic ink remained, although no one knows how it can be harnessed without a dragon's blessing. Whoever finds this book is lucky indeed, but be warned: you will not be able to wield the power it holds because of the dragons' passing.

Enjoy examining past spells and miracles! It is actually quite interesting. The language has been updated, modified, and changed for the current owner of this book.

I LOVE DRAGONS! her thoughts shouted. Oh, this is so perfect! I can't wait to show Mom!

She carefully closed the book, already planning how long it would take her to complete her homework and start reading. Glancing around the shop again, she frowned in disappointment when she couldn't find the owner or an employee.

Maybe I have to go upstairs, she mused. I mean, if it really is someone's living space, I can just explain the situation and it should be fine. This book sounds like it's worth possible law trouble, right? Well, there probably won't be much of a problem. Hopefully. Here goes nothing! For the dragon book!

Hesitantly, she padded over to the staircase. Before ascending, she stared upward for a few moments, hoping for someone to pop their head around the corner and see her so she wouldn't actually have to head up there. Unfortunately, no one appeared. She sighed and started climbing, clutching the Magic Ink book protectively to her chest. Only a few seconds had passed when she crested the last of the stairs, but it seemed like minutes to the nervous teenager.

The upper level of Inkland Adventures held more books! She was relieved it wasn't someone's home, but in hindsight she supposed there would have been a door or sign of some kind. She was also relieved to find someone brushing off the dust that had collected on a pile of books resting on the floor.

"Hello?" she called tentatively.

"Ah, there you are!" the young man exclaimed, glancing at her expectantly. "I was wondering when you'd find the courage to come up here."