"Berkeley..."
Jack thought to himself about that name. Something in his mind suddenly rang familiar as it mentally ran off of his tongue.
"Berkeley... sounds like a cool name." He mumbled in answer, staying close to the two as Chancellor lead them down the road to their next destination.
After a handful of minutes, they had made it up to the library's worn glass doors and Ensley leaned his hand forward, pushing it open with a creak and the helpful sound of a soft brass bell.
"Welcome." A voice called, hearing their entry into the building. Kneeling near one of the shelves close the entrance, a woman was against a cart covered to the brim with books, as she seemed to be setting the books back in their places.
"My name is Taylor." She spoke. Her back faced them and she soon stood up, turning to face them. One eye of hers was a soft yellow hue, and another was... just a button. Her lips curled into a smile. "Chancellor, is that you?"
The wheel-headed man seemed to relax beneath the gaze if the woman, as if he were with an old friend. "The one and only." The two exchanged greetings and quick familiarities. Then Chancellor introduced her to Jack.
"A human child who knows about Oculatums? How curious... Chancellor, how did you say you met him again?" Taylor studied Jack with her mismatched eyes.
"Ensley brought the boy into my hotel. He'd happened to get his hands on a Perception Gem somehow," the Oculatum explained.
"I found it on the street," Jack reminded him.
"Yes, yes. Though now we're looking for someone important. Do you know where Berkeley is, Taylor?"
The librarian's eyebrows rose in shock. Her mouth made a small 'Oh.' "Why are you looking for him? It must be important..." She trailed off. "Come with me, please."
She lead them through the library, past aisles of bookshelves towering over the four. Only a short walk from the entrance was the front desk.
A man sat there, reading what appeared to be a history book. The most unusual thing about him was the fact that his head was that of a pale white snake. The boy of the snake was wrapped around his shoulders the actual head was resting on the body. Or was it his neck?
"Worth, you remember Chancellor, correct?" Taylor asked the snake-headed man.
"How could I forget him?" He asked in retaliation, his voice almost hissing. The only way Jack could describe it was snake-like. "And who are the other two?" He seemed to stiffen, as if it off by their presence.
"This is Ensley, a colleague of mine and the boy sis Jack, a human child who has a Perception Gem." Chancellor introduced them.
Worth nodded to them. "A pleasure, trully. I am Ellsworth, but you can call me Worth."
"The pleasure is all mine," Ensley held out his hand to the man behind the desk. Worth did not make any moves to shake his hand. Instead he looked at it warily for a moment.
Sensing that he wasn't going to accept the handshake, Ensley retracted his arm.
"Hi." Jack waved, giving an awkward smile. "Your head is a snake."
YOU ARE READING
Stepback Tempo
FantasyJacques "Jack" Vernadega is a redheaded protagonist born by a couple that died from (seemingly) unknown causes when he was six. At twelve, he ran away from his foster home to pursue a better life. He was stuck alone and wandering the streets until h...
