Grendilton: Rise of the Shadows

13 | Chapter Thirteen

Lurking in the dark.

A faint streak of sunlight stood distant in the sky with a curtain of misty rain covering the institute. The stony walkways had a light dusting of fog gathering in the fissures of the walls, with the moss that grew along them looking greener than usual.

It has been a couple of weeks since shadows attacked both Macey and Connor. Ever since then, Snowpea has been by her side, along with Shaz who couldn't leave Macey well alone, hovering over her like a bad smell.

"I'm gonna head off to the library," said Macey, avoiding Shaz's gaze like smallpox. "Is that okay mother dearest?"

Macey stood underneath the library balcony, feeling the light sprinkle of rain brisk against her skin. She leered at Shaz, who couldn't help but scowl at her decision to walk into a library by herself.

"You can come too," asked Macey, lifting the palm of her hand, pointed at the library door. She cocked her brow up, narrowing her eyes at Shaz who stood there with a puzzled look on her face.

Shaz shook her head, then sighed. "I have adornments to make back at the dorm." Her doe-like eyes peered down at Snowpea who shook the water off her body, creating laughter to form between the duo. "I'll see you later."

"Make me Mac and cheese?" asked Macey, but Shaz didn't reply, most likely ignoring her demands for such a tasty treat.

She then turned towards the door, pushing back the oaky entrance, greeted by this overwhelming warmth that just cradled around her body. Snowpea stretched her legs and then disappeared into the matter. The library has a rigorous policy about beasts in the building, but Macey didn't mind. Good thing Shaz forgot the part where I was attacked by a shadow here.

Reaching into her bag, she began to search for one of her favourite books, pushing back the millions of packets of foods and her broken adornments she's been meaning to get fixed.

A smile stretched across her face as her thumb trailed across the dark purple hardcover. "I could read the spinning arrows series twelve times and never get sick of it."

Reading was therapeutic for Macey. Her mind would turn to mosh when transported into another world, captivated by the vast knowledge a book could sing to her with its careful choice of literature. It also made her sleep easier at night, sweeping away the nightmares that loved to play with her insomnia. Least they weren't that bad this week.

While Macey walked more into the library, the sound of humming caught her ear, followed by a sudden gasp.

"Hey, Macey."

She spun around to the tune of her name, raising her brow at the sudden appearance of Iza whose infatuating smile was stretching from ear to ear. A common trait with this particular ice sage. He shook the rain off his jacket, snapping up a wind spell to blow the rest of the water off him.

"What brings you to the library on a bleak day like this?"

Macey giggled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Here to get some more books to read for tonight. Nothing goes together like a rainy day and a good book."

Iza nodded his head, then smirked. "Right. Sounds like fun." His hand was tightly clenched to a small book with a red satin covering. The words she saw were in bold, with Macey only able to point out half the word. -adows? No way.