The Preternatural Shadows

Chapter VII

The anticipation was seriously killing me. My craving for answers were getting worse, and pacing back and forth in my room while waiting for Maurice to end his class with Tori felt like a penny waiting for change. After that disastrous incident with Brielle, Tori decided to talk things over with Maurice and they resolved immediately. I padded out barefoot into the corridor and toward the library. Maybe Maurice would be there early. 

But besides the books were ubiquitous, the library was practically empty. Streaks of light struggled through the long windows to reflect from the red carpet. I always thought the library was comfortably big, but now I could see that it was just like walking into a maze with walls made of books, instead of straw or bricks. I let my hands brush along the spines of the books on the bookcase and studied the words written on it. Every book was colourful and had different four digit numbers on it, which I noticed that they were years. I wasn't sure I could ever compete with Maurice the amount of books I've read. I curled my fingers around the thick fabric of the curtain, which was between two massive tapestries that hung like earrings on the wall. The picture on the left tapestry was a figure of an almost bald man, who was older than the one on the right. Judging by the way they looked, the older one had long grey hair and was wearing a green robe with a magic orb in his hands. The younger one was wearing a blue suit of armour and had elf ears as sharp as his silver sword. I wondered whether those weird looking old people were some ancestors of the preternatural shadows. 

I ran my hand over a leather-bound book, which fell opened on a wooden table. It was particularly thick, the thin pages were old with gilded letters. The page lied a picture, which gave away more than it meant to. I saw a younger version of Maurice and......my parents. In the picture, Maurice looked ten years younger and my parents were around the age I am now. I've never seen my parents this happy in any other pictures. My father looked at my mother with loving eyes that told me he adored her, like she was his world. It was their energy that brought this picture to life and it made me believe that nothing could ever defy their love. I hummed a song to myself, as I flipped onto the next page. 

"You have a euphonious voice." 

A joyous voice startled me and I jumped like I was having a hypnic jerk. I turned to see Maurice walking towards me with a casual gait, his hands held a spoiled squishy ball. 

"Want a hard candy? It's butterscotch flavoured, one of my absolute favourites," Maurice offered, but I didn't take it. 

I threw an annoyed glance at him when he wasn't looking, but quickly forced my face into something pleasant. 

"What's up with that?" I pointed to the ball.

"It was supposed to help Tori control her power, but it burst immediately when she gave it a gentle squeeze. It's crazy how fast her power is getting stronger when she's only 18," he shook his head.

"But isn't that normal?" I questioned.

"How do you mean?" Maurice asked as he pulled the heavy leather-bounded book across the table to him. 

"Powers do get stronger everyday, don't they?" 

Maurice gave me a questionable look that made me doubtful. Was I right? Or did I say anything wrong? I sensed the mood of the room shift as Maurice motioned me to take a seat on the couch.  "Page 24, read the first please, Miss Winters," he said, handing me the book. The book was a burden on my hands, it carried more weight than it looked. I quickly flipped the pages till I landed on my destinated page, which revealed a list below the 'THE LAWS OF PRETERNATURAL SHADOWS' heading.

I cleared my throat. "A preternatural shadow must only be conscious of their powers at the age of 18 or older, but never before."

"Your questions will be answered later," Maurice added, as though he could read my mind, "Now, continue."