Page 23 of A Legacy of the Light

I’m about to ask Tavish how he would describe him, but we stop at an open archway and the question doesn’t make it past my lips.

Beyond the arch is a library. Every fantasy novel I’ve ever read has one that wins over the heroine of the story. And that’s exactly what is happening. How cliche. I could die in this room, surrounded by romance books, and I’d be a happy woman.

“You’re trying to Beauty and the Beast me, aren’t you?” I comment. This place continues taking my breath away. I’m going to need to get my oxygen levels checked at this rate.

“Only if I’m Belle,” Tavish quips back.

I snap my head back to him and stifle a giggle. He is not allowed to be that good-looking and funny. Just not allowed.

He lets me take in the space in silence. Rows upon rows of bookshelves line the room, soaring toward a high ceiling decorated with so many different forms I could stare at them for hours. Creatures I recognize like horses and lions and birds. And a whole manner that I don’t. Golden chandeliers dangle on long chains that don’t come close to reaching the tops of the giant bookshelves. It’s the biggest space we’ve been to so far in the palace and undoubtedly my favorite. The rows are so tall there are ladders on wheels and tracks fixed to the front of each to move them along the length of the shelves.

Immediately beyond the archway, the library opens out into a large square with a well-trodden rug under our feet and an ornate wooden desk off to one side. An older gentleman sits behind it, I can’t fathom how old he must be to appear in his sixties.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness,” the old man addresses us.

Tavish dips his head in greeting. “Finneus, this is Elsie. I think she’ll be frequenting the library a lot while she’s my guest.”

Finneus turns his pale blue gaze to me and smiles warmly. His glasses sit perched on the end of his nose above a long gray beard, and his shoulder-length hair, neatly brushed and tucked behind his ears, is the same color.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Elsie. Do you have a preference on genre? I would be happy to point you in the right direction.”

My cheeks redden before I answer. “Err, romance,” I mumble, hoping Tavish can’t hear me. “Or fantasy and adventure.”

Tavish fails to hide his chuckle. His face tells me he could have predicted that. Ignoring him, I turn back to Finneus.

Finneus smiles before pointing to the right. “Two rows back. Rows sixty, through to two hundred and fifty, are all romance, some of which are fantasy and adventure, too.” He gives me a knowing look, as if he can see the type of story that fends off the loneliness that follows me.

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to come back and borrow some soon,” I reply, not wanting to leave Tavish waiting on me while I get lost in every book lover’s dream.

“You can take some now if you like. I have a little time before I need to tend to my duties, but I’ll need to take you back to your room for the afternoon, so you’ll need something to do,” Tavish interjects.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to keep you.”

“Definitely. There are some sofas just round here. Find me when you’re ready.”

I spend the next half hour skimming the first shelves for books. Each one sounds more delicious than the last. There are thousands on this shelf alone—more than I could ever read in my lifetime—and there are another one hundred and ninety rows of just romance novels. I can’t fathom how many books this library holds in total.

With three books in hand, I wander back to find Tavish sat in a chair gazing into the very well protected fire. I noticed there aren’t any books in the immediate vicinity—probably a good idea.

He lifts his head when he hears me approach. “That was quick. I thought you’d have taken a few more based on how your eyes almost fell out of your head when we walked in here.”

“I didn’t want to keep you too long, and these three sound like good reads from the blurbs so they’ll keep me company for a while. Thanks for waiting for me. Why are you being so nice?”

“It pays to be nice, Elsie, and I want us to be friends while you’re here.”

“I’d like that, but it still doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“I guess we just do things differently in Elfayne. We offer kindness and help to those in need. I’m in a position to help you, so I am,” he replies, effectively shutting me up.

“Well, thank you. I want you to know that I appreciate it.”

He places a palm across his chest and dips his head in acknowledgment.

“How many books are in this library?” I ask.

“Fucking loads,” he scoffs, prompting a smile from me. “I don’t actually know, but you can ask Finneus when you’re next in here. I’m sure he’ll happily give you a tour and the history of the place. He’s almost as old as the library. And before you ask, I don’t know how old he is exactly but it’s at least nine hundred.”

My mouth hangs open as Tavish stands from his spot by the fire. Finneus is going to hate me with all the questions I have for him.