by Casey White
Daniel grinned, chuckling. His fingers danced across the keyboard. Should’ve let me help you guys cram.
The Sent icon hovered in the corner of the screen. He waited, poised with the phone pinned between him and the sky.
The reply came almost too quickly. Don’t start. Our place at five?
His heart leapt. Score. Beginning to grin, he tapped at the phone.
I’ll be there.
Daniel dropped the phone to the grass, laying back. Worrying about things was hard - about his future, about what he wanted for himself. About Leon, and why Alexandria was acting so damn weird.
It was a pain, and there was no sense letting it get under his skin on a beautiful real-world day. Exhaling, he flopped back to his side, filling his senses with the chaos of reality.
* * * * *
Just a little more.
His arms shook, straining under the weight of the stacked books. Owl gritted his teeth, hitching them a little higher. “Couldn’t you shelve these yourself?” he muttered, casting a sidelong glare at a door frame. “Do you need me to do all of it?”
The Library didn’t respond. It was, after all, a Library. But his next few stumbled paces set the floorboards to creaking cheerfully.
He rolled his eyes, pausing long enough to grab the book off the top and slot it into a gap on the shelf alongside him. “Spoiled brat,” he hissed.
On any other day, it wouldn’t have been notable. This was his job, after all. But any other day wouldn’t have left the possibility of Leon running around the Library, and on any other day he wouldn’t have to be shelving books while fully garbed. His damn breath kept fogging up the lenses of his mask.
At least this trip would be short, he told himself sourly. He’d just taken in guests, after all. He’d get several more short stays before Alexandria would make him open the doors again. It wasn’t quite as appealing as spending every day out there, but he’d escape with only a handful of days or weeks inside rather than a full year. Until his next, of course.
He shifted the stacked books to his other arm, making a face. Maybe he could go out to the training yard once the shelving was done. He could demolish some target dummies, let off a little steam. Maybe he’d-
Something screamed out overhead. Owl flinched, going stiff. It was the Library - but not the panicked alarm it’d given when Lenny had set things down a path of destruction. No, this was a softer sound, a jingling of bells that pierced the quiet with their musical tones.
He knew that sound. Moving as if in a haze, he shambled over to a desk, depositing his unshelved books and straightening. The bells continued their pealing all the while, singing their message for his ears alone.
Someone was at the door.
- Chapter Seventeen -
The books he’d so-recently carried waited on the table.
The bells sang overhead.
And Owl stared, brow steadily furrowing as his perplexion grew.
As if to snap him from his daydreaming, the bells screamed louder, accompanied by an ominous creaking of the shelves next to him. Owl jerked, shaking his head to clear the fog. “Don’t just stand around,” he muttered, lifting himself straighter.
It was fortunate he’d cloaked and masked himself, worried about Leon lurking in the wings. The thought flashed through his mind, small and guilty. But if he’d been loose in the Library without his uniform, he’d have been caught out. Whoever it was, at least he was prepared.
He turned on his heel, hurrying toward the Library’s heart. Couldn’t keep them waiting.
His thoughts raced all the while, matching his feet as he jogged onward. You might be wrong, they cried. It might not be someone at all. Maybe it’s the next round of candidates. Maybe-
Owl snorted, rounding another corner to cut across a catwalk over a massive, multi-story study. Maybe it was just the biographies being delivered. Maybe. But he’d just recently spent a full year within Alexandria. It’d be months more before she pestered him for visitors. Probably.
Any argument he could summon up paled against the backdrop of pealing bells.
“Damn it,” he muttered, breaking back into a jog.
* * * * *
The first beads of sweat were just beginning to roll down his temples when he saw the doors to the entrance. He stopped, then, taking a deep breath. Couldn’t be a mess. Had to be composed. Had to be professional. Even if it was just for a pile of papers.
When he was confident he could continue on without making a spectacle of himself, he nodded briskly - and reached for the handle.
The lights shone from within the entryway, momentarily blinding. Owl winced, resisting the urge to shield his eyes.
A woman turned to face him.
An electric jolt shot through his limbs. A person. Here.
“Oh,” he heard her say. “O-Oh. Good. Hello.”
“I’m sorry if you’ve...been waiting,” Owl said, stepping in and pulling the door closed behind him. Was that disappointment he saw in her eyes as the latch clicked shut? “I was- busy.”
“I haven’t,” she said, shaking her head. “Just for a few moments. I don’t mean to bother you, regardless.”
Owl held his tongue, staring at her face. Something about her seemed...familiar. He couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he’d seen her before, even though he was certain she wasn’t one of the guests. She couldn’t be much older than him, which instantly ruled out her visiting the Library under one of his predecessors. His eyes flicked down - and settled on the stack of neatly-stapled papers she carried clutched in her arms.
“The biographies,” he said, understanding flashing through him. “You brought them.” Then that’d make her... “Did Indira send you?”
“She did,” the woman said, pulling herself up a little straighter. She seemed hopelessly out of place here, with honey-brown hair hanging past her shoulders and her dark eyes wide. Her cheeks were flushed - but as Owl watched, her gaze darted around the room before finally returning to his. “Ah. Right. Uh.”
“I’m Owl,” he said, his composure flooding back in as the pieces finally settled into their neatly-arranged places. “The Librarian. I apologize, I wasn’t...I didn’t think someone would deliver these personally.” He chuckled. “Normally they just get left in a pile on the floor.”
“O-Oh,” she said, blinking. “You don’t remember...” She licked her lips, collecting herself, and shifted the stack of papers to one arm.
Owl managed to keep from flinching as she straightened with a swish of hair. “Olivia Sutton,” she said, smiling faintly. “I’m Indira’s assistant. With the guild?” Her smile twisted for a moment, deepening into something that almost looked genuine. “We’ve met before.”
We have? The words died on his lips, hastily bitten back before they could fly out. He peered at her through the lenses of his mask, desperately searching his mind. God, he looked like an idiot.
That wry smile was there on her lips again, a hint sheepish. “I was allowed to accompany the guildmaster here on her last visit. She had some records she needed. Uh. So...yeah.”
Owl’s eyes widened, his chin lifting a fraction of an inch. There it was - the image he’d been searching for. He could remember it, if he strained. He could still see Indira seated on the floor of the entryway, papers spread out between her and him.
And he could remember the young woman standing behind the guildmaster, flipping back and forth through her files to present this or that document. It’d been years, even in the outside world.
“Of course,” Owl said, the words coming out on automatic. “I remember you. Apologies. There’s just...a lot of guests.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” Olivia said, the last of the tension fleeing her expression. “I can’t even imagine. And a place like this?” Her eyes flicked to the heavy double doors, boring into their wooden surface. “You’ve got so much to deal with. I wasn’t trying to- I-” She clasped her hands in front of her, her expression turning serious again. “I would never think t
o accuse the Librarian of-”
“It’s fine,” Owl said, chuckling. “Not offended. I should have remembered faster.” He shifted from foot to foot, confusion still filling his mind. “So...Was there something you needed, or did you just really, really want to make sure I got the next batch of candidates?”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “O-Oh! Right.” She stooped low, depositing the mess of papers into a heap on the stonework.
Just as quickly, she rose - and bowed, bending over at the waist.
Again, Owl fought with his emotions, narrowly managing to keep a straight face. Her? Bowing? To him? This was the 21st century, not the damn 1800s.
“I heard,” Olivia said, still doubled over and staring at the ground. “About Lenny. Emma told us, afterward. About his...accidents.”
“That didn’t take long,” Owl said, with a snort.
It was hard to tell with her face pointed at the stonework, but he was pretty sure she was turning red. “On behalf of the guild, Librarian, please let me apologize. We are so sorry. If we’d known he was going to be trouble, we’d never have-”
“It’s okay,” Owl said with a sigh, returning his hands to his pockets. “We got it all straightened out. I don’t think he was malicious, just...stupid.”
“Calling it stupid is too kind,” Olivia said, and the tension in her words shone clearly. She stood, then, with her cheeks glowing. “It’s unacceptable. And we sent him to you.” Her eyes tightened. “If he’d destroyed any of the books with his stunts...the loss would be-”
“Hold on,” Owl interrupted, holding a hand up. “Lenny’s an idiot, but there are limits to the damage he can do.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “The Library...doesn’t really work like that. Lenny might have blown himself and Emma up. He might have even hurt me, if he did something especially stupid.” And if I’d utterly failed in my task as Librarian. “But he couldn’t have actually damaged Alexandria or its books.”
Olivia stopped, blinking furiously. He’d seen her eyes light up at the Library’s name, though, and groaned inwardly. An eager one. Lovely.
Despite her eagerness, his words seemed to have left her...baffled. She licked her lips, glancing toward the door as though she’d find her answers there. “Really?” she said at last, turning her eyes back to him. “It wouldn’t? I mean- I assumed that if the books were lost-”
“It’s a magic library,” Owl said dryly. “The books aren’t quite real. Neither is...anything else, really.” He sighed as her eyes started to go round. “You...don’t know any of this? Didn’t you dream to get here?”
“W-Well,” Olivia stammered, starting to shift. “Yeah. I did. And...that makes sense.” A smile curled at her lips, pressing dimples into her cheeks. “That makes me feel a bit better, at least.”
Owl chuckled, rocking back on his heels. “Now you know, assistant. Geez. I’d have thought Indira would have told you that much.”
The flush spreading across her face spread even faster. “She’s- She’s just very busy. And I would have thought you wouldn’t want people talking about this place out there. She’s just- She’s keeping your secrets. That’s all.”
Right. That was it. Owl nodded sagely. “Of course, of course. And I do appreciate her...efforts.”
He knew the truth, even if Olivia wasn’t putting it to words. Hell, Olivia might not even have pieced it together, depending on how tight a ship Indira ran.
Her guildmaster? The woman she looked up to, the one guiding them all along? She didn’t have a clue about reality inside the Library. According to all the records he could find, Indira had never been inside Alexandria as a guest - and from what he’d been able to glean from his predecessor’s journals, he was pretty sure she’d never made the trip under his watch. Her information was secondhand at best. Which left her poor assistant fretting over magic, indestructible books. He shook his head again, looking to Olivia with a hint of pity in his eyes.
“Anyway,” he said, and forced himself to stop fidgeting. “There’s no need to worry. I’m not hurt, Alexandria isn’t hurt, and despite his best efforts, Lenny isn’t hurt. Everything has worked out.”
“You’re right, of course,” Olivia said, clasping her hands in front of her. “Yeah. I just...We’re so sorry.”
“Don’t trouble yourselves over it,” Owl said, and started to step forward. His arm came up, ready to take Olivia’s arm and guide her back out. “He didn’t mean to be trouble, and it was nothing I couldn’t handle. Now, if that was all, I should-”
“A-Actually,” Olivia squeaked. The heat washing over her skin settled in splotches of crimson, brighter than he’d have thought the woman capable of. “I-I was thinking. Um.” Her eyes flicked to the double doors leading inside again. “Do you...Do you think I could-”
“You want to see inside,” Owl said, his expression going wooden.
Olivia froze. “Oh. Is...crap. It’s that obvious, is it?”
Yes. Absolutely. “I’ve...learned the signs,” Owl said instead, making a face. “Look. I...I’d like to, but-”
“Only, I’ve never actually seen it,” Olivia said. Her shoulders hunched higher with every word. “I mean, Indira hasn’t either. That’s what she said.”
So she did know, then. Owl nodded approvingly. Good on Indira for at least being honest about it. “Well, if-”
“But she’s got these stories,” Olivia said, her eyes lighting up. “From the other scholars. The older ones. They keep talking about grand temple walls that go on forever, and towers climbing into the sky. And the books, of course. All of the books. They write about it like it’s a dream, a piece of their imagination given life.”
Owl shrugged, a smile on his face as he watched her go. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“I just- I want to see it,” Olivia said, deflating again. “With my own two eyes, not words on a page. I won’t read anything. I’ll only take a peek. So, uh. Librarian Owl? Do you think I could-”
“I’m really sorry,” he said quietly, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him whole. “Only stamped and validated guests are allowed into the Library itself. The Booklenders are allowed into the entry, so that we can communicate, but...” His words trailed off.
Except for Leon, of course. The seed of worry planted deep within his mind started to blossom. If she found out...if Indira found out...
Olivia nodded, lifting a hand to run it through her hair. “Right. Yeah. Of course.” She flashed him a grin, quick and embarrassed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Owl said, latching onto the conversational save. “It’s a fair question. And...I’d probably be curious too.” He grinned, then realized she’d never see it. “It’s lovely. Really. I know, uh...telling you isn’t the same as seeing it. But it is.”
The flames on the candles overhead burned brighter, filling the entryway with warm light. Owl snorted. Is that all it takes to flatter you?
“It sounds wonderful,” Olivia said, her eyes going misty. “Maybe...maybe someday, right?”
He nodded, still smiling from behind his mask. “Maybe.”
She thrust her hand toward him. He jumped, recovering a heartbeat later. “Thank you, Librarian,” she said.
He chuckled. “Owl is fine.”
“I guess,” she said, cracking a crooked grin. “I don’t know that calling you that is any easier than using your title. But...it was my pleasure to meet you, Owl.” Her eyes twinkled. “Again.”
He reached out, wrapping his gloved hand around hers, and squeezed gently. “The pleasure is mine,” he said - and hesitated. It wasn’t exactly regular, but...he was the Librarian. And her being in the entryway wasn’t hurting anything, was it?
Besides, she seemed nice.
“You should stop by again,” he said, still frozen in the handshake. “If you need to deliver more candidates, that is. Can’t let those out of your sight, and all.” He chuckled. “It gets a little...quiet, here. I can’t let you in, but-”
&
nbsp; “Thank you,” she said, her eyes widening. Her smile grew. “I’d like that.”
And so would he, Owl realized. Guests were all fine and good, but...that was work. He couldn’t remember the last time Owl had spoken to someone casually, rather than Daniel. As more than just a nameless figure in a mask. As a friend.
He liked it.
“Be sure to pass all that on to Indira,” he said, clearing his throat and releasing her. “She doesn’t need to worry. Alexandria is fine, and neither of us are upset.”
“I-I will,” Olivia said, stooping for a moment to gather up her papers. She thrust them toward Owl, the sheets only a little haphazard. “Thank you again. Really. For your understanding.”
“Of course,” Owl said, and just like that, whatever had held Olivia in place finally snapped. She spun, turning back around, and sprang for the front door.
Owl watched her go, watched the light flare around her until all that was left was a darkened silhouette - and then, nothing. He watched the door slide shut, the entryway seeming oddly dim after the blinding glow.
And then he chuckled, tucking the stack of papers under one arm, and hurried back into the Library.
- Chapter Eighteen -
His arms ached.
Owl rubbed at them, making a face toward the towering bookshelves around him. Alexandria was in a grand mood, it seemed - he’d never seen the racks this high, with ladders hanging off the front of their fronts. It was beautiful, yes, but it made every trip up a slow, laborious affair.
He might not have minded, if he wasn’t still sore from the day before’s activities. When his mother had asked for help moving furniture, he’d thought nothing of it. He’d been sure to exercise plenty in the real world, after all. If he was to spend the majority of his life studying, he damn well wasn’t going to waste the free time he was given over a book.
Only...it’d been a lot of furniture. He sighed, stretching his hands high over his head, and grabbed the last book off the cart.