Rosalind’s POV
When I woke up, I still didn’t have any answer to my question of the night before.
It wasn’t until I had returned to my room to see the empty space where Killian had been that I realised that I had forgotten that he had left prior to me waking up.
I didn’t know how things would be now and I wasn’t sure how I wanted them to be.
I thought of Estella’s words again implying that I knew nothing of the palace of this kingdom and resolved to change that. I would find out the truth behind her words.
The only thing was where. I couldn’t ask Killian and Cillian, could I? They would be sure to suspect me and that was the last thing that I wanted.
The priesthood seemed like the next safe bet seeing as they had the closest thing to magic that I had seen in this kingdom but no one could enter their division except by volunteering or by invitation.
I had no power of any sort despite my proclamation as princess so I couldn’t even request an invitation.
That left only one option for me. The library. Libraries were known to be reservoirs of information and the Palace being so old and well royal should have loads of records.
Would there be records of magic and witches? I took a shower and headed out to find out for myself.
It took some time to hunt down the library but I did it with the help of several servants and as soon as I entered, I was in awe of the place.
It was even more quiet than the rest of the palace and it was nothing like what I imagined. The moment I stepped in, the smell of old books and polished wood overwhelmed me, and the shiny marble floors didn’t look like they were meant to even be tread upon.
The wooden shelves were huge, stretching up to the high ceiling and filled with all sorts of books. Some looked really old, and others seemed like no one had ever touched them. The bookcases were all fancy, with dark wood and fancy carvings.
In one corner, there were soft chairs and sofas, inviting people to sit and read. I was too afraid to touch anything, scared that I might break something. The lamps above the reading areas gave a warm glow, but they felt too fancy for me.
Upstairs, there was a series of upper levels that seemed to contain even more books in dizzying spirals that hurt to look at. Some books were locked behind glass and every step I took echoed.
The few windows there were colourful stained glass windows in arches that somehow worked and added to the beauty of the library. I hoped I could find some useful information here.
A smiling middle-aged wolf that radiated knowledgeability and infinite patience bowed to me. “I am Veronica. How can I help you, Princess?”
I began to speak then I shook my head remembering that this was supposed to be a top secret something.
“No, thank you. I’ll find what I am looking for myself.”
She looked sceptical but she only bowed and she took a step back and I tipped my head back looking at the large library again and noting how tall and numerous the bookshelves were.
There was no way I would get through all of them with spending at least two lifetimes in here.
I turned back to the attendant or librarian that hadn’t left yet thankfully.
“Sorry, it seems I am in above my head. I don’t know exactly what I am looking for which is why I cannot tell you. Tell me how are the books organised?”
She nodded, her expression unchanging.
“By genre, author, date and relevance.”
I blinked looking at the library again not knowing how exactly that worked out. But according to genre… what would Magic and witches fall under apart from magic and witches?
I turned back to the waiting attendant.
“I want to see the History of the Southern Paw from as far back as you can find.”
If the purebloods had been the ones to rule as far back as River had made it seem then their records would be everywhere or if they had been destroyed, at least a silver of it could be left behind.
Veronica led me through the stacks and it felt like I had taken at least a million turns before we reached a section tagged the History and Records section.
“You will find what you are looking for here.” She hesitated. “Well not everything, at a point there was a small fire and some of the books got destroyed while the others are in delicate conditions and are being restored.”
A fire that occurred in this well-controlled environment and only in the records section.
I was immediately suspicious. If I had been a dictator that came into power after the purebloods then what would I do? I would destroy all the records of me being the inferior race.
I was suddenly sure that anything I would have to find out about this would be there. It was possible I was wrong and would end up having to research the entire history section but for now, I would focus on this.
“If I want the restored books then where do I go to?”
Veronica hesitated then she took me to an isolated part of the library that was closed off to entry.
“That section,” She seemed to be unsure of how to continue speaking but she obviously had more to say and at my questioning look, she continued.
“This place is actually out of bounds so as not to affect the restoration process but since you are royalty, I will let you through. But make sure you wear protective gear and do not touch any works currently in the process of restoration. You may check the ones about to be restored or just finished.”
I nodded already knowing that I wouldn’t keep to that last rule. “Thank you.”
After a few seconds, I entered the restoration section. I coughed at the musty scent of the place before putting on the safety equipment.
Looking at the layer of dust covering most of the books and tables, it didn’t seem like any restoration had been undergone recently.
I looked through the books. I could have said that the moment I began checking, I found everything I was looking fo4 but nothing could have been farther from the truth.
I searched and searched that I felt almost lost myself as I looked through books that had to be undead languages because I didn’t recognise an alphabet in them or anything.
I collapsed into what had to be a restoring official’s seat after what felt like an eternity of looking and finding nothing.
This was hopeless, I would never find anything of relevance here, I I felt a strange draw to something in the drawer of the desk I was sitting behind.
What the hell?
I pushed it open and sure enough there was a book in there when I opened it. It looked so old that it was practically falling apart at the seams.
I was careful as I opened it, my pulse thundering away. This had to be magical, that was the only way I would have been drawn to a book in a locked drawer.
The moment I opened it though, the excitement died. I couldn’t understand anything. Another dead language. But I continued leafing through it when I noticed unlike the others, it had pictures.
I saw a picture of a garden. A picture of a woman standing with her back to seven women kneeling to her. Another of a woman standing with her back straight and arm outstretched and six wolves surrounding her.
I paused, entranced by the look of consummate anger etched on her face. No anger seemed more… understated than what I was seeing. The woman looked enraged.
I recalled River’s story and my eyes widened in understanding. Was this the part where she had cursed her fellow pitches to become wolves?
I began to flip through the nook more quickly now. The following pictures confirmed River’s stories. They looked like a traditional religious text but with the story River told me in my head, it was playing out as the unspoken dirty history of werewolves.
Then the pictures became a little less easy to decipher as River hadn’t told me about whatever these were. Thrones, crowns, people who looked suspiciously like the priesthood and priestesses only they were men.
More murders and until the book came to an end with a very familiar picture.
The one I had seen on that tapestry when Killian and I met for the first time. The one of the werewolf king with his sword at the defiant-looking witch’s head.
The only difference was that this king wore a mocking smile rather than the gallant expression he had in the tapestry outside and the queen looked almost as angry as the original evil witch who had caused all this.
What exactly was going on?
“I didn’t know you could read ancient Wolverine.”
I froze at the sound of Councilman Arthur Bane’s voice in my ear. When did he come in and what was he doing here in this section?
I shut the book immediately standing and turning to look at him, not hackles rising at having such a dangerous man standing behind me.
“I can’t. I was fascinated by the depictions.”
He nodded like this made more sense than me having any sort of hidden talents.
“That makes sense considering your…status.”
I blinked at how derogatory his time sounded.
“What do you mean by that?”
His mocking grey eyes, a twin of his daughters’, glinted with hatred as he looked at me.
“Is your low-class station not obvious to you? Because you reek of filth no matter how many clothes of finery you layer on.”
A growl escaped me before I could think better of it. “I am the fiancee to Prince Damien, you cannot talk about me like that.”
All the amusement in Arthur’s eyes fled and I paused. “And I am Councilman Arthur Bane, son of Damien Bane, seventh generation councilman, a worthless omega like you cannot begin to comprehend the extent of my supremacy over you.”
I wanted to scream that a worthless werewolf like me had a far better bloodline than he did if I was about to kindle magic even if I had been planning to forget that particular heritage of mine at this point.
Then I recalled that this heritage was a little bit dangerous and that the last person who I should be advertising this to should be the man who well… didn’t like me so well.
My silence seemed to satisfy him.
“Good. Hold your tongue like the pathetic creature that you are and count your blessings for your ridiculous luck at the Princess Trials. Be grateful for what you have and avoid my notice because if I set my sights on you then you will never make it to your wedding.”
Rosalind, be calm, I cautioned myself but my pulse was already racing.
“Is that a threat?”
He gave a smile that held too many teeth to be genuine and I bristled.
“A promise.”
I should let it go. I really should but the arrogant pool on his face removed any restraints that might have held me back.
“If I am so insignificant then why are you here talking to me?”
He didn’t speak and a laugh escaped me this time. He looked shocked that I had even thought to respond instead of taking all his shitty talk.
“Perhaps if you directed all this energy that you have at me to your daughter then at least she would have held on to the prince she earned in the Princess Trials rather than moving around aimlessly in the palace.”
Arthur’s eyes darkened and he took a threatening step towards me, a snarl on his lips.
“You have no idea who you are messing with.”
I shook my head glaring at this man who thought that he could intimidate me so easily.
“No, it is you who has no idea who you are messing with.”
I took a step towards him unafraid.
“I might be a worthless omega with ridiculous luck but one day this omega will be your queen and you will bow to her.”
A cruel smirk twisted up his lips and in that moment, I knew I had made an enemy for life and I could have cared less.
“We shall see how secure this position of yours is.” He drawled.
I scoffed.
“And I shall see how secure your Councilman office is. It would be a pity for seven generations of hard work to end with you.”
I bumped my shoulder into him, and I walked away and out of the library.