Bound by Spells (Bound Series Book 2) (9 page)

I turned back to Micah, my smile real this time. “Hundreds of years’ worth of knowledge, huh?”

His grin was all I needed to know I was right where I needed to be.

I started to walk the perimeter of the room, stopping in my tracks as I rounded a bookcase. My feet were rooted to the ground as I stared, my head swiveling back and forth. What I had thought to be a small room was only the entryway to a massive gymnasium-sized cavern. Three floors with rolling ladders and thousands of books. Micah sauntered past me and stood in the atrium of the room.

He spread his arms wide, and said, “Amelia, meet my friends. Welcome to my playground.”

“Where did all of this come from?” I exhaled the question from a gaping mouth, my eyes wide. I couldn’t even begin to estimate how many thousands of books were here. Micah’s smile softened as he looked around fondly.

“Everywhere. Every royal family added to it and Tragar, the royal historian, maintains it. He’s not here right now, he’s out tracking down more volumes, but he’ll be back soon and I can’t wait to introduce you to him. He’s hundreds of years old and a walking encyclopedia. He spends all of his time piecing together a history no one can agree on.”

I couldn’t miss the insinuation buried in Micah’s tone as we stood across the room, knowing we were sharing a secret. Rynna had told me to find out everything I could and Micah had planted me exactly where I needed to be in order to make that happen.

I walked around the edges of the room, running my fingers along the bindings of the books. I was shocked to feel the Keeper flare in response. Certain books sent waves of energy through the pads of my fingers and brought an onslaught of noise and emotion from her. I had been afraid to try to approach her again, since I had barely been able to handle our last interaction, but I knew I couldn’t keep wasting time. I dragged my fingers along another set of ten books and only one sent a jolt through me. I fingered the book and just as I was about to pull it from its place, Micah interrupted me.

“You have two options. We can start the arduous task of haphazardly trying to find books that will tell us something helpful, or we can wait for Tragar and start working on your training. Which would you prefer?”

Which did I prefer? I was being drawn toward the books and the information I knew I needed, but an underlying fear of what I could actually do without my Keeper had been nagging at me since I’d put the cuff on.

“Let’s train first. I…uh, need to brush up on some things.” I hadn't told Micah about the cuff and I hadn’t decided whether I wanted to. Rynna said he was an ally, and he had certainly been acting like one, but I still felt like the only person I could depend on right now was myself.

Micah gestured to a few couches and we both sat while Bale stood guard at the door. Micah explained as long as the other Hunters knew he was with us, we wouldn’t be bothered.

“How honest can I be here?” I asked.

“Well, out loud, we should probably still be careful. But we do have another way.” Micah tapped his temple and I instantly felt like an idiot.

“Is it still there? I know I, uh, shut that down at one point.” I wasn’t necessarily sorry or ashamed of how we had fought after I found out Micah was actually Prince Mikail, but it was another instance where I had acted without considering what would come of it.

“Connections are never really gone. But, because you are the one who closed the door, you also have to be the one to reopen it. Shall we start there?” Micah leaned back on his couch and closed his eyes, clearly waiting for me to begin. By his relaxed posture, I knew he was defenseless right now. He had completely opened himself up to me, allowing me inside his head. I was surprised he would allow himself to be so vulnerable.

I took a long inhale, holding the air in my lungs for a second before letting it out in one continuous, slow breath. I closed my eyes and focused on the small violet flame deep within me.
Bigger. Bigger. Bigger.
I muttered the words until what had been a small candle flame was a kindling fire inside me. Warmth spread through me, fire simmering in every crevice. I opened my eyes but didn’t allow them to focus. I saw a blurry Micah, still reclined on the couch, but now surrounded in a red haze. I pushed my fire out toward him, smoke tinged with lightning. It floated across the feet between us but flared in bright bursts, especially as it got closer to him. Micah had to feel me coming. His own power reached toward me, pulsing red. The two poked and prodded at each other, smoke swirling as they circled. Finally, as they had the first time, red and violet spun around and around, until they were braided together. At last, I both saw and felt the snap of electricity when they merged.

Still reclined, but looking quite smug, I heard Micah.

And here we are again, Amelia.

I rolled my eyes.
If you want to stay this way, perhaps we can use this to tell each other more truths and less lies, yeah?

Oh, you pain me. You know I was only trying to help while we were in Brighton. I had to know where you stood to understand what we were up against.

And where exactly do we stand, huh, Micah? Because while I appreciate the library and not being a prisoner in my room every minute of every day, your mother is going to come home eventually and we both know she wants more from me than just a wedding.

He sighed and pulled himself up. Putting his elbows on his knees, he steepled his fingers and pressed into his forehead.

You ask as if it is a simple question with a simple answer. My mother is nothing if not entirely unpredictable. So, the only thing I can definitively tell you is you have a few days of reprieve and in that time, you need to work fast and learn fast. The library is at our disposal and there’s a lot to learn here, but getting you ready to handle my mother and her Hunters is just as important.

You ask as if it is a simple question with a simple answer. My mother is nothing if not entirely unpredictable. So, the only thing I can definitively tell you is you have a few days of reprieve and in that time, you need to work fast and learn fast. The library is at our disposal and there’s a lot to learn here, but getting you ready to handle my mother and her Hunters is just as important.

“Okay,” I said aloud, closing down our connection. I needed the mental space to reconcile the fear and determination swimming within my system like minnows and sharks in the same stretch of water. “I want to start.” I stood up. “But I just need a minute, okay?”

I walked away from him without waiting for an answer. I couldn’t leave the library, but I could find a quiet corner to collect my thoughts. I forced strong, sure steps that conflicted with the gut-wrenching realization that even his help would only go so far. I would have to handle the Queen on my own and there was no way to even guess what she had in store for me. For the hundredth time, I wished my mother had lived. She could have prepared me for this. As it was, I walked into a minefield wearing clown shoes.

Chapter 9

“Do
you have any idea where we are actually going?” It was my turn to ask. We had been scouring the woods for a few hours, looking for some particular clearing Bethany was “just certain” she remembered how to get to. In response to my irritated question, she let a low branch fly back and almost smack me in the face. Thankfully, my reflexes were better than she likely assumed and I caught it before any permanent damage occurred. I glanced down at Charlie and muttered how lucky he was to be lower to the ground.

“I was sure this was the way we came. We came over a hill and then there was a scratched up tree and we went right. Or did we go left?” She turned in a circle, looking genuinely perplexed.

“Well,” I stated dryly, “left and right are complete opposites, so it kind of makes a difference. We’ve come to this same tree three times now. Think, Bethany. Which way did you go?”

The breeze shifted and in my first inhale, I knew exactly which way we should go. “This way,” I hollered over my shoulder, finally happy to be getting somewhere. I took off through the trees with Charlie on my heels. Bethany wasn’t quite as quick.

“Aidan! Aidan, wait for me. Human, remember? No super-fast floaty running skills over here. Still tripping over the bushes and crap. WAIT UP!”

I heard Bethany’s words, but I was on the trail. I made my movements more deliberate and sloppy so she could easily follow me, but I kept pushing forward. It wasn’t fifty more feet before Charlie and I came out in a clearing—the clearing. I was sure of it.

The area was a stark contrast to the smells assaulting my senses. The scent of shampoo and body soap, of dirty denim and sweat. Wet fur, mud-caked paws, and excrement. Charlie let out a low growl and stuck close to my side. As my gaze swept across the trees again, I saw an owl sitting back in the leaves. Its eyes never left me as I took in the scene and followed me as I sidestepped to the right and left. I cocked my head and it did the same.

Finally, Bethany came crashing into the clearing unceremoniously, swearing as she yanked twigs from her ponytail and brushed her hands down her jeans. “What in the name of—”

I held a hand up and continued my silent exchange with the owl.

Bethany connected the dots and fell silent. “Stay,” I quietly commanded Charlie.

I took a few steps forward and the owl hopped out farther on the branch. Feeling a bit ridiculous, I said, “We’re here to see Elias. We’re friends of Amelia’s. He knows Bethany. We need to talk to him, please.”

I added the pleasantry, thinking it couldn’t hurt to be respectful in my demands. In response, the owl gave me a quick
hoot
and opened his giant wings. In two strokes, he was out of sight and into the forest.

“So, now what?” Bethany asked.

“I guess now, we wait.”

The
wait wasn’t long, maybe half an hour. He announced his presence loudly as he made his way into the clearing and the once-empty branches behind him filled with bright blue eyes of all shapes and sizes. I commanded Charlie to stay with Bethany, no matter what, and received an indignant
woof
in response. I asked her to let me handle the meeting and received an eye roll in confirmation.

The owl swept back into the area, gliding on the breeze in a lazy circle above our heads, until he finally took up residence once again on the original branch. As he landed, I was sure he winked at me.

I pulled my eyes from the owl and focused on the man coming toward me. He was tall—built but lanky. He didn’t scare me, but he also wasn’t a guy I was intentionally looking to piss off. He was the only one in the bunch with normal eyes, likely by design. Pressure built in my chest. I was uncomfortable with all of the power around me, with the animals I expected walked on two feet for part of their days, like I did. I didn't feel like we weren't safe, but I surely wasn’t at ease.

I stepped out to meet the man and extended my hand. He confirmed my suspicion and introduced himself. “I’m Elias. How can I help you?” He grasped my hand firmly, but without threat. Not willing to show an ounce of fear, I met his eyes and barely caught the quick widening and enlargement of his pupils as we shook and let go. Just as quickly as I saw it, it was gone. I couldn’t help but wonder whether I had truly seen anything at all.

I went to speak when Bethany stepped up beside me. “Hey, old buddy, what's shaking?” Her giant southern smile was out in full force, but the confidence she exuded lacked a little of its normal spunk. I was happy at least to see Charlie locked at her side. It meant one of them actually listened to me.

Elias gave her an amused smile and tipped his head. “Welcome back, Bethany. Have you missed us?”

“You know, I can’t say the wet dog smell and lack of social skills really did it for me. We’ve got bigger issues, though. You want to get to it?” She turned to me and I could only shake my head at her horrendous show of fake nonchalance.

“I’m Aidan. I was…am…might be…Amelia’s boyfriend. But she’s gone. She’s with Micah—Prince Mikail—and the Queen. And we know you said you wanted to fight. And that you would help her. And now her brother is gone, too. And I know her Uncle has been here. We need your help. I have to get her out of there.” The words coming out weren’t the ones I’d been rehearsing in my head, but they were the truth.

Elias took a moment to answer. “You seem to know a lot for someone I’ve never seen or heard of before. How is it you’ve come to all of this information, Amelia’s maybe boyfriend?”