Silence welcomed me as soon as I entered the mansion. Nobody greeted me, and even Allison's shadow wasn't seen around to nag about my whereabouts. I sighed, and I walked through the empty hall. Instead of heading to our bedroom, I went to the library. It was one of my only sanctuaries where I could quiet my racing mind, a place to escape pressure and overwhelm.
By the time I reached the Knightrose family's library, I was stunned. It was enormous, spacious enough to lounge on the floor, cozy and inviting. The books were neatly stacked, categorized, and organized alphabetically. What made my heart swell, though, was the blend of scents—from the dusty musk of ancient tomes to the crisp fragrance of new ones. I loved it.
I grinned as if I'd won the lottery. "This is going to be a long night." My eyes sparkled with fascination. Without hesitation, I dove in, pulling books that seemed to call to me, losing myself for a while in their pages. "Looks like I'm pulling all-nighters now."
I was everywhere. I was at every corner of the library, books in hand, drawn by voices that seemed only I could hear—whispers of souls imprinted inside the pages. I wasn't sure how I could pick up their incoherent voices, but I did like a gift from the moon after I lost my wolf.
Surrounded by books, I felt at home, in heaven. Forty books felt like nothing, as long as there was no disturbance; I could finish them within a few hours. As I finished the last thick volume, my neck stiffened, and I cracked it in relief. Despite being a bookworm, in this kind of library, I want to read some more, to devour every book before retiring for the day. I was lost in the moment when a strange wind passed by.
I went stiff, suddenly went cautious about my quiet, lonely surroundings. "That's weird," I muttered, trying to ignore it, but as I was returning the books to their respective shelves, a chill ran down my spine. "What the!" I spun around quickly—nothing. Quiet. Empty. I sighed, about to sit back down, but then the breeze came again, colder this time, leaving goosebumps on my skin. "Okay, this is creeping me out."
There was a strange air spreading out from the back end of the hall in the library, but I ignored it. I don't want to be restricted from coming here. But when I was about to rest on the same seat, my feet had had other plans, leading me forward. I tried to stop it by grabbing the chair or the shelves, but I'd rather not ruin its order. I let my feet take me where they were leading me until I stopped before an old, peculiar door, its surface carved with detailed, twisting vines and glowing runes.
Curious, I tilted my head, frowning a little. "Strange…" I muttered softly as I sensed a powerful magic wrapped around the door. It was more restricted than the other books around the library, protected, sealed. I shrugged my shoulders and was about to leave when a gush of air brushed on my body. Then the door creaked open with an eerie sound. "You got to be kidding me…"
I don't want to, but I blamed my curiosity as I went inside. I thought I would be welcomed by strange and creepy things, leaving a jump-scare, but nothing. Instead, I was greeted with neat, preserved, and well-maintained old records and books, displayed like treasures in glass cases. But what lured me in was a certain book far from everything.
It was calling me.
'Come, little one. Come closer, Bernila.'
By the far end window, where the moon shone on its peak, a dark and bloody book was resting separately from the rest of the books. It was a peculiar book, standing out among the fading brown, green, blue, and red books around here. But the color was not the problem; it was the eeriness around it. And strangely, it was calling me. I was not even close to picking it up when my right knee gave in, as if something had tripped me. There was a loud thud on the ground, and I hurt myself in the process.
I clicked my tongue, hissing in pain. "Dammit. I need to stop being clumsy." I gritted my teeth from a scrape on my knee, bleeding a little. But oddly, it became bearable. I frowned until I noticed where my other hand was. It was subconsciously touching a book. "Strange."
Tempted to check it when my temple, my mark, burned. It stung painfully, making me slap the book onto my forehead to ease it. It was a stupid gesture, but somehow, it helped. The magical book with rose thorns wrapped around it glowed. It glowed in radial motion from the back to the front before meeting at the center, illuminating a Celtic symbol, which I felt I'd seen before somewhere.
"This is Serch Bythol symbol…" I mumbled, watching in fascination as the glowing motion went permanent, embossing the rose thorns and the symbol on the book. "…it's familiar…"
I traced the symbol, familiarizing myself with each touch I made; it was glowing like it knew me. It was odd, but I smiled at how beautiful it was until I noticed something engraved beneath the symbol. I traced the pattern, and I am familiar with it, but I was unsure where I saw it. I was certain it was not a rune symbol or a Celtic writing. Perhaps it was the same traditional writing from the Philippines called Baybayin.
"Everlasting Love…" Subconsciously, I mumbled as I traced the writing, then everything went black.
***
I jolted from a splashing sound, and only to awaken into the same plane where I had been seeing the midnight-blue furred Fenrir. It was looking at me, studying something nobody knew residing in me. I frowned and attempted to say something, but one of its silky tails pulled me out of the pond I hadn't realized I was sitting on. It pulled me to the surface beside it before blowing air to face, drying me magically.
I had no other word for it, aside from gratitude. "Thanks." The Fenrir nodded. I looked around, sighing before I wondered. "Why am I here, again? Did I do something bad?"
'It's far from it, Bernila.'
"Then what is it? People are noticing the changes in me, but I don't...I..." Wariness was evident in my tone as I asked the Fenrir eagerly.
'You're changing. Close on awakening as the Magical Smithing Stone in your swords filled its part.'
"My swords? What did it fill?" I wondered, keeping my question as minimal as I could. I don't want to ruin the peace I earned after reading books. I don't need another complication, but I knew whenever I met this Fenrir, it meant the exact thing - complication.
'You'll know once you're at school.'
I frowned, disliking the message. "Why I don't like how it sounded?"
'Because the journal you're holding now, open the path you're not a fan of it.'
"Oh, c'mon." I grumpily whined. The Fenrir chuckled and pulled me closer to its fur. I snuggled, relaxed, and then I sighed. "What am I turning into, Fenrir?"
'Someone you're afraid to acknowledge, a gamma.'
I don't have anything to say against it. I remained quiet, keeping myself in my thoughts, when the Fenrir hit my face with its tail. It might be fluffy, but I could feel the power from the hit. I frowned.
'There are things that need to be thought carefully, but there were also things that needed to flow freely. So, Bernila, it's time to let it flow.'
I knew it. I knew that I had to let the changes flow freely in me and not go back to where I used to be, but it was scary. So, I asked, "And if it overwhelms me?"
'Reach for her, your wife.'
I scoffed, and I gave the Fenrir a look, but it just stared back at me. It was steady and convincing, making me sigh, resting on its fur. I gave up. "Guide me then."
'Always. Wake up. You'll make her worry.'
In a snap, I was back on the floor. I gasped for air, panting, looking around until my eyes landed on the book I was holding. "Another visit..."
I was not sure how long I was lying there, if I hadn't heard Reaper's bat wings flying around me. I frowned when I heard some rustling footsteps, followed by some frantic voices overlapping with each other. I groaned in annoyance, opening my eyes, and before I could rant, I saw Allison and Almira. They were worried and tired, confusing me since they looked exhausted for a vampire who doesn't sleep much at night.
"Are you two okay?" I caught their attention when they heard me. Almira glared at me. I understood it was not the right question and turned to Allison, who sighed.
"Do you know what time it is, and you're not in your room, so what do you expect when the queen frantically ordered everyone to search for you after she saw you were not in bed yet?" Allison answered with a question, and I already had a picture of what had been happening outside the library.
"Oh." I reacted flatly and changed the subject, "What time is it?"
"It's almost dawn, Bernila, and you're here, unconscious inside the very restricted area in the library, while everyone looks for you," Almira answered with a sigh, but still worried. "What happened?"
"I love books," I replied shyly, dodging the real question.
"We can see that." Almira sighed before repeating her question. "What I'm asking is what makes you unconscious?"
I didn't say anything, but I did look at the same book that I was holding. Then I answered. "This book," Almira's expression became unreadable, and Allison grabbed Almira's sleeves as if she was frightened over something. I frowned, confused. "What? What's wrong with this book?"
"That book...that journal will change everything we prepared for you at school. I have to tell Mom about this." Almira seriously answered. I was still confused because the book was still normal to me, yet odd. Then she added, "You have to stick with us at school."
I already had that in mind, but when I glanced at the book, I felt troubled. "What do you mean? What did this book have?"
"You'll know tomorrow. But right now, she needs to see you. The queen needs you, or else, we'll face a bloody consequence of her wrath." Allison answered as we headed out of the very restricted room in the library.
I was surprised since I had no idea that I ended up at the very back of the restricted room. But I ignored it, because I had the book I'm interested in. We sat in the same seat, trying to process what had happened.
"How did you find me?" I narrowed my eyes and curiously wondered.
"I call Talia as she told me once, when you suddenly went missing, we have to search here, and damn, she's right," Almira answered while texting somebody, and maybe it was her mother.
"And here I thought, she's everywhere and knows exactly what's happening around me," I didn't intend to sound upset as I mumbled. It didn't escape their vampire hearing.
"Bernila, go to your room and rest before my elder sister gets hot-blooded." Almira softly said, but there was firmness in her voice before adding what worried her the most. "Her tantrum is lethal to everyone, and it'll be horrifyingly messy and bloody if added."
"If it's true and she's out there looking for me, she must be the one who'll find me." I was surprised how I could say those words without a break. But I was more astonished by the following words, "So, why would I return to her? I'm not her property." I could tell I was annoyed whenever I recalled Mirxalyn's intimidation and possessiveness. But what I've noticed more beneath those words is my craving for her being. "Come to me."
Allison and Almira burst into laughter. "I thought you were timid," Allison commented, amused. "...but I didn't know you could be this stubborn."
"I could be when I'm already hooked up." I grinned. But before I could open the book in my hand, I felt it. I felt her presence closing in. "Good. You're here."