Mid-way back to her rooms, Devina had difficulties keeping her emotions from showing on her face. It wasn’t about her brother being condescending, that by itself would actually have been beneficial. But he was obviously incompetent, and the state of their territories was dire. The crops were withering, heralding a large-scale food shortage.
A dwindling treasury, and an alarmingly small number of guards. Rebellions were on the rise, and their political enemies, particularly Devina’s uncle, - who was presumably behind the bandit attack - would not rest after the failed assassination.
When she'd taken a noble's identity, one of her initial plans was to siphon resources and buy the materials she'd need to awaken this body's mana core and become a mage again. But what use was the Vaelor family to her now, teetering on the brink of collapse?
As she reached her rooms, she fell onto her bed. She needed to think. At this rate, most of their subjects would starve during the winter. Her family wouldn’t fare much better, most likely they would be too weak to defend themselves. Since she herself preceded her uncle in the succession, her life would be in acute danger as well.
She weighed her options: stay and try to turn things around or escape. Her skills as an administrator might help, but with so little authority and a brother who clearly underestimated her, convincing him to act was unlikely. Alternatively, she could assume a servant’s identity and disappear, hoping to find somewhere safe or someone else to impersonate.
She could seek out mages and gather the resources she needed, either in this body or another. But the thought of traveling alone in her weakened state was daunting, and she was unsure of where to go or which direction to take.
She needed more information, she decided, rising from her bed. There was a library in this castle, that much she knew from old Devina’s memories. Perhaps it held clues about finding mages or the resources she needed to survive in this era. At the very least, she might find a map of the surrounding areas.
She jumped out of bed and sped down the hall. When turning a corner though, she nearly collided with a young maid carrying a stack of cloths.
The girl reflexively jumped back, her blue eyes flashing. “Watch where you’re—” Her features changed in recognition, but instead of cowering like any other servant would have, she merely quirked an eyebrow. Composing herself, she offered a quick curtsy. “My apologies, my lady. I should have been more attentive.
Davina frowned, noticing the girl’s composure. “No harm done. I’m looking for the library. What’s your name?”
The maid’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Elena, my lady. The library? I was just there. Do you need me to fetch something for you?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Devina said, bending to pick up the cloth Elena had dropped. As she stood, she studied the girl more closely. Elena’s pale skin, light blue eyes, and golden hair marked her as a likely descendant of the northern regions of the Empire. “Do you work in the library? I could use a guide.”
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“Well, not exactly, my lady,” Elena replied, her words coming a bit too quickly. “I wasn’t working right now. I was just… taking care of some books in my free time.”
Devina raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead starting towards the library and gesturing for Elena to follow.
Upon entering, Devina was greeted by long rows of dusty shelves, books stacked haphazardly without apparent order. The room was deserted, clearly unused for some time. Near the entrance, however, stood a few benches and tables, noticeably cleaner and illuminated by overhead lanterns. One table bore a stack of books, some left open mid-read.
Devina turned to Elena, who had followed her inside. “This place is a mess. How is anyone supposed to find anything?”
Elena’s earlier caution melted away, replaced by unbridled enthusiasm. “Oh, it’s easy! The shelves have labels, you know. How about you read those?” she said, then caught herself. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but her chin remained high. “Or… perhaps I could assist you? I’ve spent quite a bit of time here.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” Devina said, amused by the girl’s quick wit. “I’m looking for old history books, and anything about mages—their whereabouts, their powers, that sort of thing.”
Elena nodded, barely containing her excitement. “Of course! Half this library is history. The back shelves house the older tomes.” She gestured to the tables. “I can bring them to you if you’d like to sit. As for mages, well, our collection is rather limited.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Rumor has it they prefer the north, near Frostgate City. I might find something, but it’s likely to be mostly speculation.”
As Elena disappeared among the shelves, Devina sat down beside the stack of books on the table. She absentmindedly glanced at an open book’s contents, noting a heading that read “Solomon’s Second Peace Treaty.”
Soon Elena returned, carefully placing another pile of books on the table. “Here you go,” she announced proudly. “Got your history and even found you one about mages.”
“Thank you,” Devina said, diving into the texts. Hours passed, and her initial excitement gave way to frustration. None of the books reached back more than 500 years, and they mainly covered local history—a trade deal here, a border squabble there. The information on mages was little more than legends of old men throwing fireballs and summoning demons. Hardly accurate.
She glanced at Elena, who had remained nearby, engrossed in her own book. The girl’s dedication to the library was evident in the way she handled the tomes, her fingers tracing the spines with reverence. “You mentioned something earlier about the mages up north? I can’t find anything in these books about that.”
Elena looked up, her gaze distant for a moment as she recalled. “My mother used to live there before I was born. She would tell me stories about them. I was just a little girl, but those tales stuck with me.”
Devina leaned forward, sensing the potential value in these stories. “Tell me everything.”
They talked well into the night, Elena sharing what little she knew. The mages were a closed-off group, rarely leaving their strongholds unless there was something of value to them. The closest mage community was in Frostgate City, within the inner district. Only mages, their servants, and apprentices ever crossed its walls.
Devina returned to her room exhausted, collapsing onto her bed and instantly succumbing to sleep. As she drifted off, her mind lingered on the curious maid with the quick tongue and vast knowledge. The girl hadn’t even been slightly afraid of her, and dropped her servile attitude entirely once she picked up on Devina not caring about it. There was more to Elena than met the eye, and Devina couldn’t shake the feeling that the girl might prove useful in the challenges to come.