Nyssa's Point of View

Chapter 5

I crossed my arms, staring down the toughest foe I'd ever met: the Misty Mountain Library's door. I tried to open it for an entire day with no luck, but today was a new day, and I had a new plan. If the story spirits wouldn't let me inside, then I'd just have to get them to come outside.

Lending libraries hopped around my cart full of books with excitement as I pulled off the tarp I'd covered them with when I was first kicked out of the library. At least a hundred books lay within, beautiful and ready to be put back on shelves. I sorted through them, finding the most wholesome stories in the bunch just in case the characters inside came to life like the others.

I patted one of the lending libraries on the roof. "Sorry, these aren't for you today."

Then I made my way to the library's door, kneeling down to put a book in front of it. Putting books on top of the dirty and crumbled cobblestone path made me cringe, but it had to be done. I'd come up with this plan at the inn I'd been forced to stay at while I was watching a kid lure a dog inside with treats. This was a little different, but should work just as well.

From the short time I'd been inside the library, one thing was clear: the story spirits had been taking care of the few books that were left, dusting the shelves and doing what they could to maintain the library.

Which led me to think that this little trail of books I was leaving outside would annoy them too much to leave alone. If they were anything like me, they'd feel compelled to come outside and pick them up, maybe even put them back on their shelves. It's what any true library lover would do.

I walked backwards, placing book after book on the ground, leading a winding path away from the library. It had to be long enough for me to sneak in while they sent somebody out to gather the books. If they really sent somebody. I wasn't sure what my next plan of attack would be if this didn't work. Break through the windows?

"Nyssa?" a man's voice called out, making me jump and almost drop the last book. Roan hurried into the clearing, holding his hands up when he saw me. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, hello!" I put on my best fake smile, standing between him and the trail of books I'd been making. "What are you doing back so soon?"

"I was, um, hoping to be your first patron?" He peered over my shoulder, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "But it looks like you might be busy..."

Heat burned my cheeks as I watched his eyes follow the curling trail of books to the library's door, like candy left out for a child to hunt down. I scuffed my boot in the dirt, avoiding his smirk. Just who did he think he was coming back the very next day? It would take months for this library to be repaired enough for people to return, maybe longer.

"What are you really doing here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Please tell me it's not about those rumors going around town about this place."

"Can't a guy just want to read?" he asked, his smile growing.

He'd avoided the question, which meant he probably had heard the rumors. The town thought the library was haunted of all things.

Well, I had to admit, they had good reason to think that, but it didn't help my goals at all. If I hadn't recognized the golem as a character from a book I'd read, I wouldn't have believed they were story spirits either. That was just a name I made up because there was nothing else like them. If I barely believed it, how could I convince anyone else?

I had to keep the library safe at all costs, which meant keeping the story spirits hidden until I came up with a plan.

Roan stepped closer, his eyebrows pinched together. "I also wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?"

"I'm fine," I said, nodding. "But we won't be open for a while. You'll have to take a raincheck on those recommendations."

He tilted his head, glancing from me to the library. "Maybe I can help out then? I'm sure you could use a hand with something."

I sighed. "You're really not going to just leave, are you?"

"Not until you tell me what's with the books." He nodded at the trail of them lying on the ground. "They are half mine, remember."

Damn him and his over-the-top spending habits. He was right though. These were half his, so he had a right to know why they were littered all over.

"Okay, so here's the thing," I said slowly, "there's....people that sort of took over the library while it was shut down. And they don't exactly want me there. They threw me out actually."

Calling them people was a stretch, but I didn't want to reinforce whatever rumors he might have heard. Especially if I could convince him to leave before he saw any of the story spirits.

"What people?" he asked, hand reaching for his sword. "Are they like these lending libraries, something spawned of wild magic?" His gaze roved the area. "I knew I shouldn't have left you here like that, I'm sorry."

"No, no, no," I said, holding up my hands. "It's nothing like that. They're just people who love the library so much that they don't want anyone else to go inside."

He raised an eyebrow at me, but put his hand in his pocket. "Okay, and remind me again how these books are going to win them over?"

"Oh, they're not," I said, shaking my head. "But I bet I can slip inside while something comes out to get them."

"And what kind of thing do you think that will be?"

"I don't know, maybe a--" I snapped my mouth closed. I'd said something instead of someone. He was way too perceptive. "Guess we'll see."

It's not like I could keep it hidden from him forever, but if the story spirits didn't come out, then there was no point in bringing it up. He'd just go off on his merry way again and be none the wiser. No wild magic to see here, none at all.

"You're adorable, you know that, right?" He grinned, making his way over to an old stone bench. "Mind if I wait with you?"

He paused before sitting down, turning back to look at me. When his eyes met mine, I felt a small flutter in my stomach. He might be cocky, but he was also polite and cared about what I wanted. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having him here. He was an adventurer, so the story spirits shouldn't freak him out too much.

Stolen novel; please report.

"I guess I don't mind," I said, motioning at the bench before joining him. "This might take a while anyway."

He glanced sideways at me. "Looks like we're having a stakeout then."

Our knees brushed against each other, sending sparks through me. He reclined back, arms resting on the back of the bench, mere inches from my shoulders. If I leaned back, I'd be encircled by him, protected by those strong muscles he'd probably spent most his life developing. Oh how I wanted to give into that urge, but I was too busy for romance right now and had to focus.

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long for the door to crack open a tiny bit, like somebody was peeking outside. It closed again, but that peek was everything. They were interested. This was going to work!

Roan chuckled warmly. "Look at you, you're like the cat that got the cream. They barely even opened the door yet."

"Oh, but they will. Just you wait," I said, leaning back without a care in the world. His hand flexed on the bench and I couldn't help but smirk. "Want to make a bet?"

"Only if I can set the stakes," he said, pausing until I nodded. "If this plan of yours works, and you manage to get back inside the library, then I'll help you fix the place up, free of charge."

That sounded like quite the deal. I could think of lots of things for a strong guy like him to help with, especially with how many repairs it looked like the library needed. Turning down a chance at free labor would be foolish, but I had a feeling my side of this bet wouldn't be as enjoyable.

"And if they don't come get the books?" I asked, curling the edge of my shirt around my fingers. "What do you get out of this?"

He leaned closer, until my entire view was full of him and my breath caught in my chest.

"If you lose," his eyes sparkled dangerously as he lowered his voice, "then you post a job request at the local guild for somebody to help repair the library. I'll make sure to take it."

I blinked. "Wait, so no matter what, you'd be helping me with the library?" When he nodded, I grinned, leaning forward with laughter. "You're a terrible gambler. I win either way."

"That's how I like it," he said with a wink. Then he turned around slowly as the sound of a creaking door reached us. "I think somebody's coming."

I almost jumped up to see, but his hand clamped down on my leg. He put his finger to his lips and I froze. Of course, we didn't want to scare whoever was opening that door off. I forced myself to sit calmly by as the door slowly opened.

After what felt like hours, a beautiful woman in a purple dress stepped outside, gathering the books up in her delicate arms one by one. I hadn't seen her in the library before, which meant there were even more story spirits than I thought. I had the sudden urge to run inside and see them for myself, but the woman was way too close right now. She'd catch us for sure.

As she hummed, dancing along the book path, Roan and I slowly inched off the bench. He held up three fingers, lowering one at a time until there were none left. Then we ran. Adrenaline surged through me as I flung the door open, finally victorious!

The sounds of metal slamming against the floor froze me in place. Dozens of tiny armored knights lined the shelves, swords held against their chests pointed at the ceiling. Pint-sized dragons circled the shelves, as if they were the knights' backup.

"Hello," I said, smiling politely, "don't know if you remember me, but I'm Nyssa, the new librarian."

I held out my hand, but then realized how foolish that was since they were only a few inches tall.

"On me, knights!" The voice was quiet, but seemed to come from the knight with the most intricate glowing armor. He shifted, pointing his sword at me "We promised Lady Lisa that we wouldn't let them get past us."

"Remind me who these guys are again?" Roan asked. "Something about people who loved the library so much they didn't want you here? No wild magic involved?"

I laughed awkwardly, drawing my outstretched hand back. "I might have left a few details out. There might be a tiny bit of wild magic here, but nothing dangerous."

"Right, they're totally peaceful." He motioned at the knights, who looked like they were about to leap off the bookshelves at us, ducking as a tiny dragon spewed fire at him. "Maybe we should go back outside."

"You definitely should," a woman's voice said behind us, "especially after playing that trick on me."

A towering stack of books blocked the woman from view as she swayed, slowly walking inside. She must have picked up every book in the trail all at once! I rushed forward, grabbing half the stack from her.

"Sorry," I said. "I just wanted to talk, but nobody would let me in."

"Did you consider we didn't let you in for a reason?" She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes as she set her books down on a nearby table.

I gripped the books in my own arms tight. Honestly, I hadn't let myself really think about why they wouldn't open the door because if I did, then I'd have to accept that they didn't want me here, and I couldn't do that. I'd quit my job, moved out of my apartment, and traveled all the way here just to open this library. I was in too deep to give up now.

"But she's the librarian," Roan said as he took the books from my hands and gave me a reassuring smile before turning to set them down on a nearby table. "I'm guessing you're Lady Lisa?"

"Lisa's fine." She waved her hand in the air. "But I'm the librarian here. We don't need another."

"You're a librarian too? When did you get here?"

Was she really a story spirit or had the library board hired somebody else without mentioning it to me? She looked so real, but so did all the other creatures I'd seen here. The golem even smelled like damp earth. The story spirits were so life-like that it was hard to tell.

"I've been here for years." She crossed her arms, staring me down. "I didn't abandon the library."

Her implication was clear: I abandoned the library. I clutched my chest, feeling like the air was knocked out of me. When my family and I had moved away, I could have visited still, but it was so far away and I was trying to fit in in our new town. That's what kids were supposed to do in new places, or so my parents had told me.

I'd spent the past few years working on getting back here, but now that I was finally back, they didn't want me. What was I supposed to do now?

A firm hand gripped my shoulder. Roan. "Nyssa just wants to help the library. Won't you at least talk to her?"

He was right. They should at least take the time to get to know me before throwing me out. I was here to help them. I smiled at Roan, silently thanking him for that reminder.

"I am not leaving." I straightened my back, ready to fight for the library. "My job is to repair this library and reopen it. Isn't that what you want too? To see it back to normal?"

"Who says what's normal?" she asked, but then frowned as the knights and dragons behind her seemed to lose interest in me and started fighting each other. "Sheesh, they couldn't even behave for five minutes. Golem, we need your help!"

Her voice called out into the depths of the library where I heard the rumbling footsteps of the gentle giant coming toward us.

"Dammit, not again." I groaned, searching for another option, before turning to Roan. "There's about to be a twenty-foot forest golem trying to kick us out. Any ideas?"

A grin stretched across his face. "I've got a few."

"Any peaceful ones?"

"A few less," he said, wincing. "My sword does absorb magic though, we could try that."

Lisa frowned. "A magic-absorbing sword, huh? That could prove meddlesome."

Wild magic might have created them, but I didn't really want to dispel them if I didn't have to. Not if they really came from inside books. That was a whole new and fascinating kind of magic that I wanted to explore, not get rid of. They were part of the library just as much as I was, more so even, they were the books themselves.

"Can we just talk about this?" I asked Lisa. "Are you the one running things here or is it somebody else?"

"Me and two others," she said as a dragon landed on her shoulder. Lisa tilted her head as she pet it. "But are you sure you want to meet them? What if they also think we'd be better off without you?"

"Then I'll accept that decision," I mumbled, "but only after stating my case fully."

And doing everything in my power to convince them I belonged here. This was my library too and I'd be damned if I let them chase me out of it on a whim.

Lisa nodded. "Okay, then follow me."

Roan held me back a moment. "Are you sure about this? What if she's leading you into a trap?"

That was a fair question, but I wasn't worried. The story spirits didn't feel dangerous. Even when the dragons were spitting fire, all the flames missed us. And when the knights were aiming at us, they never actually attacked. Plus, when the golem threw me out, he carried me with such care and set me on the ground so gently that I didn't get a single bruise.

They cared about the library. I could feel that, deep in my bones, and if they truly cared about this place, they wouldn't hurt me. I was a librarian.

"I trust them," I said, following Lisa deeper inside.

Roan sighed, but followed as well. We'd meet this leader together. Having him by my side, ready to defend me if anything happened, gave me the space to be confident. To trust in the library I loved so much.

We'd be fine.