Aeron and Glynne followed their colleagues into the museum. It was well-renowned by the public for its timeless grandeur. Aeron found it a chaotic jumble of eclecticism. None of the elements truly fit, each copied from different kingdoms or even different centuries. Still, it had a certain allure: it was dark and colourful, it looked like a cave of wonders and at the same time resembled a tranquil forest. The red and blue police lights, filtered through stained-glass windows, danced on the high ceilings.
Glynne walked beside him, tense and quiet. Her eyes darted up nervously when they passed a police officer stationed by the stairwell, her face turned pale.
“Glynne, they’re not going to stop you for carrying too many books,” he said with a hint of amusement. He nodded friendly at the officer. His hand was clenched over his bag.
Glynne gave a small, nervous laugh. “You’re right. I suppose. I just…well, those uniforms can be a bit… intimidating.”
“Not every figure of authority bites,” he said. “I mean, I don’t and I am your boss, technically ”
“Well,..,” She paused. “Are you really?” She teased, a hint of colour returned to her face. “That is not quite what they’re saying, you know.”
They reached Aeron’s office. It was one of the smaller rooms, tucked at the far end of a windowless hall. Still he was fortunate to even have a place of his own. Many of his peers and the assistants, like Glynne had to share loud common workspaces. It was as disorderly as usual, but something felt off.
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He concentrated and, with a swirling motion, gathered a mist of mana around his wrist. It had a dark blue colour, the colour of near-depleted reserves as a result of the previous night's drinking. He hoped Glynne didn’t notice. He gently touched some of the objects on his desk: a notebook, a scattering of pens a stack of papers. The objects moved a couple of centimetres, returning to the last place where he had placed them.
“Looks like the police took the liberty of going through my things,” he said. He felt irritated. Down the hall, one of his peers angrily shouted at one of the officers, words like“privacy” and “violation” punctuated his complaint.
Glynne looked up from the dissipating mist surrounding the scattered objects. “Why would they go through everyone’s things?” Her eyes were wide with concern. “They wouldn’t…take anything, would they?”
They hadn’t taken anything, but it was unsettling to know his work had been scrutinized. “I suppose they’re being thorough, nothing to worry.” A silence fell as Aeron’s thoughts lingered on the book in his bag. Was it safer there, or had carrying it become a threat?
After a while Glynne broke the tension: “Maybe you should join me at the meditation hall? You know, to clear your mind. Your mana will replenish faster.” Her face had a hopeful expression.
Aeron shook his head “I’ll keep it in mind. I have some things to look over first.”
Her shoulders dropped, though she nodded. “Of course… Well, I’ll be at the hall if you change your mind.” He watched her go, then closed the door and glanced down at the book concealed in his bag. Studying it here would be risky, but curiosity gnawed at him.