6. Adelbert

Chapter six

Adelbert

I trudge through the house and push open the heavy door to the library. Though only a fraction of the size of the official Alberad library in Germany, I hold a certain amount of hope that I will be able to find a way to rid ourselves of these strange markings.

I quickly scan the shelves for any books containing Amarto in their title, hoping the Elvish word for "the fates" might lead me in the right direction.

One by one, the rest of the males join me in the library and meticulously comb through the shelves. Harvey finds me kneeling on the floor as I trace the titles of each book on the bottom shelf, finding nothing promising in this section.

"Bertie, your Elvish is better than any of ours. How about you go take a seat at the desk and we will bring you anything we think might be relevant," Harvey suggests gently.

I look up to find a few of my friends standing over me, their faces lined with determination to assist me in my search.

"That is a kind offer," I acknowledge. "I shall start with the ones I have selected. Please bring me anything regarding the fates, unintentional pairings, or magical tattoos."

"I'll come with you," Edmond says, picking up half of the stack of books I have selected. "I've kept up my Elvish and it will go faster if you have help."

"Thank you," I say, accepting Edmond's assistance. Walking toward the heavy desk at the back of the room, I ask him, "Is there a reason you have continued reading Elvish texts?"

"I've always been fascinated by theories behind magic and, as a hobby of sorts, I like to spend my time diving deeper into it."

We set our books on the desk and take our seats across from each other. Mine is a typical high-backed chair, and Edmond's is a specially designed low-backed chair to accommodate his wings. Prior to our reunion, I made sure a variety of seating options were delivered to the estate in order to accommodate the different species present.

Opening the first tome related to magic markings, I ask Edmond, "Have you ever considered a career in academia?"

Without looking up, I can sense Edmond's wings spreading in the way the air shifts around us. His bitterness presses against me as he says, "If schools ever accept professors of species other than elves, it would be something I'd be interested in."

That gets my attention. I look up, placing a hand on the page to keep my place. My lip curls back, and my irritation grows with every word as I say, "It is an atrocity that they do not welcome other species to instruct on various topics." My disgust for the hierarchical exclusion of other species in education makes my blood boil, and a shudder rolls down my spine. "I cannot help but feel that there is a wealth of knowledge we are missing out on by not diversifying the education field."

"Agreed. But one can only dare to dream," Edmond says with a faint smile.

Slowly, we sift through tome after tome, modern ones and ancient ones, no closer to finding any answers. Time coils tighter around my windpipe with every tick of the clock. My hope to find anything withers away as the minutes pass.

"I think I've found something here. Anyone else have any luck?" Everett asks.

Without the tiniest spark of optimism, I hold my hand out for the book. "None so far. Let me see."

The title reads Signs of Magic Through the Ages .

I shake my head and tug on my hair. "Nothing in this one. I read the English version already."

"Bertie, it's okay," Everett says in a voice so gentle it has my head snapping up. "We'll find something. If not here, then we'll go to Alberad and search the library there."

I sat back and cross my arms over my chest. "And how will that look? A group of human women showing up with monsters who graduated ten years ago. My father would laugh at my ineptitude." I can already see the frown on ole Nithard's face.

Every conversation with my father feels like a chess game. Only difference is, I am playing blindfolded while he judges every decision I make.

The rest of the males gravitate toward the desk, and Everett asks, "What other option do we have?"

Looking each of them in the eye, I brace myself for their reactions to what I'm about to say.

"I've gone through about a hundred possibilities. Considering we have a time limit with the women having to check out of their accommodations and needing to return to their responsibilities, I've narrowed down our options to two. One really. It's a wild idea, and no one is going to like it."

Everyone is frozen, the tension building ominously as they await my pronouncement.

Edmond is the first to speak, when he says calmly, "Let's hear it, then."

Nervous energy moves through my limbs and I stand up abruptly, unable to sit still for another moment. I take a step to the left, pause, then face forward to see concerned gazes trained on me.

"I need to go to Alberad to scour more comprehensive resources. Since I will be leaving the island, I cannot guarantee that the wards will hold as strongly with so many monsters in place without my presence. So you'll need to leave, too.

"Tomorrow morning, you'll have to talk with your partner and determine where you should go—your home, their home, or another location. I'll leave that up to you as partners to decide."

Jamie raises his hand hesitantly. "What if the women don't want to go somewhere with us?"

Already having thought of that based on Iris's opinion of him thus far, I say, "We will swear oaths to them and promise their safety. You will vow not to touch them—unless it is a consensual request. We do not want them to be any more frightened than they already are."

Nods are given around the room, everyone in agreement with my plan.

"And you?" Daehan asks.

I raise my chin. "My hope is that this will all pass quickly. I will work without cease and try my utmost to resolve this as swiftly as possible."

Daehan's face softens and his concern penetrates my shields. "We're wondering if you'll be okay. Having a stranger in your house when you're so sensitive to emotions and under so much stress with the bonds and with your presentation, that might be hard for you."

I shrug. No other ideas I have had seem feasible. "It is what it is. Do you have a different suggestion?"

We return the books and tidy the library, then head off for a couple of hours of sleep before we will break the news to the women over breakfast.