Peony's Blade

Chapter 11

The night was deep, but Serielle was still inside the royal library, sifting through several books stacked on top of the table. The lantern sitting on top of another pile of books flickered gently, its soft glow casting harsh shadows beyond its reach.

The royal library had copies of all books published in Paeonia and several translated works from neighbouring kingdoms. Historical records, literature, poetry, and even e*****a were archived. Education was highly regarded as a core characteristic of the noble class, so naturally royalty was entitled to all of it, including historical documents with updated anecdotes of outdated theories.

The topic Serielle was currently researching was sorcery. It was difficult to find the books she was looking for since sorcery was usually most common in fictitious stories and in archaic explanations of nature. However, if a record of sorcery existed anywhere, it would be here. The problem was finding it. As impressive as the size and quantity of books were, it also made looking for one specific work difficult and grueling.

The scribes and archivists had done their best to devise a system to make finding titles easier, but when all Serielle had was a vague concept, the information she wanted to find was infinitely more difficult to obtain. There was very little she could find specifically about controlling shadows and the method of marking one’s body with it.

With a soft sigh, Serielle closed the book she had been skimming through. It seemed promising when she first read through it, going over various ideas about using the power of one’s soul to alter the physical world, but it turned out to be more about meditation and the healing effects of becoming one with the spirit, mind, and body.

The library was empty at this time of night, all the staff having gone home or to their palace quarters. Being in the most secure part of the palace and with guards patrolling the halls outside, Serielle wasn’t worried about being attacked. This meant she had a rare moment of solitude where she didn’t have to be conscious of every move, facial expression, posture, and sound she made.

She raised her hands over her head, her feet sliding over the floorboards as her knees straightened, and she gave herself a nice long stretch to release the tension that had built up in her back and shoulders. A groan of pleasure escaped her lips when her neck cracked as she moved her head from one shoulder to the other. Her eyes were heavy, and her body craved the warmth of her bed. Reia would have had her room heated for the night. The thought of her cosy bed excited her and she smiled dreamily.

She gave herself a few seconds in the unflattering posture she had settled into, her body practically reclining against the chair, her legs straight, her hands on her stomach, and her bum nearly slipping over the edge of her seat. She closed her eyes to enjoy the quiet crackling of the lanternfire and the smell of books.

Then, the air shifted. Serielle’s eyes flung open, and she straightened her posture within a second. The back of her neck prickled with unease, and she swept her gaze around her. Beyond the small pocket of light provided by her lantern, Serielle could only see the vague silhouettes of bookshelves. Tension seeped into the atmosphere as Serielle tried to identify the dark shapes surrounding her.

Someone was watching her.

She could feel it in the way her body stiffened. Cold sweat broke through her palms and goosebumps covered every inch of her skin.

Was it the Viper? Had she been foolish in thinking she would be safe in the royal library?

A thud thundered through the silence, and Serielle’s heart nearly burst out of her chest. She recognised the sound of a book snapping shut. Suddenly, the warm orange glow of the lantern appeared pathetic and weak against the expanse of the room, its light so soft it could barely keep the shadows at bay. The room seemed to darken, and a soft pad of footsteps approached her.

“It’s late, Princess,” a familiar voice rang out, slicing through the tense silence. “You should rest.”

Blade stepped into the light, a book tucked in his hand. Fear melted away as heat rushed to Serielle’s cheeks. How long had he been there, watching her from the shadows? She tried not to cringe at the thought of him seeing her improper posture. Surely he hadn’t seen her relax since she had only now felt his presence.

She opened her mouth to retort, but he beat her to it. “I am well aware that you decide when you will rest, but you’re exhausted and reading in this lighting will ruin your sight.”

She hated that he was right.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, skirting away from his observation. He hadn’t seen her lose her posture. She refused to accept it. “I told you there was no need to come with me. The royal library is strictly forbidden to outsiders.”

“I’m doing what I was hired to do,” he replied easily. “As you so eloquently put it, I’m your Shadow. Where you go, I follow.”

Serielle turned away from him and began to close the books before her. They reminded her of what she was looking into, and she discreetly arranged them so the topics of sorcery were hidden beneath books about the Martial Doctrines.

It hit her then that Blade had taken possession of a book.

“That book you have,” she said. “Did you get it from here?”

“Yes, your highness.” His voice was much closer than expected and she hadn’t even heard him move. The footsteps she’d heard earlier were deliberate, she realised. His movements were silent when he wanted. “As a matter of fact, I did.”

“Give it to me. The books here are not meant for just anyone.”

“As you wish.” His hand, still tightly wrapped in a black cloth, appeared before her as he gently lay the book on the table.

Serielle took one look at the title and felt heat rush through her. 43 Methods of Pleasure: An Erotic Guide to Satisfying the Woman’s Body.

“You—” She caught herself when she heard the breathiness in her voice.

Had he no shame, taking such a book and bringing it to her presence? She turned to glare up at him. His arms were crossed over his chest, and the barest of smiles lifted the corner of his lips. No, he had absolutely no shame. He knew exactly what he was doing when he walked into the light with the book on display.

“Is there a problem?” he prodded.

He knew she couldn’t punish him for following her orders. Fury and mortification melded together.

Serielle couldn’t help herself. “Are these the types of books you enjoy?”

Blade met her glare with a steady gaze, his dark eyes reflecting the soft glow of the lantern. He leaned forward until he was close enough for Serielle to see every detail of his face. The scar on his jaw cut into his neck, disappearing into the collar of his robe. There was a smaller one right at the edge of his eyebrow, hidden behind the curl of his hair.

“Does that bother you, Princess?” he challenged in a dangerously low voice.

The lantern’s reach began to shrink as shadows drew in. The silhouettes Serielle could see before melted into a darkness so deep it became a void. Beyond the pathetic sphere of light, there was nothing. Her fury died down as fear took over. The mark on her thigh pulsed. She was trapped in his domain.

Swallowing the fear, Serielle lifted her chin in defiance. She would not let him corner her with his power. She would not let him win. “No. What you enjoy in your personal life doesn’t concern me.” She grabbed the book and handed it back to him. “Return it to where you found it. You are not to take another book without my permission.”

Blade studied her, scanning her face like a tiger watching for the weakest prey. Serielle kept her expression stone cold, careful not to let a single speck of emotion slip through. This man was dangerous, a killer with the ability to control shadows. If they could take tangible form, he might be able to kill without lifting a finger. Of all the people in the palace, he was the last person she could show weakness to.

He took hold of the book she gave to him and lifted it up, his fingers curling around the letters so its title was on full display. “As you wish.”

Rejin’s warnings blared into Serielle’s mind. Blade was cunning and ruthless, his movements laced with sharp precision. He could have easily watched her from the shadows without revealing his presence and Serielle wouldn’t have been the wiser. The only reason she had sensed him was because he wanted her to. Serielle understood then. Blade would be constrained to the arrangement made between them, but Serielle had no control over him beyond what he was hired to do.

She turned away from him to hide the uneasiness settling within her chest. She wasn’t confident she would be able to mask it.

“Go,” she ordered. “Put it away, then we can turn in for the night.”

The air shifted as Blade moved to follow her orders. The shadows pulled back, and the warmth returned to the lantern’s glow.

“You won’t be able to find anything about the Shadows here, Princess,” Blade said softly as he faded into the dark. “Don’t waste your time. It’s not something worth damaging your health for.”

Even though Serielle wasn’t surprised that he knew, she still couldn’t help the guilt that slashed into her heart. Anger bubbled once more. It was unacceptable. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. He had no right to make her feel so foolish.

“That’s not for you to decide,” she grumbled to herself. Her fingers curled into tight fists. I’ll show you, Blade. I’ll find your weakness before you find that Viper because trusting you is the last thing I’ll ever do.