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When I met Ferko in the west wing of the palace, I was still upset about my conversation with Vinna. In my mind, I kept going back and forth between being angry and regretful for my reaction.
I understood Vinna’s behavior and realized I must give her time. She was right to be cautious and, after the way I’d acted today, I’d done nothing but reinforce her fears. I didn’t think there was anything I could tell her to make her change her mind. I would just have to show her.
“You’re late,” Knight Ferko said, peering at her pocket watch.
“My apologies.”
“Let that be the last time.”
I nodded, then followed her through a large arched door. We stepped into a long carpeted room. A floor to ceiling stained glass window colored the back of the room with sunlight. Between where we stood and the window, two rows of identical bookshelves lined the walls, leaving a clear passage down the center. The ceiling was high and paneled. Carved beams cut across it, displaying some of the most amazing craftsmanship I’d ever seen.
Ferko walked down the middle passage until we reached the end of the room. There, she pointed to a shelf filled with thick tomes, each as thick and wide as my torso. She pulled out two and dropped them on a long table to the side while I stared in awe at the stained glass window.
My gaze roved around the different colors and designs. The window was divided into quadrants. The top left one depicted a large sun with a blanket of darkness falling over it. Next to it, an old hag stooped over a steaming cauldron, her knobby hand curled over the steam as she dropped something in her potion. Below the hag, wolves howled at a full moon. And, to their left, a magical forest littered with colorful flowers hosted a group of beautiful people with pointed ears.
Dividing the window in half, a girl ran down a tree-lined path, headed toward a blinding light while branches reached out as if to stop her.
The art was beautiful and haunting.
Ferko cleared her throat to command my attention. I shook myself and turned to her.
“This is a Trove ledger.” She indicated a tome with a black cover. “And this one contains family trees.” She pointed to the other one, which was bound in brown leather. “There are more on the shelves as you can see.”
Indeed, there were rows and rows of black and brown tomes on the massive bookshelves.
“They’re organized in chronological order,” she continued. “I suggest you begin with the most recent years and work back as far as you deem necessary. If you can’t find something, talk to Loretta.”
“Loretta? As in Nurse Loretta?” I asked.
“Yes. She tends to the books when none of the Pawns or Challengers need her nursing care. She likes keeping busy and knows this place inside and out. I leave you now. I have things to do. Enjoy.” She pushed air through her nose in a derisive gesture and left me standing in front of the huge tomes.
After she left, I sat and absentmindedly leafed through the books. I was more intrigued by the fact that Loretta wasn’t only a nurse but also a librarian. No wonder she offered her patients books at the infirmary.
As if I’d conjured her with my thoughts, a side door opened and Loretta walked in, carrying a small stack of books in her arms. She blinked in surprise when she saw me there, but quickly put on her usual stoic expression—one I’d grown terribly used to during my time at the infirmary.
She set the books on one of the many tables and walked in my direction. Instead of the white dress, apron, and cap, she wore as she performed her nursing duties, she now wore a long-sleeved beige blouse and an ankle-length, brown skirt. Her short silver hair was uncovered and seemed out of tune with her clothes. Why did so many women in the palace like to wear their hair so short?
“Good morning,” she said, stopping in front of my table.
“Good morning.”
“I see you are a Rook now.” She peered sideways at the new insignia on my jacket. After training with the Pawns, I’d found the new uniform on my bed at the Rook dormitory.
“I am,” I said, feeling guarded. Loretta was a woman of few words, but whenever she spoke, it seemed she said much more between the lines.
Her dark gaze shifted to the books Ferko had pulled out for me. “Congratulations. I guess I’ll be seeing more of you now.” She gave me a rigid smile. “If you need anything, and I’m not in the infirmary, make sure to ask me.” She turned and left through another side door, her back as straight as my governess’.
I leafed through the tomes for a few more minutes but found the amount of information overwhelming. The books were full of dates, names, and addresses. The ledgers contained detailed records of how previous Rooks had captured different Troves. Some of the accounts seemed exaggerated, while others were dry and boring.
I sighed, closed the book, and walked to a side window. I wanted to be able to see over the wall that surrounded the place, but all I saw was a clear blue sky, trees, a few statues, and the wall itself.
Steps sounded behind me. I turned and realized it was only Loretta carrying more books. She started shelving them, her dark gaze flicking to me as she did so.
“Beautiful day out there,” I said.
“Why don’t you go out then?” she asked.
I opened my mouth to say I was supposed to study, then realized my actual job was to find the Queen a new Trove—something I wouldn’t be able to do in a library, would I?
I smiled. “Good idea, Nurse Loretta.” I walked to the table, intent on putting the tomes back on the shelf.
“Leave them. I’ll do that,” Loretta said as if I wasn’t qualified enough to slide a few books back into place. Typical librarian.
“And you can just call me Loretta,” she said as I hurried down the middle aisle, eager to claim some of my freedom back.