The Library (The Librarian of Alexandria Book 1) by Casey White (ebook reader 8 inch .TXT) 📗

missing.”  Because he should have been there helping them.  He always was.  He needed to be more attentive, dammit, especially if he didn’t want them to wonder if something was wrong.  “Um...”

He gestured toward the secondary door - and Leon nodded, his eyes lighting up.  “Right,” Leon said, grabbing books from the table and loading them into his arms.  “Come on, guys.  Let’s go.”

“Go where?” Maya said.  She looked between Leon and Owl, still shoulder-to-shoulder with James.  “What’s wrong with here?  Why should we-”

“Just hurry up,” Leon said, rolling his eyes and darting to the door.

It came open silently, sliding on perfectly-oiled hinges.  Despite the adrenaline now flooding his veins, Owl smiled.  Thanks, Alex.  Appreciate your consideration here.

James and Maya were still dithering around with their textbooks, white-faced and jumpy.  Owl stepped closer to Leon for a moment, dropping his voice lower.  “Ah...Sorry about all this,” he mumbled.  “If you hang around until after, I’ll finish helping.  But otherwise, I’m sure Alex will let you-”

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Leon said, shifting the stack of books.  He shot Owl a sidelong grin, though, narrowing his eyes to slits.  “You might owe us, though.  For running off and leaving us hanging.”

“Like hell I will,” Owl said with a snort.  “Just get out of here.”

Leon nodded, still grinning, and ushered Maya out.

The door closed behind him.  Just like that, Owl was alone again.

But not for long.  Owl took a deep breath, then, steadying himself.  His mind raced, trying to switch gears.

He turned back to the first door - the one that even then, he could hear echoing with the low, soft warning of chiming bells.

A sound that died as he pulled the door open, launching himself out into the Library beyond. Owl smiled tightly from behind his mask.  Warning received.  He didn’t really need Alexandria announcing him for anyone around, either.

Reaching up to tug his hood a little more snugly about his face, he strode through the halls with what he hoped was casual nonchalance.

Alexandria was trying to warn him - of what?  If there was some sort of catastrophe happening, what would it be?  It was just Olivia and Will left in the Library, and neither of them were as destructive as past guests.  Besides.  If they were about to blow a lab up or collapse a study-full of shelves, he very much doubted Alex would be so cavalier about it.

That didn’t leave much by way of other things she might be warning him of.  And he was perfectly capable of putting two and two together.

Which left him prepared when he rounded a corner, boots ringing against the stone, and saw Olivia meandering through the halls farther down.  His steps slowed.

She hadn’t noticed him, and she didn’t look like she was about to start paying attention anytime soon.  Her honey-brown hair was mussed, like she’d hardly pulled a brush through it, and her eyes were still swollen with sleep.  She wore her backpack, though, and the yawn she was fighting desperately to mask didn’t stop her from casting an inquisitive eye about the Library.

Owl swallowed, drawing himself up a little taller.  “Hey, Olivia.”

She turned down a cross-hall, still yawning.

Great.  Owl drooped, one hand still half-raised toward her, but shook his head.  Leon and the others were still around, he realized.  He couldn’t let her wander.  Not here.  Not now.  No matter how she looked half-asleep.

He hurried forward, his eyes fixed on the passage she’d disappeared down.

She reappeared as he rounded the corner, her hair swaying gently behind her.  “Olivia!” he called, more loudly.  “Hey!  Slow down and-”

Her yelp echoed down the hall.  She spun, her brown eyes wide.  “O-Owl!” she said, pressing a hand to her chest.  “Shit.  Don’t- Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“I wasn’t sneaking,” Owl said, smiling faintly.  “I called.  You didn’t hear.”

“Oh,” she said, with a hint of red creeping into her cheeks.  “It’s...I suppose I did have a late night last night.”

“You know, you really should get proper sleep.  It’s not good for you to-”

“D-Don’t you start with me, now,” Olivia said, masking another yawn.  “Bad enough Will’s on my case.”

“Is he-”

“Didn’t think I’d run into you this morning,” she said, letting her hand drop - and she continued on her way, drifting farther down the hall.  “Figured...Figured you’d be busy back in the common areas.”

“Oh,” Owl said.  “Um.  Just looking after things.  You know how it is.”

Olivia nodded.  Her eyes were still foggy, misted over with sleep.  She hardly seemed to register Owl’s words, even.

And still she meandered, working deeper and deeper into Alexandria.

Which was exactly where he didn’t want her to go.  “Are you looking for something?” he said, quickening his steps to keep pace with her.  “You just woke up, didn’t you?  Why don’t you let me know what you want, and I can bring it to you.  I’ll take it right to the-”

“Don’t really know,” Olivia said.  Her fingers twined with the mussed-up waved of her hair, working a knot free.  Her eyes scanned the stony walls idly, searching for...something.  “I was just thinking, I...”  She bit back another yawn, squeezing her eyes shut.  Finally, she shook her head, lifting her chin.  “I wanted...to see everything I can.  To find something different.  I want to do something.”

“Well, I can-”

“I’ll study later,” Olivia mumbled, taking another step forward.  She flashed a sleepy smile at Owl.  “Don’t tell Indira, okay?”

“...I won’t,” he mumbled.  And he wouldn’t but that was hardly the point.  The odds of her turning another corner and finding Leon and the rest lurking around the other side were small - but even a small risk was unacceptable, when it came to something like this.

He needed to stop her.  Fast.  “Well, if you’ve got time-”

“Don’t want to do more chores,” she mumbled, wrinkling her nose.  “I’ve carried so many books.  Give me one day off.”

Damn it.  She wouldn’t go back and study, and she wouldn’t set herself to his tasks.  If she wouldn’t help herself, and she wouldn’t