“Is that against the rules?”
“No, but perhaps we should consider changing them.”
I bite my lip, not wanting to waste another moment here on conversation, which I assume is exactly what the serpent wishes to do.
Something slams closed behind me, and I realize the scribe has shut itself back into the library.
I don’t have time to be sad for the lost soul now, but I will tonight.
“Take me to the surface,” I say.
By the timethe earth opens up above us to reveal the sky, it’s speckled with stars. My gut twists. We arrived on the island at early morning. At the very least, an entire day has passed.
And that’s me being hopeful.
When the serpent deposits me on the ground, I search the island for my companions. The island itself is barren again, the tree having retreated back into the earth.
It’s dark, and I can hardly see. My stomach wilts, and the worst occurs to me. That it’s been a year—two, fifty—and no one is here to take me away.
“Darling.”
My heart shoots through my throat, and I spin around to find a figure running toward me in the dark.
He’s still here. I could faint from relief.
Two others are running with him, and I wait for them to come into focus, for my eyes to adjust to reveal signs of aging,but no, Nolan scoops me into his arms, drawing me several paces away from the serpent, and says, “You’ve been gone all day. We thought…”
“I’m fine,” I gasp, more thrilled than he can even imagine.
“Yes, I myself am curious as to why you sought to leave us so quickly. Most stay for much longer,” says the serpent.
My mind returns to following the scribe down the aisles—how, though it had nothing to do with the Youngest Sister, the second book it had led me to was one on the history of the library, the very book that had clued me in on the library’s trap.
My heart aches for how lonely that scribe must be, to have wanted to save me over something as minor as a thank you.
“The library tricks you into not realizing time is passing,” I explain to Nolan quickly. “It doesn’t want its visitors to leave.”
Nolan’s body tenses, and over his shoulder I glimpse Charlie’s hand return to her belt.
“Well, seems like we should be getting out of here,” says Maddox.
The rest of the group follow suit, retreating quickly but calmly, none of us daring to put our backs to the serpent.
As we withdraw, the serpent flicks its tongue into the air one last time.
It cocks its head to the side, and my heart plummets.
“Why, girl, do I taste parchment and bone in the air?”
CHAPTER 13
“Nolan, ru—” But I don’t have to finish my sentence. He’s already thrown me behind him and shouted for Maddox to get me back to the ship. A moment later, and Maddox has thrown me over his shoulder and is barreling toward the shore.
I watch in horror, helpless, as the serpent hisses, then raises itself up above my husband, preparing to strike.
“Maddox, we have to go back.”
“Only thing that’s going to do,” Maddox heaves in between huffs, “is get the captain killed being distracted by protecting you.”
