I run my fingers across the lines, looking for a paragraph that talks about creatures other than vampires and their clear rivals, the shapeshifters. I’ve never heard of them, much less seen one, though they must be intimidating if they’re enemies of the vampiresb–/bwhose presence alone already chills my blood.

Suddenly, I feel the presence bof /bsomeone else in the library. Without closing the book, I look to my right, scanning the aisles formed by the shelves.

“Is someone there?”

The only reply I breceive /bbis /bsilence.

I decide to continue reading. I run my finger down the lines, looking for what I want to read today.

“Hereb.” /bbI /bsmile in satisfaction.

“… Among the long list bof /bbspecies/b, we find fairiesb, /bwith their countless subspecies, and although their appearance may be charming and friendly, they should not be underestimated. They bare /bdeceiving in looks, and their mastery of natural elements makes them dangerous. In the water, we find mermaids and tritons. Their beauty is hypnotic, and their yearning to walk onnd makes them harbor resentment toward the rest of the beings, so they use every opportunity to drag them to the ocean depths. Few survivors are known to have escaped an attack by these creatures…b” /b

skip a few lines.

“Witches have been nearly annihted; few remain among us. Mainly human in appearance, they stand out for their mastery of magical arts and their long life expectancy. A distinction is made between white magic and ck magic witches, although both are scarce nowadays and extremely hard to spot. Thest witch was seen two hundred and sixty–four years ago.”

Again, that feeling of being watched. I close the book, clearly annoyed. I let out a loud sigh of frustration as proof. I almost expect to feel the icy chill that apanies Cassian’s presence in my mind or to hear him start rambling inside it.

I set the book down on the ledge and stand, ready to rid myself of that feeling. I walk between the shelves, searching for the culprit, but I find only emptiness and dust motes dancing through the air.

bI /breturn to my nook and sit, legs crossed. The candle has burned down quite a bit, and I’m about to move it closer when I think I see something in the me. I blink several times, thinking I’ve gone mad. It’s impossible that I’m seeing tiny eyes.

I bring the me close to my bface/bb, /bbwell /baware I might bset /bmy hair on fire. I squint, not believing what I bsee/b.

“This can’t be,” bI /bbsay/bb, /btrying bto /bconvince myself.

From the me begins to emerge ba /bsmall body with yellowish skin, hair bàs /bred bas /bblood, and fire burning in her eyes. Her skin resembles that of a reptile, with small bscales /bbscattered /bbacross /bher body, and I’d almost dare say the strange addition of the afternoon is shaped like a woman.

“Not eating breakfast this morning is making me see things,” I mutter. “Damn hallucinations.b” /b

“Think I’m a hallucination if that makes you bfeel /bbetter.”

The bcreature /bwalks on her toes, arms extended to the sides bas /bbif /bshe’s bncing. She’s about the size of a finger and absolutely adorable.

?

“This can’t be breal/b.”

“Said the girl reading ba /bbook about supernatural creaturesb.” /b

Her voice is high–pitched but not annoying. She bspeaks /bwith ba /bteasing tone.

“What the hell bare /byoub?/bb” /b

I pull my knees bup /bto my chest as far as I can.

“Don’t I appear in that book?b” /b

She sounds annoyed. She starts hopping on the candbrumb, /bnds on mypb, /band climbs onto my knee to bpeek /bat the pages of the old book. I bfeel /bheat where her feet touch the fabric.

“No, there’s nothing about you, she huffs. b“/bYou should find a better book on fairies.”

“So you’re a fairy?”

“Well, I’d bsay /bI’m something more wonderful, impressive, and majestic.” The creature spins in a ridiculous little dance. “I’m a smander.”

b“/bA smanderb?/bb” /b

She sighs deeply, like she’s had this conversation bbefore /band is bclearly /bannoyed to be brepeating /bit. The mes in her beyes /bbintensify/b.

12:19 PM

b“/bbYes/bb, /bba /bsmander. A spirit of fire, though many people consider us fairies.” Suddenly, she spreads tiny wings in shades of red and orange and begins fluttering around me. “And I was already bored of watching you read for hours. Youe here every day.”

“I like this ce,” bI /bsimply say.

“It’s quiet.” She gives something like a shrug. “Too quiet for my taste.”

I frown. I bend slightly toward this strange creature.

“And why are you still here?” I ask. “You have wings–you could go anywhere. Not like me. I can’t escape this ce.”

“That’s a story too personal for you to hear just yet.” Augh, like the squeak of a mouseb, /bescapes her lips. “Smanders aren’t easy beings–we don’t like humans very much.”

I narrow my beyes/bb. /b

“Then why are you talking to me?”

“bAs /bbI /bsaid, I bwas /bbored.” She waves a hand dismissively. “No one’se down here in a long time. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to my me. I’m getting a little cold.”

Thement makes me smile. Her whole body looks like a me, and she says she’s cold—it’s at leastical. With little hops and flutters, I bsee /bher return to the candle me. Her fiery red hair swirls around her, defying gravity.

“Can I know your name?

“My name?” Her tiny fingers touch the me. b“/bIs it important?”

“I’d like to know what to call you. I’m ra.”

“Oh, I know who you bare/b, ra. The one the whispers of the wind call ‘the Ruby Queen.””

I click my tongue, a bit annoyed by that name that seems to have followed me since I arrived here. It’s aplete joke to call a queen someone who barely had enough to eat.

“Well, I’m Ankhiale.” I open my mouth to try to say her name, but she cuts me off before I even try. “Better call me Ank.”