Page 62 of Adversary to the Villain

“How are you, Mo?” Keeley smiled warmly, coming toward the counter. “Busy today?”

“Oh, bosh. There’s hardly been anyone in this place all week. Not since those ridiculous news postings.” The older woman teetered from behind the counter, banging said news posting on the counter. “All this Villain nonsense, and nothing about a cure for the Mystic Illness or more accessible magical education for the smaller villages. I swear, all those in power do is distract you from the wrongs they’re committing until you forget.”

Mo tapped her head with a long finger. “But I forget nothing.”

Gideon’s lips parted as he stared down at thewantedflyer of his sister. It looked less intimidating than the others, less cynical in its depiction, more Evie.

“This girl hardly looks like a threat.” Gideon felt defensiveness, ready to protect his sister’s name to this stranger.

There wasn’t a need.

Mo scoffed, picking up a stack of books and walking toward a ladder, motioning with her shoulder for them to follow. “No, but she is a woman who stepped out of line. Therefore, the king will punish her accordingly.”

“That’s so wrong.” Keeley glided through the library, and Gideon followed.

This place was so unlike the palace library. Gideon had been there a total of three times, but each felt like sitting in a room of mourning. Where the king’s was drafty and dark, this place was open, covered with windows, light coming in at every corner. Plants and greens of all shapes and sizes were strewn about, falling over shelves, wrapping the spines in flower buds, open windows letting in wafts of air that felt cleansing when one hit his face.

“That’s the world,” Mo said, giving Gideon a speculative glance. “Here, hold this, boy—you look strong.” She dropped a book so heavy, Gideon flew to catch it, wobbling under its weight. “Hmm. Only looks, then.”

“Excuse me—” Gideon objected, but he was shoved off-balance by Keeley, who helped Mo with the other books, placing them down with gentleness.

“If you could excuse us, Mo,” Keeley mumbled, “I need to talk to my friend…Herbert for a moment.” She grabbed Gideon’s good arm and dragged him behind the shelves. “What are you doing!” she hissed.

“Herbert?” Gideon’s face twisted.

Keeley ran her hands through her hair, tugging the strands, suffering for patience. “Do you honestly think the second book would be in such an obvious place? You’re putting Mo in danger, dragging her into the boss’s business. What if you were followed? She was my first friend outside the manor, and I will not put her in jeopardy because you lack creativity.”

“I don’t lack creativity.” Gideon rolled his eyes. “Nor do I lack common sense. If we’re looking for a book no one has seen since the kingdom’s creation, don’t you think a feasible location would be the place where the books live?”

Her brows pinched together, but she said nothing.

“You can take a moment,” he assured her. “Absolute silence is an average response to me being right.”

“She’s important to me, Gideon,” Keeley whispered, her anger softening into something of a plea. “This place—and Mo—matter to me.”

Oh, she played dirty.

And it worked immediately.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t know.”

“No, I’m sorry.” She sighed, hands fluttering about like a trapped butterfly. “This has always been a private place for me. When I saw you standing there, my life at the manor came tumbling in, and it—”

“Made you name meHerbert.”

She laughed, her eyes brightening, the energy radiating off her so infectious, he grinned back. “So, you didn’t follow me here?” she asked. “This was truly just a coincidence?”

“Just me trying to look in only the most obvious places,” he joked.

She smiled, appearing bashful, and he was so thunderstruck by it, he almost began dancing in place to rid himself of the sensation. “I was going to look here, too, actually.”

“Ha!” he yelled, but the sound was muffled when she put her hand over his mouth.

“Shut up! Gods, we need a plug for your mouth.”

Gideon’s eyebrows rose, his lips moving just slightly over her palm, and she jumped away so fast, she hit the shelf behind her, knocking a book from above. The tome teetered and fell before he reached up and grabbed it. “Herbert to the rescue.”

“You’re infuriating.” She rolled her eyes.