A Symphony Of Frost And Flame

9 • LARICE

As for what Larice had known, Erlind's shift would end at sundown. She waited and hid behind one of the huge pillars outside of Acadrim—the one closest to Librad building. Leaning her back on the pillar, she played with her rapier, Gray Viper. It belonged to Riqui, her mentor, but he had given it to her along with the necklace. After that, Larice never fantasized about those amazing swords she had seen before. Gray Viper was the only weapon she found as perfectly suited for her.

Larice frowned as she studied her rapier. She didn't get anything from her parents as the fire had taken everything from her. Left with nothing, she went with Riqui who taught her how to wield a sword. Sometimes, Larice tried to remember any kind of memory she had from her parents ... but her trauma of seeing them burned alive had kept her from it. She wanted to remove the trauma and fear.

Larice believed that if she would find the truth, she'd finally learn to accept what happened and move on. The fear would go away and she would be free.

A few moments after, sundown came. Larice caught old Erlind walking out of Librad, carrying folders and documents. The old keeper guy was already inside, Larice knew. She'd spied him pass by and go inside earlier.

When the ground was clear, she sneaked into the building as quickly and silently as possible. Good thing she wore the hood of her black coat, otherwise the guards up from the towers and walls might recognize her hair.

Larice tiptoed on the hall entrance and leaned her head to search for the old keeper. Upon the front desk, piles of books rested, covering the sight of the old man—but Larice could see his hand with a pen, writing something on the document.

In quick succession, she slipped into the towering shelves of books. Librad contained over twenty bookshelves, aligned in columns and rows—and surrounded by another connecting shelf built on the wall.

Through the narrow space above one line of books, Larice spied at the red door behind the old keeper. She needed to get the man away from the desk for a short while so she could get there without being spotted.

All of a sudden, a faint laugh came from the back of the shelves. Larice almost froze in panic as the whispering voices of men came closer.

"I'll break your faces if you two won't shut up ..."

Larice recognized the voice—Barded.

"Can't believe a girl froze your ass off, man ..."

"She's not a girl—she's a witch ..."

Larice quickly snatched a big book, opened it, and lowered her head as she sensed the men approaching her shelf.

"You saw those dark incantations? That's exactly what the elders have been telling ... from the other countries ... they've been practicing it."

"Keep it down," the old keeper called out to them.

When Larice heard them coming from her right, she turned to her left and tried to pretend to read the book down. She bit her lower lip as her heartbeat went faster. If they would recognize her, she'd be dead. She would be expelled and taken to Sunvar City, where the Dravalon Army had been searching for her these past couple of months. Either they would throw her to jail for the accident she caused before ... or lock her up inside the Monases forever.

The growing sound of hard shoes tapping on the quartz floor made her swallow hard on her throat. She pulled down her hood more to cover up her face.

As the three guys finally passed by, Larice breathed out in relief. They settled at one table after the front shelf.

Larice never wasted a second. She passed silently through the shelves like a shadow, heading towards the back corner.

Looking up, she had to take down this last bookshelf at the most cornered part. The space between the wall-shelf and the bookshelf was narrow enough for her to climb up. She rubbed her hands together and ascended, grabbing whatever she could hold on to.