Tellers of Lies [UNEDITED]

Chapter 14

Isha

"Your Royal Highness, His Majesty is calling for you." Audrey, Calix's secretary approaches him the moment we step inside the main building of Nirvana.

"Can it not wait—"

"I am afraid not, Your Royal Highness," Audrey says, growing nervous for some reason. It seems they have an important matter to discuss.

"You should go," I say to the prince beside me, "I'll...wait."

What a sardonic occurrence. A few hours ago, Calix said the exact same words to me. Now here I am.

He smiles apologetically, "Well, you can wait for me in the library then. Audrey will show you where it is. It is the only entertaining thing on this floor."

"No problem," I answer, trying my best to contain the giddiness cooking inside, "I like reading."

"Very well then," with one last smile, Calix walks away, leaving me with Audrey who gives me a knowing grin.

I stare at her in confusion and awkwardness while also trying not to be rude before she decides to break the silence, "The library is this way, Miss Sen."

If I could, I would have built a house inside a library. But that is realistically not possible; at least for me.

I have never been to a royal library. Well, I did hear once or twice about Nirvana's famous, lush, gigantic library, filled with rich genres and variety of books. Now I know that the rumours are all true. Not anyone receives the ultimate opportunity of stepping inside Nirvana's library, but here I am.

Can I just stay here forever in this library, please? Because, oh my God. These books. The high shelves made out of oakwood. On top of that, pleasant music of Mozart's Symphony No. 40, is being played, somewhere in the depths of the many bookshelves, probably on a gramophone. Not long after, the fragrance of wispy orchid, mixed with the nuance of earthy, bookish smell, invades my nostrils. I do not even bother to acknowledge Audrey excusing herself from the library as I find myself diving deeper into a beautiful haze, meant for bibliophiles. My feet begin to move automatically, passing every bookshelf and reading the words labelled on each shelf, for determining the different genre of the books.

My fingers graze against the thick spines of the books. It is spectacular how well the library is taken care of. Not a single speck of dust can be found either on the books, the shelves or any other part of the library.

As I keep exploring through the pile of tall bookshelves, from the small gap between two shelves, I find another spacious area. It is a mystery how big this library in reality is. The area tempts me with a lavishing couch at the centre and several other pillows meant for relaxation, and simply lying around in leisure. The gramophone producing Mozart's symphony is placed right beside the couch.