Moon Of Misfortunes

Chapter Nine: Healing

It has been weeks since Nikolai cheated on me, yet I am still left recovering from the havoc it brought onto my body and mind. Since that episode, I have been applying my time to reading my secret collection of books and learning the extensiveness of our laws. It seemed that I was in a grey area of the law, which made my case even more complicated.

Rubio and I's relationship kept strengthening over these past weeks. As embarrassing as that impulsive kiss was, Rubio didn't seem to mind or remember, much to my relief. Our friendship seemed to blossom due to our similar secrets, regrets, and aspirations. As always, he has been faithfully bringing me three meals careful not to raise any suspicions of our growing friendship. Goddess knows we raised enough when he spent two nights with me during my episodes. However, Rubio has been on edge as if he is waiting for another Nikolai induced episode.

It has been a long few weeks, my bump grows with each passing week. Soon, my pups will be here and I will be on standing on death's doorway. I grimly smiled at the thought. Talk about one door opening and another door closing.

I continue reading my book. This book is named The Theory of Law and harps about the ideology behind criminal sentencing. Not to mention, this book was massive, at least 2000 pages. This thing was the King James of Law. I groaned at the thought of reading another one of these books. While they are helpful to some extent, they are about as dry as stale bread and not the best for leisure reading.

A sharp knock arrives through the door and the muffled melody of locks rings out. I attempted to hide this obnoxiously large book under my bed covers but to no avail. The door swung open, revealing Rubio in all of his glory. He held the food tray with both hands wrapped around each of the golden handles. He walked to the end table and switched out trays. As he was turning around to leave, the lump in my bed catches the attention of his brown eyes. They narrowed and he looked at me.

"What is that," he asked bluntly.

"What is what," I questioned back.

"What are you hiding in there," he questioned as he motioned towards the lump with the tray.

"It's a, uh, book," I breathed out pulling it out from under the comforter, "I found it within this room and I have been reading it. It won't get me in trouble, will it?"

He chuckled while lightly shaking his head, "wow, that thing is ancient. I'm guessing you found the nook in the wall?"

I raised a brow, "the nook?"

He nodded, "Yes, the nook in the wall. I know you would not have found any other books in here without searching the nook and getting the books from there."

"So, I am not in trouble? "

"No, but I wouldn't be bragging to anyone else about them," he sighs, "would you like to know how the books even got back there?"

I nod my head up and down eagerly. He sits down on the side of the bed and sets the breakfast tray down on his lap. He looks at me, really taking his time in admiring my features. I snap a finger in front of him.

"Earth to Rubio, I want to hear about the books not be gawked at."

He chuckles, "Yeah, yeah. We had an Apprentice Head Elder if you will, that was trying to make it onto their committee. She was relatively young, about thirty when she first came to the palace. Since she was immensely dedicated to mastering our laws, the Head Elders hesitantly allowed her to shadow them. She wasn't from an aristocratic or highly ranked family, so an opportunity to study under the masters of the Council seemed like a distant dream. She was allowed to come into the palace, but she was forced to stay in this room during her off time. The Council was worried that she was some type of double agent, a spy of sorts. That's why the windows are barred and the door has an army of locks. They didn't want her to escape with her knowledge and The Council's secrets. The only thing she had in here was her books."

He momentarily paused and ran his hands through his hair, "That hidden storage room is where she stuffed all of her books because they could put a bookshelf in here, for whatever reason. Anyway, she studied and lived in this room for about 30 years until one day she was found dead in the bathtub. Both arms had three cuts running from wrist to armpit. The Council wrote it off as a suicide. I knew Grace, well, and she would have never even entertained the thought of offing herself. I have always thought the Council didn't want to induct her in because she wasn't an aristocrate like the rest of the society and they most likely killed her for it. This palace is dangerous for those of lower statuses."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Remember how I told you about my pack and the attack?"

I nodded, shivering at the thought of the massacre of Rubio's pack. I couldn't imagine the thought of having to live with that for the rest of my life, let alone for forever.

"The High Council showed up a day later and persuaded me into coming to the palace. I didn't have anything left to hold onto and the Council desperately wanted a novelty, like myself, serving them for the rest of eternity," he spoke, "trust me, I have seen thousands of Elders and Apprentices pass through the doors of this palace in the last hundred years. I regret not realizing that they would never willingly let her become an Elder, I knew better, she did not. I should have warned her of the dangers."

"You cannot blame yourself for her death or not warning her. You could have risked your own life."

He shrugged, "no glory comes to the coward and Grace knew that. That's why she strived to become an Elder, even with her low rank."

I smiled at him and lightly touched his, "you are truly remarkable Rubio, I hope you know that. There was nothing you could have done."

"Maybe you are right," he spoke before looking at his wristwatch and continuing, "but I need to get going. I don't want the Council notice I am gone too long. They might off me next."

He stood up and lightly stretched his legs. He turned to me quickly and spoke gently, "make sure you are resting properly. You need to be healing."

He smiled at me one last time before briskly leaving the room. The echoes of the locks rung out and I was left alone with my big boring book. Something is better than nothing, I reminded myself. I began to furiously read again, determined not to disappoint Grace by disregarding or disrespecting her unknowing gifts to me. Grace might just save my life by leaving me these books. Her unachieved aspirations could hold my key to salvation. I was determined to challenge the Elders more than ever, for both of us.

So much for resting and healing, I thought, I need to think of a way to evade the Elder's wrath.