Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Thirty

"Where are we going?" I asked Calin as we drove through Wickenton that Friday.

The week had passed quickly and yet, slower than any time I had to endure before as I waited for our date to begin. He didn't tell me what we were doing or what I should wear. Any time I asked, he simply told me what time he'd pick me up. I was so nervous that I'd almost packed a carry-on filled with outfits in case what I chose wasn't suitable.

Finally, the only thing he imparted this afternoon when dropping me at the Manor after school was that I wouldn't have to worry about enduring the cold, so I wore jeans with a white long-sleeved shirt that had lace on its shoulders, a blazer, and knee-high black boots. I kept my hair down but had an elastic band on my wrist in case it got in the way.

"For supper." Calin kept his eyes on the road.

"But—"

"Do you not know what a surprise is, Nora?"

"Yeah, but I don't like them." I sat back in the passenger seat, folding my hands in my lap and looked out the side window.

I didn't know why I was nervous. We'd spent every day during the break together. Heck, we'd slept in the same sleeping bag! I just... This was different. My nerves were open and raw, and I hated the not knowing of a first date. Why did we have to jump through the hoops? Obviously by now, we'd know if we liked each other or not. Was this just his way of prolonging it? The only question was whether it was for the better or worse.

Calin pulled onto a familiar road leading to the outskirts of town, and I sat straighter. "Is this...? Are we going to the library?"

"Well, I tried asking Nancy where I should take you but everything that she suggested is outside of Wickenton. I decided to come here so we could do something new."

"What? You're going to read to me?"

Calin laughed. "No."

"Watch a movie?"

He shrugged. "If you want."

"But I thought we were going for supper."

Turning on his signal light, Calin slowed the car and turned into the parking lot, pulling up to stop at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door of the library. "Are you ready?"

"Uh..." I glanced at the doors, then searched the exterior of the building.

The last time I had been here, I had come with Duvessa, and that was only because she was trying to see if my memory would be triggered. If I could sense magic. Now, it was different. Yes, it was a building for the community and the Council had made a hideaway for the next generation, but my mother supposedly lived here before marrying Devland. It was the Fallamhain home, but I didn't feel anything. The only thing I could sense was magic, and even that was stale.

"Duvessa brought you here out of spite," Calin said. "I wanted you to see it in a better light. I mean, it was your mother's home before she met Devland. She gifted the use of the library to the community, but it still belongs to you."

I turned to look at Calin. "What?"

He nodded. "My mom checked. The property still belongs to your family, so... you."

"Well, that's great." I rolled my eyes and took off my seatbelt. "Does Aiden know?"

"I would assume so." Calin nodded.

"So, you brought me to a library for a date because I own it?"

Calin laughed but didn't answer. Instead, he got out of the vehicle and came around to the passenger side. After he opened my door, he held out his hand and helped me out, his hand dropping to my back to guide me up the steps to the set of double doors at the top as I looked around again.