Page 34 of The Healing Dragon (The Red Book #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

JANELLE

I sabel and I focus on work for the remainder of the afternoon.

As on the day prior, there isn’t any conversation between us.

Instead, we work in a comfortable silence that is almost therapeutic.

All the questions I have regarding the upcoming events are organized in my mind.

As the minutes tick by, I get more eager to go into the library and search for answers.

As we begin cleaning up for the day, I hear the front doors opening and no other than Roman walks inside, this time alone. His expression seems solemn until his eyes find Isabel outside the small office, locking up for the day.

“Did you secure a spot in the departing party?” I ask as he reaches me.

His good humor drops as he shakes his head. “I always miss all the fun.”

“What fun?” Isabel asks with furrowed brows.

Roman leans over and places a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I will fill you in during dinner.” He turns in my direction and nods. “ Janelle,” he says.

Isabel plants her feet on the ground and pulls back on Roman’s hand. She turns to me with a soft smile. “No more baskets tonight.”

“Great.” I put two thumbs up before gathering my things to depart.

“You can come and have dinner with us. Would you like to?” Isabel asks.

A pitty invite to eat with them in the dining hall. I’ve hit rock bottom.

Her expecting eyes are the complete opposite from Roman’s bored gaze. He doesn’t think this is such a great idea. As a matter of fact, neither do I. The last thing the brothers need is to be seen as giving me any type of friendship after everything.

“I have plans,” I tell her.

She thinks I’m lying. It’s obvious from her expression. Her eyes don’t shift, as if waiting for me to change my mind.

“I’m meeting Santiago.” Not a lie. “I told him I would eat dinner with him already.”

I give them an apologetic smile. That’s only half a lie. I did tell him I would go during this time, but not for that reason.

“That’s nice of you,” Roman says, then pulls Isabel after him.

She waves me goodnight as she is rushed out of the room.

I make my way down to the library and wonder if I should stop at Pad’s first, but decide against it.

I will see him tomorrow morning with Amy Bee.

There's a grunt stuck in my throat when I think about her.

I shake my head and focus on my task ahead.

If Santiago mentioned dinner, I imagine there would be food involved.

The library is dead silent when I walk in. The small wooden desks that are often filled with people hunching over papers are now empty.

“There you are,” Matias says with a smile. His hands are full with a big tray of food items. “I got enough for everyone.”

“About time,” Santiago says, coming from somewhere in the back of the library.

“Oh, you are here,” he says to me, disinterested.

I cross my arms. “You told me to come.”

Santiago helps Matias lower the tray to the same table we occupied the night prior.

“Oh, you’re sensitive today, huh?” He mocks me, then tosses a piece of bread my way. “Come eat, you are obviously hungry.”

I take a bite out of the bread I caught and join them on the table. Hunger has finally caught up with me. When I’m full, there’s still a bit of food left on the tray. Thanks to the boys it doesn’t last there much after.

“How are you?” I ask Matias.

He gives me a look while still chewing.

“I will take that as an answer.”

“No, it’s not bad,” he says after swallowing. “Bianca and I spoke. I think not having secrets between us is better. We feel better, you know.”

I don’t, but I nod like I do. I never had a close relationship with my siblings the way Matias and Bianca do.

“Alright, let’s start looking at some of these books so we can free up some space.” Santiago leads the way by pushing his plate of food to the side and picking up a book.

I’m certain that the clutter annoys him more than anything. It might be why I was invited tonight. I open a book and begin going through a family tree. Matias does the same with one hand on a book and the other on his spoon.

The light in the room dims, announcing the sun setting outside. Other than a few coming in and out of the library asking for Santiago’s help, nothing interesting happens. My eyes grow tired and my yawning grows in frequency.

A gasp from Matias has me rising to attention.

“What?” I ask.

He turns the book in front of him to me and slides it across the table. Careful not to toss some of the other books that clutter the space, I pick it up.

The page features the family tree of a witch family. I look closely at the faces of each and every person who is shown but no one jumps at me.

Santiago moves behind me, too impatient to wait for me to be done.

“Pazduelo.” Santiago points over my shoulder at the family name. “Why does it sound familiar?”

“There is no room for fear here.” Matias taps his chest with a close fist. “I recognize her.” He points at a photo at the bottom of the page.

“Olivia Pazduelo. The infamous witch who was forced to marry a prince from hell,” I say remembering all the times I heard her story.

Santiago shakes his head. “I’ve seen it somewhere else.”

“Doesn't look like she or any of her sisters continue the family line.” Matias gestures to the blank section of the book.

“Or the book doesn't know to add the names.” I shrug.

“I know it was somewhere important.” Santiago looks up to the ceiling deep in thought.

“How do these family trees get recorded into paper?” Matias asks.

“Magic,” Santiago and I say at the same time.

Matias gives the book a grimace and I can't help but laugh.

Santiago shakes his head. “It's not like The Red Book. This magic is old and only cares to keep records. We have records of all influential families. Even the families in the human lands.”

Santiago pauses staring into mid air. Without any explanation he rises and then disappears into a bookshelf. His footsteps are hurried.

“Where is he going?” Matias stares at his retreating figure.

I shrug, but I know whatever he just thought of is going to be good. There is no point in making guesses. I lean back, leaving my book aside and wait for Santiago. It’s not long before we hear a hoot of cheer as the hurried steps grow closer.

He almost falls back into his chair, an excited smile playing on his lips.

He taps an enormous book he places on the table.

“I once read the history of Paz.” He shrugs.

“I was bored, believe it or not, but there are periods where there’s nothing to do around here. ” He gestures to the space around us.

He opens the book in his hands and looks for one specific chapter at the front of the book. When he finds it, his grin widens.

“King Maxxon renamed the kingdom to Paz in honor of his wife Mia Pazduelo on her thirtieth birthday.

They both passed peacefully in their sleep at 99.

The crown was then taken by their eldest daughter, whose line continues to rule.

" He points down at the book. “These events are dated before the creation of the Red Book. Only a few years after the gates to the underworld were opened.”

“A whole kingdom. What a gift,” Matias says, looking over Santiago’s shoulder.

“Mia Pazduelo.” I point at the name on the family tree.

There are a total of three sisters on that tree branch. Next to Olivia Pazduelo and Mia Pazdulo is another woman named Maite Pazduelo.

“One married a prince from hell, and the other the King of the Human Lands. I wonder what happened to the third sister,” Matias says.

“Have we unknowingly discovered a connection between a witch family, the kingdom of the human lands and a prince from hell?” Santiago asks us with furrowed brows.

If this family is linked to the royal families in Paz it's not common knowledge. The ruling of Queen Mia Pazduelo was also so long ago that it's possible her name got lost in the marriages that followed.

“As curious as I am about it, there are more pressing matters at the moment. We don't have time to add another topic to our research.” I point at Matias. “We haven't even addressed his magic and how he needs to learn to control it.”

I control my expression and fight the shudder I feel every time I think of what Matias did at my fathers keep. It has only been a few days but we don't need Matias going off the deep end and resurrecting people.

“Already taken care of.” Santiago looks almost proud that he’s ahead. “He can begin tomorrow with Lexi Blue and Alejandra.”

This seems to be news to Matias from the look of shock on his face. There is also a tint that colors his cheeks.

“Lexi and Alejandra?” he asks in a whisper.

Who is he nervous to be around? I wonder. Before I can ask any questions he yawns loudly.

“I feel like today was a total waste of time,” Matias says.

I look over at the number of books we got through. We definitely have not gotten any closer to learning how The Red Book works but we did learn something valuable.

“At least we know that if the royal bloodline in Paz has magic, it very well means Klause could be there,” I point out.

Santiago clears his throat. “Why don’t we ask your friend to look for him when it returns from checking on Lord Duelo?”

“Good idea,” I say.

Having Calaca look for Klause could lead us to more answers, but I do have my doubts about what it can accomplish. If Paz allows magic, a creature like Klause who is purposely trying to stay hidden will be impossible to find. But if there is something that can find him, it will be Calaca.

“I think it’s time to go to bed.” I get up and do a long stretch.

Santiago rises too. “Are we picking up where we left off tomorrow?”

“When will you be leaving for Fierno?” I ask Matias.

“Two days.”

“Then we need to make every day count.” Santiago reaches for the books we have already looked at and discarded. “I will put these back. Oh no, don’t worry about it. I insist.”

I roll my eyes at his mocking tone.

“How is rooming with Jesse?” Matias pushes his chair to the table and steps back to walk out of the library.

“What about Jesse?” Santiago asks.

I give him a side eye but don’t answer.

“Do you wish things were different between you two?” Santiago follows us.

Looking back now, I regret many things, but Jesse will always be the biggest one. If I had stayed away when my father ordered me, he would’ve never known me and wouldn’t have been hurt by my betrayal.

The day I left town, I made a promise to never repeat the mistakes of my past. I will never let anyone control me, and I will never betray anyone I love again. I will fight.

My eyes ache, but I fight the urge to rub them. “I love him,” I confess. “I love him enough to want what is best for him, and that isn’t me. Even if I wished for our friendship to be back. It never will, and that is for the best.”

“That is selfless,” Santiago says. A hint of something in his tone.

“Well, I do love surprising people. ”

“You never know what the future might have in store for you.” Santiago gestures to the wood walls of the hallways. “I would be careful what I say out in the open like this. The walls talk and the whispers of your love might carry out to him.”

There is no one in sight but us three.

“It’s not a secret,” Matias laughs and I give him a scowl that shuts him up.

“If we are done talking about me, goodnight,” I say and part at the end of the hall to the right.

Matias is staying with Bianca in Brandon’s suite, so I know he needs to go left, and I have no clue where Santiago stays, but he waves bye and returns to the library. His room might be on the other side of the castle with the rest of the staff.

When I finally make it to the room, I stop just before I open the door.

My hand holds the handle lightly. I don’t know if I’m hoping I will find Jesse in the shared space or not, but my heartbeat rises at the idea.

Not even ten minutes ago, I admitted to my feelings for him.

My skin crawls at the thought that he somehow heard.

Stupid Santiago, putting ideas in my head about walls whispering.

Nothing is going to happen when I open this door. Then why am I so hesitant to push it open?