Espial by Nikita Francois

kissed me goodnight after my
mother hugged me. I then went back to my room, finding the silver goblet with
my special wing vibrancy beverage on the vanity. I gulped it down and threw
myself onto the bed. I fell asleep fully dressed and could not care less.

CHAPTER 16
         I awoke the
next morning feeling groggy. My hair was a knotted mess and I had somehow
ripped my dress while sleeping. I tore the remnants of it off of me and slumped
into the shower. Back in my room, I noticed that all of the gifts from the
party had been placed at the foot of my bed. I sat on the floor and opened up
each one. From clothing to jewelry, I owned more possessions in that moment
than I ever had before. Afterward, I found a yellow cotton blouse and my jeans
on the vanity. Yellow leather boots sat on the floor, their laces dark orange.
I rushed to get it on and was extra careful when pushing my wings through the
back slits. They had grown a few more inches overnight. More of my feathers
were turning blonde, shedding their grayness. I drew my hair into a high
ponytail and smirked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked different, but in
a good way. Feeling my new necklace briefly, I then headed straight to
breakfast.
         Rider, Alex
and Luke were nowhere to be found. My mother was cooking up something tasty in
the kitchen with Sacra. Glinda floated over and said I looked lovely. Thankful
I didn’t have combat training that day, I took my time eating breakfast before
heading downstairs to explore the ARC some more. I peeked into all of the lobby’s
rooms I hadn’t visited yet. Done investigating, I then explored each floor via
the elevators. I reached the floor directly below Rider’s quarters where I discovered
a library. It took up the entire ninety-eighth floor of the ARC. Thousands of
rows and shelves filled the expansive room. Tall ladders that would take
forever to climb reached the ceiling. The shelves that reached the ceiling were
so far away, I couldn’t differentiate the colors of the book spines. The
library was lit by miniature versions of the same chandeliers from the lobby.
Large cushioned chairs and sofas dotted the room. I walked down row after row,
opening up books of all shapes and sizes. Some smelled new while others
practically fell apart in my hands. An older-looking librarian sat there
watching me as I explored, smiling to herself.
         “Looking
for anything in particular?” she eventually asked. I noticed that the nameplate
on her desk read ‘Anastasia.’
         “No. I’m
just browsing,” I replied.
         “Alright.”
She looked down to continue reading a tablet in front of her.
         I thought
for a moment. “Actually, yes. I could use some help.” I had changed my mind.
         “What topic
are you interested in?”
         “Warren
Sato.”
         She smiled
and got up from her seat. She walked swiftly toward one of the tall ladders.
She began climbing and I followed. About midway, she reached over and pulled a
red book off of a shelf to her right. The entire shelf transformed into a pathway
and she hopped onto it, agility clearly not affected by what I thought was old
age. Against the wall was a round, wooden door. She opened it and stepped
through. Once inside, I was captivated. A small room lay before us, walls entirely
lined with books. A tiny desk sat in the middle, with a cushioned chair and red
lamp.
         “Every book
in here is about Warren Sato,” said the librarian. “Anything you need to know
about him you will find in here.”
         “Thank
you.” She left me alone in the room and I began grabbing random books. I sat at
the table and spent the next several hours reading. Anastasia entered from time
to time, bringing me cookies and a beverage she referred to as ‘milk.’
         By the time
the afternoon rolled around, I couldn’t read anymore. My eyes felt tired, so I made
my way back through the lobby. I found Rider in his office, which