Chapter Nineteen: THE REALMICS

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Wow! He was in a book? Or was he?

I flipped over a few more pages to locate his name; Antinoos – but I couldn’t find it.

On one page, there was an illustration of a man with a small mustache, wearing a black cloak and hat, which for some reason made me think of the guy from V for

I flipped some more pages and read on.

…and Krâl Darchuz, the Demon King of Volttus at the time, at the request of Noble Phromaz, bestowed the gift of life, or eternal damnation, on the undead son of the old farmer. He placed his left palm over the boy’s chest where his heart was and burnt it with the heat of all hells of Volttus, leaving a scar the size of a pea that looked like the claw of the Narzul, ready to attack…

My heart stopped. This was him! This was Demon’s story! I remembered the claw I had seen the night I first met him and – faint memories of that encounter flooded my mind. It was a good few minutes before I was able to pull myself back from the memory of his caresses to the book in that odd library. I didn't want to think about him – that way.

In an effort to calm my nerves I flipped over a few more pages.

…The current Demon of Volttus is believed to be 500 years old. Krâl Antinoos is the youngest of all Demons of Volttus...

Five hundred years old! Azure had said something of the sort too once. I gasped in amazement. But he looked a few years older than me – perhaps thirty or so.

It is said that Antinoos of Albon was the son of a noble farmer. He had fallen in love with Aoibheann, an enchantress of Ducimus, who, after feeding on his soul, had left him to die in the Cold Woods of Enth. But the boy’s desire for revenge sustained him. He became the fourth Krâl of Volttus.

He controls and commands the fires of the Realm. And his eyes are the portals to all his powers.

No wonder they were so mesmerizing. I sighed. And shut the book. I didn't want to read any more about Demon lest I completely lose my mind over how charming he was.

I seemed to be a bit out of my mind ever since I had risen from my near comatose state.

And no, this lusting after a mean-streaked stranger was not fun.

I put the book back and turned to leave when my voluminous robe got caught in something and pulled it out of the shelf. Another big book fell to the floor with a thud. I picked it up and opened on an instinct though I had somewhat lost my appetite to read. Was that why the words in this book made no sense? It looked like English but I couldn’t read it.

I flipped a few more pages but it wasn’t English at all. Then I remembered it was the same language I had seen inscribed on the tombs. My curiosity stretched and yawned and sat up with renewed energy. And even though I couldn’t read a single word contained in those pages I still carried the book out of the forest-like library. I would take it to my room and later ask Azure to read it to me.

I started to go back the way I had come when I noticed something else. A spacious, tastefully decorated reading nook was tucked away in a cozy corner of the wall opposite the forest. It had a simple, non-ornate arched doorway. A big window on one wall was framed with soft silk drapes, it offered two roomy cushioned chairs and an ottoman serving more as a coffee table, a writing table with chair placed at a graceful angle adjacent the two sofa chairs, a plush area rug and a wall of built-in bookcases. The entire space was drenched in earthy tones and screamed of royalty with warmth.

I was tired enough to not venture inside it but – oh yes but – a daringly handsome oil portrait of you-know-who that covered the entire wall behind the writing desk spoke to me.

He sat slumped in a chair. The look on his face: I king, you nothing. He wore black. And he looked sinfully enchanting. I wondered how in hell I would look away if he ever appeared dressed like this in front of me.

I closed my eyes and tried to regain my focus, my integrity. Something was seriously wrong with me! I breathed deep and hard and opened my eyes. The big book was now taking a toll on my arms and I decided to lay it on the table – a handicraft of teak and leather in itself. And there, on that divine tabletop, in the midst of many more books I saw it, probably the BFFest friend I could have in the Realm. A laptop!

OMG! Civilization!

I quickly rushed over to it and switched it on. I had seriously missed Facebook like never before. Did they have internet? Wi-Fi? They must have some concept or form of cyberspace because I was dying to check with my friends here! Oh yes I had friends who – wait a minute – what the – password required?

“What the heck does he want a password for?” I thought out loud. “To hide away all that porn I bet!”

“Belly dancers actually. Porn is tasteless.”

I nearly screamed at the interruption and almost – almost – knocked off the table the laptop was on.

“You do realize there is such a thing as personal space? And no matter what you may believe, stalking is not a healthy hobby.” He continued to reprimand me while I steadied my breath, wondering how come I never heard him come?

“Don’t you ever do that again!” I gasped. “Can’t you make a sound or something?”

“No,” he said. “It’s more fun this way.”

“Why you – must you turn up everywhere?” Jerk!

“Given the tiny detail that this happens to be my house – yes!” I could hear laughter submerged in his voice. “And I could ask you the same question. After ogling my bedroom and ransacking my wardrobe, you are here. In my private and concealed library where no one is allowed.”

“It’s hardly concealed.” I mocked him. “All it took was a stupid press of a button.”

“Why are you here?” He looked bored. “Shouldn’t you be visiting dreamland with

Daddy? And why are you still wearing that?”

“Because –” and what would I say? I was too hulk-like to wear clothes? “I was too tired to try on new clothes. Secondly, I stopped dreaming ever since Daddy –” I stopped. There was no need to share stuff with him. “I couldn’t sleep,” I said instead. “I thought I’d take a little stroll. I didn't mean to come here but I’m happy I did. I love books and I’m not leaving. So there!”

He smiled slightly and nodded, as if he understood more than I had told him. That somewhat put me at ease then.

We were both standing; me against his gorgeous portrait and him by the arched doorway. A shaken up table and a slightly ruffled area rug lay between us. To all my horror – since he was so smugly royal – he bent and straightened the rug. Then, the table. That’s when he saw the book I’d brought.

“What you reading?” He placed the laptop back in position. It was a miracle I hadn’t flung the thing at him in response to his sneak attack.

“I got this from the –” I stopped, thinking he might of course know where I found it.

Instead, I handed him the book quietly.

“This is Memoirs of Darchuz,” he said opening it. “Can you read Akina?” “Is that the language in the book?” I asked.

He smiled. “I take that as a no. So why’d you take it?”

“I thought Azure could read it to me.” I felt silly. I mean the biggest library in the universe and I picked a book I couldn’t read! “Would you read it?” Oh yes Aoife, go ahead make it worse!

“There’s nothing in it for you.” He tossed the book onto the tabletop.

That should’ve been my cue to get out but an evil bug had bit me the minute I had stepped into this menacing castle.

“You can’t read it either, can you?”

“I know it by heart. “ He frowned. “I don't have to read it.”

“Alright then.” I picked up the book again. “Prove it.”

“I don't have to.”

“I’ll randomly select a page, show you, and then you’ll recite to me what’s in there.

Okay?” I started flipping through the pages. “I said –”

“Here’s one!” I said selecting a random page in the middle of the book. “Take a look.

You know this? By heart?”

He glanced at it and glared back at me. Didn’t say anything. I smiled at him and tilted my head a little, waiting for his response. Suddenly his face relaxed and he tilted his head too.

“You really want to hear it?” I nodded.

“Then you may need to sit down. Akina poetry isn’t something for the weak at heart.”

Such drama! I rolled my eyes but, carrying the book, nestled in one of the comfy chairs by the window.

“The page you chose talks of the Curse,” Demon said. “Yes, the very Curse that plagues us both so this actually might be something of an education for you.” He slumped into the other chair beside mine, lay back lazily and looked at me.