39 Head

"Five months?" Elya coughed, body shaking, whether in fear or excitement even she wasn't sure.

"That's what Aunt Natalia said." Nikolai clarified as he helped her down the stairs. When she expressed her desire to go out of the bedroom, he'd agreed on the condition that she avoid strenuous activities, treating her like a delicate piece of glass instead of the woman who a few days before, sent a few dozen tons of snake flying across half the city. Her condition was weak enough that she agreed, voicing her concerns as to the slow recovery. Nikolai placated her, claiming the spell which kept her asleep and consumption of Draconic aura would take time to recover from. He'd arranged their walk throughthe mansion, taking a roundabout route to a storage room where a 'nice surprise' was supposed to be.

"That's fast." Elya reached up to rub her scar, fear pulsing in her heart at the speed with which the wedding planning was going.

"Yes, it is. We'll have to go to Neva as well before the wedding day."

"You agreed?" There was too much to do. A devastated town, assassins and criminals were the least of his worries and Elya wasn't sure she'd want to go anywhere in such a situation.

"Not worth fighting over honestly. Plus, it would be nice to see your hometown. I've heard a lot about your childhood there from your aunt."

She glanced at the curl of his lips, amusement rippling across his face. Her heart sunk, remembering childhood transgressions and embarrassing phrases from long ago.

"What did she tell you?"

"Oh a few things here and there. You were quite the capable child it seems."

She shot him a dark look which only made him snicker.

Morales retainers bowed towards them as they proceeded deeper into the mansion, awe in their gazes. The mansion's twisted corridors had been confusing the first time Elya tried to get around, but she could see their value in the face of an attack. Enemies would have a difficult time orienting themselves and using their knowledge, defenders would be able to bring overwhelming force to bear. She'd already begun planning the best routes of egress in the event they were under assault. It was surprisingly easy. When she explained her plans, Nikolai grinned mischievously, like a child with a secret and claimed her ideas were flawed because they didn't even consider the secret escape routes. The more time she spent in this house the more intriguing it became.

Coming to a halt before a massive door, Nikolai ordered the guards to let them in. They wrestled the door open, Puffing in exhaustion as it swung open. It seemed to be absurdly heavy.

Surprised, she raised an eyebrow at Nikolai.

"I've found one of the easiest ways to protect rooms is to make the door difficult to open. The time it takes could be long enough for people to come and stop thieves."

"Makes sense." Elya's head spun with new ideas. With her considerable strength she could have even heavier doors that only she had the capacity to open. It would stop her great aunt from interrupting at least. She still felt frustrated with the way things had ended. They hadn't been able to recreate the mood after Nikolai's shouting match with Natalia, and in a huff he fled in embarrassment, demanding she rest well.

He pulled her through the musty shelves, winding their way through ancient crates and strange artefacts. A glint caught her eye, and she pulled at Nikolai's sleeve to stop him. Brushing the dust aside gently, she lifted a small rosewood box with an intricate silver dragon clasp keeping it shut. Tiny cut gems shone where its eyes would be and they gave it a mesmerising quality, like it was alive.

"I didn't think they'd managed to keep this." Nikolai murmured with a strange expression.

"You know what it is?" She held the box up to him but he just smiled and nodded.

"Of course I know. I made it."

"You?"

"I have some artistic skill Elya, and I can't forget this. It's the first magical device I designed and constructed myself. When the Morales lands were overrun during the war, my parents left a lot behind in their escape. I'm surprised they dragged this along."

"I'm sure they would. It looks amazing, but what is it?"

"It's a library. Don't give me that look, it really is. Here give it to me." Taking the box, Nikolai muttered and twisted the clasp open to reveal dozens of cards resting within.

"It's paper." The contents were so lacklustre she had to comment.

"A magical library." The dryness in his voice made her blush. "If I remember right, you take one of these and…" He slid a card under the box, pushing it into a tiny slot she hadn't noticed before. The box shook in his hand, lights swirling around it, the dragon clasp glowing and spinning in place. With a pop the lights coalesced into a leather-bound book, the scent of ancient vellum reminding Elya of her time spent in the Suzdal libraries. Nikolai grinned at her stunned expression, passing the book to her and snapping the box shut.

"Fallani's Reflections?" Flipping through the book only confused her further. "I thought no full copies remained."

"There are a few pages missing that I couldn't find. I've filled in as much as I could."

"This is your work?"

"I had a lot of time while following my Master. Collected all sorts on volumes of history, magic, politics, basically anything I could get my hands on."

"It's incredible." Reluctantly she returned the book to his hands, staring as it dissolved into the box and spit the card out.

"You can have it. It's been sitting here for who knows how long."

"It's too precious." She breathed. This was far beyond an incomplete magical sword.

Nikolai snorted at her refusal. "It's lying in a storehouse, gathering dust. I made it so I can give it to anyone I like and most importantly, in five months it would be yours anyway."

She giggled at his reminder of the wedding. In a way, he was right, but she still felt guilty taking something so precious.

"Fine but I owe you." She took the box, squeezing Nikolai's hand to show her appreciation.

"I'll be sure to remind you." His eyes lit up at the promise and she sensed his mind churning, considering what to ask of her. Shaking his head, Nikolai took her arm and continued deeper into the room. "Come, let's not get distracted."

Resting in the corner farthest from the entrance was a cloth covered object barely able to fit, almost as high as the vaulted ceiling of the storage room. With a grunt of effort, Nikolai wrestled the cover off and Elya nearly dropped the rosewood box. The gloomy black snake head stared at her, dull eyes flickering against the lantern light.

"You kept it?"

"You're the one who said it's necessary for the wedding."

"I didn't think you'd agree."

"It's sort of amazing, having something like this around, but I don't really know what you expected to do with it."

"I wanted to use it as a centrepiece, or statue which everyone would see when they walked in."

Nikolai's laughter echoed across the chamber. "I don't think I've ever heard of a wedding like that."

"Which would be the point." Elya wiped a nearby crate and sat down. Tossing the cloth aside, Nikolai sat down next to her.

Placing his arms around her shoulders, he whispered. "You know Elya. I like spending time with you."

"Me too." She smiled. For the first time in a long while she felt content.

In the shade of a Demonic creature they cuddled, relaxing in each other's company and planning pranks for the wedding, the only observer of their conversation a broken snake head.