And I disagree with the mandate that we only work on paying projects, Rachel thinks. I do my best to hide my smile.

“That’s kind of you, Rachel,” Maeve says. We head toward the section of the library that she indicated and begin to scan the bindings of books for ones that might include old villages of Parilla. Maeve pulls down a few and sets them on a table, pushing one toward me and another toward Sebastian.

“This is as good a place to start as any,” she says. Together we begin to peruse the books, searching for the keyword that could alter my life if we find it.

Wren.

We spend what feels like hours poring over books and scrolls, but to no avail. It doesn’t help that I keep getting distracted and wandering to see what interesting treasures are elsewhere in the stacks. Sebastian does his best to be studious, but he can’t help worrying about Jemma, so his progress is slow. Maeve helps us hunt for Wren for a time, then heads to the section containing more recent town records, hoping to find any hint of newcomers matching the description of her three stolen children. Every city, town, and village in the three territories sends their records here for storage. I can tell from brushing over Maeve’s thoughts that she doesn’t really expect to find them, but hope is a strange thing.

Several times during our search, I can’t help feeling as though someone is watching me, but when I glance over my shoulder, no one is there. I’m doing my best to be good and not eavesdrop on anyone accidentally, but after the third time it happens, there’s no help for it. I reach out with my magic and land on thoughts that give me chills.

Intriguing children. I don’t know how they tricked Euna into letting them research here, but they might prove most useful after all…

I startle, recognizing that mind. Ida, the librarian who visited us with Rachel in Sebastian’s village. Curious, I get up from my seat until I can actually see her, just around the corner from us. She’s moving around the library reshelving books. When she notices me staring at her, her expressions turns to a frown.

“If you’re not going to work, you may as well go home,” she snaps, then returns to her task with her back to me.

Her sharp retort is cutting, and I share it with Sebastian when I return to our desk.

Well, that’s just unkind, he thinks. I didn’t like her before, and I still don’t.

Me neither.

By the time we decide to stop for the day, we’re exhausted and my nose itches with dust from the books. As we head out the library doors, we walk right into Euna and Connor—and they aren’t happy.

“You can’t be serious!” Connor says.

“What’s going on?” asks Maeve.

“Everything is fine. Don’t worry yourselves,” Euna says. Connor huffs and straightens his jacket.

“Everything is not fine. These children are underfoot in the library. This one”—he points at me, causing my face to turn beet red—“isn’t even studious. She spends more time humming and driving me up a wall than researching whatever she’s here for!”