Doris knew the risk if she agreed to meet Daemon. She knew that gossip could brew and William could learn about it before the end of the day. She knew he wouldn't take well to knowing that she was alone with another man. It would spike his anger to a level that she knew he wouldn't be able to control.
But, she had to have this book he spoke of. None of the books she had read had anything useful for her to learn. It was always just mentions of how rare a white wolf was and how there weren't many around anymore. To actually have tales about other white wolves was exactly what she needed.
Daemon said he would be around the library when it was the emptiest. Normally that would mean around mid day when everyone who was anyone in the palace was in a meeting or out. Not even maids tended to wander in this area during that time due to their lunch breaks.
Doris didn't want to ask how he knew that. Her trust for him grew slimmer by the second but he didn't have to know that just yet. First, she wanted whatever book he promised her.
William took Alec with him to a meeting since she had to do a second fitting for the dress to make sure it was fitted in all the right places. The guards didn't follow her as she slipped down the hall and into the library.
Just as he promised, it was empty. The sight of the library gave her chills. It reminded her of the life she used to have when she worked day after day in this room...as well as the one life that was lost.
She tried not to look at the seat that Martin always sat at. It might bring her flashes of his kind face and the way he always looked at her with a soft smile. It was hard to believe that Doris didn't realize all the signals he was giving her until it was too late. If she had known then what she knew now, she would have tried harder to make sure he knew that people cared about him.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show." Daemon said from across the room. His voice echoed all around her and made her cringe. She hurried her steps towards him so he didn't have to raise his tone. Was he insane? She swore he had a death wish and so far nothing had convinced her otherwise.
"Yes, I'm here. Where is the book? I don't have much time, I have to get back to my room before William does." Doris whispered. She glanced over her shoulder even though she knew the door was louder than hell and she would've heard it open.
"Ay, I would have thought you'd be happier to see me." Daemon frowned. Doris rolled her eyes and held out her hand. He placed a thick book in her palm that almost weighed her to the ground. "You have to admit, us meeting like this is rather romantic."
Doris lifted her eyes and glared at him. "It's no such thing. Women and men can exist in the same room without it being romantic. I only came for this book so I would hold your tongue if you know what's good for you."
She started to flip through the pages. Each one made her eyes widen more than the last. There were dozens of drawings of white wolfs and tales about their origins. Stories of where they were located and what people had seen them do-it was extraordinary.
"I've read that thing several times, do you want to know what my favorite part is?" Daemon asked. He leaned back against the shelves behind him. She didn't realize how close he was until she looked up at him and tried to fight the urge to step back.
"What?" Doris breathed. How many of these stories were true? They looked as if they came out of a fairytale book that she used to read when she was a kid.
"My favorite part is reading how powerful they are. They can take down villages on their own. They're a force of nature and move faster than the winds." Daemon said as he gazed down at her. She didn't like when he looked at her like that but nothing she said to him seemed to make him stop. Perhaps he liked to make ladies mad and he couldn't help it.
"One of the stories in there is about a village that needs saving from attackers. These wolves come in and try to rob them of money and take the women to use as they wish. No one is strong enough to over come them and they all laugh at the villagers weakness." Daemon's eyes brightened a little as he spoke.
"They all think they're dead and done for. Blood covers the streets and kills any sense of their hope. Until a white wolf hears their cries. They hear it from a hundred miles away and run faster than the wind to save them. Within minutes of the white wolf arriving, the town is saved. Every single bad wolf that came to rob them was dead faster than they could register what was coming for them."
Doris's lips parted in shock. "And this story is true...?"
"Aren't all stories born from a little truth?" Daemon's lips lifted just slightly. "This one still keeps me up at night with wonder. I never thought I would meet one for myself-I didn't realize how beautiful they could be up close."
Doris felt her cheeks heat. She took a small step away from him. "I don't know about these stories." She said as she started to flip through them. There were so many-if only she had this book when she first found out what she was. Perhaps she would have believed in herself a little more.
"Some of them might seem a little extreme, but they're told by people who witnessed it. Sometimes when you see a hero, you can't get the stars out of your eyes so your stories always sound more exciting. But I believe them. I saw you out there-I know there's truth to them."
Daemon took a step closer and closed the book in her hands. She clenched it to her chest and gazed up at him. "A white wolf is chosen by the universe. Don't sell yourself short just because you haven't saved an entire village yet."
Doris swallowed and looked away from him. "Thank you for the book. I'll return it once I finish reading it-"
"Don't do a thing like that. I've read that book so many times I could recite it to you. Keep it."
"Oh-well, thank you." Doris bowed her head and headed to the door.
"Aren't you going to remind me that I can't be running into you again?" He called behind her. Doris stopped short with her hand on the knob and glanced back at him.
"If you were wise, you would listen."
"I was never the smartest man around."