Tales & Time (Lost Time Academy #1)(46)

"This is the old library, which has been out of order for many terms. We want to clean it up and get it back to its original way. Your detention is to spend three hours cleaning and dusting all the books," Miss Noa explains.

"God, someone save me," I hear Ella mutter, making me smile as we get to the last step and into the big stone room. There are dozens of boxes, covered in white sheets, littering the room. All the walls have bookcases with no books in, and there is a large statue of two women with benches around them. The women are made of white stone, which is carved to show off their long dresses and very long hair. The women are holding each other's hands, looking up at the ceiling and the light right above them.

"The statue is of the goddess that made our kind. Both the sisters," she tells me, and I look at their faces, wondering if they would even care about the war they created. Their children who are fighting it every day.

"What about the goddess that made humans and gave life to the world?" I ask her, because she started all of this, so surely she should be the one in the middle of the sisters.

"We do not know who made the statue or how old it is, so I have no clue why there aren't three sisters in the sculpture," Miss Noa explains to me, though she seems sad about it. "Now, I am going to lock you in here, and I will be back later. If you mess around and do not work, you will all be back here tomorrow night." We are all silent for a moment as Miss Noa walks back up the steps and slams the creaky door shut, turning the lock.

"Right, girls open the boxes and clean the books with the dusters. We will start lifting the heavy ones and bring them over to you. Then put the books away," Noah makes a plan, clapping his hands once and dust goes everywhere in a puff, making us cough.

"Sounds good," Knox says, stepping over some boxes and going to the big pile of them in the back.

"I'm going to pull the sheets off everything and give the girls some to dust with before joining you," Tobias says, flashing me a guilty and sad look. I want to say something, but I'm not sure what. The last thing I did was punch him in the face while he was high as a kite. It's pretty awkward between us and I'm still waiting for an apology I doubt I'm getting. Tobias never did say sorry, not ever as kids or teenagers.

"Why don't we sit on the benches, there is enough of them, and start opening boxes?" I suggest to Ella, because we might as well use the only seats in here.

"Fine, new girl," Ella mutters, following me over to the benches. I sit down on one, and Ella chooses to sit next to me.

"I've been here a while now, I'm not that new," I remark, pulling a box closer and ripping the tape off.

"There hasn't been anyone newer than you, so yes you are," Ella replies, getting her own box. We silently go through about five boxes, piling books up and dusting them with the cloth that Tobias brought us.

"They love you, don't they?" Ella quietly asks.

"I don't know. We don't talk about things...we just have each other. It's complicated, Ella," I honestly tell her. As much as I don't like it, we are all linked together for a little while. There is no point lying to her.

"I'm sorry for what I said and the fight. I'm sorry for going after them. I know it's pointless and they will never listen to the rules anyway, not when you are around. As much as I'd like to marry those sexy guys, I would hate it if it were a marriage just on paper. I can't make the Masters change, but your Tale brothers might stand a chance," she says, sounding like an honest and nice person for the first time since we met.

"Thank you for saying that," I reply, somewhat speechless. I didn't expect her to say anything.

"This doesn't mean I like you or we are friends," she reminds me. "We are just a step above enemies."

"Got it," I reply, smiling at her, and she smiles back for a moment before turning away. Maybe Ella isn't all bad after all.

"Everyone, come and look at this!" Sin shouts over from somewhere behind us.

"I'm not seeing anything. This place is yuck," Ella says when I get up and look down at her. I shake my head and step over the piles of books and head to the back of the library where Sin is kneeling down, looking at the floor where a box has broken and spilled out the contents on the floor. Knox, Tobias and Noah get to my side when I get closer, seeing the box was full of shiny daggers with jewels on them. I pick one up with a blue gemstone in the hilt, and I hold it up in the light.

"Do you think Miss Noa knows these are down here?" Noah asks, eyeing up the yellow stone dagger he has picked up.

"No way. These look old, and they should be in the Tale's castle with the Masters’ protection," Knox replies, his eyes fixed on the green stone dagger.

"There are six of them, maybe we should keep one. Even Ella," I reply as the guys pick up their own ones. Each one has a different coloured gem, and the last one on the floor has a red gemstone in it.

"You want to give one to Ella?" Sin asks, not hiding his shock.

"We have come to an agreement. It doesn't mean I won't kill her if she does any of you, but for now, we are good," I explain, freezing when I realise what I just said.

"You sound like you are making a claim on us, Madi," Sin teases, though it isn't all a teasing question. They look at me seriously, like they want an answer.