"Alas, Good morning. May we see Professor Lark today?"
The librarian at the desk looked up from her work.
"Good morning. Professor Lark met with Professor Stein an hour ago. She should be ready to help you with your project. It's a great honour to work in the library, you know. Hopefully, that will be my office one day."
She had ambition in her eyes. I looked at Wendy, shrugging my shoulders as we walked towards the back of the library. The library had shelves and ancient books. Stairs led up to more floors, and in the back, a big sign read restricted section staff only.
Lucy informed him as she stared at the sign.
The place smelled of old books and polished wood. Pixies flew around, putting books back on the shelves or cleaning and polishing the wood and brass lights that were attached to the shelves.
Professor Lark's door stood ajar, and Wendy wanted to zip past Ethan to look inside.
Ethan grabbed her arm, holding her back.
"Alas, Wait, don't enter."
Ethan strolled towards the door. Wendy took Ethan's hand, looking weary.
"Squee, What's wrong, Ethan?"
Lucy grabbed Ethan's arm.
"Squee, what have you picked up?"
Ethan pointed to a spot between the doors.
"Alas, Look at the door closely."
Lucy stood beside Ethan, and then her eyes went wide with surprise.
"Squee, it is a thin wire across the door. That looks like blood on the terrain."
Wendy moved closer to Ethan, her grip tightening on his arm. Lucy held Ethan and pushed her breasts into his arm. She had a death grip. Ethan would lose feeling in his hands soon if this continued.
Just feet inside the door, Professor Lark's body and head lay separately on the terrain. Her lifeless body lay sprawled across her floor, surrounded by ancient scrolls and bubbling cauldrons. Inhaling, Ethan could smell the earth, herbs, and alchemy traces.
"Alas, Give me a piece of cloth, please."
Wendy had an undergarment on, so she lifted her skirt. Ethan held it for her. She ripped off a piece of undergarment and handed it to him. Ethan tied it to the side of the wire to warn people.
They investigated the room by standing at the door, feeling foreboding filling them. Wendy went to the reception to inform them what had transpired in the office. She returned minutes later, linking her arm through Ethan's, holding him tightly. They didn't dare enter; they would wait for the police to arrive, ensuring no one entered this crime scene. On her table lay a bunch of roses in various colours. The room was dimly lit and filled with dusty tomes.
"Alas, let's wait for the law to arrive."
Ethan placed the letter in his pocket. The recipient of the letter was murdered. Soon, the area was filled with police, and the office was closed to the public. A tall man with brown hair and a well-trimmed beard arrived on the scene. He spoke with authority. One of the female officers pointed in our direction. Seeing Ethan, he walked towards them, giving orders to his female officers.
"Good day to you. You were the people who found her. I am Chief Detective Thompson. They tell me you and the girls discovered the body and had the good sense to mark that wire. That will take your head off if you're not careful."
Thompson stared at the white piece of material on the wire.
Ethan looked at Thompson, his hands dead from blood loss. Ethan spoke to Thompson calmly, careful not to let other people hear.
"Alas, we were asked to deliver this letter to her from guild master Grace. She said it was urgent."
"Well, she was loved. Professor Lark is known for her comprehensive knowledge of magical herbs, quirky sense of humour, and unwavering dedication to her students. She has mentored countless young students and was stunningly beautiful."
Ethan handed Thompson the letter, and he opened it. He read it, his eyes widened, then folded it and placed it in his pocket.
"We had to get a restraining order against a professor for stalking and threatening the other professors. He was a little possessive of her. Don't worry; he isn't a suspect—he's in prison for trying to kill the dean, poor Earl. We were schoolmates, you see."
Ethan looked around. Could this be the Skinwalker looking for a body? What would he gain from a professor and the library?
"Alas, what is a dean."
"The dean is the head of the academy. Yes, Professor Lark and the academy's dean were in a relationship. They kept it secret."
"Alas, What about the roses? Thompson."
"No, that could not have come from him; Earl was notorious for never giving flowers."
Ethan wanted to ask about the letter but was interrupted by a bombastic voice from Professor Lark's office.
"Who put this cloth here, contaminating my crime scene?"
Thompson pulled his hand through his beard.
"That's Detective John Smith."
Clenching his fists, he rushed to the scene. Ethan looked at Smith. Smith's brown eyes looked fierce, and he had a big nose and blond hair. He stood six feet one inch and had an intimidating muscular build. Thompson and Smith could be seen arguing over Wendy's piece of undergarments.
A girl waved at them from behind a bookshelf.
"Hey, did you see anything?"
She disappeared behind the bookshelf. Lucy let go of Ethan's arm. Blood flowed back into his hands as the girls walked forward.
"Alas, well, let's find out what she wants."
Wendy put her arm through Lucy's and walked towards the bookshelf. Ethan followed on their heels. Lucy tripped, and Wendy held her, preventing her from falling.
"Hail, Look, it's a book lying on the terrain. Lucy almost broke her neck."
Lucy kneeled to pick up the book.
"Alas, Wait."
Ethan took Lucy's hand, suspecting the book of sorcery, and he profoundly mistrusted sorcery.
"Alas, this book looks suspicious. Let us call an officer over."
The officer had a special cloth she wrapped the book in after a photo was taken of the book on the floor. Alice was short with a haughty look and had a royal Sigel with short brown hair and glasses.
Teachers' pet, Ethan decided. Alice would tattle on her grandmother if it gave her brownie points. She told everyone there was a big scoop, looking suspiciously around to see if anyone would listen.
"Alas, let's go to a coffee shop and have something to snack on."