Nachtan sat cross-legged on the thick carpet of Nola's private library, his small frame hunched over the peculiar book he'd found the night before. The dim light of a desk lamp casted long shadows across the room, highlighting the tome's unsettling black cover and pages that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. The book was unlike anything he'd seen before—smooth, jet-black pages without a single visible word or image. He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to it, as though it whispered to him without saying a word.
His fingers hesitated as he flipped through the blank pages; his brow furrowed. He had stumbled upon it by accident—or so he thought. After the strange events of the night with Talia and the odd orb he'd pocketed, he couldn't shake the feeling that this book held some sort of mystery.
Earlier, he had wandered into Nola's library, a space far grander and more organized than any of the other rooms in their home. Nola's collection was vast and eclectic, shelved across polished oak walls that seemed to stretch infinitely upward. The library itself had a strange enchantment; anyone searching for a topic would find books related to their questions conveniently placed within reach, even if they hadn't been there before. Curious about the black book he'd found, Nachtan had typed a few vague keywords into the library's ancient input tablet—"mysterious," "black," "empty blank book." To his surprise, this very book had practically leapt into his hands from a nearby shelf.
His heart raced as he read what little he could decipher from its faint, shifting impressions. It spoke, in cryptic terms, of something called Voidurgy—a mysterious and forbidden art linked that was linked to the Void which was an impenetrable and limitless realm beyond comprehension. Practitioners, called voidurgists, were said to harness its power, but at great cost. The words hinted at untold dangers and forbidden truths, but the text revealed very little, as though mocking him with half-buried secrets. One detail stood out, chilling him: only six of such books remained across all the realms.
He shut the book abruptly, its silence heavy and accusing. The text he had read seemed to fade the moment his eyes left the pages, as if erasing itself to remain unseen. Nachtan realized how dangerous the book might be, especially given the note about it being forbidden. He couldn't let anyone know—not even Nola.
But just as he scrambled to shove the book under a nearby cushion, the door creaked open.
Nola stepped in, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of hot chocolate. She froze for a moment, her eyes narrowing at her younger brother sitting amidst a small pile of books.
"You're reading?" she asked, a mix of amusement and disbelief in her tone.
"Maybe," Nachtan replied, trying to sound casual as he stuffed another book over the black tome.
Nola arched an eyebrow, setting the tray down on a low table. "That's a first. Usually, I have to drag you down here by your ear to get you to study anything. What's gotten into you?"
Nachtan shrugged, leaning back with his arms crossed. "I got bored. You and the others are always busy, so I thought I'd... look at some stuff."
"Stuff," Nola ecjoed smirking. She walked over, her long braid swaying behind her, and sat beside him on the carpet. She glanced at the books strewn around him—most of them basic texts about history and science. But her gaze lingered on the cushion where he'd hidden the black book.
Nachtan shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "What?"
"Nothing," she said, smiling faintly. "It's just nice to see you taking an interest in something other than making trouble."
"Hey!" Nachtan protested, puffing out his cheeks. "I don't make trouble."
"You don't mean to, maybe," Nola teased, ruffling his messy hair, "but trouble follows you like a shadow."
He batted her hand away, grumbling. "It's not my fault. And besides, studying is boring."
"Not boring enough to keep you from sneaking into my library," she countered.
They sat in companionable silence for a moment, sipping their hot chocolate. Nola, despite her usual teasing, seemed genuinely pleased. Between all her siblings, Nachtan was her favorite—though she'd never admit it out loud. She saw a spark in him, a potential that others often overlooked because of his mischievous nature and young age.
"Tomorrow's a big day," she said after a while. "The invention showcase in Abranta. Are you excited for it?"
"I guess," Nachtan said, tracing the rim of his cup with his finger. "Kael's gonna show off his thing, right? The... uh, energy orb he once talked about?"
"That's right," Nola said, nodding. "And it's a huge deal. A lot of important people will be there. You'll behave, won't you?"
"Of course," Nachtan said with a grin that didn't inspire confidence.
Nola sighed but smiled. "You should just stay close to me, okay? It's going to be crowded, and I don't want you wandering off."
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, his mind already drifting back to the black book hidden beneath the cushion.
As Nola began tidying up the scattered books, Nachtan stole a glance at her. For all her bossy tendencies, she was the only one who treated him like more than just a kid. That made lying to her about the book sting a little more. But something deep inside told him it was better this way.
Tomorrow would be an important day. For now, though, he would keep his secrets.