He raised his hands in surrender, looking down at her. “I know. I know. I guess what I’m asking is...” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Is this a cause you would have gotten behind if we hadn’t captured you? There doesn’t have to be an ulterior motive with your answer, although I’d respect you for trying; I just want honesty.“
"Knowing what I know now, yes. But this kind of feels like you're going to use me getting behind it to justify you keeping me here."
“I told you, Cal,” he said with a small sigh. You’re staying here for a while. Either way, I’d like to figure out more about what you’re thinking. I don’t really have a say in your status anymore.”
He seemed to notice that she wasn’t in the mood to talk and he stood up. “Well, I need to do some work in here then...”
She got up, going to look around. She seemed a little distressed, but hoped this would help calm her down.
The library was quiet and mostly unused. Dust had settled on the spines of the books, their covers faded from age. She had started in the biology section and as she moved, it began to change from species to species. Elven Anatomy; Traditions and Norms in Elven Culture; Fairy Ears and Where to Find Them; The Problem with Fairy Wings; Rocks, Rats and Romance; Dwarven Mining Paths...
The book was obviously very old, the pages yellowed and fragile as she turned the pages. The diagrams in the book also reflected their antiquity; there were displays of how to properly remove fairy wings from the Fae, with different intentions highlighted on the pages. If you wanted the faerie to stay alive, the best technique was to drug them and then lie them prone on the ground. If you didn't care about the faerie, it was best to slit their throat and hang them upside down. That was the merciful method. One paragraph in particular pointed out a specific issue with the wings of the Fae. "The Fae are creatures that are literally fueled by Magyck. It is the lifeblood of their species. Once the wings of the Fae are removed, their magyck has less to cover; their wings take up enormous parts of their energy. With this magyck now directed into their spellkeeping abilities, they become much more powerful in their magyckcasting ability. This is why it is suggested that a faerie that is being prepped for the harvest is either slaughtered first or drugged heavily before put in a magyck binding room."
Ben was muttering to himself in the corner, drumming his fingers on the table thoughtfully. His gaze was unfocused as he stared out the window, trying to figure something out. The door into the library burst open and Luce entered with two plates of food. "Breakfast is ready!"
Luce looked up and waved her over. "I gotcha eggs benedict here, sweetie," she said, offering her a plate of delicious-looking food. "Where's Benny?"
