Raelyth had left for court duties, leaving Valerie in the care of the maids. She stayed inside the library, finishing a book. Once she had completed it, she sighed and stood, returning it carefully to its place while her eyes searched for another. She moved along the shelves until she came to a stop before one at the farthest back of the room.
Her interest was piqued; only a few books lined these shelves, and of course there was nothing romantic among them. She touched the spine of one volume and pulled, but instead of the book sliding free, the shelf itself began to move. Valerie's heart leapt as she stumbled several steps back while the shelf slid aside, revealing a small hidden room with only a single shelf within.
Valerie gasped and walked slowly toward the revealed space. She turned first to check if anyone else was present before slipping inside. She did not close the shelf behind her—she did not know how to.
