Gemini Bookstore

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison nodded and started looking through the shelves. "It's mainly for business. I've had an urge to create a new type of candy,"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"That's a different type of cooking," Tahlia said. "That's it. I know you from the candy store."

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison nodded. "Used to work there for years with my husband, though I've given ownership to my nephew. I'm getting too old for that,"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"You?" Tahlia asked her. "You can't be that much older than I am," she said.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

“I’m in my forties, but thank you,” She laughed a bit. “Maybe candy really does make one look younger,”

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"I haven't been in the candy shop in years," Tahlia admitted. "Maybe I'll have to go check it out."

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

“You should! My nephew is doing a great job running the place,” She turned her attention the bookshelf and pulled a few books off, reading the back.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia nodded. "Let me know when you find what you're looking for. Then I can show you the next section."

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison nodded and continued to look around, getting a few books on different types of candies and other sweets.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia was tempted to go back to her books but decided to go wait by the counter. Then she could set up the purchase.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison got a few of those and walked over to another section, looking for books on native Val’JaLon species.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia glanced over to see what she was doing and chewed on her lip. Some people just decided to look on their own rather than accepting her offered help, it seemed.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Eventually Madison had several books in her hands and walked over to the counter. “Sorry that I didn’t really need much help...once I got the hang of the organization it was super easy,”

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Well, you're a first. I am constantly rearranging. It's not very helpful to customers, but it means that I get to do something rather than sit around," She pointed out.
"Any way, You'll find that there are not a lot of native species on Val'JaLon. Most of what you have is a collection of the species that have been recorded in the world. After all, we are always moving and taking in new types of people and creatures every day." She explained, scanning each of the books.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison nodded. “Still, I find that interesting. So many species come here on a weekly basis almost, it must be a headache to keep track,”

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"It's not my job," Tahlia said with a small smirk. "I'm sure you can ask the author about it if you really wanted. His name is there."
She pointed to the cover.
Jim Hannigen

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

"Maybe," She said simply with a shrug.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"He comes in everyone in awhile. I will ask him if he'll do any book signings," Tahlia told her. "That is, if you enjoy his work."

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

She nodded. "I'm sure I'll like his work just fine, though I don't know if I'd ever consider myself to be a fan afterwards,"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"You don't have to be a fan to be curious," Tahlia commented.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

"True," Madison nodded. "In my experience, I've learned the most minor and nonchalant things can be harboring a major secret,"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Hmm, I've never thought about it that way," Tahlia replied.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

"Well I did say in my own experience," She shrugged. "Are you done with ringing up all the books?"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia felt off put by her offhand comments but said nothing about it, instead smiling politely. "Yes. These are your purchases and these two are due back in two weeks." She put the enchanted seal on the inside of the cover with a stamper. It was used to ensure that the books were returned.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison nodded and gratefully took the books from her. "Got it! I'll see you later, then?" She waved.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Of course. I look forward to hearing how it went," Tahlia told her.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ , Modess of Pinkness]

Madison waved again and stepped out of the bookstore, heading back to her house.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Soren stood at the door and held it the rest of the way so Madison could pass. "Mrs. Bowman," he said politely before going inside.

Tahlia smiled when he came in. "Hey, I was wondering when you'd show up."
"I was busy," he said, putting his phone in his pocket. He wasn't going to say that it had anything to do with the fact his girlfriends responses were brief-er than normal. His gut was speaking volumes.
Tahlia gave him a speculative glance but nodded. "I'm sure."
"What did you need me to come over for?" Soren asked, impatience in his tone.
Tahlia was so used to it by now that she hardly noticed, though it had been a while since he'd been that way towards her. She gestured for him to follow her to the table she'd been working at.
"There is a book missing from the back room," Tahlia said. "I signed it out but I have no recollection of it. I was wondering if it was something you knew about."
"Me? Why? I didn't take it," Soren said, looking at the stacks of books on the table top. They weren't topics he'd figured Tahlia would read for fun and was concerned, but looked at her without a comment on it.
"I know you didn't. But you have experience with people that can make others forget about them," Tahlia pointed out.
"My aunt," Soren said, with a nod. "Sure, she can make people forget her name and what she looks like. But I don't know if she could make you completely forget doing something," He answered.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Arabella came into the bookstore, attempting to be as quick as possible. The book was in her bag, something she rarely toted around. However, it wouldn't make sense to walk around with the book if death in broad daylight.

Tahlia heard the bell ring at the front, looking around Soren. She couldn't see clearly with the bookshelf in front of her. She saw the blonde stranger and got a wave of sharp scent before her vision flashed white.

Soren saw her expression change, along with her eyes clouding over. He steadied her as she seemed to lose her balance. "Tali?"

It passed and Tahlia was sure she would vomit. In a hurry to get to the front, she knocked over her stack of books.

The bell dinged and there was no one there. On the counter sat the missing book.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Blaze was finally caught up on his homework and all. He'd finished what he planned to over break and had done all they'd accumulated since. It put him in a great mood, except now he had nothing to do. Most of his friendships had dissolved over time, especially with how he never had time to hang out since he had resolved to become mature. So he wandered. Not bored, exactly, but aimless.
Walking through town, he looked in shop windows with the interest of a former hermit, which wasn't at all accurate even with his busy he stayed. In his window shopping, he noticed Mavis in the window of the bookstore and before he knew it, he was entering the bookstore. He couldn't make himself approach her though, for reasons he couldn't explain.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Mavis had read the book Bolt had given her, front to back, in the span of a few hours. Well, from where she’d left off on the trip- which was likely a page or two. To her surprise, really, but not so much considering she was only reading it to avoid texting or being on the phone with Blaze all the time. She liked to talk to him, but she felt like it was good to establish she wasn’t going to spend every waking moment with him. Even if it was just as friends.

Mavis flipped through one of the books before putting it back onto the shelf and moving onto the next, pretty much ignoring everything and everyone.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Just going up to say hi wouldn't be bad, but what if she didn't want to see him? Or even didn't want to be seen in this place, which he would understand. She didn't seem like the type to read, but she was in the fiction section so it was a pleasure read, or else a gift for someone. He wasted so much time wondering about that that he wondered if maybe it would be weird to approach her. If she found out that he'd been following her through the books for as long as he had, wouldn't she think it weird?

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

It wasn’t until she neared the middle of the aisle when she suddenly noticed a familiar shade of green hair through the cracks. She could say it was one of the Dragomere siblings, but judging by the pale skin on the neck she could spot… it was one of the guys. Rowan didn’t seem the type to read- plus he was too tall- and Bolt was off with Anastasia somewhere, so it was… Blaze. She didn’t really acknowledge he was there, other than peek at hint though the cracks with some amusement she hoped he wouldn’t detect soon.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Blaze was lost in his thoughts of her assuming he was crazy so he didn't notice her peeking at him, but he did lose sight of her for a second because she'd stopped moving and he hadn't yet. Why couldn't he just approach her? Why was he so nervous about it?

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“What book are you looking for?” Mavis asked suddenly, from the opposite end of the aisle. She was leaning a little against the shelf with her arms crossed, amusement clear on her face as she looked at him.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Blaze jumped and looked over at her when she spoke. His eyes were wide because clearly he'd been caught. "I...um...I actually..." He didn't want to tell her but couldn't come up with a lie.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Something new? I have a few recommendations.” Mavis said, as if she didn’t already know what he was doing as she pushed off the shelf and started towards him. “What’s your poison? Fiction, non-fiction… romance?”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I didn't know that you were a reader?" Blaze said, finally finding some words that were coherent. At least, he hoped they came out coherent. He hadn't read a book since the animal books he read as a child. Granted it was only half his life ago.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“The orphanage didn’t really have good technology and so I had to find some way to pass the time.” Mavis replied, reaching for one of the books. She liked reading when she was a kid- it was a good way to learn things- but when she’d turned a certain age it just… it became pretty pointless to her. She didn’t want to learn more- just live in the now. “And your brother got me hooked on a series so I have to get them, obviously.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Bolt reads?" He asked, surprised for a moment, but he shook his head of it. "What book series did he get you on?" He asked as if he would know anything about it. He didn't know any book series unless it was Harold and the purple crayon.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“He’s a big reader.” Mavis said, a little shocked at how he didn’t seem to know that. But she only moved on. “Throne of Glass. It’s this story about an assassin and stuff.” She admitted, but wasn’t going towards that book because she had a copy she could definitely lend to him.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"An assassin? That sounds kind of interesting," Blaze said, but he couldn't imagine what it was like except in terms of like A movie but those weren't nearly the same, he would bet. "That's the kind of book you like?"

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I’m not picky about my books.” Mavis said, pulling one out and looking it over before handing it to him. “But you like the ones of adventure or fantasy, right? I’m sure you’ll like anything even loosely related to Star Wars.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Oh, yeah I used to read the Star Wars ones," Blaze said, forgetting that he and his brothers used to pass those around a lot. His sister read them too, but she was on a different reading level for most of their life so she read different ones he never dreamt of touching. "But adventure is cool. Like Indiana Jones, kind of?" He took the book from her with an open mind, but some skepticism on his own part. When would he feel like reading?

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I figured.” Mavis replied, smiling a little as she took another book for herself and starting walking away. “So, if you weren’t here to buy a book, what are you doing here?”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I, uh..." Blaze started, walking after her almost instinctually. Like following her was in his nature. "I saw you through the window and I was going to surprise you, but clearly I'm not as sneaky as I used to be." It was partly true, mostly true, except he didn't quite know what he had planned to do once he got to her.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I don’t think you’ll ever be sneaky enough to someone like me.” Mavis teased, bumping her shoulder to his. “I see and know everything. It’s my curse.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Blaze laughed a bit. "That's awfully bold of you. It sounds like more of a challenge to surprise you," he said, knowing he could take the challenge and not give up until he achieved it. Now that he was with her, he wasn't quite as concerned of looking like a fool. She made him comfortable like that.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“If you have the time for it, I’m sure we can work something out where you try.” Mavis replied, scoffing as she stopped walking to look at him. “But I must warn you- I never enter a challenge I won’t win.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Work something out? That puts me at a disadvantage," Blazs said, shaking his head. If she started putting a time period or something on it then there was no way he could win.