'How will we go in? We are not monks. Or rich,' Matthew asked.

They had almost arrived at the main city square, where the library stood out amidst the other buildings. Under a dove grey sky their footsteps left their mark on the fresh snow that had fallen the night before.

'I wasn't planning on going in. Breaking in is more like it,' Ines whispered.

'Oh God, please give me strength!'

They arrived outside the library and went to the back of the building.

'That kind of book must be stored in the safest part of the library. Somewhere with limited access. Where could that be?' she wondered out loud.

'Hmm, I would say the tower.'

Ines turned and looked at him in question. 'What about underground spaces?'

'They closed them off years ago. After the earthquake they were deemed unusable.'

'The tower it is then.'

The tower had been built in the good times, in the days of peace. Every brick of that tower had been placed by the workers' hands into a perfect circle, growing from the ground like a proud tree reaching for the sun.

Matthew helped Ines reach for a stable foothold, and watched her climb, making sure she reached the lowest window safely. Ines quietly opened the window, and jumped in. Her head peeped out of it, and Matthew took that as a signal to climb up too. When he landed next to Ines, he was already out of breath.

'Seriously now, what's wrong? Are you ill?' she asked, feeling his temperature with the back of her hand.

'I'm fine.' He grabbed her hand and gave it a light squeeze to reassure her before he let go.

'Okay. We'd better be quick. Someone could come in at any moment.'

They rushed up the stairs and entered the highest floor in the tower. The attic could do with a little dusting and cleaning, but it must have been a fine place to dream and write. Timeworn books lined the shelves in the room that reached the ceiling, an Ines run her finger over their backs. She would have admired the books properly, had they not the limitations of time.

Ines and Matthew spent a few minutes searching for the book they needed. They scanned the shelves one by one, none of wich contained any books about elves. They were looking at the last one left, when Matthew pulled out a dark red book that had seen better days. Ines examined it carefully. Its vintage cover and worn out spine made it look like it had come from another era. It was the one.

They placed it on a desk, sat down, and opened its cover. Plumes of dust erupted from the old book, giving the air a musty smell. They began reading.

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Elves are used to living close to nature. They do not form cities as humans do. Instead, they inhabit mountain ranges and forests, residing in villages in small numbers. As yet, the elves have not developed any type of political system and any decision regarding the villages' welfare is made by the elders.

Both men and women contribute to hunting, fishing, constructing and other community obligations equally. The children are expected to follow a specific type of an eight-year-long educational course depending on their skills.

Three factions of elf magic have been noted down so far; the potion mastery is the most common and it signifies expertise in potion brewing and use of elixirs. The second faction is the control of natural elements, such as water, rocks and vegetation. The rarest of all magic factions is mind controlling, which is thought to be working only on animals. Each child usually exhibits signs of inclination to one of those factions at a very young age, and afterwards receives the necessary training according to their magic skills.

In elf communities there is no social hierarchy, only a sense of respect towards the elder people. Only by virtue could an elf enjoy any social privilege among the elves, and not by their lineage. If an elf is considered honorable, he is rewarded with a medallion that represents their merit. These medallions are made of copper and arsenic and are very hard to find, since they are kept very closely by their owners. Any symbol on them marks a distinct characteristic of the owner. Some of them are the following: Ω, Θ, etc.

Elves have not embraced Christianity, or any other form of religion. Instead, they are devoted to worshiping nature and the balance of good and evil. This is revealed through numerous ceremonies all year round like Xekler and Frer.

Xekler is a joyful historical holiday celebrated on the summer solstice. It commemorates the victory of light against darkness. It is associated with healing, light, strength and magical abilities. Traditions include telling of stories and contests of skill.

Frer is a historical holiday celebrated on the winter solstice. It commemorates the parting of ways of humans and elves. It is associated with silence, faith and hope. Traditions include private fasting and charitable donations.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They flipped through the pages of the books, drawing all the information they needed. They weren't lucky enough to read all of it, because someone, probably a clerk, was heard coming up the stairs. They quickly put the book back, and ran to the window. Ines went out first, and immediately started climbing down the scraggly stones of the tower wall. Matthew softly closed the windowpane and followed her lead.

The frosty wind hit them mercilessly, as the sunset came in the sky, its oranges bringing warmth to their eyes. Ines' arms were burning from her efforts to hang from the stones. Her foot touched a foothold she believed to be strong, but when she put her weight on it, the stone made an audible cracking noise, and Ines felt her leg dangling in midair. She lost her balance, her feet slipping on the wall, with only her arms to keep her from falling off the tower.

Ines desperately moved her legs in order to find support. Her hands wouldn't last long, she already felt them trembling. She was afraid she wouldn't make it, when thankfully one of her feet found a small stone big enough to step on. She sighed in relief, and continued her descent, this time double checking where she stepped. Her feet touched the ground, and Ines looked around for Matthew.

He jumped right next to her, taking her by surprise. They dusted off their hands and clothes, and walked away from the library, heading back home.

'No one here knows anything about elves,' he remarked.

'They think that ignoring the problem will make it disappear on its own.'

'So...the medallion kinda proves that he is not as bad as we thought.'

'Yeah, according to them at least. As for me, I wouldn't put my trust in him.'

They crossed the empty main street of the city; the cold night made Ines unconsciously draw closer to Matthew, seeking some shelter from the wind. Under a sky of midnight velvet, Ines walked beside him, their hands brushing, each fleeting touch sending goosebumps all over her body. She peered at him, and he caught her stare, eyes glowing in the dark.

She was so captivated by his gaze, that she tripped oh so gracefully, and she would have fallen face down, hadn't Matthew instinctively grabbed her by the waist to steady her. Ines cursed herself for being so clumsy.

'Careful there,' he said smiling and let go. 'Alright, we'll figure it out tomorrow. No more stressing tonight.'

'I am curious to know what tomorrow will bring. We have experienced a suicide, an elf attack, a prison break. What else is left?'

'A cataclysmic event? A pandemic?'

'I'd better get some well needed shut-eye, then.'

His deep chuckle enveloped her, warming her heart. It might have been a stressful day, but that happy sound made her worries fly away.

'Yeah, me too,' she said in a soft voice.

Matthew gazed down at her, his eyes never leaving hers, as if he was in a deep trance. Ines felt her cheeks burning and cleared her throat in awkwardness. She turned around and headed home before she made a fool of herself.

'And tend to your wounds. You haven't healed yet,' she heard Matthew shout.

'Yes, father!'

Ines jumped on her bed without even taking her clothes off. She was exhausted. With a stretch and a yawn, she fell asleep, letting the world of dreams come to her in its dancing way.

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A/N: So, what do yall think of this chapter? Tell me in the comments below. To ensure that Ines sleeps well, leave a vote!

Phrase of chapter: πᾶν τό πολύ τῇ φύσει πολέμιον / everything in excess is opposed to nature - Hippocrates