Inked Books Novels & Stories

In the far corner is a sink and a crude-looking toilet. Hooks line one of the walls, all empty. The air smells like rust and dust. But then, something catches my eye. A shelf near the back, almost hidden in shadow. Not plastic packages this time. Books. Old ones. Their spines are worn, leather cracked. Some have gold filigree. Others are thick and bound in cloth. I move closer, squinting to read the faded titles. “Lineage of Power.” “The Lost Coronation.” “Treaties of the First Blood.”

Ink walks over to me asking if I was okay, I smile thanking him where he shakes his head. "I should be the one thanking you, you helped me get out of a situation where I'd probably be in to the day I died" he smiles, I mean I didn't do much I just knew what was best for him "oh I got you this, back when we had our first conversation you mentioned something about mice drinking milk, so I thought I'd buy you a book" he smiles, handing me a little book with a mouse on the front, I can't believe he remembered that was so long ago. He picks Amelia up telling me he wanted to show her a cool fish tank, while I flip through the book, once I find the answer I turn to look at Blake.

"But you are still just ink on my page. I can change your heart with a single stroke." Suddenly, the side of the pen opened. A door appeared where there shouldn't be one. I didn't hesitate. I ran inside, dragging Elle with me. The inside of the pen wasn't metal. It was a library. Thousands of books lined the walls, each one humming with a different life. I saw titles I recognized: The Ruined Luna, The Gilded Academy, The Shadow Trials. These weren't just stories. They were worlds. And I was in the middle of all of them.

I had always planned on writing Ink’s story and making it as a short story. However, halfway through Ink, I got stuck. I had a plan in my head and didn’t know where to go from there. Enter Kemely. A lovely new friend I had only very recently met through AS. Kemely, my new Brazilian friend, gave me the idea to have Tilly pregnant, so half of my book wouldn’t even be possible if it wasn’t for her! I am so grateful for meeting her. So, my thank you’s seemed to segue a little so I’m just going to get right back to them!

When my shift ended, I found myself walking toward the corner table where Kael sat, his laptop closed now, a book in his hands. I stopped short when I saw the cover. ‘Knot We Cannot Untie.’ That was the book he was holding. I can't believe that Kael would be reading one of Linda Lively’s books. “You read… this?” I said, the surprise evidently in my voice. Kael looked up, one brow raised. “Why? You think I only read racing magazines and bank statements?” I gave a small laugh. “Chill bro. It’s just… not what I was expecting ”

Precision. HHH The soft rustle of pages and the scratch of my pen were the only sounds in the room—my own little world of parchment, ink, and questions with no clean answers. I had both notebooks open: one filled with my meticulous, coded notes from the family heirloom book, the other filled with the more chaotic musings I only ever shared with Zerina. Between them sat the heirloom itself, the leather worn, its gold-inked pages soft with age and power.

As gorgeous as it all was, Elaina found herself going farther, to the end of the room, to a section of books that looked terribly old and for some odd reason appeared the most interesting. There were leather chairs in this part of the room as well, single high-backed ones the color of rich caramel. Reaching out, she let her fingers brush lightly over the tattered spines of a couple books, stopping as if by no control of her own on one. The name TREKAS was printed in letters so worn she could barely see them all. Elaina pulled that one from the shelf without a moment’s hesitation. Before opening it, as if knowing already that this was going to take some time, she’d backed up until she sank in

He’d said the guards got jumpy around the old records, but the guards weren't in here right now so technically, I was free to do what I wanted. I ran my hand along the spines of the books. Most were thick ledgers with years stamped on them in fading gold ink. My fingers stopped on a book that was smaller than the others, wedged between two massive volumes. It had no title, just a piece of grey parchment stuck to the spine with a single word written in cramped script: Bonds. I pulled it out and sat on the floor between the stacks. The stone was cold, but I was hidden in the shadows. I opened the cover.

I ask, approaching a large oak desk littered with notepads and an old computer. "Somewhat." Large textbooks on botany, medicine, and before time politics were open among the fray of faded, handwritten notes. I run my fingers along the desk, collecting the dust. The name "Helena" is engraved in gold leaf on the front jacket of a leather-bound notebook. I move between the shelves reading spine after spine. I lose sight of Kade in no time and find myself in front of a bookshelf lined with books titled "Lover's Retreat" and "In His Arms."

This wasn't even the first time of heaurb this word it just seemed to stick to me like the ink of my hands after I had gone messy with it in my book. Wait…. “Ink…. unpopular!” I whispered again to myself this time out loud. I hadn't seen a ink in ages… But I felt like I had seen one just within the week.. “unpopular ….ink!” I voiced again… Without hesitating anyonger.. A light bulb switched on in my head so bright that I immediately dropped my ice cream and sprinted to my room. “Ink!” I voiced as I searched under my DD and once I got what I wanted I pulled out the box that was sent to me and started to Search.