Read Like A Historian Novels & Stories

Well, it’s not my fault her scores are always the lowest. Even though I’m a bit lazy, my grades are always top-tier. I have an above-average photographic memory, especially when it comes to history. I love reading ancient books, but I often get bored listening to lecturers. It’s not that I’m arrogant; it’s just that their explanations rarely offer anything new that I haven't already found in my own collection.

But those eyes, burning with recognition, told me she remembered every thrust, every moan. I tore my gaze away, my jaw tightening. Focus, damn it. I launched into my lecture, an introduction to history’s underbelly—wars, betrayals, secrets. “Some of you know the dark side of history,” I said, my voice low, my eyes flicking to her.

I sneezed immediately. Louisa got up, and the sound of the door knocking made her jump. “It must be the landlady,” she explained with boredom and resignation. “I'll go see.” I watched her leave and sighed, so I devoted myself to reading. I read about the history of wolves, about the history of lineages, and about the history of powers. The history of my world. And every word, every page, made me feel that I was in the right place at the right time.

SHARON’S POV I never imagined I would step foot into the royal library for anything other than sneaking in to read fantasy novels I had no business touching. The irony wasn’t lost on me as I sat at the long mahogany table now, a stack of heavy history books in front of me, none of which had dragons, witches, or star-crossed lovers on the covers. The head historian, Elder Marcellus, cleared his throat for what felt like the hundredth time. The man was ancient, his white beard reached almost to his stomach, and he had the habit of adjusting his spectacles every two sentences even when they didn’t need adjusting.

“So my dining hall wind incident is starting to look a lot less impressive.” Lucian glanced at me over the top of the page. “It destroyed three villages.” “...I stand corrected.” He continued reading. His voice carried easily through the quiet room. Calm. Controlled. Clear in a way that made even dry historical records sound oddly compelling. Most people read like they were trying to survive the sentences. Lucian read like he respected them. Halfway through another passage, the compliment slipped out before I thought about it. “You read beautifully.” The words hung in the air.

She had been right about the argument. Not because she was infallible — she wasn't, she had cases that were still pending and at least one she was less confident about than she would have liked. But she had been right about this one, and being right about it had required understanding the document in the context of its time and the practices that surrounded it, which had required a kind of careful historical reading that she found, increasingly, was one of her specific strengths. She liked the historical cases. She liked the way they required you to read not just what was written but what the writing was doing in the world it had been written in.

My eyes fell over the genealogy of the kings and I grabbed it as well. There was a bench in the far corner that I had claimed and now was left for me at all times. I placed the books down on the table and started to flip through them. Once I found any mention of it, I left it open and went to the next book, making sure all were open to the correct time. I always found it better to have all information to be able to follow along at the same time. History was written by the victors. Biased to the people writing it. Details omitted that might say someone against a decision. So getting multiple views was important to get the whole picture.

“But immediately you feel better, I’m taking you down here. What kind of books do you like? Fiction, non-fiction or historical?” “Any really, but mostly historical.” I replied in a more cherry voice. Her excitement is starting to rub off on me. “Ooohh, which books have you read? I bet you that I know.” “Lycan history mostly.” Her smile broadened. “I have just what you would love.”

When I write I want to go more to mind, create something that can bring emotions and I do not care if it is real or not, it also happens to me when I read or see a TV series, especially historical, I do not rely much on reality, because if I wanted to do it I would read a history book, or I would watch a documentary or, in this case, I would study the Italian constitution (As for me), I hope anyway that you like my imagination and that you can enjoy reading these chapters, and cry, as I did. See ya tomorrow! <3

It was a compilation of information about the Alpha Kings including my father who had reigned. But that wasn't why I froze. I froze because, for the first time in what had to be months, I thought of a different time I was reading this book. I thought of Alpha Jaxon. That quickly, I was back in our week together. "History is boring, stop reading it." He flicked the back of the book I was reading. I knew he didn't really find history boring, he just didn't like my attention not being on him. I turned another page of the book nonchalantly as I responded to him