Willows Library Novels & Stories

Killian whispered as they walked toward the heavy oak doors, "because I want you to see that I am capable of more than just destruction. Your father is safe here. No debt collectors. No vultures. Just the best care money can buy." "And the price?" Killian stopped, his eyes darkening as he leaned in close, his breath ghosting over her ear. "The price is that you stop looking at me like I’m the only monster in this story." The interior of The Willows was a masterpiece of calming aesthetics—soft lighting, the scent of eucalyptus, and the muted sound of a grand piano playing somewhere in the distance. They were met by Dr. Aris, a woman with a sharp bob and a gaze that missed nothing.

Alex P. O. V "Do you both have any classes? "I asked . "No, I don't have any more classes "Willow said. "Me neither" Jess shook her head no as we entered the college campus. "Hey I need to grab a book from my locker".Willow was walking to her locker . Jass and I strolled behind her lazily. Walking past the college canteen I saw Nathan sitting at a table alone with his phone and laptop. I stopped in my tracks. He was on his laptop.

She grins, like she just won a game. We make our way to the oldest library in town, and its grand double doors swing open with a creak, revealing hundreds of shelves packed with books, some as ancient as the city itself. I catch Willow’s nostrils flaring to take in the scent of old pages and leather. Geek. Her eyes are wide, filled with wonder, and I can see her appreciation for the place. I knew she’d love it, but seeing her reaction, it’s like watching a child enter a candy store. It makes it all worth it.

I don’t get a chance to dwell on it before he shuts the door. The next morning, Willow is still asleep when I leave her multi million dollar house. It’s one of those new pieces of real estate that seem to be springing up around the city. This one is sandwiched in the heart of the surburbs. At the same time, it’s pretty close to campus so it checks out. Vincent gives me a ride to school but rather than head to the sorority house, I ask him to take me to the library instead. “I have some research to do,” I say conversationally. “I also have to find a bunch of books for Willow.”

He's a sexy asshole, that's for sure. "Sorry for being late," Willow announces, entering the kitchen with a pant of breathlessness. Lennox and I turn our heads towards her. She's dressed in coffee-print pajamas and holds a binder under her arm. Upon seeing Lennox, Willow says, "Oh, you're both here—" Her cat slippers slide on the slippery hardwood, and she nearly falls flat on her face. Her binder drops to the floor. I sprint to catch my best friend, but she regains her balance with outstretched arms before I can reach her.

But she glanced down the corridor where the flow of students wearing the same necklace as her was rushing to a particular destination. “I have to go, Juno.” She said, “How about you join our Bonfire rites tomorrow?” “Of course,” I accepted. Willow conjured an invitation card out of fire and engraved it on my palm. I was surprised it didn't hurt. She squeezed my hand once before stepping away. “Meet me behind the Black Library tomorrow evening.” And then she was gone, swallowed into the stream of House Ignis Initiates, leaving me with the gleaming invite and Veylor’s words echoing in my head.

I smiled innocently at her. “No, that’s not why I’m here,” Willow snapped. “I’ve come for the missing pages from my mother’s perfume notebooks.” “What missing pages?” My tone was pleasant, despite Willow’s hostility. “Don’t play innocent, Beatrice,” Willow seethed. “I don’t have time for your games. I know you took them. Now hand them over.”

ALEX The hum of the engines in my private jet filled the cabin as I glanced out the window, the sprawling expanse of upstate New York unfurling beneath me. As the plane made its descent, Willowbrook came into sharp focus. From this vantage, it was a breathtaking panorama of autumnal beauty. The town nestled serenely amidst a mosaic of gold, crimson, and russet hues, with rooftops and winding streets offering the promise of charm and business. It was small but bustling, not a desolate backwater as many such towns turned out to be, but a lively heartbeat in the vast New York landscape.

I begin to start my own deep dive into the archives. Time is dragging by so slowly, and I am coming up with nothing. I glance over at Willow who is franticaly writing notes on something that she had come across. "You know you can just print the page you are looking at right?" I tease. "I don't want all of it. It's too much so I am writnig down the key parts," she answers seriously. Curiosity gets the better of me and I lean over to look at her screen, "So far I have come up with nothing. Did you find anything useful?"

The maid hurriedly said, "Understood." … Willow spent a night in the Conrad Hotel, Yarrowmere. It was 9:00 pm, and she had just taken a shower. Dressed in a bathrobe, she stood in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. The building across the street was Nebula Group's Yarrowmere branch, standing tall in the dark of night. She gently leaned her forehead against the glass. She had moved on from her marriage, but Julian still wouldn't let her go. Willow had left her phone at the end of the bed, and it was ringing ceaselessly. She knew that it was Julian, but she didn't answer it. His voice was the last thing she needed to hear now.