Hollowed: A Sleepy Hollow Reimagining by Jessica S. Taylor

Author:Jessica S. Taylor [Taylor, Jessica S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798985492897
Publisher: Sailor House Press
Published: 2023-10-12T18:30:00+00:00

Twenty

The sun was setting, and we were on our last books, leafing through the pages with a palpable franticness. We had learned nothing valuable from our readings, much to both of our frustrations.

“I know all of this already,” he muttered, mussing the carefully kept dark blond strands on his head. He turned through more pages, muttering to himself.

While I had been learning interesting information about the sluagh, including how they were formed and how they occasionally manifested as a flock of large gray birds, anything I shared with Alexander, he claimed to already know. Still, he had asked me to share anything I thought would be helpful. Though I was doubtful we would find anything before we had to leave.

Turning the page in my book, my eyes landed on something interesting. “Did you know that some think the sluagh can only roam during the night?”

His head popped up with almost comical speed. “What? No. Show me that.”

Wordlessly, I passed the book over to him, tapping at the passage in the middle of the page. “It says that direct sunlight is deadly to them, and if they are manifesting when the sun rises, they will die? Disappear? Can they truly die if they’re already dead? Perhaps if the sunlight is harmful to them, my fire is as well.” I rubbed my chin and pushed my fingers through my hair. “But then, why did the fog show up in the afternoon? It was overcast, certainly, but the sun was out.”

“Perhaps it was overcast enough to risk. Did you see anything about whether the summoner could control or unleash them?” he asked, flipping through the pages ahead and behind the one I showed him. “Or are they at the sluagh’s mercy with the rest of us?”

I shook my head. “No, nothing of that sort. Though I would imagine no one would summon something they have no control over.”

He sighed, reading over the page again and again, as if it would have new information. “This is more information than we had before, I suppose.”

“Perhaps we can discover something else at the party tonight,” I offered, my habitual nature of placating those around me shining through. It made my jaw clench, but it was a safety mechanism that had kept me out of my mother’s attention in the past.

Alexander looked at me, setting the book on the table softly. “Yes, I think we will.”

Priscilla approached, having made herself scarce as we pored over the books. “Are you both finished, then?”

We stood as Alexander collected and passed the entire stack of books back to Priscilla with an easy strength. “Yes, thank you very much for allowing us to borrow these.”

Her gaze passed over me, growing so cold I was surprised icicles weren’t forming along her eyelashes. “You seem familiar, girl. Have you been here before?”

I opened my mouth to say yes, I had, but thankfully remembered that Alexander’s magic had transformed my appearance. I cleared my throat to cover the pause. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”

I looked to Alexander for guidance, pleading to know if I should say more.

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