A few days passed and it was a sunny day throughout the town of Bonesborough and throughout the Boiling Isles. Luz, King and Maxwell were walking towards the library as Maxwell told both Luz and King about an idea on where he could find more information on healing a curse, more specifically, healing Eda's curse.
"Maxie, do you really think that you'll find what you're looking for at the library? Healing curses like Eda's curse might or might not be there." said King feeling doubtful.
"Can't kill us to look, right?" asked Maxwell kindly.
"True." said King in agreement. "Just don't look at the girly magazines or you'll see more of a woman than you want to."
King laughed about the joke he told while Maxwell was left blushing deeply and let out a loud hiccup just from the very mentioning of such reading material. Luz blushed a bit too from hearing such a joke.
"I'm not that kind of guy, King. Can we not make those sort of jokes towards a lady, please?" Maxwell kindly suggested.
"I'm kidding, big guy. I'll stop." said King showing mercy.
"When's the last time you been to a library?" asked Luz curiously.
"Two years ago at a state library that was inside a state university. I had explored a few libraries here and there over the years but I did volunteer work at one or two of them before." Maxwell answered.
Luz and King were a bit surprised to know that Maxwell actually did some volunteer work in a library before but they suspected he would visit a library or more for an interesting read.
"Well, I should tell you that this library system at this library we're going to is somewhat the same as libraries in the human realm where we're from but it's got magical influences." said Luz informing him.
"Only in the Boiling Isles, right?" said Maxwell with a chuckling grin.
"You know it." said King.
They stopped as they saw the huge library from a short walking distance. Maxwell remembered what he saw when he read both the mind of Luz, Emira and Edric and he remembered the mischief that happened there when he read the memories from their minds, even from the mind of Amity. The library looked big like a small castle from the beautiful appearance it showed.
"Lets go in." said Luz.
Both Luz and King first started to walk up the stair case but Maxwell blushed and didn't move. They looked back at Maxwell and they could see he showing nervousness for some reason.
"Maxie, everything alright in there?" asked Luz curiously.
Maxwell looked back at them and he was indeed nervous.
"What if Emira and Edric are in there?" said Maxwell nervously.
"Wait, are you afraid of those twins?" said King taking notice.
"What? No." lied Maxwell.
"Maxie." said King pointing things out.
Maxwell could tell he couldn't lie about this and they'd be able to tell if he told a lie or the truth. He let out a sigh.
"Un poco." said Maxwell finally.
"Translation Luz?" asked King.
"A little bit." Luz translated. "Maxie, what about the last time you met them? Sure, the incident was horrible but you managed to let Emira down easy without hurting her."
"Well, that was different, we got control over that situation. I mainly just don't want to get involved in any mischief if they're causing it." Maxwell pointed out feeling nervous.
Luz walked over to Maxwell and placed her hands on his chest to show some reassurance and comfort as she had a comforting expression on her face.
"Well, you and I do remember that if they cause you, me or Amity any trouble, than we'll be able to say something to their parents. That, and I can at least make sure they behave around you." said Luz attempting to ease him of his fears.
Maxwell let out a sigh of relief and pulled Luz in a hug as she hugged him back. Luz planted a soft kiss to Maxwell's cheeks and forehead.
"Maxie, if anything makes you feel nervous, think of someone or something that gives you confidence. Something like how you feel about Eda when you had the courage to tell her your feelings towards her." Luz kindly suggested.
Maxwell thought for a moment and he remembered how he felt when he was telling Eda how much he loves her and how he fell in love with her. He felt empowered.
"We'll go with you in there." King told him.
"Alrighty. I know I'm doing this to help Eda, for Eda." said Maxwell feeling reassured.
"For Eda." said Luz and King in unison.
They walked up the steps that lead to the big double doors that was the entrance of the library. Once inside, Maxwell was astonished by the appearance of the library both from inside and outside. He saw shelves filled with books, second floors that had shelves of different sorts of books that all contained books of many subjects and this sent Maxwell's mind into a state of peace and confidence while thinking of the woman he loves.
"Madre de Dios en el cielo." said Maxwell in amazement.
"I knew you'd like this place." said Luz with a smile.
The three of them walked forwards as Luz lead Maxwell to the front desk. There stood a middle aged man with short grey hair and round glasses. He wore a black cowl, a lighter black colored uniform with a red long sleeved shirt. Maxwell appeared to be close to being tall as he is.
"Sir?" Maxwell spoke in a silent tone.
The man looked up from his desk and he recognized Luz but he didn't recognize Maxwell or King.
"What is she doing here?" said the man looking like he wasn't amused.
Maxwell could sense that the librarian was sounding condescending. He didn't like that. Luz blushed from this as she remembered that her last visit there was chaotic. The librarian remembered and Maxwell seemed to remember from what he read through the memories of Luz, Amity, Emira and Edric.
"Sir, we're here for some assistance with something we're looking for. Can you please be nice to my friend here." said Maxwell trying to be polite.
"I remember the last time she was here and a couple of her friends were here. They caused mischief in here and made reading far too fun. Reading should be for studying, not for fun. She needs to leave." said the librarian rudely.
"Sir, lets try to forgive and forget, shall we. There's no way that incident would happen again." said Luz trying to appeal to his better nature.
The man looked up at Maxwell, than at Luz, than back at Maxwell again.
"Is she with you?" asked the man.
"Yes." answered Maxwell.
"Than keep her out of trouble and keep her from causing mischief or I'll throw you out too." the man said mildly warning them.
Maxwell felt a bit of defiant rage kick into him. He didn't like how this man was talking about Luz or how he was behaving towards them. Maxwell cracked his knuckles loudly and the man saw this as his eyes were looking like he was surprised.
"Sir, mind if I ask something?" said Maxwell.
The librarian looked at him and Maxwell's movements were faster than a samurai drawing out their sword. He grabbed hold of the front of the man's shirt and pulled him up closely to his face with a stoic expression on Maxwell's face. Maxwell delved into the man's mind and the male librarian could feel him exploring his mind.
"George Oscar Pince. The librarian of this fine library. I see you've had an issue with what happened when my sweet friend Luz visited the place before as she was returning the library books that were in Eda's possession at the time. You were very rude and condescending towards Luz, when she asked for what is the Wailing Star, you rudely told her to read a book instead of telling her yourself just because you and the staff were going to close early that day. When she got negatively influenced into pulling pranks when she wasn't the mastermind of those, you threw both her and anyone with her out." said Maxwell.
The male librarian was shocked to see how he knew about his name when he never met Maxwell nor did he tell him his name and that he remembered every detail on the events that he described and mentioned.
"How did you?" George began.
"Your mind isn't actually a closed book, that's for sure." answered Maxwell. "I don't like how you talk to Luz or any sweet innocent girl. You're going to forgive and forget and stop being rude towards Luz, you should know that she wasn't the mastermind of those pranks, two kids were influencing her but we managed to set them two twins straight so don't you dare treat them with ill will. You will stop mistreating Luz and you will help us out in what we're looking for. You will treat a lady with respect, always hear both sides to every story and you need to stop holding things against people. Or do you want me to turn into your mother and lecture you on why being rude to a woman is wrong?"
Seeing Maxwell defend Luz and demanding George to help them with what they're looking for was having Luz not only feel better but also feel like Maxwell was sticking up for her when the male librarian was being rude and condescending towards both of them. Maxwell looked like he managed to give him the stare down while keeping his voice down and showing him a defiant expression.
"Alright, I..I...I apologize." George stuttered.
Maxwell let out a sigh of relief. He gently let go of the male librarian and showed a stoic but slightly sympathetic expression.
"Now where do we go to find a section that involves curses and how to completely heal any and all curses? We're trying to help someone who has been affected by one such curse." Maxwell kindly asked.
"Non fiction section. Look for curses under the letter C or H." said George letting out a breath.
"Understood and thank you. I'm sorry to get rough with you there but as the southerners say. We were taught not to lay a hand on a woman and we should respect a woman. Nothing personal against you, it's just how us southerners are raised." Maxwell kindly stated.
The male librarian seemed a bit shocked yet confused and oddly relieved at the same time. Maxwell was showing him mercy and that the young male human teenager wasn't too rough with him but he felt relieved to see Maxwell was being merciful. Both Maxwell, Luz and King walked off.
"George, trying asking out the female co-worker named Lucy here. I found out she likes you." Maxwell told the male librarian through his mind.
Hearing that from Maxwell left the male librarian to blush and give a smile. The three went to look for the section that was told to them on where to find what they wanted to know. They were in the section that the male librarian told them and they found the books that were all about curses from the letters C or H.
They found books through that section that were from healing to treating any and all curses. Most of them were about healing and treating simple curses, very few were about healing and treating major curses that were harder to manage. Maxwell seem to suggest an idea for him to speed read as if he had a power to scan one whole book in seconds and he would place his hand on Luz and King's head to share the information that he knew as if to share the knowledge through a mind scanning.
They continued for an hour and they eventually sat down at a table that had comfortable seats for them to sit in. They were knowing that from what little they found out, it was possibly a dead end.
"Nothing." said Maxwell, Luz and King in unison.
"Found very little but I don't think we're going to find what we're looking for here." said Maxwell looking disappointed and annoyed.
"It's alright, big guy. I know you want to help Eda." said King showing compassion.
Maxwell showed he understood that King was understanding towards his desire to help Eda with healing of her curse for good by reaching out to gently scratch his back for a few minutes which King moaned a bit and felt his body had every itch on his body being scratched which caused him to shake a bit. Once Maxwell stopped, King felt better from the feeling.
"Guys, I know I don't like keeping secrets from Eda but lets not tell her what our purpose is for coming here. Not yet, anyway. I don't want to get Eda's hopes up. I just can't bare to get her hopes up and than suddenly something goes wrong and it hurts her. I can't do that to her. It would break my heart if that were to happen." said Maxwell showing kindness and compassion in his voice.
Luz smiled as she reached out to take Maxwell's hand and used her thumb to gently rub the top of his hand as if to show comfort towards him and his feelings.
"Oh Maxie, I think Eda would love you no matter what. Even though your trying to help Eda with her curse, sometimes we'll come to a dead end at times but sometimes we don't come to a dead end. But you know she'd love you regardless. She knows you mean well and that you'd never do anything to hurt her." said Luz attempting to inject some comfort in him.
Maxwell looked up at Luz and blushed deeply from her kind words and her motherly instincts she was showing towards him as she has shown some forms of sisterly or motherly compassion and comfort towards him when he felt down or disappointed or afraid. Maxwell did feel some comfort from this.
"Luz, I have no idea how you can still be as loving, supportive and compassionate as you are, no matter if anyone of us is feeling down or even if we're having a hard time. How is it your able to put up with someone like me?" said Maxwell kindly.
"Because we're family and family loves each other, no matter what goes on." said Luz kindly.
Just as soon as Luz and Maxwell were about to get up from their seats. That's when Maxwell froze from where he stood as his eyes turned completely white and both Luz and King saw this. Maxwell had seen images flash through his head as he saw what looked like the front entrance of the library and he saw what looked like Lilith standing outside somewhere near the front entrance of the library. It looked like she was waiting for something or someone.
"Where's that associate? He should've been here by now." said Lilith during the vision.
The vision faded to black as Maxwell's vision cleared and his eyes turned back to blue. He was blinking slowly as he was waking up in Luz's arms as Maxwell was sitting up on the floor while King looked worried.
"You okay, cariño?" asked Luz looking worried.
Maxwell snapped back to reality and had an alarmed look on his face. Other people looked at him as if worried Maxwell had a moment where his health failed.
"Is he alright?" said a male teenager nearby.
"Luz, we got to go, now!" said Maxwell talking to Luz with his mind.
Luz helped Maxwell up to his feet and the male human showed he was perfectly fine.
"Young man, everything alright?" asked a young woman who was in her twenties.
"I'm alright, just tired. Going to go lay down." Maxwell lied. "Luz, King, we got to go."
Maxwell went over to lean down and pick up King as Maxwell placed King in Luz's hoodie while Maxwell took hold of Luz's hand and lead them both down one hallway and down a few other lines of bookshelves till they got to the front entrance that they came in and stopped. There were two windows located near the front entrance that were a bit high up. Maxwell's height could barely reach the windows.
"Maxie, how are you going to look through the windows?" asked King.
An idea instantly came to mind and Maxwell grinned as he placed his face against the wall and his head went straight through it like he was a ghost that walked through walls. He looked outside and there, he finally saw her standing near the library. It was Lilith.
"Oh mierda." Maxwell muttered under his breath.
Maxwell pulled his head through the wall like a ghost that walked through walls and turned to see Luz and King.
"She's out there, is she?" asked King.
He nodded to answer him.
"Maybe we could ask the librarian if we could use the back door?" Luz suggested.
They thought for a moment on how to sneak out of the library without Lilith catching them till Maxwell thought of an idea that he forgotten about at first but than it came to him like lightning struck him with an idea.
"Teleportation." Maxwell told them. "Grab hold of me and I'll teleport ourselves out of here."
Luz and King nodded as Luz wrapped her arms around Maxwell like a hug and Maxwell wrapped his arms around her like he was hugging her. King grabbed hold of Maxwell's left hand and part of his left arm. Before anyone could blink, they disappeared in a puff of gold smoke as they teleported their way out of the library and far away from both the library and Lilith.
"Where's that associate? He should've been here by now." said Lilith as she stood outside the library. "Why do I get the feeling something is afoot."