Page 120 of Librarian

What I will be is behind her one hundred percent.

“No.” His face falls, and I let him stew in the disappointment for a long minute before adding. “But we might get there. One day.”

“What’s it going to take?”

The sharpness in his gaze makes me doubt my decision. He obsesses. It’s part of the reason I struggle to trust him. I’m used to seeing that stubborn resolve aimed at solving his family’s curse, but now he’s turned it towards earning her forgiveness.

If he applies that dedication to keeping Kyrith happy, I can tolerate him. But if I ever have to watch the woman I love shrink into her skin as a result of his words again…

I roll my shoulders to dispel the tension settling in them at the thought. “Honestly? It depends on Kyrith. I’m not standing in the way of what she wants. If you somehow manage to bring more joy into her life than you did misery, I’ll consider us good.” My tone darkens. “But the moment you treat her like that again?—”

Leo frowns. “I don’t plan to.”

“Ifyou do, I’ll make Ammie’s curse look merciful. Got it?”

His jaw works, but instead of reacting to the threat, he lifts his chin once.

Good.

The two of us return to work, this time in silence.

Thirty-Four

Kyrith

Acrash jolts me out of my slumber with a start.

“Careful!” Eddy scolds.

“I got this,” Lambert says. “Watch.”

“You’re going to end up on your ass.”

At the same time, a separate argument springs up between Jasper and North.

“Naw, it wasnae like that. You’re remembering wrong.”

“There was a carpet. I’m telling you.”

“You’re both eejits.” Leo’s voice is loud and frustrated. “It was that fancy patterned wood with—urgh. Just piss off already. It was my idea. I was making good progress before you lot started meddling.”

“Shut it. You’re going to wake them.” The last is Dakari, breaking through the discussion with a low grumble.

I blink several times as I rouse properly, taking in the nearly empty foyer with a frown.

“Don’t look,” Pierce cautions, his eyes still closed. “Unless you’re willing to endure whatever unholy Live Laugh Love nonsense Edlynn has come up with.”

Swallowing back my nerves, because Iama little concerned about what Eddy might do if given free rein in the Arcanaeum, I twist until I can peep through the rails of the headboard.

Everyone else is awake. Through the open door, I smile as I watch them trying their best to put Botanical Hall back to rights. I should leave them to it. They’re clearly trying to surprise me, and their intentions are sweet.

Although…some things really should be supervised. Especially when North summons an ugly grey carpet tile into existence.

I roll gracelessly out of bed. “It was parquet flooring!”

Dakari slips into the foyer and catches me before I can make it to the door. “Don’t.”

I tilt my head to pin him with an unimpressed stare.