Page 129 of Librarian

I rise to my knees, leaning on one arm of the chair, and put my hand over his mouth. “We have work to do.” I flush as he kisses my palm. “And I think the time for apologies has passed, don’t you?”

Actions have always spoken louder than words, after all.

Thirty-Six

Kyrith

“So you see the problem,” I finish, finally meeting the seven concerned and confused gazes before me.

We’ve gathered around the altar in the Vault to discuss the issue. The fractured dagger gleams atop of the black granite between us. I separated Mathias’s phylactery from the hilt. Without it, the blade looks oddly unfinished. The red gem rests innocently a few inches away. Two deceptively beautiful problems in one place.

“The dagger can destroy soul vessels, but it’s broken,” Eddy surmises. “But because it’s notbrokenbroken, you can’t give the Arcanaeum back its magic.”

“I still dinnae get it,” Jasper admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought it was a key.”

“It is. Or, rather, itwas.” Magic, how do I explain? “It’s always been the mechanism through which the power of liminals was funnelled into the Arcanaeum. My best guess is that when the Library reversed the ritual on Mathias a few weeks ago, it created a seal to keep us separate. In essence, it’s both a keyanda lock. If the dagger is destroyed completely, the building’s magic will rush back to where it belongs, and I will be returned along with it.”

At least there’s no need for me to be sacrificed again.

The purple flames cast odd shadows over Dakari’s frowning face. “But you can’t know for sure.”

I shake my head. “I’ve been studying the magical theory and the bonds extensively, but no. I don’t know anything for certain. I’m not sure I can fix the dagger either.”

“Liches have been killed without it before,” Leo argues. “If the dagger breaking is what needs to be done, then I say do it.”

“It will stop Mathias from being able to control you again.” North shrugs. “So why haven’t you done it already?”

“Because she’ll be stuck here if she rebinds herself to the Arcanaeum.” Lambert knocks into his friend with his shoulder. “And she doesn’t want that.”

“I’ve made my peace with it.” I tug at my sleeves. “I’d rather have the Arcanaeum back than my freedom. That’s not even a choice. No, I’ve held off because as it stands, the only ones with a bond to the Arcanaeum, besides the dagger and me, are you six. Were I to destroy it, there’s a chance it wouldn’t even work and…” I trail off.

“We’ll be affected somehow.” Pierce spreads his fingers across the surface of the altar. “If we aren’t already.”

“How?” Jasper asks. “It cannae be that bad, surely?”

“It wouldn’t break our bonds, would it?” Lambert presses. “Because I like being tied to you, boss.”

My heart does a poignant little flip.

“The Arcanaeum was treating you like a part of the collection before. Books can leave the Library, it’s just uncomfortable when they do. It probably would’ve also given you a tiny boost to your magical reserves.” I take a deep breath. “Severing me from the building took a lot of power. Then Mathias used what remainedto heal himself and redecorate. Both the Arcanaeum and I were drained almost completely.

“You each fed me vast amounts of your magic. As a result, I recovered, and now our bonds are far stronger than they were before. No one did the same for the Arcanaeum. It usually would regenerate by itself, but because its well is so large, it needs to reach a critical mass to do so at any kind of speed. If I destroy the dagger, all of the power inside me will rush to fill the void on the other side. With luck, I have enough power to speed up the Library’s regeneration, and I’ll be restored as the Librarian, but there’s a significant chance that your wells will be dragged along with mine. You may also end up unable to leave.”

And there it is, my great fear out in the open.

Silence falls, the long explanation sinking in slowly.

“Unable to leave…ever?” Eddy finally clarifies. “Like you?”

I nod once. “I’m not willing to risk that. You have lives to live. There’s no guarantee that the Arcanaeum will regain consciousness, even with the return of its magic. So my next quandary is how do we hide the?—”

“Wait. That’s it?” Lambert’s question is laced with hurt. “You’re giving up?”

I shake my head. “No. Not at all, but the obvious plan is somewhat morbid.”

“You’re going to wait for us to die,” Pierce realises, leaning back. “Of old age, or whatever. Then you’re going to break the dagger and things will go back to how they were.”

Me alone, possibly without the Arcanaeum to keep me company for the long years that follow.