Page 163 of Librarian

“They were all trying to protect you,” she says. “And you have time to build that now. You can even challenge him to a game.”

I scoff. “I don’t even remember how it’s played. I just…I don’t want to be protected forever, y’know?”

“Tough shite.” Leo drops his invisibility spell. He leans against the shelf opposite with his arms crossed. “Big brother privilege.”

He doesn’t look shocked to see me holding the letter, and I wonder if Kyrith even found me by herself or if he arranged that, too.

Meddling Irish asshole.

“Why didn’t you mention this?” I wave it at him. “I blamed you for not telling me, but youdid.”

Leo rubs the back of his neck. “Honestly, I figured that the old man chucked it on the fire. He wasn’t exactly happy when I asked him to send it.” He shrugs. “Guess I owe the crotchety bastard an apology. In the end, I figured it was probably better you never got it. Less temptation, for both of us.” He smirks. “I’ll have the card back, though. It’s probably worth something now.”

“No way.” I shove Magikarp into my pocket and stick my tongue out at him. “It’s mine.”

“So you’ll share your girlfriend, but not a card from a game you don’t even know how to play?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Kyrith decides who shares her. It’s not the same.”

Leo’s smile brightens, and he offers me a hand up. “Come on. No one wants to find the UAA’s star reaper crying in the history section. That’s just bad for morale.”

“Ex-reaper.” I let him pull me to my feet. “I can’t play, remember? I’m not allowed on campus because my dad’s a liminal.”

Kyrith clears her throat. “I may have a solution to that, actually.”

My heartbeat stumbles. “Boss?”

“Well…that document was very dry reading.” She offers me a smile. “I took a break, and I have something to show you.”

I’m mute as she leads me down the stairs and through the study area, stopping as we round the corner into Conjurers Hall. Leo trails behind us, neither of us mentioning the horrible cracks across the ceiling that seem to be growing wider by the second.

Kyrith doesn’t let herself look at them, but I’m transfixed. Not because I want to be. It’s that awful kind of fascination that you just can’t help. Like watching a car crash or a house fire. I’m so caught up in it that I don’t notice her opening another hidden door to the courtyard.

When I do, I stop dead.

“Boss. This is…”

“A magiball court.” She smiles, pushing me towards it.

I can’t move. I’m rooted to the spot.

Because there’s a magiball court in the Arcanaeum, even though magiball is one of the most violent, dangerous sports in the world, and players use fire and bombs and?—

“Your coach has agreed to relocate your practice sessions here.” Kyrith’s voice finally penetrates the buzzing in my skull. “Apparently half of the UAA team were liminals or otherwise affected by Mathias’s edicts. But I mustinsistthat you make them avail themselves of the facilities after practice. I can’t have sweaty arcanists just wandering the—what are youdoing?”

Her voice climbs in pitch as I fall down on one knee, hand diving into my pocket. With a deep breath, I pull out the tiny faded black box I retrieved from my dad’s trailer this morning.

I wasn’t planning to do this now, but she just held me while I cried and gave me a magiball court. I’ve never loved her more. This feels right. Good.

“Marry me?”

It’s a good thing I took that deep breath, because I don’t think my lungs are going to work again until Kyrith gives me an answer. Last time she brushed me off. That’s okay. I get that she thought I was joking.

I’m dead serious this time. She can tell. Her hand has risen to cover her face.

Leo is blinking at me like I’m crazy.

I’m not.