Page 176 of Librarian

Forty-Nine

Kyrith

Walking down Botanical Hall alone is both nerve-wracking and heart-rending.

The aegis agents clearly respect me enough not to hinder my progress towards the Rotunda, but the lines of them loom over me on both sides.

Black, uniformed, masked invaders, sure of their conquest.

I’ve never felt so small.

I wish I could glide a little higher to compensate, but my ghostliness is still just an illusion. A necessary one. If they don’t believe they can touch me, they won’t try to.

At any moment, they might discover Anthea, Dakari, and the others hiding around the Arcanaeum. Or Mathias might finally deign to join his goons and spark a battle that will consume all that remains of the Library.

This part of the plan is fraught with risk. I don’t want violence, but there’s no way to guarantee that outcome.

A commander strides up to me, boots loud on the wooden floor. His gold buttons glint in the dim light, matching hisbright blond hair. Liam Carlton. A second cousin of Pierce’s, if I remember rightly. His grimoire is known to the Arcanaeum—even though it’s now coated in the oily magic that’s unique to necromancers—so his mask does nothing to hide his identity from me. Before he can do more than open his mouth, I hold up a hand.

“Good morning, Commander Carlton. Please call your people to the Rotunda. As you can see, there’s no one here for you to arrest.”

I was expecting Michael Ó Rinn. No matter. I can feel his grimoire nearby, so no doubt he’ll turn up shortly. I’m counting on his presence for this plan to work.

“Where are the liminals, Librarian?”

I shrug. “I’m not in the habit of repeating myself.”

Affecting a false air of equanimity, I continue my walk.

He’s not giving the order, but it doesn’t matter. Enough of his people are curious that they’re following me anyway. The cracks in my illusion cover me entirely, vivid lines of inky black forking through my jumper and long skirts. With any luck, someone is reporting that ‘weakness’ to Mathias.

“Would any other commanders in attendance please come to the desk?” I say, stepping around to the other side.

The crowd swells, my nerves growing apace. Stars. He must’ve sent hundreds of them. They barely fit into the room.

Hidden by an invisibility spell, Dakari slams the doors shut. A signal that they’re all here.

“You’re not in a position to make demands,” Liam protests, but Blanche steps forward, becoming visible on the Gallery above.

Pages flick loudly through the hall, aegis agents drawing up, ready to fight.

“It’s a trap,” Liam growls.

“Nothing of the sort,” I reply primly, clasping my hands in front of me as fear shoots down my spine. “Enforcement is merely here to do their jobs. Though I understand why you, of all people, would be nervous, given how much necromancy is dripping from your grimoire.” His eyes drop to it. “Yes, I can tell. It’s one of my many talents.”

The spine of the man in front of me stiffens. Murmurs start to rise from the lines of military neat arcanists around me.

“Librarian—”

“I’m not finished.” The snap in my voice shuts him up almost as effectively as the way the aegis around him are bristling. “Enforcement is here to protect your families, members of which are up on the Gallery as witnesses.”

Slowly, the parents, grandparents, siblings, and children of the aegis agents creep into view. Blanche’s people have been rounding them up all morning, inviting them here on my behalf. They’re not hostages. They could’ve refused.

I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t.

The problem with trying to divide arcandom is that at the heart of our society are six families. Six groups so intricately connected that it’s impossible to separate them. Everyone knows someone.

No one wants to lose anyone. Not really.