Page 181 of Librarian

My stomach sinks. No. This is far worse than I feared. None of us has enough magic to do more than light a candle. Pierce almost certainly doesn’t have enough to cast a master level spell, even if he wasn’t bleeding out on the floor.

It also means I can’t risk touching them. If I do, and our bond solidifies and starts to pull from them like it did in Scotland, it’s likely that the drain will speed up and they’ll be even worse off.

The dread only grows as the building erupts in a wailing shriek.

Mathias’s disappointed voice fills the building, echoing from everywhere all at once.

“You’ve left the Arcanaeum in ruins, Kyrith. And for what? To give the liminals a few more weeks of playing at being arcanists?”

Shit. He’s here. Inside the Library.

He’s not in the Rotunda, but stars only know where the door that admitted him is. He could be anywhere.

Somehow the ruse of us being powerless against him has become reality.

Think, Kyrith, think.

No magic. Well, nothing beyond the most basic foundation level spells. But foundation schools are underestimated. I can use that.

…And thereisone other person here who knows how to perform necromancy.

My gaze lifts to Anthea, then back to Pierce, then back to her.

“Absolutely not,” he says. “She’s not powerful enough.”

Maybe she isn’t, but right now, neither is he.

“Speak for yourself.” Anthea scowls. “I might not be a freak like you, but I’m still powerful enough to use master level magic. I came here to get revenge. This isn’t quite the fireball to his smug face that I wanted, but I’ll settle for destroying his soul.”

“Lambert, Eddy, North, get to the alchemy laboratory that Professor Jackson set up on the first floor of the Restoration Tower. Stay hidden. Lambert, I want you to make every single bomb you learned about last term and bring them to the balcony overlooking Botanical Hall. Pierce, Anthea needs the phylactery.”

“On it, boss.” Lambert salutes, and the three of them take off jogging.

They should be safe enough. The alchemy lab was set up in a room that can only be accessed by the tower stairs, and those are easily collapsed if they need to keep anyone out.

Pierce, on the other hand, is paling. His pupils are massive, and his voice is thin as he says, “She can’t be trusted. Besides, the dagger is broken.”

“Dinnae argue,” Jasper cautions, dragging one of Pierce’s arms over his shoulders.

The blond man’s hand flutters towards his pocket, the trembling in his limbs noticeable as he withdraws Mathias’s soul vessel.

The red gem is covered with spiderweb cracks, but still in one piece. Pierce is right. Anthea might not have enough energy to break that on her own, but he’s already significantly weakened it. Better still, the papers containing my original copies of the runeforms are sticking out of Pierce’s grimoire, abandoned on the floor a few feet away. I tug them free, praying that this is the right choice.

It galls, giving her the spell to funnel power into the Arcanaeum. If she ever tries to use it against us…

No. The others’ safety is more important. I won’t let them get trapped here. We can deal with the consequences later, if we must.

Anthea folds her arms over her chest. “We haven’t discussed what I’m getting out of this.”

“Really?” Leo demands. “You’re bargaining right now? The lich is?—”

She grabs me, the move so sudden I can’t dodge. Her lips are right at my ear, her whisper quiet and meant for me alone.

“Tell enforcement that I died taking out Mathias.”

Her demand is brief. Simple in its enormity. It’s exactly the kind of thing I should’ve expected from her.

If she’s presumed dead, she’s free to start over. Enforcement won’t even search for her.