Page 198 of Librarian

The words are peppy, but his face is just as strained as the rest of them.

“You all need rest,” I tell them sternly. “And whatever this is…” I swallow. “Thank you.”

Because if I’m right, they’ve recruited all of these people to fix the Arcanaeum.

At least, if I’m to be trapped here again, the building won’t be left a ruin.

They’re still livingin the Clock Tower.

All of them.

Lambert and Jasper sleep in my bed that night, and I’ve even caught the others sneaking naps in it. I’ll never admit it, but more often than not, I’ll curl into their sides, hovering above the mattress.

When I berate myself for it—because I shouldn’t be going through the motions of heartbreak when I’m incapable of feeling it properly—I tell myself I’m doing it on the off chance that contact helps me regain my body like it did when they rescued me.

I’d hoped to find the other librarians, but after hours of roaming the halls, I’ve yet to see any sign of them. Perhaps they’re gone. Perhaps I’m the last.

That harrowing thought is enough to drive me to wonder if it might’ve been better had the Library been destroyed.

Because now, as Leo and the other five stand in front of my desk, surrounded on all sides by arcanists, cameras, and reporters, I can admit that the repairs are helping. The major repairs to the upper floors started this morning, and with every passing hour the strain in my body—in the Library—has eased.

“Rector Ó Rinn, you’re live,” a woman in a pressed suit says from beside a camera.

There is far too much technology in this room, but my presence doesn’t fry it as I drift closer.

“Good evening,” Leo begins, hands by his sides, every inch an arcanist born for this role. “We called you all here because, as leaders, we owe our houses open and honest accountability.”

I snort. That will be a first for the parriarchy.

“Many of you know by now that members of enforcement have been permitted to view the grimoires of Isidora Carlton and Mathias Ackland and have confirmed both were necromancers.”

I must’ve missed that. I hope he put them back in the Vault when he was done. Ugh, I spent so long denying the rumour that there were grimoires hidden under the Arcanaeum.

“You better have had a good reason for ruining my hard work,” I mutter under my breath, floating around him.

“Since then, myself and the other parriarchs have pre-emptively presented our grimoires for inspection by enforcement. As have the heirs, those parriarchs who stepped down before us, and everyone else in the upper levels of government. Multiple arrests have been made, and the trials will be public. We should never have reached a point where one necromancer was allowed into leadership, let alone this many. Isidora and Mathias have shaken your confidence in the parriarchy, and we intend to put it right.”

He takes a deep breath, settling himself.

“You can’t have trust without honesty. From now on, all enforcement officers and parriarchs will have their grimoires checked for dark magic every five years. Anyone who has a problem with this is more than welcome to leave the force. I’m also formally disbanding the aegis and revoking the overreaching powers that Isidora gave them.”

Good. That’s good. Most men in his position would’ve simply carried on, given vague condemnations of the past, and not learned from the ordeal.

It might cause issues for Pierce, given his grimoire, but the forgery I made for him should hold up for a few decades, longer if he uses it occasionally. Maybe by then he will have stepped down.

“There have been questions about who will now lead Winthrop, Ackland, and Carlton.” Leo looks at Lambert, North,and Pierce as he says it. “All of us are in agreement that the position of vicegerent is antiquated and open to abuse. So, I’m abolishing it.”

There are grumbles at that. Understandable. Change is hard, and there are a bunch of powerful magisters who were no doubt hoping to be chosen.

Leo powers on. “Every house will have an elected body, made up of four magisters with regulatory powers. Where necessary, they will lead until an heir is ready to step up. Even after those parriarchs ascend, the magisters will stay on as advisers, bridging the gap between parriarchs and their families, and taking on many of the bureaucratic burdens of the role.”

The mood in the room turns cautiously hopeful. Arcandom has studiously resisted any form of democracy for centuries, much to the disappointment of the less powerful.

This is either the start of great change, or Leo and the others will find themselves assassinated before morning. Our relationship has pulled the six of them into a friendship that’s rare for the parriarchs, so they’re safe from each other, if nothing else. I swallow back the urge to berate him for taking things too fast and putting himself at risk. These are good ideas.

He said he would change things. If this works, it’ll be marvellous. Lambert will have space to focus on magiball, and North will gain a sounding board of several magisters who know more about arcanist culture.

Leo lets the crowd talk for a bit, then continues. “Taking down Mathias Ackland was a collaborative effort between all six of us, and the Librarian expended vast amounts of her power to help. She put aside her principles of neutrality to single-handedly avert a war between enforcement and aegis, saving countless lives. Before that, she was a fierce ally to liminals during Isidora’s campaign of misinformation and division. We owe her a huge debt.” His voice roughens towards the end,a crack in the professional mask there and gone before most would even notice.