Page 200 of Librarian

“Fuck.”

“You’re upset,” I counsel, sitting on the rumpled covers beside him. “But please don’t ruin your friendships with the rest of them in a moment of anger.”

“You should be here, Ice Queen,” he mutters to what he thinks is an empty room. “You should be telling us where to put shit and getting pissy with Eddy for taking liberties with the decorating.”

“Iamhere.” I stroke his hair out of his face.

The strand stays put, and I sigh.

“They think you’re coming back. Fuck. I want you to. But you’re stubborn and smarter than all of us. If you could, you would’ve by now. No amount of repairs is going to fix this.”

His gold eyes are cold as he looks towards the staircase. The suddenness of the movement makes my fingers pass through his temple, and I draw away. Then he’s on his feet, growling under his breath.

“Fuck this. I’m going for a walk.”

Fifty-Six

Galileo

“This feels like a séance,” Lambert comments from the seat to my right, as we crowd around the kitchen island.

I get what he means. The counter is covered in Pierce’s notes and multiple reference books. The lights are low, and there’s one of Eddy’s scented candles between us. The flame flickers merrily in the jar, filling the room with what itclaimsis the scent of apple pie.

Mostly, it reeks of artificial cinnamon, the scent smothering the normally soothing aroma of books that wafts from every room in the Library.

“It’s not.” Pierce’s grimoire is out, page already open on a runeform I refuse to study too carefully. “We’re not summoning anyone back. We’re trying to determine how much power is left in the Arcanaeum. I need all six of our bonds to get an accurate reading. But before I do this, you need to know?—”

“This is a waste of time,” North grumbles. “Get on with it.”

He’s been a miserable fecking bastard since Kyrie disappeared, and he’s only getting worse.

Pierce rolls his eyes. “Everyone touch the candle, unless you want to go hide upstairs and pretend we’re using legal magic.”

Shite. Well, in for a penny…I guess.

Lambert is already doing it, practically humming with excitement at the idea of doing something that might get our Librarian back.

I’m not far behind.

Feck. It’s been the worst two weeks of my life. Today was the last day of repairs. There’s not a single brick out of place.

And still nothing.

With every single spell I cast, I hoped, prayed,beggedfor her to reappear. Every time I pass her desk, I find myself compulsively checking—waiting.

Nothing.

Now it’s all fixed. The Arcanaeum is as perfect as it was the day I first entered.

Still no Kyrie.

She can’t be gone. I won’t accept it. North won’t either, for all that he’s acting like a grumpy shite.

I don’t even realise Pierce has started chanting until something slimy crawls up my spine. Makes sense. The Arcanaeum was built from dark magic, so checking on it requires the same.

Could we not have done this with divination or restoration instead?

Maybe, but I’m not about to waste time insisting they all wait for me to come up with something. Necromancy is the least I’d do to get our Librarian back.