Page 210 of Librarian

Distracted…but there.

“What did you do?” I ask it.

And for the first time in months, the shelves give a smug little shuffle.

The Arcanaeum is a genius.

I suppose that should’ve been obvious, given how many books it contains, but once we recover and I have a chance to investigate the changes, I really appreciate it for the first time.

“I’m a satellite,” I realise, pacing the length of the living room.

“Like a space rocket or…?” Lambert asks, swigging heavily on the beer that North just passed him.

Pierce groans, collapsing onto the sofa, still clutching a golden restorative potion. “Honestly. The acoustics in your head must be incredible.”

He downs it, then reaches out to accept a beer from North.

“Don’t pretend you have any more of a clue than he does.” Jasper shakes his head. “Lass, care to explain?”

“It’s separated me, but not totally. Before I was part of its magical well, but now I’m not. We’re still linked…like…” I grasp at straws to find a metaphor that suits what I’m trying to explain. “I’m a bucket in a huge pond.” It’s a convoluted image, but it’s close enough. “When my reserves are full, they overflow into the Arcanaeum, but my well is smaller. And because I’m still in the pond, I can draw from it whenever I need to. Connected, but separate. A satellite.”

“What does that mean?” North asks, and I dimly realise I’ve started floating higher again when I notice I can see the top of his head. “You’re recharging it by yourself?”

I nod. “I’m low right now, but my well isn’t so massive that I need to reach critical mass to regenerate my magic.” It’s probably the same size as it was before I was sacrificed. Larger than most, but not outside the realm of possibility for any normal arcanist. Much like theirs. “Once I’m recovered, I’ll be able to feed power to the Library without you needing to cast that spell.”

Thank stars.

“And we’re connected to?—”

“Both.” That was the first thing I checked. “You’re keeping me from being absorbed by the pond, but you’re also tethering me to it.”

It’s magnificent work. The kind of magic that would be impossible for any living arcanist to replicate.

“I think…I think this will let me leave.”

Leo sits up straighter. “Leave?”

“Temporarily, with one or more of you,” I amend. “It’s a theory. I don’t want to test it until the Arcanaeum is back, but… I think that’s what it intended with all of this.”

“What about your body?” Eddy asks. “Do you get that back too?”

I…don’t know. Before, I could still feel them, even when I was a ghost. That hasn’t happened yet.

If, by some miracle, my body did manifest, I could drink restorative potions to speed everything up. Unfortunately, they’re less than useless to a ghost.

“It’s been less than an hour,” Dakari intercedes. “Give it time.”

I agree without fuss, because the exhausted building is still purring delightedly in my chest.

“Glad you’re back, dude.” Lambert addresses the sentiment to a lamp on the coffee table. “But next time, give me some warning? Feels like I got smacked by all three magiballs at once.”

The floorboards give an apologetic little creak.

It’s exhausted. We all are.

I’d give anything to be able to drift off, but I settle for floating over to Dakari’s side and arranging myself so I’m hovering horizontally beside him.

I may not be able to sleep, but simply shutting off my mind for a few hours may help.