Page 29 of Librarian

Stars, is this what my life has come to? Making conversation with a Carlton?

Pierce shrugs. “She’s asleep again, and my grandfather’s just arrived. Someone has to save the McKinleys from him.”

I frown, wondering if he meant that the other way around, but then again, Benjamin Carlton has always been an oddball.

“I’ll come. I owe him a thank you.” I grimace. “I suppose I owe you one as well.”

“Yes. You do.”

Arrogant prick.

“Thanks for helping break the second layer of my ensorcellment.” If the words were any stiffer, they’d shatter. “I probably didn’t deserve it. I’m sorry for how I behaved, too. I’ve been as much of a prick to you as the others?—”

“Debatable.”

“But I am grateful for what you did…and for what you did for Lambert. He told us about the soup.”

I’m still pissed that Anthea got so close to killing my brother and I never knew. At least she’s locked in the dark dungeons of the fortress, so she’ll get her comeuppance swiftly enough.

I’m surprised that Pierce even lowered himself to protect the son of a liminal, but then again, he helped Jasper too, and he has even less adept blood than Lambert. Maybe the Carlton heir is secretly less prejudiced than he would have us believe.

Pierce shrugs but says nothing beyond, “You’re welcome.”

Gravel crunches underfoot as we leave the keep and walk around the impromptu magiball court that’s been set up in the lower bailey, a safe distance from where the cars are parked. Seeing the kids playing a watered-down version of the game makes my chest squeeze, reminding me of the pile of runeforms sitting in my room.

I’ve hit a brick wall with Alice’s. She’s about the same age as these bairns. At least her runeform isn’t active yet. My uncle—her father—managed to break the first layer using Kyrith’s letter, revealing her degenerated second layer. It’s only two runeforms, not four, but still complicated.

I might be free now, but I can’t rest until I’ve saved her and all the others. I’m starting with the youngest, but there are dozens of older aunts and uncles who’ve sent their runeforms. People with spouses, children of their own.

Kyrith said she’d help, but I can’t ask it of her. Not after what I did. If I can sort an alliance between us and the McKinleys, maybe I won’t have to do it all alone. I can pay them, like I should’ve paid her. There are more than enough accomplished nullifiers here. Any of them would be capable of setting the rest of my family free.

Of course, Jasper trying to shove me in the dungeons earlier might not help my case. Only his aunt telling him it would start a war between our families stopped him.

Yeah, there’s a lot of bridge-mending to be done. Most importantly, I need to figure out how to apologise to Lambert and Kyrith. I’m not sure I even can.

I’ve cost them both so much.

I’m so deep in my thoughts that, at first, I don’t recognise Benjamin Carlton. That’s probably because he’s wearing an honest-to-magic kilt, hiking boots, and a wool tam. Worse still, he’s smiling and gesticulating wildly at Halinor while the rest of her clan gives him and his getup a spectacular amount of side eye.

“Magic save me,” Pierce mutters under his breath as he spots them. “I swear, he has the money to hire a stylist.”

Yeah. I can imagine for someone who lives in designer suits, having a grandfather like Benny would be embarrassing. Especially as he’s busy digging around in his sporran for something.

“Where did he even get that thing?” I say, breath catching as I realise, I’m commiserating with Pierce of all people.

I swear the Carlton heir snorts. “I’ll bet heaccidentallyended up browsing every tourist shop between here and Edinburgh.”

“And now he’s about to flash us all at the first stiff breeze,” I say, wincing as the wind chooses that moment to pick up. “Even the McKinleys aren’t wearing kilts in this weather.”

“Grandfather,” Pierce calls. “Why are you here?”

Benny grins wider, patting the guard in front of him on the shoulder.

“There he is! Still in one piece, Pierce? How is our lovely Librarian?”

My hackles rise. “How the feck does he know that she’s here?”

Pierce shrugs, moving past me. “Because I told him.”