Page 91 of Librarian

Vexing. Unwanted. Painful.

My insides are in turmoil. I wish I could bring myself to open my mouth and say something just to banish the unwelcome reminder of what we once had, but I can’t.

I…missed it. Missed him.

I’m so busy berating myself for that that I don’t notice the commotion outside until the door bursts open.

“You had no right!” Pierce is yelling, red in the face, as Dakari strides into the sitting room, jaw clenched.

“He only did what Benny asked him to,” North protests, shoving through the door sideways with an unconscious Eddy in his arms.

Pierce sneers at him. “Stay out of this.”

“Your grandfather kept you out of the plan because he knew you’d react like this,” Dakari says over his shoulder. “We’ll get him back.”

I drink up the sight of them, scanning the empty doorway, waiting for Jasper even as I rush to Eddy’s side. My grimoire falls open. If he hasn’t already healed her burns, he may be in a similar state.

Then the door falls shut.

Someone takes my heart into their hand and squeezes.

Dakari’s dark eyes meet mine, and I finally process the sorrow there.

“No.” My lips form the word, but I have no air to give voice to it.

“Baby girl, we’ll get him back,” he promises, then glances over his shoulder at Pierce. “We’ll get both of them back.”

“Both?” I flick my eyes over at the Carlton heir’s fuming silhouette and swallow.

Benny and Jasper. Mathias has taken the two most powerful restorationists I’ve ever met.

Deep breaths. One thing at a time. Eddy is here and injured. She’s covered in burns.

I can do something about that.

After that’s done, I can use the tracker installed on Jasper’s cage to find him. Mathias doesn’t know about it. I created it knowing that if Jasper was taken, he’d likely be hidden behind multiple wards, so I specifically designed the spell to be as discreet as possible. Combined with our bond, I should be able to locate him.

My mind doesn’t stop whirring as I lift Eddy’s unburnt wrist in gentle fingers. “Hiel dirmos.”

“We could’ve come up with a better strategy,” Pierce argues from behind me.

“We were fucking cornered,” Dakari retorts. “Benny’s plan made sense. It was his choice, and it’s not like we had time for a debate. That dagger rendered us all useless.”

I finish the spell, watching with satisfaction as the burns across Eddy’s skin retreat.

I’m so focused on what I’m doing that it takes me a second to realise what he just said.

“The dagger?” I blink, then press my hand to my forehead as it dawns on me. “He can use it against you? Oh. What am I saying? Of course, he can. It’s only logical.”

They’re bonded to me. The Library treated them like books, and the Arcanaeum has total control over every volume in the collection.Of course, Mathias would be able to influence them with the dagger. Why didn’t I consider that?

How in magic’s name are we supposed to rescue Jasper and Benny when none of us can even get close to the blade?

I look down at Eddy, still resting in North’s arms, and grimace. She’d have a better chance of going up against Mathias than any of us.

Instead of voicing my gloomy thoughts, I pick up the charcoal once again. “We need to finish warding this house. Then I’ll track Jasper, and we’ll make a plan to get both him and Benjamin back.”

I meet Pierce’s eyes as I say it, trying to reassure him.