Page 101

I flinch, having expected her to yell at me, completely unprepared for that question. I nod once and open my mouth to apologize to her, but no words come out.

Alice slides her hand into mine and smiles. “Then that’s all I need to know.”

I swallow the thick emotion clogging my throat and squeeze her hand. She leans in again, all trace of lingering hurt gone.

“Okay. What happened with Con? You guys looked cozy.”

“Hi, guys!” Brett drops into the chair across from us, and Alice rolls her eyes.

“Later, then,” Alice grumbles, grabbing her phone and scrolling through it, making no effort to hide her dislike of the shifter who has become somewhat of a study buddy for me.

I smile at him. “Hey, Brett.”

He looks at my lack of textbooks and raises his eyebrows. “Are you studying wood grains?”

My lips twitch. “I came from Connor’s, so I don’t have any of my books. I’m going to go search for one right now, smartass.”

“Oh, right. I saw the announcement onNexus. Congrats,” he says, though his voice isn’t as vibrant as usual. The news of Gia has put a damper on everyone’s mood.

Pushing back my chair, I smile at Brett and gently tug on a lock of Alice’s hair as I head into the stacks. I slide my fingers over the spines of the books, unconsciously seeking the comfort they bring me as I think through my study schedule. I should delve into some combat theory, but ugh, combat. It’s so stupid when magic exists. There is realms, and I still have that essay it would be good to get started on.

She bears the mark of Nimue.

Nimue. The name niggles something at the back of my mind, a memory not quite given form.

“Can I help you find something, dear?” Mrs. Brunswick, the librarian, asks me, stopping her cart just behind me. Her glasses sit low on her nose, and her hair is pulled back in a bun, aging her immortal form. She waves her hand, and three books fly back to their shelves, nestling between the two on either side.

“I was wondering if there are any books on Nimue? Specifically, the mark of Nimue?”

Mrs. Brunswick frowns, her eyes darting over the stacks. “The mark of Nimue hasn’t been seen or used in centuries. Itmay as well be a myth at this point, but I believe there are a handful of books on the Lady of the Lake.”

She walks past me, and I follow as she expertly navigates the stacks. No one knows how long she has worked here, but it’s long enough that she has started to resemble the books that line the shelves, a little dusty and faded. The gray tinge to her skin betrays a lack of sunlight, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she hasn’t left the library in decades. She leads me deeper into the library, stopping at a less visited section. The books here look newer due to how little they are handled and read. She stops midway down the aisle and pulls out a red leather-bound book. The title is embellished in gold, and the edges are similarly gilded. She hands me the book.

The Great Loves of Merlin.

I wrinkle my nose in distaste. In Gaia, the realm where I grew up, Merlin is depicted as an elderly sorcerer with a long white beard and a pointy hat. The thought of him with agreat loveand all it entails is a little gross. Though his son is… something else, and Merlin must have been young at some point. It is interesting that I haven’t come across any images of the great sorcerer in my exploration of the school.

Mrs. Brunswick reaches up and pulls two more books off the shelf, seemingly at random. “So, I think this is all we have for now. We don’t keep very many for obvious reasons.”

I frown. “Of course.”

“Happy reading,” Mrs. Brunswick says, patting the top book. She shuffles away, leaving me alone in the stacks. I look around at the surrounding books, noting how stunningly beautiful they are. Why are these never chosen to be read? There is a treasure trove of information here, from alternate rune techniques to potion recipes to the history of pixies.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I look around. I don’t feel those increasingly familiar eyes on me. Their absence is soundiluted that it almost feels false, like a ruse and another way to set me on edge.

I clutch the books to my chest and wander back to our table. Brett glances up and gives me a quick smile before focusing back on his essay. Alice barely acknowledges my existence, her nose practically buried in her phone. I open the book on the top of the pile and start leafing through it.

Though the book is namedThe Great Loves of Merlin, it seems to focus more on Merlin’s achievements in the bedroom than the people he had actual relationships with. I flip through the pages until I find the description I am looking for.

Nimue, or The Lady of the Lake, is renowned as a goddess of water and nature and has held her place as such for centuries. Many mortal congregations worship Nimue, though it is known that she was, in fact, fae. She was born in Faerie not long after its conception, and when she was of age, she left to spread her elemental gifts elsewhere, dissatisfied with paradise.

On her travels through the realms, she acquired many followers and worshippers. These were devoted people who followed her every order. Her power and vibrance drew people in, captivating and encapsulating. As she grew in popularity, she began to rank certain members of her following. For an honored select few, she bestowed the mark of Nimue.

There’s no depiction of the mark or description of her connection to Merlin. I turn the page to continue reading, but blink in surprise. The next page picks up in the middle of detailing someone named Sebile. I flip the page back and forth in disbelief, knowing that I didn’t make a mistake but compelled to try to fix it. Of course, it doesn’t, and I have to accept that apiece of the book is missing. Someone didn’t just tear the pages out. It looks like they cut a section out and then pushed the other pages together to cover up the lack. Why? Why remove pages from a book barely read and nearly forgotten? Why bother trying to eradicate such an obscure piece of knowledge?

I glare at the page. Can I fix this with a rune?

One starts to form in my mind, and I slice my finger with the small dagger in my purse. I press down on the broken page with one hand and slowly craft the small rune in the corner. The curves swoop before joining at three points. The pages begin to materialize, and I smile widely. It feels so good to use my magic, even in this small way. I watch the pages fill in, waiting impatiently to continue reading. The book starts to shake, making the entire table vibrate. Alice glances up, looking between me and the book.