Page 37 of Liminal

I won’t hold my breath.

She’s hated me from the second she let me into her fucking library. Lambert is all smiley and sunshine and forgivable, but I’ve just lost my one ticket to getting Eddy the help she needs. Josef won’t do anything without that book, and despite what the Librarian says, it has to be in that fucking building.

According to Mathias Ackland’s notes, the grimoire of every single arcanist is summoned to that Vault when they die. It’s a powerful blood enchantment linked to the founding of the building by the six original families.

It has to be there.

I kick the couch again, though the thing is so solid all I really achieve is more bone-jarring pain to my foot.

It wasn’t supposed to go like this.

“I’m going home.” Galileo picks himself up and settles a glare at us both. “The next time either of you eejits comes up with a plan, leave me out of it. Did you even use any concealment spells?”

No. Because I don’t know any. Because Josef fucking chucked me into this mess like a lamb to slaughter. You’d think, given how excited he was to get me into the Arcanaeum, he would’ve been more cautious about getting me thrown out.

But, no. For whatever reason, he thinks the matter is urgent.

What’s so special about the damned library, anyway? The moody ass ghost? I’ve met nicer librarians. Sure, she’s hot in a ren-faire kind of way, but it doesn’t counteract the fact that she’s a fucking psycho.

Leo reads my answer from my blank expression and scowls. He looks one step away from decking me, an unexpectedly violent response from a man who—until now—has never shown anything beyond quiet, studious reserve.

Turning without another word, he shoves open my front door and leaves, slamming it shut behind him.

I fall to the abused sofa on a groan, and Lambert crawls over to sit beside me.

Fuck, I’m going to be stiff tomorrow. Every piece of furniture I crashed into is going to leave a bruise. Not the worst I’ve had since Josef entered my life, but still.

The blond sits in silence for a second, but it doesn’t last long. Lambert hates silence. “Maybe it’s not that bad.”

My jaw falls open, and I pin him with a look. “Not that bad? How the fuck is this anything other than bad?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. It just sounded like something that would make you feel better. But I’m sure we can make it feel less awful if we grab the beer from your fridge and have a movie night. Misery loves company, right?”

I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but the words don’t come.

Do I really want to make him leave? To be alone with nothing to do but think about how I’m going to tell Josef that I can’t deliver what he wants? Or how to tell Eddy that I’ve failed her.

“Fine. But I want to pick the first movie,” I grudgingly agree, snatching the remote from the table. “And we’ll probably need more beer.”

“North, wake up. Look, dude.”

The stink of warm beer is the first thing I notice as Lambert drags me into a sitting position. My mouth is as dry as the desert, and my eyelids are crusty, making my vision blurry as I blink at him.

His calloused fingers turn my head ninety degrees until I see the two pieces of paper hovering in front of us.

That damned library card, I realise with a grimace. What now? She can’t ban us again, right?

Only, as I watch, the red cross that’s scorched across the paper rescinds, shrinking back to the middle as the room fills with a distinctly floral scent.

Frost kissed lilies, just like the ice queen herself.

“No way,” Lambert crows. “I knew she’d forgive us, but this quickly? Oh, I’m going to find her a new book, just to make it up to her.”

The idiot is actually looking atmyshelves, likely considering taking one.

I look around at the messy living room with a groan.

What does this mean? I can understand Kyrith forgiving Lambert—the man doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body—but me? Shehatesme. Probably because she hates Josef.