Phantom of the Library - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,67

stones were slow to release their secrets to the warlocks. I could have found what they wanted by sight faster, but he didn’t actually know Cyprium, it seemed. Once he found the stone, they moved on to untangling the covenant so it could be resealed.

Our bodies cramped as we didn’t dare move. Helena was clutching my arm. Piers whispered spell words, and then his voice grew louder as he demanded the covenants hold against the walls.

In wizard’s French, he said, “By the Blood of the House of Burrows, and the pact that was made, I command thy servants to maintain their vow even against the forces that seek to tear you from your masters!”

A light flashed through the room.

“The rabbit worked, did it?” Albert said.

“Yes,” Piers said, sounding tired but gleeful. “Give me another.”

“You’re already looking quite spent, sir.”

“It isn’t up to you to decide when I’m spent. I must bind as many as I can. We only have so much time.”

“Seems to me you could let one of the other council warlocks do it for a spell, or any warlock of skill, really…”

“Not all of them can be trusted,” Piers said. “Nor can this subtle work be done by just anyone. I swore you to secrecy for a reason. My own uncle and his wife have been rumbling at the council to just let our familiars abandon us.”

“The Lady Hapsburg?” Albert said.

“Exactly.”

“I hardly believe it.”

“Well, she has a righteous streak. Holier than thou.”

“Mm-hm. Naturally.”

“So as soon as she heard that Chester ran away from me, she took his side. Assumed I was abusing him. Of course, she doesn’t even need her familiar. She still has all the royal power.”

“My mother,” Helena breathed.

“She’s had a grudge against me because I tried to stop her own son from opening Wyrd,” Piers continued, full of grievance. “She acts like an ally of the council but really, she has radical tendencies, and you see it in my cousins as well.”

“That’s a shame,” Albert said. “I did find the bat, or so I hope. ‘The House of Soundhunter.’ I think that would be a bat, wouldn’t you?”

“Ahh, yes. Find me that covenant right away. I want to try something.”

“What is he planning?” Helena whispered tensely.

“Nothing good,” Marisa said. “Your cousin has a disturbing aura.”

“I know…”

“We can stop him,” I said.

“You think? It’s just the two of them…,” Helena said. “But I have to assume he has backup guards ready to call in.”

“I saw what looks like a holy guard spell on that wall,” I said. “If you can distract him just long enough for me to get it, Marisa can protect you. Then I’ll cast the holy guard and we’ll take Bevan’s covenant.”

“You saw a spell? In all of that? Are you sure it will work?”

“A protection spell set in stone is meant to last forever,” I said. “But only for someone who can understand the words. Piers can’t. I can.”

“The librarian seems to know a thing or two,” Helena said.

“He doesn’t know half of what I know,” I bragged freely.

“Okay. I’m willing to make a move. A double dose of protection should be enough for us to get the covenant and…”

“I’ll get you out of here as soon as you signal for me to do so,” Marisa said.

“Librarian versus librarian,” I said. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Helena

As I ran out from behind the stacks to attack my cousin, I felt no fear at all. I just knew I was mad as hell at him. While I was just trying to mind my own business and find my way in the world, he sneered at me. Now that I was messing with his carefully balanced world, he considered me to have ‘radical tendencies’. Well, maybe I did. Just like my brother.

“Put it down, Piers!” I shouted, as we took him by surprise.

“Helena! How did you get in here?”

“I have lent my aid to your cousin,” Marisa said.

“An Ethereal!” Albert said, pushing up his glasses like he wasn’t sure his prescription was working anymore. Other than the glasses, he was not quite the rumpled English scholar I was expecting, but more of a strong, steely-eyed type. “Good lord…”

“Helena is under my protection,” Marisa said. “Give her the covenant.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Piers said. “The walls are down. Even if I cast wicked magic, I won’t be banished from Etherium now. That’s all you’ve accomplished, Helena. Giving me permission to cast all the dark spells that have ever tempted me…”

“Relinquish!” I commanded, but