“That was all?”
Daniel stifled a laugh. “There was a lot of other stuff,” he murmured. “Just...none of it was useful. Those were the ones chasing after us. And then…”
He glanced sidelong to a second, smaller stack. “That one’s for the guy who attacked us at your house,” he said quietly. “An earthworker, it says. And…”
His eyes lingered on the final book—the one that made him deeply uncomfortable. A tiny blade lingered on its cover, little more than a pen-knife.
It looked innocuous enough. But when he looked at it, when he opened the cover, he could only see that man from before. The one huddled over the grass, watching him.
“That one said ‘finder’,” he said softly. “And below that...tracker.”
“Tracker?” Leon’s voice pitched higher, losing the sleepy, frustrated tone of moments before. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“No, it really doesn’t. And the things it said inside…yeah.” He licked his lips, still staring at the book’s cover. “If I’m reading it right, he can latch onto people with a touch. And then…follow.” He smiled grimly. “He touched me, all right. Or my blood, anyway.”
He watched between the books as Leon shook his head. “But...we’re so far away. Maya was driving fast, and we have a head start. We’re in a car, and they were still on foot.” He smiled tightly. “I think we’re probably fine, don’t you?”
“...I guess,” Daniel said, nodding slowly.
“Yeah. Their magic has got to have limits. Even if the guy got a whiff of you, we’re miles away by now. It’ll be fine.”
“Maybe.” His chin dipped to his chest. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
Too late, he saw Leon swallow, and shook his head hurriedly. “I-I mean, I’m sure you’re right. It’ll all work out.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“B-But. Yeah. The ones that really have me confused are...these guys.” Daniel thrust his hand toward a second pile, teetering atop the table they’d claimed for their impromptu study session. “These are the other people who were there with Olivia. The ones in your house, and James.”
“Oh?” Leon managed a smile, but his eyes darted toward the heap. That look, Daniel could understand. It was a lot of books. “W-What can they do?”
“Nothing.”
Leon blinked. His brow furrowed slowly. “Say again?”
“They’re ordinary,” Daniel said, laying his hand flat atop one. The cover was blank, just plain blue cloth over a basic bookboard. “They...don’t have any magic at all. They’re...I don’t know why they’re here.”
“Indira’s people, maybe?” Leon said. “She probably brought some scholars with her.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said. “Some of them, for sure. That makes sense. But..” He hesitated. A muscle in his jaw was starting to throb. “That’s where the rabbit hole starts,” he muttered.
“Spit it out, already.” Leon was doing a good job about keeping his cool, but the tension underneath his words grew stronger by the second. “What’s going on?”
“Some of these look like scholars,” Daniel said. “Those are Indira’s people. The rest?” He shook his head. “I just see a reference to the ‘Bookbinders’. That’s all.”
“Like I said. Isn’t that-”
“It’s not Indira’s group.” He watched Leon go quiet, his face screwed up. “They’re the Booklender’s Guild. I...I don’t know. I’m looking into it.” He chuckled, the sound low and soft. “But that’s where I’m at.”
“Gotcha,” Leon mumbled. “I guess...I’ll keep working, then.”
“Maybe you’ll find something else,” Daniel said.
“Maybe.” He didn’t sound hopeful about the possibility, but Leon offered Daniel a tiny smile, his expression softening. “Gotta keep at it, right?”
“Yeah,” Daniel said, returning the smile. “Back to it.”
He watched Leon bend over The Basics again, the good cheer fading from his friend’s face.
And then Daniel turned back to his own books. He’d looked into the mages. He’d looked into their attackers. And now…
Now, he had to dive down that same rabbit hole he’d spotted.
Reaching over the rest of the books, he lifted the one with the name Indira written in delicate script across the front.
With a flip, he yanked it open to the back, starting to read.
* * * * *
“Rickard,” Daniel whispered.
The hidden library was as quiet as ever. Leon was too occupied with his own worries to respond, then—or he’d returned to sleep, making the most of their timeless hideaway. Either way, Daniel didn’t mind. The name hadn’t been meant for him.
His thumb traced over the lettering within Indira’s book, right at the bottom of a paragraph.
I didn’t know what else to do. When the damn brat closed the door in my face, I...what was left for me to try? I contacted Madis. I didn’t want to. But then, even he seemed...disinterested. And so now I’m stuck with his ‘lieutenant’, like they’re some sort of army. Ridiculous.
The man seems a good sort, but even still, I’m not interested in playing games. I’ll work with Rickard, but this is my show. Not theirs.
Rickard. He knew that name—he’d heard it...somewhere. Someone must have mentioned it. One of the countless voices blurring together in his memories of their chaos-filled rescue. This Rickard was someone important.
Daniel stood with a groan, wincing as the pain in his leg surged back in.
Leon’s head snapped up. “Daniel? What are you-”
“I’m fine,” Daniel whispered, limping back toward the shelves. “Just need to get another.”
His thoughts had already turned outward, toward the structure overhead. He paused, his hand coming to rest against a pillar. Hey. Alex.
Daniel waited—but the Library didn’t respond. The walls groaned around him as consistently as ever, and he could still hear the shrieking of the wind high above. He sighed. I know you’re upset still. But...work with me. This Rickard fellow...he’s important. He’s a ‘Bookbinder’, whatever that is, and Indira was working with him.
Indira was working with Madis—another name that concerned him more than a little. But he’d never heard of Madis before. He needed to walk before he could run.
He leaned into the pillar, pressing harder. I don’t even know what his focus looks
