Assassin of Truths(13)

"Running would be good now," I yelled to Afton and Emily, sprinting down the pathway to the street. I followed the last of the people scrambling to get out of the cemetery. With all the adrenaline rushing through me, I had renewed strength. Afton and Emily panted behind me. I darted up the street and headed for the Boston Athenæum.

"Emily, get my membership card," I said over my shoulder. "It's in the front pocket of my bag."

She unzipped the pocket and took it out. "Got it."

I slowed down as we approached the library. "Keep close to my sides so the desk person won't notice a sword hiding under this trench coat and the blood on my shoulder."

Afton bit her bottom lip as she stared at the red-leather salon doors of the Boston Athenæum. "That's not going to work. You'll have to remove your coat. And they now have lockers in the lobby for bags."

"I have one of those entry cards," I said. "We'll have to find an emergency exit."

"Entry card?" The confused look on Afton's face said she didn't remember the magic Arik had used to open the library doors before.

I retrieved the card from the breast pocket of my vest. "It's magic."

"Right, that," Afton said, tugging her cell out of her back pants pocket. "I'll search Google for a floorplan of the library."

Several minutes later, she looked up from the screen. "Got it. This way." She led us down the sidewalk.

A black cloud of dread hovered over my head, and I searched the road. Maybe the creatures inside the tunnel hadn't seen which way we went.

I slid the card across the lock on the emergency exit and opened the door.

The street filled with screams and crunching metal. I tensed and fought the fear turning my stomach. Afton and Emily needed me. I couldn't give up.

"Get inside," I said, opening the door wider. "Beacon Hill just met some scary Mystiks."

"We have to hurry," Emily said, shutting the door behind us.

"You and Afton go ahead of me," I said. "Make sure the coast is clear. I don't want anyone freaking out about this blood. I'll be right behind you."

Afton gave me a slight nod, and I responded with one. It was our secret signal, our way of saying we had each other's backs. She hurried after Emily.

Each step forward sent pain surging through my body and fear to twist in my stomach. The elixir was losing its edge. I took the bottle from my pocket and downed the rest of the liquid inside.

We passed the Children's Library and got to the elevator leading to the fifth floor without running into anyone. Excited voices came from the foyer just around the corner. They all must be gathering by the entrance to see what the commotion was on the street. We dashed inside the elevator.

The voices turned to screams, and feet scrambled across the marble floors. Inhuman growls and grunts rushed over the library. A Mystik, tall and lanky, with long arms and grayish skin, came around the corner. I'd seen one of his kind before, after the council hearing with Bastien. I'd found out later he was a Grigiolian. Panic pinged my stomach like moths hitting a porch light.

At spotting him, Emily and Afton sucked in a collective breath.

The Chiave's blade shiiinged as I drew it out of my scabbard. I willed my hands to stop shaking.

Don't show fear.

Keep calm.

But my body ignored me.

Emily's finger kept stabbing the fifth-floor button. The noise alerted the Grigiolian to where we were, and he charged after us. The door started to close, but it was too late. His long-fingered hand stopped the door. Our backs slammed against the walls of the elevator as he lunged inside.

Afton and Emily shrieked at once.

I held up the Chiave. The blade picked up the light from the overhead lamps.

"Gianna, you needn't fear me," he said in a growling tone before I could take a swing at him. "I was sent by Katy. She said to say she loves you and something about a bug. Not quite sure about that one."

I love you, Bug, I could almost hear Nana say. It was her term of endearment for me.

Emily's and Afton's backs were still pressed against the wall.

"It's okay." I inserted the Chiave into my scabbard. "Nana did send him."

"Anyway," he said. "I'm Doylis of Grigiol. I have met you once. You were with the honorable Bastien." He practically pushed me into the corner as he stepped in and let the elevator door close.

The space was already too small for my comfort. Adding him made it stuffed. You will not freak out, I tried to convince myself.         

     



 

"The Mystiks following you were not too far behind me," Doylis said. "Go straight to the gateway book. Don't stop. Don't look back."

Afton slipped her hand into mine. "You're okay," she whispered. She knew me well, knew my fears and quirks. I had to get myself together.

The elevator doors slid open. A great commotion resounded up the staircase. Our pursuers must have reached the library.

The fifth-floor reading room was empty.

"Sei zero sette periodo zero due DOR." I recited the numbered charm for calling the gateway book. I wanted to get as far away from there as possible. But we needed to lead those bad Mystiks away from the Athenæum before they hurt anyone.

Amid the shouts and screams, a loud bang came from somewhere below us, as if a heavy wall-to-wall bookcase had tipped over. The shattering of glass made me flinch, and I glanced at the elevator.

I have to go back. They need help.

Doylis must have noticed my concern. "Don't worry. My men are there. They'll protect the humans. We must get you and yours to safety."

The rustling of pages sounded through the room, and I scurried toward the noise. The others raced behind me. The book was tied to a bookcase. I recited the charm to release it, and fetched it from the shelf. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"Scotland," he said. "The Central Library in Edinburgh, to meet Aetnae. She'll lead you to Katy."

Aetnae. I hadn't seen the faery in a while, not since the day Veronique attacked me in New York.

Emily twisted her hands. "Are we really going to jump through that book? Nana told me about it, but I never thought I'd go through one."

I paused flipping the pages of the gateway book and glanced over at her. "Don't worry. It's not too bad."

"Not too bad?" Afton gave me a look that told Emily I wasn't being that truthful. "It's like freefalling through a black hole."

Emily swallowed before clearing her throat. "I'm not afraid. You all have done it. I'm sure I can."

"That's the spirit," Afton said with a dash of sarcasm.

Doylis's head snapped in the direction of the entrance. "Someone's on the stairs."

I stopped at the photograph of the library in Edinburgh. "Got it. How are we doing this?"

"You're going without me," he said. "I must stay here and see that no one goes after you. And I must aid my men in protecting this library."

"Are you with the havens' guards?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm with the Mystik League. Now go."

I placed the book on the floor, grasped Afton's hand then Emily's, as I slid a look at her. "Whatever you do, don't let go. I'll lose you if you do."

"That's encouraging." Emily gripped my hand tighter, and my fingers grew numb.

I turned my head toward Doylis. "Thank you, and be careful."

He nodded without a word before returning his focus to the entrance.

Afton adjusted on her feet. "Let's just do this already."

"Okay. Here we go," I said and then spoke the spell to launch us. "Aprire la porta."

Open the door.

A blast of wind hit my face and sped around us like a lasso, squeezing Emily and Afton against me.

"Jump up with me," I called.

A yelp escaped Emily's lips as we jumped together and the book sucked us into the page. Without my hands free, I couldn't form a light globe, and the darkness engulfed us. Emily and Afton were gray silhouettes beside me. Afton had gotten good at transporting, not making a sound, and keeping her legs down.

Emily's legs flew out from underneath her. "I don't like this," she shouted over the wind's howling. Her free arm and legs flailing, she almost broke my hold on her hand.

"Stop pulling from me!" I shouted. "Try to get your legs down."

"I don't like this, I don't like this, I don't like this!" Emily screamed, the arm of the hand I held jerking up and down.

"Calm down!" My panicked command tumbled into the void.

Emily's hand was yanked from my grasp.





Chapter Six


Emily's ear-piercing scream shattered the darkness. I caught a sleeve, clutching the material in my shaking hand.

The familiar light at the end came into view, and we shot out of the gateway book. Emily landed on her side, tumbled across the mauve carpet, and crashed into a chair at one of the nearby tables.

"Oh crap." Afton hurried over to Emily and helped her to feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I think. Just some carpet burns." She inspected her shaking palms "I never want to do that again."         

     



 

My eyes swept our surroundings. The soaring walls of the room were a warm yellow and accented with white-painted trim. Tall arches led to wide nooks. Narrow, wrought-iron galleries ran the length of the dark wood bookcases.

Aetnae zipped into the room. A boy with cropped dark hair and big brown eyes, and another boy, looking very much like Bastien might have looked when he was young, trailed her. Behind them, a little girl with auburn curls walked with confidence, her chin up and her shoulders back. Their clothes looked like uniforms.