Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Ender
Even the librarian of the academy, Mark Hastings, wouldn’t be in the human literature section—no one ever was.
We were at a magical school to learn magic, and if students didn’t borrow books from this area, it wouldn’t need attending to.
Mr. Hastings hadn’t seen Selene and me enter and sneak to the third floor, where we planned to wait for the lights to turn off, the sign Mr. Hastings had closed up for the night.
Because it was Friday, along with the Night Out event, students were scarce. If anyone entered, we were unable to see them from our spot behind the wall of mundane life books—a very quiet section of the library that smelled slightly stagnant from the lack of foot traffic.
“You said you knew pain?” Selene quietly asked. She sat against the stone wall across from me, our knees bent and feet lining up next to each other.
“From loss.” I moved my arms from my side and rested them on my knees. “More so the loss of past and future memories. My parents died when I was little. They got caught in a robbery.”
“I’m sorry. That’s terrible.” Grief filled her voice and it radiated off her, mixing with mine.
“It’s not so bad,” I added. Being so young, I didn’t remember the event—or I had blocked it out. “My cousin raised and trained me. She treated me like her own.”
“I never met my dad but lost my mom recently. She had trained me.” Selene’s gaze dropped to her hands, her fists clenched. “Losing someone no matter at what time of your life is hard.”
“That’s why you and your sister are here.” It started to make sense. She’d mentioned her mom had taught her a lot. Why start this late in high school at Fives—unless her sole guardian was gone.
“She—” The lights turned off, causing Selene to go quiet and pressing her lips together as if she realized she shouldn’t say her next words.
The moonlight from above shone through the giant glass dome and onto the shelves and vines, giving the vibrant greenery a mute, dark color.
I glanced at my phone and showed her my screen.
It was just after ten. I gently nudged her leg with my foot, hoping to ease the tension from the quiet of the library and sudden drop of conversation.
She dipped her chin, narrowing her gaze at me, but the tight skin around her lips told me she was suppressing a smile.
We waited the next half an hour in silence until we descended the stairs toward the checkout desk. Behind it was a locked solid oak door, but Selene had said she had a plan. She asked me to keep an eye out, and when I turned back around, she was kneeling in front of the now opened door.
“They don’t teach that at Fives,” I murmured.
“No,” Selene whispered. “They don’t.”
I watched her as she stood and stepped inside, holding the door open for me to follow.
We stepped into an ornate room with red carpeting and matching red velvet furniture, the door closing behind us.
The wood walls were carved with elemental symbols—some I recognized from my enchantment class were allegedly to ward off evil spirits.
An empty gold vase sat upon a small wooden table—a fancy, pointless display, in my opinion.
Another double door, similar to the one we had just entered, was on the other side. Two large symbols in the shape of a diamond with a line striking through it took up the entire middle of each door. It bore a slight resemblance to the symbols at the front gate.
Without hesitation, Selene grabbed the golden knob and turned it. The door pulled open and she looked it up and down.
“It’s not warded.”
I walked over to her and studied the door. “Apparently not.”
She glanced at me, her forehead creased. “The ward wasn’t up when Ivy came either. It’s supposed to have an enchantment specific to each element for deactivation.”
“Something’s not right.” From my understanding, the door was always locked and warded to keep out anyone who didn’t have the enchantment.
Having an enchanted door leading to the library basement was expected, but the detail of it having an enchantment specific to each element so a singular mage couldn’t access it on their own was not.
Miss Lee had discussed the enchanted door during one of my tutoring sessions, and somehow Selene had known about it.
Though it was designed to give access to multiple mages, I imagined only a select few had access. “You had a plan to open it?”
“No.” Selene entered and started down the hallway.
“Woman of few words,” I mumbled, jogging after her as the door closed behind me with an echoing thud.
A spiral staircase marked the end of the hallway, the center of the stairs a dark abyss.
My nonexistent acrophobia was unfazed by the lack of guard rails, however, I wasn’t a fan that the bottom wasn’t visible.
We had to get in, find the Academy Directory book, take pictures of the pages, and get out.
Spelled torches lit our way as we descended the steps.
The smooth stone was one I had heard about—melted together like cement so not even the strongest of earth elementals could manipulate it.
We reached the final step and walked down a short tunnel that led to a massive opening.
I laughed. Rows upon rows of bookshelves spread across the entirety of my sight. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“Where’s all the dust and cobwebs? It’s not matching its vibe without them.” I ran a finger along a surprisingly clean shelf.
“Air preservation spell. They’re alphabetically ordered,” Selene said, pointing to the gold letters marking each shelf and getting straight to business. “I’ll start with A and you start with D. If it’s not under academy or directory, we’ll check F for Fives, then S for staff.”
“Yes, Captain.” I saluted and she looked back at me, pinning me with her I’m going to kill you look. I couldn’t help but smile as I turned toward aisle D.
It surprisingly didn’t take long for me to find the book: Directory of Staff and Students.
“Got it!” I hollered as I plucked it off the shelf.
“Shhh!” Her hush came from a few aisles down before she met me.
“What?” I waved around us. “No one’s here, and it’s not like anyone can hear us.”
Selene shook her head and grabbed the book, looking it over.
“Can you hold it open?” she asked as she pulled out her phone.
“Selene Thomas. Was that a question instead of an order?” I opened the book, grinning.
“Maybe it shouldn’t have been.” She tilted her head down at the book, as if she was trying to cover the small twitch of her lips—the start of a smile.
My gut sparked, like a match had been lit.
Selene had started taking photos in a section of the book but was stopped by a low, distant growl that echoed from the opposite end of the basement. I strained to see, but all I saw was the row of bookshelves leading into a black void.
“Selene,” I said as she rushed to take more photos, “we have to go.”
I closed the book and grabbed her arm, ushering her toward the stairs. I had no clue what made that sound and didn’t intend for us to stay to find out. I went to toss the book on a nearby shelf, but Selene snatched it out of my hands.
“I don’t have enough information.” She tucked the book under her arm, taking it with her as we jogged. “The ward is down. I should be able to bring it upstairs.”
Another deep growl—much closer this time.
“Run,” I said, my voice deep. We took off in a sprint.
We reached the stairs at the end of the hallway, and I glanced up at the steps leading into the darkness. We had a long way to go.
Another demonic growl, and I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of a large shadow before the torch behind us extinguished.
Selene muttered angry verbiage next to me and took a fighting stance—she must’ve seen it too.
Whatever was down here had to be powerful and dangerous. Selene was powerful, and I was strong. We took on three rock creatures, but this? We could stay, find out what it was, and fight. But I wasn’t going to chance Selene’s life on it.
I scooped her up with one arm, holding her to my chest, and used my other hand to summon my magic.
It swirled the air around our bodies, lifting us off the ground.
My palm stung as I held it out, trying to focus on control instead of Selene’s warmth pressed against me.
Two hands would’ve made this easier, and flying in itself was already energy depleting.
Somehow, I was able to keep a steady pace. This was the first I’ve flown carrying someone else—and it felt right. My arm squeezed tighter around Selene’s waist, her arms wrapped around my neck. She held tightly onto the book, its corner jabbing me in the back.
The ceiling came into view, marking the top of the stairs. Almost there …
Something sharp struck my leg, embedding itself, and I gritted my teeth against the pain.
I held on tight to Selene and glanced down.
A long purple—almost black—tentacle covered in suction-like cups but with sharp, tiny teeth burrowed through my pants, piercing my calf.
My blood burned like scalding water and then tingled before rapidly fading.
The tentacle released and disappeared below.
My magic vanished when the tingling ceased, causing us to fall into the abyss.
Air threatened my lungs and my heart raced as we fell.
My magic was out of reach and there wasn’t anything usable for Selene’s earth magic in this cursed stairwell.
I reached for her, grabbing her and pulling her tight to my chest, and flipped over so I would hit first.
Wind abruptly blew against my back and our bodies stopped just above the stone floor, saving us from a splattering fall.
I glanced up at Selene. She had her arms out just enough at my sides, the faint current of air flowing from her palms. Her gaze met mine, a hint of uncertainty wrinkling at the corners of her eyes.
The air cut off and we fell the remainder of the way, Selene falling on top of me.
Her lips parted just a touch, and all I had to do was arch my neck and they’d be touching mine.
As if she read my thoughts, her gaze lowered to my mouth.
My body was transfixed, like I was being held down, yet I felt the lightest I’d ever been.
A growl came from the hallway and I snapped my head back. Upside-down, red glowing eyes were locked onto us—its prey. The shadow outlining it told us it wasn’t human. Selene jumped up with her hands out in front of her, readying to fight.
“You’re an ether.” I got to my feet, shaking off the haze and standing next to her. “Ethers don’t exist.”
“You got bit by a Demonher Rattus.” Selene drew in a breath. “Your magic will return soon.”
“A what?”
“A ginormous magic and blood-sucking demon rat.” Selene cracked her neck as she stared at the glowing eyes—which were fiercer right side up.
Her gaze dropped to the directory book just beyond the rat’s reach.
It must’ve dropped from her hands and slid when we fell. “Where there’s one, there’s more.”
Two small, red glowing circles lit the dark space as if on cue, and then suddenly a large rat the size of a panther leapt out of the shadows.
Before it could reach us, Selene whipped it into the wall with her air magic.
Its oozy leathery skin left a trail on the wall as it fell to the floor.
It slowly stood, shaking off the fall, and its tail, with scales like an alligator, straightened.
Another demon rat reared its ugly head just beyond the first, its jagged snarling teeth dripping with drool.
They simultaneously attacked—the first one lunging toward me and the second hurling its weird tentacle tongue toward Selene.
I ran, grabbing the slimy tongue with both hands before it reached her.
This position left me wide open to an attack, and the other rat changed its course and rushed me. It chomped at my neck, but Selene blasted it a second time with air magic before it could take a bite. The slimy warm tongue pulsed in my hand, then started to recoil, managing to slip from my grip.
The first rat began to move. Its head sat at an odd angle, thanks to the way it had slammed against the wall, but it contorted itself back into place and rose. These creatures should have died—they were living and made of skin and dark, thick blood, unlike the rock creatures.
“Curse dark magic,” Selene muttered under her breath. Dark magic? There shouldn’t be dark magic inside the academy.
My magic slowly began to stir but wasn’t ready to play yet.
A third demon rat emerged behind the first two.
I spared a glance at Selene. She braced herself, and I had no idea what she was capable of, but her beauty and resilience did something weird to my heart.
I doubt most people would be standing up to three man-eating immortal rats.
I searched the ground near us, but there wasn’t anything that I could use as a weapon. My fists clenched, ready to fight these vermin. A flash of light blinded me for a split-second, and sweat broke out on my neck from a sudden heat.
Selene had turned her hands into a blowtorch. The flames were almost blue—enough to incinerate anything in their path. But the blue and orange flames were not enough. The hideous rat slowly crawled through the flames toward us.
“Go!” Selene yelled at me.
“You’re crazy if you think I’m missing this rat-roast!”
I saw the slight shake of her head before she faltered. Blue flames were challenging to create and hold on to.
Something shifted inside me … my magic? …
and I moved on instinct, pushing my hands with my palms out next to hers, almost as if my thought-to-be-depleted air magic aided her fire.
The blue flames grew, taking over the orange fire, and I thought my hands were going to melt off.
A desert did not compare to this heat, and it smelled like an animal had died in the walls years ago.
After a long second, the flames died, leaving three piles of ash behind. Two more growls came from the shadows.
“This roast is getting too hot.” My magic was slowly coming back, but I felt like I had just fought against three level four fire mages. “Let’s get out of here.”
I started toward the bottom step, gesturing for Selene to go first. She shook her head and grabbed my hand, tugging me toward her. I let her pull me close. Wind swirled around our feet and up to our chests.
She was flying us out of here.
Our ascent was quick and the landing at the top was rough. My knees bent, bracing as we landed. Selene faltered and I reached out, wrapping an arm around her. Her eyes narrowed, but she took the help as I steadied her and supported her through the door, the directory still on the basement floor.