Ichuck the tin at Dakari the second he strides into the Rotunda.
“You need to do something about this,” I complain. “Ma’s still baking things for my ‘saviour’.”
Worst of all, this tin had a pink Post-it stuck to the top with his name on. The whole family knows what that means.
Stealing one of whatever is in there will get you a walloping with whatever Ma happens to have on hand at the time. Spoon. Slipper. Magazine. Thank magic she doesn’t know that Kyrith can eat now. Otherwise, the Librarian would be drowning in sweets too.
Dakari shrugs—apparently not bothered by the fact that I’m being neglected by my own mother—opens the tin, and plucks out a shortbread with a grin.
“Stars bless Mama Dee,” he mutters under his breath, shoving it into his mouth in one go before holding out the rest to me.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Pierce says, as one floats free of the tin and over to the reading desk he’s taken over.
“Oi!” North snaps. “Mind your fucking manners.”
The Ackland heir looks exhausted. Dakari must agree, because the moment I’ve taken one he shoves the tin at him.
“Thanks,” North grunts, joining us in leaning against Kyrith’s desk as he raises his eyes to the ceiling
It still looks the same, but that’s only because of the illusion covering it. Kyrith didsomethingthis morning that closed off the Gallery above from the rest of the Library. Turning it into a kind of meeting room.
It’s so heavily warded that a bomb could go off up there, and we wouldn’t know.
Now she’s trapped inside with Isidora Carlton and the rest of the parriarchs, while the rest of us wait down here. Thankfully, the Arcanaeum is closed until the meeting is over. Otherwise, there would probably be a whole bunch of nosy busybodies loitering alongside the rest of us.
Even Leo is holed up in here, leaning against one of the shelves while three books hover around him, their pages turning at different rates.
Wait… “Where’s Lambert?”
North rolls his eyes. “He took Eddy shopping. She wants to get a head start on buying Easter decorations, and he’s decided that the kitchen is under-stocked for the brownie ice cream cake he wants to make.”
Why couldn’t they just order the food and conjure the decorations rather than putting themselves at risk by leaving the Library? I’m about to point that out when the doors open and the two of them burst into the room.
“He’s insane,” Eddy complains, hopping up onto Kyrith’s desk with a huff, dropping her shopping on the floor at her feet. “Someone, please deal with him. Tell him she won’t allow this.”
I gape at Lambert. “Is that a?—”
“Isn’t he cute?!” The Winthrop heir raises the raggedy kitten up with both hands like he’s in the Lion King, and it hisses pitifully. “I found him on the street, and I just knew Kyrith would love him!”
It’s hideous. It has the most obvious underbite I’ve ever seen, so pronounced that its two lower canines stick up like tusks and its tongue protrudes oddly. Does it have ears? It’s hard to tell. The yellowed fur, that might once have been white, is matted in weird places, and the eyes—shit. Its eyes are bulging like they’re trying to break free of its squished skull.
Honestly, it might be kinder to put the thing down.
Then, to make matters worse, he thrusts the damned creature atme.
“What the?—”
“Heal him. Quick. He needs to look his best when I present him to the boss lady.”
“No way. Get that thing away from me.” It’s clawing at my arms like it isn’t impressed with me either. “Why in magic’s name do you think she’s going tae want a mange-ridden orc cat?”
Lambert looks at me like I’m the one who’s lost my mind. “Have you ever met anyone who was so obviously a cat lady in your life whodidn’thave a cat?”
“He’s got a point,” Pierce mutters.
“She won’t want it around the books,” Dakari points out.
“I don’t want it around me,” North says. “Where the hell did you even get that thing?”
