Because this has never happened to me before. Not in 333 years. And I need to know what it is and why it’s happening now. The not knowing is driving me mad.
So, after my last class of the day, I head directly to the library. It’s busy, with students gathered around tables and cozied up in armchairs next to the roaring fire in the hearth, likely all preparing for their upcoming finals.
But as soon as I cast my gaze around at the rows upon rows of books, I realize I’m not sure what I’m looking for or where I should start.
“Professor D’Arques,” says a friendly voice from behind me, and I turn to find the librarian, Maggie Mai, staring up at me,spectacles perched on the end of her nose, her lips turned up inquisitively in the corners. “Welcome to my lair.”
I blink at her. “Your lair?”
Her smile grows. “I hoard books the way dragons hoard treasure. And you look like you’re in need of something.” She plants her hands on her hips and cants her head. “So, how can I help you?”
She’s right; Iamin need of something. But I have to be careful. I don’t want to give her any more information than she needs.
“I’m... not certain,” I say. “I’m looking for information on blood magic.”
“Blood magic?” Her eyebrows lift in surprise. “Well, as you know, we don’t teach blood magic here. Too dangerous.”
I try not to frown. “Yes, of course.”
“But”—she holds up a finger—“that doesn’t mean we don’t have books on it. They’re in the staff-only section. This way, follow me.”
I didn’t realize the library had a staff-only section. There’s still so much about this castle and academy I’ve yet to learn.
Miss Mai leads me to a staircase locked behind a wrought iron gate. She removes a hefty brass key from the pocket of her long skirt, then unlocks the gate with a heavy clunk.
“Come now, up you go.”
She waves me along, and I start to ascend the spiral staircase. It goes around and around, then lets me out in a section of the library with fewer shelves, though they’re no less crammed with books than those on the main floor. The windows glow with late-afternoon sunlight, the sky beyond clear of any clouds, though frost still clings to the glass panes.
“Blood magic,” Miss Mai says, as if to herself. She begins walking the shelves, allowing her fingers to drift over the spines of the books.
On closer inspection, I note that many of the books don’t have titles on their spines. So, when Miss Mai stops and begins pulling books from the shelf, I ask, “How do you know what they contain?”
She gives me a smile over her shoulder as she pulls another book from the shelf. “It’s my own flavor of magic, if you will. I can feel the essence of the wisdom in each book. And these books”—she turns and hefts the heavy stack into my arms—“contain everything you need to know on blood magic.”
It’s a significant stack of books. It’ll take me ages to get through them. But I don’t have that kind of time. I need to know what this connection between me and Maeve is as soon as possible.
So, being careful to keep my tone neutral, I ask her, “Can you tell if any of these contain information on vampires as well? Feeding, specifically?”
She seems to study me, as if trying to ascertain what, exactly, I’m hoping to find. But I give her no additional information, just hold out the stack.
“Let’s see.” She traces her fingers across the spines of the books, her eyelids fluttering closed. She’s almost at the bottom of the stack when she pauses, tapping the book with a finger. “This one. This will have what you need.” She nudges it out and puts it on top of the stack. “The books can’t leave this section of the library, but you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.” She gestures to a desk beneath one of the windows.
I nod once. “Thank you, Miss Mai.”
“Please, call me Maggie.” She gives me a warm smile. “Go on, make yourself comfortable. I’ll light a fire in the hearth.”
As she goes to the dark hearth to start a fire, I move to the desk, setting the pile of books down and removing the one from the top.
“Let me know if you need anything, Professor,” Maggie says from the top of the stairs after she’s lit the fire.
I nod to her. “I will. Thank you.”
She gives me one last long look, and I wonder if she can read the wisdom in people as well. Then she starts down the staircase, disappearing around the first spiral.
Finally alone, I remove my long jacket and drape it over the back of the chair, then take a seat and pull the book across the desk toward me. I flip the cover open and read the title:Magia Sanguinis Antiqua.
Ancient blood magic.
