by Sarah Noffke
“It’s important to you,” Liv cut in.
“And need I remind you that you made a deal with a fae for something that’s intangible? A memory? You might be reading more into this ring and the conspiracies you think the House is hiding than is really there.”
“You don’t think the House is hiding something?” Liv asked.
“I think they are protecting their own asses with outdated laws that serve only them,” Rory stated. “That’s all I know.”
“Well, I can’t argue with you there.”
“However, the sword is a tangible object, and once you retrieve it, you’ll be given something in return. That’s a fair deal. I won’t punish you if you don’t make good on your end. That’s how fair deals work, but fae don’t have the same moral structure as the rest of us.”
“Do giants like any other magical creatures?” Liv asked. “Magicians are corrupt. Brownies are dumb. Fae are untrustworthy. Lynxes are deceptive.”
Rory took a seat in his armchair, which was covered with handwoven blankets. “The truth is that all species have their shortcomings. If you can recognize what those are, then you can be on guard. That’s not being cynical. It’s being conscientious and careful.”
“What are the giants’ shortcomings?”
“Too much patience for magicians.”
“Ha-ha,” Liv said with no real humor in her voice. “Hey, I meant to ask, what are you doing working at that nursing home?”
Rory froze. His eyes were careful as he considered his reply. “You heard about that?”
“Yes, and after reflecting on the information, I’ve concluded that you’re volunteering there out of the kindness of your heart.”
“I’m not volunteering,” he argued.
“But when I asked John about it, he said you were wearing a visitor’s badge, which would mean—”
“I’m collecting the tears of the elderly,” Rory interrupted. “It’s a key ingredient for a powerful potion.”
Liv narrowed her eyes at him. “Nope. You already told me that giants don’t mess with potions.”
“Well, I’ve decided to start,” he said dryly, glaring at her impatiently. “There’s a small pest in my life that I’m trying to exterminate.”
Liv wagged her finger at him. “I haven’t figured out your game yet, but I’m going to.”
“I think your energy can be better spent.”
Grabbing her bag off the couch, Liv fastened it on her back. “Yeah, probably, but I like the idea of figuring out your secrets. For now, I’m going to go prepare for tonight’s mission to recover your grandfather’s sword.”
Rory held up his hand to stop her. “Although I appreciate your motivation on this project, please note that actually recovering the sword will take a long time. I’ve spent years trying to break those wards, and my expectation is that it will take you even longer to get past them.”
Liv scoffed at the giant. “Well, you should go get to work on the sword you’re making as my reward because I plan on taking back Turbinger tonight.”
Rory moved only a step, but it was enough to block Liv’s path to the door. “Be careful, Liv. You don’t have to rush this. I’ve gone my entire life without that sword. Another few years are nothing.”
Liv looked up at the giant, pure conviction in her eyes. “Sounds like you’re overdue to have it in your possession. And don’t worry about me. I’ve got tiny elves watching my back.”
Chapter Twenty
It took Liv a lot longer than she would have liked to find the wall with the symbols in the library in the House of Seven. Even more frustrating was that the area wasn’t vacant, as she would have desired.
“Are you looking for Sophia again?” Stefan asked, sitting in a high-back chair, his boots propped on an ottoman.
Liv halted, wishing she’d seen him first. “I wasn’t, actually. I’m just browsing for books.”
Stefan closed the hardback he was reading and laid it in his lap. “You’ve come to the right place. “There are over a hundred thousand volumes in this place, although most can’t be found unless they want to be.”
Liv laughed. “That’s ridiculous. They’re books, not Sophia.”
“Books are exactly like your little sister,” Stefan began. “They are compact treasures that appear ordinary, but once opened, reveal more magic and power than anyone thought could possibly be contained in such a small entity.”
For a few long seconds, Liv studied Stefan, trying to gauge exactly what he might know about Sophia.
His laughter broke the tension building in her chest. “Of course, that’s just my observation of the girl. I don’t suppose I know much about her at all.”
“No?” Liv posed.
“Well, I know that she lights up when you come around. That much is obvious. She has clearly missed having you around.”
“Sophia never really knew me,” Liv stated.
“Yet, you two get along like you had spent the last five years together.” He held up the book he’d been reading. On the front cover in gold letters were the words, Demons and Where They Hide. “And to expand on what you were saying about books, I think they are very much alive. They have the power to spark ideas, breathe life into the nonexistent, and transport us to another realm. The books in this library happen to be a bit more outwardly cunning than those found in mortals’ libraries, although even those volumes are full of power. These books just happen to know that they contain greatness and guard it from us, maybe waiting to decide if we’re ready and worthy for the wisdom they offer.”
Liv let out a long, loud yawn. “Do you often break into monologues? Because if so, I’ll need to be warned before the next one.”
Stefan set the book on the ottoman, his face unchanged. “Your cat also hides from you, if I remember correctly. The one you said was strangely in the House of Seven, although it is against the rules since he’s an outsider.”
“Most hide from me. It’s sort of my thing,” Liv said and pointed to the book he’d laid down. “Are you trying to bring some demons out of hiding?”
Stefan’s eyes cut to the volume and he actually smiled. “That was just a bit of light reading to get me ready for bed.”
“Oh, don’t you have a case to attend to? Like, innocent magicians who need your wrath or an elfin community you need to exert your influence over?”
“You’re very skeptical of the House of Seven, aren’t you? Why did you take on your responsibility as a Warrior if that was the case?”
“Maybe I’m hoping to be a part of the change.”
Stefan sighed, looking around at the grand architecture of the library. “The House is due for changes, although I fear that implementing them will not be easy. For thousands of years, the House has operated the same way it always has. Some, like the Sinclairs, find this to be a point of great pride.”
“I think it’s a sign of stagnation,” Liv shot back defiantly.
“I tend to agree with you.” Stefan regarded her for a long moment, something apparently working in the recesses of his mind. Finally he said, “Is there a book I can help you find? Sometimes it’s better to attack the collection in pairs. That makes it harder for the right book to get away.”
Liv wanted to laugh, feeling like any venture in here was more of a safari than a casual bit of browsing in a library. “No, I don’t think… Actually, what do you know about the creature who lives in the pond in the garden?”
From the expression that jumped to Stefan’s face, this wasn’t a question he was expecting. “Creature? I think it’s more accurately referred to as a monster, although I can’t tell you what it is. It’s tried to drown me at least once. Since then, I haven’t risked getting that close.”
Liv nodded. “Yeah, I made the same mistake when I was a child.”
“You do have a flair for dabbling with things that are mysterious and dangerous, don’t you?” Stefan asked.
The wall with the symbols seemed to be calling her. She wanted to try her ring on it,
but the longer she hung around, the more questions Stefan asked her. She faked another yawn.
“Oh, it appears I’ve bored you,” he said, bowing slightly. “I’ll return to my book and leave you to your search.” He sat back down on the sofa, pulling Demons and Where They Hide back onto his lap.
In her head, Liv quietly yelled, “Nooooo,” wondering why he had stationed himself in the exact place she wanted to be. However, she kept the disappointment off her face as she waved to Stefan, leaving him alone in the one area of the library she desperately longed to search.
“I’ll see you later,” she said, striding in what she thought might be the direction of the exit.
“Yes, see you later, Liv.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The yawning darkness sought to eat Liv’s courage as she hid under a large tree, watching the guard patrol the front of the Natural History Museum. She’d dismissed Rory’s warnings, but alone in the dark, his words felt big enough to swallow her will.
Plato appeared beside her suddenly, the white tip of his tail standing out in the blackness of the night. “There are two guards inside the building.”
Liv tried to nod, but she felt too stiff for even the simplest movement. “If I get myself in trouble, can you by any chance rescue me?”
The cat leapt, landing on the horizontal branch beside her. She hadn’t even realized that the perch was there, and at such a perfect height. “There is nothing anyone can rescue you from that you can’t get out of yourself.”
“Oh good, more riddles.”
Plato gave her an annoyed stare. “And you should know that if I can help, I will. However, I can’t get the sword free.”
“That’s where the brownies come in,” Liv stated.
“And I can’t disable the security on the building,” he continued.
“Yes, that’s where I come in,” she replied.
“Are you worried that you’re not ready for this?” Plato asked.
“Are you?” she countered.
“I worry that you’re putting yourself in danger for a giant’s sword and a payoff that might not be worth the risk.”
“Are you saying that I shouldn’t do it?”
“If I did, would you turn around and go home?” Plato asked.
Liv shook her head. “Not a chance.”
“Then stop stalling,” Plato said. “Your opening is now.”
The guard turned the corner of the building, disappearing out of her view. Liv didn’t wait another second more before springing out of her hiding place and hurrying across the grounds. The hardest part was the start, she told herself. Now that she was in motion, the rest would go smoothly…she hoped.
High atop a nearby building, Stefan Ludwig watched as Liv Beaufont ran across the lawn and straight over to the side entrance to the Natural History Museum.
“What are you up to, Liv?” he mused.
Tracking her there hadn’t been hard, which meant that he was going to have to teach her how to move through the city without being followed. If he’d been Adler or Decar Liv would have been caught, and there would be no explanation that could get her out of trouble. Still, Stefan wondered what the magician was doing returning to the museum. He’d wanted to follow her before that night to find out what she did when not at the House of Seven, but an injury Hester had been unable to heal yet had prevented him from doing so. It had kept him away from a lot lately.
He lifted his arm and pulled up his sleeve, eyeing the bite in the moonlight. It was no worse than before but no better. Thankfully Hester had managed to stop the demon’s poison before it did too much damage, but healing his arm completely was a different story. Maybe that was why he was there, watching Liv chant spells at the museum’s security pad instead of off on his own mission.
Locating and slaying the demon who had done this to him wasn’t going to be an easy feat, but Hester had assured him that it was the only way to heal the bite. She’d also promised him secrecy, at least for the moment.
Stefan had been assigned the case of hunting down some demons that were terrorizing mortals, and he’d mostly been successful. Slaying demons in this realm was one of his favorite pastimes. However, going into their lair and operating on their terms was a different story. He would do it, though. He’d assured Hester of that much, and she’d granted him the time. The last thing he needed was to worry his sister Raina, or for Adler or the others to doubt his strength as a Warrior.
Everything at the House of Seven was about perception. He’d learned that early on. And if they knew he’d been bitten while on a case, well, the level of difficulty of cases he was assigned would change. He’d seen it a hundred times. That was why Akio and Decar were given the hardest cases—because they were seen as the strongest Warriors. However, he suspected things were about to change. There was a new force in the House who was about to take them all by surprise. She didn’t play by any of their rules, and apparently she worked her own cases on the side, Stefan noted as Liv slid into the museum undetected.
Chapter Twenty-Two
One of Liv’s dreams was to break into a museum and have the entire place to herself. In that fantasy, she didn’t have to jump up to see over the heads of strangers or wait in long lines. Or deal with slow walkers. Or really, deal with people at all.
Quiet excitement spilled over her as the security door released, and she stepped into the darkened corridor. Liv suddenly had the urge to run through the Natural History Museum, enjoying the freedom of having it all to herself.
A brisk shuffling noise startled her back to reality. She wasn’t alone in here; it only felt like it. Two guards patrolled the floors every few minutes. That much Mortimer had been able to tell her after his brownies had done their reconnaissance. However, there were multiple other factors they didn’t know as much about.
The guard strode by, not noticing Liv as she sank back against the wall. He whistled as he walked. How stereotypical, Liv thought, watching the back of his head as he swung a flashlight and sauntered towards the amphibian exhibit.
“Well, looks like I’ve got company tonight,” the man said, his voice making Liv tense. Had he seen her? She peeked out from her place, the light from the corridor partially touching her head.
A woman carrying a box stood on the other side of the man, a forced smile on her face.
“Yes, we’re updating the fetish carvings exhibit tonight,” the woman who was the curator for that collection said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Liv sunk back suddenly. The woman had seen her!
“What was that?” the curator asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.
“What was what?” the guard replied.
“Over there. By the side entrance. I saw something.”
Damn it. Damn it. Damn it, Liv thought, her mind racing for an option. She could bolt out the door and escape, but then this mission would be over before it even started. The idea of failure hit Liv straight in the stomach, making her want to double over.
Instead, she took a page out of Sophia’s book and melded herself into the wall. A flash of light hit her in the face, making her squint, but otherwise, she stayed as still as she possibly could, knowing that any movement would disrupt the illusion.
“Over here?” the guard asked. “I don’t see anything.”
“I could have sworn I saw someone looking around the corner,” the woman stated.
“Well, maybe it was someone from your team,” the man offered.
“Yeah, maybe,” the curator replied, not sounding at all convinced.
The guard put the flashlight away, giving Liv a respite. “I’ll do a few extra patrols tonight if it makes you feel better.”
No, Liv thought. The plan was centered on the clockwork of the guard’s schedules. Any change to that would throw everything off.
“I’d like that,” the woman said. “Especially because my team will be in and out of the exhibit area throughout the night.”
“Not a problem,” the guard said, his footsteps f
ading as the two walked the other way. “Show me the exhibit you’re working on.”
“It’s right over here.”
Liv waited until their voices had died away to soft muttering before she peeled herself from the wall, the camouflage fading. She considered keeping up the glamour, but she didn’t want to risk running through her magic reserves this early into the mission.
Sliding along the closest wall, Liv hurried to try to stay on schedule. If the guards would be patrolling more often, she had less time to get to the room with the sword than they’d planned. She hoped that the brownie who had come to help was fast.
When she was almost to the area where Turbinger lay, Liv froze. Her heart jumped into her throat. The exhibit they were updating on that night was directly next to the sword room.
Damn it, Liv thought, her brain cramping from the sudden complication. How was she supposed to stroll into that area and steal the sword with museum employees working right next to it?
Before, the mission had felt a little far-fetched, since they were relying on a brownie to open the case and remove the sword in less than six minutes. Now they had even less time, and more people to avoid. Well, Liv had to avoid them. The mortals apparently couldn’t see brownies. It must be nice to be invisible, a spell Liv hadn’t mastered. It would supposedly draw too much attention from the Council if she did use it.
“Are we going to get a dinner break?” a man called from the area with the fetish carvings.
“Of course,” the woman from before replied. “Let’s just get a few more things in place and then we can take a break.”
That was going to be Liv’s chance. However, there was another complication she had to worry about as she loitered in the corridor, hiding behind a large vase: the patrolling guards.
She had less than a minute before the next guard trotted around the corner behind her, spotting her position. Whipping her head back and forth, Liv waited until she heard his approaching footsteps and slipped into the recesses of the exhibit closest to her, hiding behind a life-sized zebra. Guilt pricked her throat when she realized that she was squatting directly on a protected museum exhibit, her back pressed against its fake shrubs.
