The Library (The Librarian of Alexandria Book 1) by Casey White (ebook reader 8 inch .TXT) 📗

said.  “James is too much of an idiot to pull it off, I think.  But this guy can do it.  He might show you, if you ask nicely.”

“Fuck you too,” James said.

“M-Magic?” Maya said, blinking desperately.  She was actually looking at Owl now, though.  “Wait, really?”

“He got Leon through chem,” James muttered, glaring daggers at Leon still.

Maya snorted, covering her mouth a moment later.  “Well, shit.  That is magical.”

“Hey,” Leon said, deflating.

Owl shot Leon a tolerant look.  Oh, he knew what his friend was doing.  He wouldn’t let Owl be pushed to the outskirts of their group, then, even if more of their friends got pulled into Alexandria.

Fine.

“It’s not that hard,” Owl said, trying to keep his stride nonchalant as he closed the distance between him and Maya.  “Even Leon picked it up, so don’t worry.”

Leon’s protests rang in his ears like music.

* * * * *

Owl leaned onto the bar counter, chuckling softly to himself.  The papers in front of him lurked, calling out to him, but every time he looked down to them he just sighed and turned away.

The skylights overhead had turned violet at some point as the hours drifted away, staining the gardens with an evening glow.  Alexandria might be giving them the go-home warning, but that didn’t seem to be stopping anyone.

Maya giggled, snapping her fingers.  A tiny ball of fire burst to life over her fingertip.  “See?” she said.  “It’s easy.”  She flashed a grin toward Owl - who inclined his head a fraction of an inch.

“Stop showing off,” James muttered.  The two of them sat together on the far end of the bar, side by side.

She elbowed him, her grin growing wider.  “C’mon, try again.”

“Leave off.”

“One more time.  Like he said.  Just hold the image, and-”

“It’s not going to work, okay?” James said with a groan, burying his head in his hands.

Again, Maya giggled.  The conversation between them grew quieter, and this time, she didn’t play with any more fire.  Her and James just settled into their seats, taking hold of the drinks in front of them.

Owl sighed.  Drinks Alexandria had provided, again.  He could at least be halfway confident that they weren’t going to get shitfaced and demolish half the Library this time around.  And he was watching them.

It’d be fine.  Probably.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have taught them,” he muttered, even still.

Leon looked up from his drink.  Even though he’d seated himself between Owl and his friends, he hovered closer to the librarian’s chair than theirs.  “What?” he said.

Owl shook his head.  “Never mind.  It’s-”

“If it was nothing, you wouldn’t have said anything,” Leon said.  “Once more.  What?”

“They’re going to burn the damn place down,” Owl mumbled.  “That’s all.”

“Oh, don’t worry so much,” Leon said.  He nudged Owl, leaning over.  “What’s that?  You’ve been working on it all night.”

Owl grabbed the sheaf of paper, sliding them farther away.  “It’s-”

“Secret?” Leon said, pulling himself back.  “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine,” Owl said.  “I just probably...shouldn’t.”

“Librarian business?” Leon said.  He was trying to keep his cool, Owl knew, but even his best attempts couldn’t mask the twinkle in his eyes.

Owl just nodded, pressing the pages into his chest.  “Yeah.  I...need to pick out who’s coming next.”

“More of those book people?”

“The Booklender’s Guild,” Owl said softly.  “Yeah.  Them.”

“Bunch of idiots,” Leon muttered.

“Well.  Yeah.”

“But...it’s got to have you on edge, if you’re bringing it around.”  Leon shrugged.  “Just seemed weird.”

Owl made a face.  “It’s...complicated.”

“Figured as much.”

His fingers tightened against the pages.  “I just...have some things I need to sort out.  Some stuff to decide.”  Like if it’s wise to bring an outsider into the inner circle of the Librarian.  Like if it’s wise to give the guild another chance after they smashed a study to pieces.  There was no way for him to explain all of that to Leon - and Leon had gotten himself enough information about Owl and Alexandria’s business for one trip.

No, he fell quiet, staring down at the bar.  Leon lifted his drink, taking another sip.  Owl smiled mirthlessly.  It’d be nice to be able to drink, while he tried to muddle through this.  But...not until the others left.

He laid the papers back onto the table, glancing Leon’s way - and was gratified to see Leon’s eyes slide off the pages politely.  “O-Okay,” Leon said, shooting him a quick grin before scootching a little away.  “If you need anything...we’re here.”

“Thanks,” Owl said softly.  “Appreciate it.”

When Leon turned back to his friends, Owl finally let his gaze drop to the sheet of paper.  Olivia, huh?  And...he slid his finger under the page, seeing a staple through the top corner.  Olivia and a partner, apparently.  They were the guild’s best suggestion...but not their only one, he noted as he kept flipping.  They were giving him more choices, at least.  Good.

But they did want him to take Olivia.  He pursed his lips, reading over her bio.  Her grinning face stared up at him, cheerful if a little embarrassed.

Olivia, eh?

His few encounters with the woman ran through his mind.  She...did seem nice enough.  She’d been up front with him, those few times she’d visited the Library.  She hadn’t lied to him, or tried to hide her true goals.  She’d said it from the moment he’d asked - she wanted to come inside and see Alexandria.

Indira had never been inside.  Owl frowned, resting his head on his hand.  James and Maya chattered away, none the wiser of his dilemma.  Her days as guildmaster were probably growing fewer by the day, given the fact she was no longer a young woman.  Sending Olivia to Alexandria could be positioning her to take the seat herself, one day.

Owl groaned quietly, resting his elbows against the bar more heavily.  Or maybe she was doing exactly what she said, and trying to mend bridges.  Maybe she was just killing two birds with one stone - sending a reliable party into the Library to win back his good graces, and getting rid of Olivia’s nagging insistence of visiting.

If...If that was all,