Academy of Souls by Ward Derrick & Lehtonen Erynn

Author:Ward, Derrick & Lehtonen, Erynn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Raven Chronicles
Published: 2022-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

Once the chains had been pulled off, the book burst open, teeth sprouting from the edge of the cover. Rey’s face flew back just in time to avoid the book engulfing his head with its sharp teeth. “Ah! I thought these were just books!”

The enraged tome flapped in the air before swiping down at Guen. She threw the book in her hands at it, deflecting it off course. “Gaelan! You never told us these books were mimics!”

“They’re not.” He pushed on the gate between him and the group, which had jammed shut. “Don’t damage it! I need that one.”

“What do you suppose we do then?” Myrina grabbed a broom from behind the door and swatted at the furiously slapping book when it directed its fury at her next.

“You’re adventurers! Don’t you guys carry around nets or something for taking prisoners?” Gaelan shouldered the door, but the hinges refused to budge. “Damnit! Someone open this door.”

Rey took the cloak from around Myrina’s shoulders and threw it at the book. The heavy fabric collided with the flapping pages, and it thudded into the wall, crashing to the ground. Gawain rushed over and sat on the flopping mound, setting it still.

Guen walked over and pulled the old lever to the cage open, allowing Gaelan through the iron gate.

He swore under his breath when he saw the book lying on the floor. “Damnit, it hit the wall—”

The door opened, and the Librarian stood at the archway. “Gaelan, why don’t you just ask to come in here? Why must you always find ways to sneak in when you have all the access you could want if you were to just ask…” she sounded sad as she walked over to Gawain, who slunk away to Guen’s side.

The Librarian approached the cloak, which bulged with the book’s urgent flapping. She picked up the fabric with pinched fingers, and with the other, caressed the spine of the flapping tome, which calmed at her touch. She folded it back up, the teeth turning back into delicate pages. “Ah, Garman’s Daemons and How to Control Them. It’s definitely not a beginner text. You should not have given it to an illiteratii; it makes them anxious.”

Gaelan’s bowed his head, obscuring his face under his heavy blue hood. “I told them not to touch the ones with the chains.”

“They do not know how to read, and you think they will understand what chains on a book means?” Her voice stayed even, but the scolding lashed against Gaelan. “You have already read them anyway. What more could you learn?”

“There are troubles down in the pits, ma’am. Some of the Blacklisters are in over their heads,” Gaelan sputtered, each word firing off at the end of each syllable. “A few have figured out how to use the crystals to power higher-level spells. They’re planning to bring the whole school down.”

The Librarian laughed. “Folks are not sent down there because they know how to cast spells, Gaelan. You know that. You of all people should know that.

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