The Art of Deception by Stephanie Burgis

Author:Stephanie Burgis [Burgis, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stephanie Burgis

“But it makes no sense,” Julia whispered.

They sat together on Hrabanic’s bed, Hrabanic’s arm around Julia’s shoulder, her hands clasped together so tightly that her knuckles had turned a sickly white.

“Why shouldn’t it make sense?” Hrabanic asked. “Maybe your grandfather is still angry at you for running away instead of staying to be groomed as his successor. Or—”

“I could understand that,” Julia said. “I could even believe he was manipulating all of us through my nomination, and he never meant me to win. But Amanka was the Archduke’s niece. If she had won, the White Library would have ended up under the control of the political leaders of Plötz. That’s the last thing Grandfather would ever want.”

“Maybe he’s changed his mind about that since you left.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You have to trust me on this. When he was training me as his successor—and he really did mean it back then, I’m certain—that was the one message he hammered into my head, again and again. The Library had to remain independent of the government to maintain its strength. It’s the main point he’s fought for in all his decades as its leader.”

“Could someone else have sent the creature?—I know,” Hrabanic added hastily, “you said he’s the only one who could control it. But still—”

“That isn’t possible. The creatures only respond to psychic power, and that level of personal authority can’t be imitated. When a Librarian becomes the Head, they assume the power of all the books in the library, all the Heads who have come before them, all the knowledge and power of the Library itself. No other librarian’s strength could even compare—so no other librarian could communicate with the creatures, much less control them.”

Hrabanic groaned and clapped his free hand over his eyes. “Then maybe it just never happened. Maybe this whole damned trip has been an illusion, and we’re actually still in bed back in your tavern. Hell, it makes as much sense as anything else that’s happened over the last five days!”

Julia began to shake inside the curve of his arm. He dropped his hand and looked at her with alarm. But she was laughing—at first silently, and then out loud, in an infectious roll of pleasure that ended with both of them locked in a tight embrace.

“Oh, Hrabanic,” she murmured into his chest, through her laughter. “I am glad you came with me, you know. I am.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Hrabanic said. “It’s my brilliance and virility that does it. That, and the way I comb my moustache—have you noticed it yet? No woman can resist me.”

“Hmm,” Julia said. “Well, perhaps that explains it, after all.” She leaned up and kissed him, and their laughter mingled in the kiss. Then she sat back, her eyebrows drawing together. “About all these women who can’t resist you.”

“Ah,” Hrabanic said. “Perhaps I should amend that statement. What I actually meant to say—”

“Never mind that,” Julia said. “Let’s talk about the Archduchess.”

Hrabanic winced. “Do we have to?”

“That was a woman’s

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