Unbound: Magic Ex Libris: Book Three by Jim C. Hines

Author:Jim C. Hines [Hines, Jim C.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2015-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

I shoved the printed constellations and the rest of my notes into an old leather briefcase, along with a Latin dictionary. Gerbert d’Aurillac’s poem and my initial efforts to update it were folded and crammed into my rear pocket. I didn’t want to keep everything in one place, just in case Meridiana got her hands on the briefcase. Or on me.

Nicola was singing 80s techno to the computers. Each one sparked and smoked in response to what I assumed was a musical self-destruct command.

I clipped Smudge’s cage to my belt and looked around. Lena had taken up sentry duty at the door. Nidhi was ready and waiting, watching nervously out one of the windows. Given the nature of our arrival, the three of us didn’t have much to pack.

Gutenberg was another matter. This was his home. He had emptied almost a quarter of the shelves, and was tossing more into his bottomless carpet bag. He moved too quickly for me to see which titles he chose to save, though the Gerbert d’Aurillac manuscript was one of the first ones he took.

The telltale whoosh of a spider bursting into flames made me jump. The fiberglass lining on the side protected my jeans, but I had to hold my arm away to avoid burning my hand or wrist.

“We need to go, Johannes.” Ponce de Leon joined Lena at the door and peered into the hallway.

Gutenberg looked at the remaining books on the shelves and sighed. “Nicola, please let the other Regional Masters know this location has been compromised.” His sheathed sword bounced against his hip as he hefted his carpet bag and strode toward the door. “The elevator is to the left, ladies and gentlemen.”

We were halfway down the hallway when I noticed Smudge’s reaction. “Stop!”

“What is it?” asked Lena.

“The closer we get to the elevators, the hotter Smudge burns.”

Ponce de Leon jogged ahead. “He’s right. There’s a great deal of magic coming up over here.” He touched the doors to both elevators. A series of electronic chimes rang out. “I’ve shut one down. The other is on its way. The ghosts are blocking my efforts to stop them, but I’ll do what I can.”

Gutenberg pulled his sword. “Lena, would you assist me, please?”

I followed them to the elevator, where Lena wrenched open the doors. Gutenberg leaned out to press his blade against the moving cables.

“Wait,” said Nidhi. “What if there are innocent people inside?”

“Nothing in that elevator qualifies as ‘people’ anymore,” Ponce de Leon said quietly.

The text on Gutenberg’s blade burned orange, and individual filaments of twisted steel cable began to snap. He pressed harder, slicing through the rest like flame through ice. A deafening screech echoed up the elevator shaft. The emergency mechanisms on the car would prevent it from falling, but it wasn’t climbing anymore, either.

Ponce de Leon dug his fingers into the edge of the carpet in front of the elevator and peeled it back. “Lena, I could use your magic here.”

They conferred together, and moments later, a thick tangle of black tendrils began to rise from the floor.

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