“That’s the plan.” I stepped in behind her.
“Good luck with that.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Chaos grunted. “Can you not feel the demonic magic in the air?”
“Nope.” I shined my flashlight around the room. A long rectangular table took up the center of the space, with chairs crammed around all the sides. At the head of the table loomed an ornate…I could only call it a throne, with gilded edges and intricate dark magic carvings.
“Stop and try. It’s unmistakable.”
Ember curled her lip. “A little pretentious, isn’t it? Their archives must be farther back.” She gestured at the door, waiting for me to check it for magic.
“Hold on.” I took a deep breath and focused on the energy in the air. It felt sticky, like the magic performed there wasn’t always done with good intentions. Obviously, or they wouldn’t be a dark magic coven. “What am I looking for?”
“The lowest vibration you’ve ever felt. It will penetrate your flesh and hum in your bones. Concentrate.”
“Let’s go, Ash.” Ember jerked her head toward the door.
“Wait. He’s teaching me how to sense demon magic. It could come in handy.” I closed my eyes and let all the energy in the room wash over me. I’d need an insanely hot shower when this was through. Sticky, icky remnants of dark magic clung to my skin, but something other engulfed me too.
Like Chaos described, the vibration was lower, slower than anything I’d felt before and it did indeed penetrate all the way to my bones, giving me the same pins and needles sensation as when your foot falls asleep, but much, much deeper.
“Holy Hecate. Is this what your presence will feel like once you’re out of my head?”
“Mine and every demon you encounter. Proceed with caution.”
“Always.” I joined my sister at the next doorway and activated the magic-revealing spell. “This one isn’t protected.”
“Probably because of what’s waiting for us inside.” Ember clutched her sword in both hands and crept down the staircase.
My flashlight penetrated the darkness, revealing a long corridor that slanted even farther downward. We were headed deep into the basement, and I could guarantee the door leading to the surface outside would be protected with something even more potent than the electricity spell cloaking the inside door. I had no idea if our crystals would shield us from it, which meant we had one way of escape if things went south. Back the way we came.
I said a quick prayer to the goddess that things would stay above the equator.
The corridor spilled out into a massive, stone-lined room, and silence engulfed us. The musty scent of old books, which usually brought me a sense of peace, smelled more like rot and clay. Not a single window lined the wall near the ceiling to let in an ounce of light. We must’ve been too deep.
I swept the beam along the wall, illuminating a switch attached to a silver plate. Metal tubing ran up the surface and across the ceiling toward a massive chandelier. I flipped the switch.
Lights from sconces added to the brilliant chandelier bulbs, revealing a library so massive I couldn’t hide my envy. My mouth dropped open as I took in rows and rows of shelving units so tall they had wheeled ladders attached to each one. “Whoa.”
“Wow.” Even Ember was in awe. “They have twice as many books as us. How are we going to find anything?”
I chuckled. “I’ll tell you how.” A card catalog stood right in front of us, gleaming in the warm light, dark cherry wood housing columns of five-inch drawers with golden handles. One day, my library would be this organized. Maybe not as flashy and big, but it would be awesome.
“Ash?”
“Mm-hmm?” I slid out a drawer and ran my fingers over the cards, a smile tugging at my lips.
“Have you forgotten about the demon guarding this place?”
Honestly? Yeah, I had forgotten. The library was nothing short of magnificent.
“Oh shit.” Ember backed into me, ramming me into the catalog. The drawer slammed shut on my finger, and I yanked it out, sticking it in my mouth as if that would ease the smashing pain.
“Find the info fast,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll take care of the beastie.”
I spun around and nearly peed my pants. An eight-foot creature with a massive jaw and fangs that belonged on a sabertooth tiger prowled toward her, and it was entirely made of clay.
So that was what I smelled.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Here, demon, demon.” Ember made a come get me motion with her hand and crept off to the right. The fiend grunted at me, looked at her, and lunged. Smart move for the demon; bad news for me. He planned to take out the most dangerous threat first so he could toy with the weaker one. Yay.
She stabbed her sword right into his gut and twisted before yanking it out. He stumbled, but the clay reformed, filling in the gash within seconds. “Does this library have advice on how to kill a golem?” she asked.
Chaos growled. “Being trapped in a golem is almost as bad as the prison you rescued me from. He is their slave and will do their bidding until he is released.”
“And I guess their bidding is to protect their secrets at all costs. How do we release him?”
“Only the one who trapped him can.”
“Fabulous. Hey, Em? He can’t be killed, so just keep him busy while I find the book.”
“Challenge accepted.” She spun in a circle and swiped her sword, taking his arm off at the elbow. I was about to say one point for Ember, but a new arm formed where she’d cut him, and the one on the floor turned to goo, rolled across the concrete, and attached itself to his leg.
“That’s not fair.” Ember backed up, drawing the golem farther away from me. I had a feeling she’d never fought one of these before, so she’d either have the time of her life or end up dead. The faster I could find the book, the more likely it would be the former.
