Bookworm (46 page)

“My mistress is summoning me home,” Bee said, reluctantly. They’d kissed, but little else. The fire was gone. “After Lady Light Spinner became the Grand Sorceress, I completed the political deals the Empress wanted and she called me home.”

And he hadn’t fought it either, Elaine realised. She didn’t need to read minds to understand that their relationship had been destroyed. The Witch-King had had the last laugh there, if nowhere else. Elaine’s eyes showed her taint to anyone who cared to look. Perhaps she’d have to start copying Lady Light Spinner and hide her eyes behind a blindfold.

“Write to me from time to time, all right?” she asked. He wouldn’t, she knew. “I can put in a good word for you at the Great Library.”

Elaine kissed Bee one final time, and then walked out of his apartment.

She didn’t let herself cry until she was safely back home.

***

“How do I look?”

“A very sexy librarian,” Daria said, mischievously. “What does your new boyfriend think of it?”

Elaine snorted. The spells that bound the librarian to the Great Library were complex and almost unbreakable. Elaine now had a connection to the building that no one else could match, even if it did leave her wondering if she should be made of stone instead of living flesh from time to time. The Great Library was alive, almost intelligent – and it was now part of her.

“The Library is just glad to have a new librarian,” Elaine said, honestly. It was difficult to say what, if anything, the Library thought of individuals. Miss Prim had also been bound, if unwillingly, to the Library – and
she
had tried to steal from it. “I think it was a little upset by what happened last week.”

She kept her voice light, despite the odd feeling that she’d become a prisoner without quite realising it. The Great Library held her now, keeping her within the city; there would be no more trips to anywhere outside the Five Peaks. At least she wasn’t trapped inside the building...but then, maybe there would come a time when she didn’t want to leave.

“Good luck,” Daria said, as they reached the main doors. The Great Library staff had already been told that Elaine would take Miss Prim’s position. Irritatingly, half of the staff had already signalled their intention to leave the Library. With so many senior wizards dead, there were all kinds of opportunities opening up. “Want me to join you for dinner?”

Elaine smiled as she felt the Library’s impatience. “And dancing afterwards?”

She waved goodbye to her friend and stepped through the door. The Great Library welcomed her, its presence reaching out to meet her mind. Where better for a bookworm to live than a library? It was happy to have her back within its walls and she felt the same way too.

Elaine smiled as she saw the staff and then tried to put a stern expression on her face. The Great Library was going to be very busy very soon, as thousands of sorcerers started studying for the new positions that were opening up, and they had to be ready. And the Witch-King might still be out there...

But for the moment, she was happy. And that was all that she had ever wanted.

The End

Elsewhen Press

a small independent publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction

Visit the Elsewhen Press website at elsewhen.co.uk for the latest information on all of our titles, authors and events; to read our blog; to find out where to buy our books and ebooks; or to place an order.

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About the Author

Christopher Nuttall has been planning sci-fi books since he learned to read. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Chris created an alternate history website and eventually graduated to writing full-sized novels. Studying history independently allowed him to develop worlds that hung together and provided a base for storytelling. After graduating from university, Chris started writing full-time. As an indie author, he has published a number of novels through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. In 2012, Elsewhen Press published his alternate history / fantasy novel
The Royal Sorceress
.
Bookworm
is his second novel to be published by Elsewhen Press. Chris is currently living in Borneo with his wife, muse, and critic Aisha.