The Librarian: A Remnants of Magic Novel (The Librarian of Alexandria Book 2) by Casey White (read ebook pdf txt) 📕

Daniel stumbled backward toward the sound of her voice, but...he couldn’t quite bring himself to take his eyes off James and Cyril.

Again and again, James hit the man. Cyril clung to the hammer like a man possessed, like his fingers were welded to the handle. Behind him, one of Rickard’s gun-wielding minions surged to the forefront, eyes narrowed. He’d join the fray. With the two of them against James, it’d only be a matter of time until-

James’ fist sailed into Cyril’s gut with a wet, heavy thump—and at last, Cyril crumpled. His hand slipped free of the hammer.

Their guns rose again. They’d shoot. The moment James was clear, they’d-

The first gunshot crackled through the air.

James jumped to the side, hunching defensively, but hoisted the hammer aloft. His eyes were wild, burning like coals in the night. The iron head gleamed in the glow of the street lights.

And then he brought it down.

Daniel flinched, looking away despite himself. Cyril fell to the ground, and for the life of him, he couldn’t tell if it was still the mage, or just his body. James brought the hammer down a second time, his breath coming ragged.

“Damn it!” Daniel heard Rickard spit. “Ian! Hurry up and-”

As though realizing for the first time how exposed he was, James turned—and lurched back toward the alley, pale-faced.

But Daniel saw the gunman straighten, settling the rifle to his shoulder.

His world froze, crystallizing around that man. That gun. And his friend, bruised and bloodied, limping to safety.

Will you let this happen? In his ears, the thought rang strange. Different. As though it wasn’t his at all.

But...would he? His fingers twitched, yearning for...something. Anything. There had to be something he could do to stop this.

His skin prickled again. His pulse thundered in his ears, steady and even.

If this was Alexandria, it’d be simple. He could do anything. Here, he was helpless, and it rankled more than he’d realized.

But there...he could see it, envisioned in his mind just like someone had taught him, so many centuries past. He could see the wall rising behind James, spreading from the ground to-

Light flared in his vision.

Something shot up from beneath his feet. He gaped, dumbfounded. Liquid? Some sort of-

Water. It was water, glowing a fierce silver-blue as though lit from within. It coursed up and around him in tendrils and sheets that circled once, drawing close—and then shot forward.

Illuminated in the mage-light, he saw the rifleman stiffen, jumping.

And he saw Rickard’s eyes widen. “You,” he breathed. “It’s-”

The water coursed forward, though, shaping itself like there were giant, invisible hands molding it. Before anyone could move, it splayed out, blocking the street between Rickard’s group and James.

Just like a wall.

It roared onward, churning down the street, and cries rang up from beyond. Now, at last, there was fear in those voices.

Cyril’s body shuddered, shifting as magenta-glowing cracks ran through it. Dust drifted on the air. Gunfire cracked out, even as the golden barrier overhead shattered. Tiny glistening fragments of it tumbled down, joining the motes of dust to fly away on the wind.

All Daniel could do was...stare. Gape, open-mouthed at the silver-blue, faintly-shifting wall of water that rippled with every bullet that lobbed into it.

A hand landed on his shoulder. Olivia wrenched Daniel around as Maya dashed past, grabbing hold of James. Ahead, Leon hung at the edge of the alley, all but quivering. In an instant, she’d turned him around, dragging him toward safety.

No one spoke. Daniel wasn’t sure he could speak, jumped-up on adrenaline as he was. His thoughts raced past, too fast to catch and put to voice. Supporting each other as best they could, they limped away.

Behind them, that pale-glowing wall shimmered, ever-waiting.

You, Rickard had said.

Tearing his eyes away from the watery spell at last, Daniel stumbled into the night.

- Chapter Twenty-Six -

Faster.

They hurried off into the dark, shambling along with every scrap of speed their aching limbs could muster. All of them were moving slowly, by then. They clung together in a mass of arms and legs, supporting each other’s weight as best they could.

Daniel couldn’t keep from glancing back now and again, though. The wall of water had vanished from sight as they darted into the alley, but the glow of it shone against the grass and asphalt.

It should hold. Probably. It would buy them enough time to get away, at least. Thank you, he whispered, turning his thoughts inward. That was your doing, wasn’t it?

Alexandria didn’t reply. Not that she ever had, when he was in the real world, but...he felt...heavy. Cold. Whatever power he’d mustered before, it was gone—and it’d taken a substantial bite out of his strength.

One foot in front of the other. “Keep going,” he panted, hauling Olivia forward another step. She made a tiny, irritated noise, but didn’t fight him.

“W-Where?” Maya squeaked from somewhere else in the mass of bodies. “M-My car...We...We could-”

“It’s still out of commission,” Daniel said, giving a quick shake of his head. “And w-we can’t go back.”

“Um,” Leon said. His voice sounded more strained than ever, thin and ragged, as though he might keel over at any second. “We...We could-”

“Just get me to one of those cars,” Daniel said. The alley ahead was wide enough for a few adventurous drivers to park their vehicles along the edges. “I can...um. I can get us a-a new ride.”

“You can?” Leon’s voice was incredulous.

Daniel’s cheeks flushed faintly. “Look, I- When you’re in Alexandria, you’ve got a lot of time to-” He shook his head again. “Yes, damn it.”

“Owl the thief,” Leon mumbled. “Didn’t expect that one.” But he hauled the lot of them forward, right to the door of the first vehicle in the line—an ancient-looking SUV with rust speckling its fenders.

“Okay,” Daniel mumbled, staggering away from the others. “Just...give me a minute.”

Digging in his pockets, he unearthed the knife from before. Its blade was long and thin enough to do the trick. Even as he was prying at the door seal, though, he couldn’t quite keep himself