The Library (The Librarian of Alexandria Book 1) by Casey White (surface ebook reader .TXT) 📕

break the pact again.”  He winced, chewing on the array of words that presented themselves to him.  “I know that the guild values the arrangement they have with the Library, and it wasn’t my intention to flaunt that.  But in that situation-”

“What?” Indira said, blinking.  “You mean, with turning the two out?”

Had he misread?  He peered through the lenses of his mask, trying to read the slightest clue from her perfectly-blank expression.  “Ah...yes.  Seeking the ire of the guild was not my goal, but-”

“With the pair of idiots destroying an entire section of your Library?” Indira said, her eyebrows arching up at last.  “And harming themselves in the process?”  She chuckled, shaking her head.  The salted mane of her hair splayed across her shoulders.  “Librarian Owl, I didn’t come here to scream about contracts and arrangements.  Given what our representatives did, how they acted...”

“We’d appreciate you not just canceling the whole agreement outright,” Olivia muttered under her breath.  Indira shot her a look.  She quieted.

“What my assistant blurts out on a whim is...true enough,” Indira said heavily.  “The fault here is ours, Librarian.”

“Owl,” he said.  “This is already weird enough, guildmaster.  No need to make it worse.”

A bit of the worry faded from her eyes - and her smile grew just a little wider.  “It’s Indira, then.”

“I suppose I can manage that,” Owl mumbled.  He raised a hand, rubbing at his head beneath the shielding leather of his hood.  “I don’t...Alexandria still needs visitors.  Alan and Dylan were reckless, but I’m not about to cut your organization off entirely.”  He shook his head.  “Don’t worry.”

Indira beamed, taking a quick step forward.  “I’m- I’m thrilled to hear that.  But I cannot let this slide with just an apology.  Not after...”  She sighed, wrinkling her nose.  “Not after our assurances that past incidents would not be repeated.”

Owl chuckled under his breath, remembering the gouts of fire spraying from Lenny’s lab.  “You have some interesting characters, that much is for certain.  But...truly, it’s not a problem.  The Library will heal, with time.  Thanks for your concern, but-”

“I have to do something,” Indira said, and her expression darkened.  Owl stopped.  Her eyes tightened, filling with strain again for a moment.  “You were wronged.  It wouldn’t be right to leave without addressing that.  It’s my responsibility.”

Owl fell quiet at that, hearing the strain spread to her words.  He hadn’t planned on this.  When Dylan and Alan had been running amok through the Library, he’d seen an incident like this as a convenient way to get them out of his hair safely and expediently - something which Alexandria had agreed with.

He hadn’t stopped to consider the position it put the guild in, or how Indira would feel.  Alan and Dylan had been terrified to the point they hadn’t even argued with him kicking them out.  If they’d conveyed that to Indira...he sighed.

“I appreciate your care in this,” he said.  “I do.  But you’re already well aware that the Library is not a normal place.  It doesn’t operate under normal rules.  Alexandria is upset - but that’s something that I need to handle myself, as Librarian.  If you want to do something to help, then look at your candidate pool and-”

“Oh, we’re going to change all of that,” Indira said, standing a little taller.  “Things have been slipping, I see.  It’s completely unacceptable for this to have happened more than once. Rest assured, Librarian, that I’ll be looking into that personally.”

“Oh,” Owl said weakly.  The woman’s demeanor had changed entirely, even from a few minutes before.  She’d been so quiet when they first met, so hesitant.  Now, she spoke with such confidence.

Becoming guildleader had suited her, his thoughts whispered.  Someone said that, didn’t they?  The guild is ambitious.  And so is she.

“Well,” he said, forcing himself back to the present.  “If you’ve already taken that into account, then...that will help.  Thank you.”

He searched for something to follow that up with, but...nothing came to mind.  He fell quiet instead, caught in place.

Silence fell over the entryway.

What now? his thoughts screamed.  They were just...standing there.  Indira toyed with a strand of her hair, her lips pursed, and when he glanced over to Olivia, he found her staring at the floor.

What more did they want?  Yes, their people had trashed his Library.  That was their damn fault.  He’d already told them it was forgiven - hell, if they’d just move on and not ask too many questions about the fact first-time guests had been playing with magic, he’d consider it a win even with a study destroyed.  And he was sure, sure that their magical theories would have slipped out in any questioning of them by Indira.

But what was he supposed to do about this?  He couldn’t magic up a way to ease their guilty consciences.  He lifted a hand to rub at his head.  “Um.”

“Actually,” Indira said.

He stopped.  Actually?  He looked up - and found Indira’s eyes turned all the way to the side.  She glanced back, then seemed to take a deep breath.

“I do have a proposal for you,” she said.  “One that I hope to be the first step in a closer relationship.  And, hopefully, one that would give us a way to mend the damage we’ve done.”

“A proposal?” he said, his confusion mounting.

Olivia stepped forward before Indira could say anything and handed him the stack of papers.  She skittered back just as quickly.

“Candidates?” Owl said, and despite himself, he could feel irritation starting to replace confusion.  Already?  When they’d just gotten out of his hair?  Not to mention the fact the last guests had caused the mess they had.  Damn it, he’d been looking forward to having some peace and quiet.  “Ah...with all due respect, guildmaster, I don’t think-”

“Indira,” she said.  “And, by no means take this as us rushing you on any level.  Given the actions of our last scholars, we merely wanted to give you...proper time to consider.”  She folded her hands in front of her.  “You’ll find that this is a more curated