Wingsof fire soared above me, the glow an unnatural brightness in the dark velvet sky.Istared in bewildered horror as this beast with fiery wings closed in onHugo.
Fireburned.Firedestroyed.Fireeviscerated everything.
Mymouth fell open andIscreamed.Thecreature shrieked an ear-piercing screech that drowned my voice, then raised a claw, and hurled a ball of fire atHugo.
CHAPTER15
ANYA
Asthe fireball hitHugo’swings, he howled.Heturned and kicked at the phoenix with a massive foot, propelling it across the sky.
Itdidn’t take the phoenix long to recover from the blow, turning in midair and flapping its wings as it headed straight back atHugo.
Theyclashed in the air, wings of fire battling wings like stone.Istared upward at the sight that rendered me awestruck whileIfretted helplessly on the ground.Roarsof fury and pain echoed around me.
WhatcouldIdo?Therehad to be something.Butwhat?Iwas just a human, and these were creatures far more formidable than me.
Wherewere the other gargoyles?MaybeIcould get them to help.
Iturned and ran back toward the library, trying not to wince at each thud behind me.Oddly, it didn’t seem too quiet.AsIapproached the library,Iturned back to seeHugohad followed me and my heart panged.Hewas protecting me still.
Iglanced up at the two gargoyle statues mounted on the library and called out, “Areyou there?Youhave to helpHugo!”Oneheartbeat pounded into another asIwilled to see the stone shift, just as it had the dayHugohad revealed himself to save me.
Nothinghappened.Myshoulders sagged.Wherethe hell were they?
“There’sa man—phoenix—”Whatthe hell was it? “Somekind of phoenix shifter fightingHugo.Pleasehelp!”Ibegged.
Stillno response.
Ifretted, circling in a figure eight whileIfrantically tried to figure out whatIcould do.WhatcouldIdo!WhywouldIbe able to do anything?Iwas just a librarian, a human—utterly powerless in comparison to supernatural forces.
But—the grimoire.Couldthere be something in there to help?
SinceI’dbeen practicing with spells, couldIfind one that would help me in the situation?Damnit,Iwouldn’t have time to study for the best option.
Iran inside, and the journey seemed to stretch days.Myfingers trembled asIsearched the bookshelf whereHugohad moved the three books.Whichbooks and which order?Mybrain stuttered asItried to recall what he’d told me.
WhenIwas reasonably certain,Imoved them.Mybreath came hard asIwaited.Aftera few pounding heartbeats, nothing happened, and my shoulders sagged in defeat.
Thenthe sound of something moving over the floor caught my attention, andIperked up.Thebookcase was opening.
Oncethe gap was wide enough,Islipped through it.Withmy heart pounding hard in my chest,Irushed to retrieve the book from whereI’dhidden it in the middle of a stack of books, just like the gargoyles hid—in plain sight.
Istared at the book, overwhelmed by whatIhad to do.Asmall voice inside whispered that it was futile;Iwas just a mousy librarian out of her league.
Notime to think.Ihad to act.Otherwise, the gargoyle outside who had risked his life numerous times to protect me could be killed.Icouldn’t let that happen to anyone—especially someone whoIcared for such a great deal.
Maybeeven loved.
Ouch,Icouldn’t lose him so soon afterI’dfound him.Bebrave.Iopened the book and searched for something, anything that might give me some guidance.Itwas my grandmother’s book.Itincluded her magic spells.Iwas her granddaughter.Ifthere was ever a chance for me to do something, it was now.
Afterflipping through pages, my hopes began to snuff out.WhywasIfutilely searching for a book whenHugowas outside fighting to save me?
Iwas about to close the book in frustration and dragged my gaze away with a groan.Inmy peripheral vision, something tugged at me.ItwasAdelaide’smirror.Iput the book down on the table to go look at it.Couldit help me?
Useit,Anya,a voice urged inside my head.Iturned with a start.Whowas that?Itwasn’t my internal voice.
Astrange sensation trickled inside. “Grandmother?”Isaid aloud, hesitantly.Couldit be?
