“Got it.”
I put the box on the floor, then didn’t know what to do with my hands.I wanted to touch her, to brace my hands under hers to carry the weight of the book, but I didn’t dare brush the cover.
“Card?”Lula asked.
“I’m right here,” he said.“I see it.Go ahead.”
Lula unlocked the book and opened it.I braced myself for the song, for the power and the magic and the tidal wave of concepts and clashing realities.
Instead, I saw a page with symbols burning in soft yellow light.
“That’s not how it was,” I said.
“Things change,” Card said.“There could have been a trigger spell to ward people off.If so, that’s done, and we’re into uncharted water.Even if not, the book is sentient enough, it might be on to us.It might know we’re here to find a spell that will help us get rid of one of the gods who wants to possess it and use it poorly.”
I figured he was talking for our benefit and also (weirdly) for the book’s.
“Can you read that?”I asked Card.
“It’s an opening screed.Not a spell.The god who wrote it is not lost.”
“That’s a lot of expertise all of a sudden, Card,” Lula said.
“I’m good at magic,” he said matter-of-factly.“Yay, for me.Let’s take advantage of it.”
“Turn the page?”Lula asked.
“Yep,” I said.
She did.The symbols here were violet and looked like holes burned into the universe.
“Keep going.Not a lost god,” Card said.
Lu turned the page again.
“Is this it?”Abbi asked.“Is this all we’re going to do?”
“What did you think we were going to do?”Card asked.
“The magic.Trying it.Letting it loose.”
“Oh, they’ll try it,” Card said.“But not until we think we’ve found a spell that won’t kill us or destroy half the world.Preferably a spell written by a lost god.”
Lu turned the page.It seemed to disappear as soon as it was turned, leaving behind the scent of crushed rosemary and sorrow.
“Lu?”I asked.
“I’m okay,” she said, but I could see her hands were beginning to shake.She turned the page.
“Step back!”Card yelled.
We both jumped backward.
Somethinglashed out of the book, snapping and wailing, then was gone.
“Holy shit,” I said.“Card?”
“Not a lost god spell.”He didn’t sound the least bit fazed, the jerk.“Let’s do five more and take a break.”
