“Right, my mistake,” I tell her.
Raven bites her lip, looking at the map for a long moment and then at me. Her cheeks turn pink, and I wonder if she’s starting to think about backing out, but finally, she grabs a pen from her bag and begins to draw on the map. “Let’s find the best route.”
Raven plots out the path we will take, telling us where there are locked doors, and we plan our work around them. We consider various options, tunnels we should or should not take. When the last line is drawn and the work is complete, it’s closing time at the cafe, and the baristas behind the counter are wiping down all the tables, stacking chairs, and shutting down the machines.
“We’ll break into the archive tomorrow night, yes?” Dorian asks, keeping his voice low. Even though it’s late and we’ve beenworking all day, he doesn’t look tired anymore. “Does that give you enough time, Raven?”
Raven shifts, playing with the ends of her hair. “It has to be. Try to be at the archive by midnight, but not any earlier. The staff should all be gone by then.”
Dorian nods, and I can practically feel his anticipation next to me; his knee is jangling up and down under the table. I refrain from putting a hand on it to still it, but I’m sorely tempted. Raven rolls up the paper and hands it to Dorian. We stand, the light turning off as we shuffle out into the cold night.
As we walk, I think about what Dorian said. Raven is putting herself at risk for us. And I really don’t want her getting hurt. “You sure about all this?” I nudge Raven.
“Nil sine magno labore,” she says firmly.
8
Raven
She had beauty that endured, and a smile that was not forgotten. Somewhere her voice still lingered, and the memory of her words.
—Daphne du Maurier,Rebecca
Pippa, my coworker,is already gone for the day, the library is closing, and the only people left are the overachieving archivists setting the last of the books in place. I pretend to be one of them, sorting through piles of old books, putting them on carts, staying busy while the library empties. From the circulation desk, I see Aspen approaching, and I quickly lift the stack of books I’ve prepared, an inkwell balanced on top. I plot a course that will run right into him, then I raise the books in front of my face, listening to his footsteps tapping on the old wood floors. As we cross paths, Ipretendto trip, and the inkwell tips, emptying its contents onto his jacket, the books sliding out of my hands, falling haphazardly onto the floor, and making a terrible racket.
“Oh!” I cry as Aspen lets out a surprised yelp. “I’m so sorry!”
Aspen raises his arms as I rush in, patting my hands frantically over the ink stain setting into the fabric of his jacket. In the chaos, I take note of the keys, which look heavy in the pocket of his jacket. “Let me help,” I say, real tears burning my eyes.
“It’s okay!” he says. “It’s all right!”
Aspen slips off his jacket, and I take it, swiping the keys fromthe pocket and putting them in mine as I fold his jacket over my arm. I fuss over the ink and try not to think about what I’ve just done. The keys feel heavier than they ought to, as if they’re made of lead, my guilt weighing me down.
“I’m so clumsy,” I say. “I wasn’t thinking—”
“Don’t worry about it.” Aspen kneels, helping me pick up all of the books and setting them back into a pile.
“I don’t know what came over me,” I say, putting the books on the desk.
Aspen grasps me by the arms, capturing my gaze, and says earnestly, “It’s just ink, Raven.”
“I know, but your jacket is ruined. Let me try to clean it for you, please.”
“Don’t worry about it. I promise, it’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t. I’ll take it to the dry cleaner’s for you and everything.”
But Aspen just smiles and presses his hand on the stain and murmurs an incantation in Latin, removing the ink from the fabric.
“Good as new,” he says, still smiling.
“Wow.” I’m genuinely impressed.
“This kind of thing happens all the time. Trust me, I spilled a dozen in my first year.”
I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “I guess I’m still getting used to working around magic.”
“We all start somewhere. No one’s holding it against you, especially not me.”
