“Everything alright?” he asked Draco, though his eyes remained fixed on me.
Draco straightened. “Fine. Just having a chat with our resident myth.”
Percy’s jaw tightened. “We need to go. Eris and Aiden are waiting.”
I watched the silent communication pass between them, the slight nod from Draco, the minute relaxation of Percy’s shoulders. Shield bonds were fascinating and terrifying, the way they moved as extensions of each other.
“See you around, Black,” Draco said, already turning away.
“Can’t wait,” I muttered.
Percy lingered a moment longer than necessary, his dark eyes sending me several warnings in the one look. Then he followed Draco, disappearing around the corner.
I continued toward the library, my mind turning over his words. The Assembly’s asset. The phrase bothered me, not just because of who said it, but because a small, traitorous part of me wondered if he was right.
I decidedto follow through with my original plan. The library was nearly empty when I arrived, most students at afternoon training or lounging in common areas. Perfect. I headed straight for the ancient texts section, where the most valuable information was kept.
“Can I help you find something?” The librarian, an older woman with silver-streaked black hair and kind eyes, approached me.
“Yes, actually. I’m looking for texts on the First Crossing. Primary sources if possible.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Those are in the restricted section.”
“I have clearance.” I pulled out the Assembly authorization Orion had given me before I left. The librarian examined it carefully before nodding.
“Follow me.”
She led me through a set of ornate doors to a room that smelled of old paper and preservation spells. The walls were lined with ancient tomes, their spines bearing faded titles in languages I barely recognized, some of them Sumerian or Latin.
“These three are the most comprehensive,” she said, selecting volumes from different shelves. “This one contains firsthand accounts from survivors of the crossing, this details the portal magic, and this...” she hesitated, “contains what little we know about the Ophis bloodline.”
I took them reverently. “Thank you.”
For the next few hours, I lost myself in the pages, absorbing details the Assembly had never shared with me. Accounts of the final battle, descriptions of the Ophis leader’s sacrifice, and most intriguingly, notes about the specific powers the designation wielded.
Portal manipulation was just the beginning. There were references to something called “lightcraft”, the ability to create weapons out of pure starlight, and “darkrending” the ability to slip through dark matter as if walking through a doorway.That, I’d never heard of before.
When my eyes began to strain in the dimming light, I checked out the books and headed back to my room. I’d needmore time with them later, but for now, my stomach was reminding me it was dinnertime.
I dropped the books on my desk, where Noodle was coiled in a patch of fading sunlight.
‘Food?’he asked hopefully as I entered.
“Dinner time,” I confirmed. “Want to come?”
His head lifted with interest.‘Yessss.’
I laughed. “Fine, but behave yourself.” I held out my arm, and he slithered up it, disappearing beneath the sleeve of my jacket where he coiled comfortably around my bicep.
The dining hall was already bustling when I arrived. I spotted Tye and Lydia at a table near the windows, sitting with three other students I didn’t recognize. Tye waved enthusiastically when he saw me.
“Jupiter! Over here!” he called, as if I couldn’t see his six-foot-two frame towering over everyone else.
I grabbed a tray of food, some kind of pasta dish that smelled amazing, and made my way over.
“Hey,” I said, sliding into an empty seat.
“Guys, this is Jupiter,” Tye announced to the table. “Jupiter, this is Vega, Rick, and Hector. They’re in my Celestial Theory class.”
