The night of the Coven Gala had left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
It wasn't the champagne. It was the secrecy. The twenty minutes in the library had been heaven, but walking away from Guilermo had been hell. And Sibal’s knowing smile had been the final nail in the coffin of my patience.
I was back in the Coven House library, this time officially. Sibal had assigned me to reorganize the restricted section, a task that was usually reserved for senior archivists. It was a punishment disguised as a promotion. The restricted section was dusty, dark, and filled with books that whispered if you touched them wrong.
But it was also quiet. And it had a back door.
I was on a ladder, shelving a heavy tome on necromancy, when I heard the click of the lock.
It wasn't the main door. It was the s
