We met Lucian by the water cooler in the dim, quiet stacks of the Archives. He was holding a stack of files and looking incredibly pleased with himself.
"How goes the legal counsel?" I asked.
"Marvelous," Lucian whispered. "I've threatened three interns with litigation and I found the original blueprints for the plumbing. Did you get the key?"
I held up the black obsidian card.
"Director Sterling is currently trying to stop Maelle from redecorating the lobby," I said. "We have maybe twenty minutes before he realizes I played him."
"To the service elevator," Adrien commanded.
We moved through the stacks. The air here smelled of old paper and secrets. We found the service elevator tucked away behind a shelf of 'Banned Grimoires.'
I swiped the card. The panel beeped. A new button lit u
