Page 57 of Possession

Yes.

He begins to wander close to the stacks, pressing on each book’s stem as he reads the titles with startling efficiency; before I can begin to process the first letter of any of the words, he’s already moving to the next stack. Soon enough, I stop trying to pay attention and instead consider the odd pulses that the books give off. Even from inside, I can feel it. Recognize it.

Like Henry’s tattoos, these have magic in them, or they are magic. It’s extraordinary. Before Aris, wizards and gods were beyond my wildest dreams. And there is just so much that I don’t know.

How does magic work? Can anyone use it? Does it have a cost, like the loss of youth the Grand Mage suffered, or is that only for certain spells?

So, you can’t use magic, but it can be used against you?

Are you trying to find a way to kill me? He lets out an amused huff. I’ll warn you now, it cannot be done. Magic might be a nuisance, but it requires an extreme amount of energy and effort to affect me.

I consider being trapped by a necklace for three years and suppose that, to an immortal with nothing but time and power, that might feel like just a “nuisance.”

I wasn’t thinking about killing you. I just don’t know anything about this world, and knowledge is power and all that.

“Quite true, Mary.” He rubs our fingers together, flicking away the dust that’s gathered from the sides of the books. I have to wonder how long it’s been since someone came in here. “Shall we ask Henry?”

I hesitate, suspicious. I thought that you didn’t like him.

“I don’t like sharing,” Aris corrects as he picks up a book titled in Greek, letting out a quiet hum before setting it back down.

We share a body.

“Let me rephrase: I don’t like sharing you with others.”

I’m not sure if he’s trying to wind me up or not. We can ask Henry, if you want, is all I say.

Aris instantly sets out for the exit, making me a little wary. It isn’t exactly a good sign when Aris is interested in something.

Conversationally, he asks, Do you feel yourself being sucked away into a void? Being eaten and consumed?

Not yet, no.

Then I’d dare say that our test is going swimmingly.

I wonder what that means for me and our arrangement. Do you have any theories on what’s happening? I ask instead.

There might be some merit to what you were thinking before.

And what was I thinking?

That the amulet perhaps… dampened me and allowed for us to coexist. However, things are different now. I’m stronger, and my essence could be chipping away at your own.

The thought is depressing, like sitting down for a chess match against a grandmaster. Why play, if I already know I’ll lose?

Don’t be dour. Now that I’m aware of the problem, I will try to minimize it. It’s no solution, but it will buy us time to cozy up with the wizard.

I am, again, suspicious. Why?

He’s been holding out on us. The books here are powerful. Old. Strong. The fact that he has access to them means he has more resources than he let on.

This is his friend’s house.

Then maybe his friend will know how to alter the enchantment.

He carries our body downstairs as I ponder this. Change the amulet, again. Why would Aris be willing to do that?

All he needs is my death when I’m in control and he’d be free: to rampage, murder, explode the cosmos—whatever he wanted. Free to his exact revenge, to utilize the deep and sticky fury he has from being trapped and ridiculed, forced to consort with a human. The rage that has piled and festered and grown into a brutal, choking need to liquify his captor’s bones…

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