Page 29 of The Alien in the Archive

Because those nights…gods, hearing my name on her lips, even in dreams, is intoxicating.

I lead Page down the uneven stone passage from my alcove, our footsteps echoing softly against the crumbling walls. Bioluminescent moss casts an eerie green glow, illuminating her face as she follows close behind me, her eyes wide with curiosity. That curiosity—it shines brighter than the moss. It’s in every step, every hesitant touch she makes on the ancient walls. She’s fearless in all the ways that matter. Ashlan leads the way, antennae glowing a contented gold.

“This is incredible,” Page breathes, running her fingers along the wall. It sends a puff of gold-green spores out and she covers her mouth, coughing. “Oh God—is it safe?”

“The spores are harmless,” I chuckle. “Other than when they turn you into a mindless husk.”

She scowls at me. “I can’t tell whether you’re joking or not.”

I pause, look back at her. “I wouldn’t bring you anywhere that isn’t safe.”

She doesn’t respond.

“Because if I wanted to kill you, I could have done it ages ago…and besides, you entertain me.”

She rolls her eyes.

We keep walking, the moss pulsing brighter, and the sound of trickling water begins somewhere up ahead.

“I didn’t know this was part of the library,” Page says.

“It isn’t. Not officially. The Labyrinth predates the Grand Library; it’s older than anything you’ve seen here.”

“Even you?”

“Ha ha,” I grumble. “Yes, it’s even older than me.”

“And why are we here?”

I pause at the entrance to where we’re headed, facing Page. She looks up at me, and I can’t read the expression on her face—but it’s in her mind.

He’s finally going to bring it up, isn’t he?

“Because you need to learn. Your thoughts are exceptionally loud, and you mentioned that you sometimes get overwhelmed with the voices of others. This place can help.”

Her brows knit together, but she nods. “All right. What do I do?”

I step aside, gesturing to the chamber ahead. The walls open into a larger cavern, its floor tangled with glowing roots that curl into shallow pools of water. Ashlan runs ahead and leaps into what looks like a circle of light, but as we get closer, it becomes clear that these are dozens of lumivix, chattering away. They leap around and play and curl up with each other, antennae glowing in different colors.

Page comes up beside me and stops dead in her tracks, covering her gasp. “They’re…so cute.”

I huff out a laugh. “Most people here think they’re pests.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re book thieves,” I chuckle. “And near-impossible to domesticate.”

“But you trained Ashlan.”

I scoff. “Ashlan trained me, not the other way around.”

She laughs with me, shaking her head. “And…why are we here?”

“Because they’re a hive mind, which means you can focus on blocking out one thought with many sources,” I say. “They have independent thoughts, of course, but they can senseeach other’s fear, bloodlust, love. Those thoughts, luckily, are simple enough to parse.”

She gives me an incredulous look. “You’re training me in telepathy with…adorable fuzzy animals?”

I smile. “If you can focus your mind enough to hear them, you can focus enough to block out the rest.”

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