Page 3 of Monster's Delight

“A grimoire?”

“It is.” Speaking regularly, which sounded too loud in the quiet of the library, he added, “My family’s grimoire.”

“No kidding? Wow.” I had managed to join him at the table. The magic that had almost blinded me at first had faded, only visible in the glossiness of the embossed lettering on the front and spine. I reached one hand out tentatively, but hesitated before touching it.

“Go ahead,” Grandfather said.

I put my hand flat on the book and tingles raced up my arm, spreading throughout my body before fading just as quickly. Eyes wide, I tore my gaze from the book to look at Grandfather.

He chuckled. “Felt that, did you?”

I nodded.

“This grimoire was mine when I was in school at Blackthorn Academy, just as it was my father’s before me, and his father’s before him, and so on. I’m not sure just how old it is, but it has been in our family for generations.”

“Did Papa use it?” I asked.

“He didn’t want it.”

“Why not?” I noticed I was tracing the lettering, and whipped my hand away.

Grandfather was stroking his beard again. “Your father wasn’t interested in exploring magic. He wanted to learn what he needed to and then move on with his life. You’re different. You’re like me, and many of our ancestors.” His blue eyes, so like my own, pierced through me into my very soul. “You want to discover the secrets of magic. You want to take it apart, find out how it works, and put it back together. This will help you on that journey.”

“This... is for me?” I asked, hardly daring to hope.

“It is.”

“Thank you so much. I’ll look after it, I promise.” Unbidden, my fingers returned to the embossed leather.

“Of that I have no doubts.” Grandfather smiled at me. “Come, bring your book and tuck it safely away with your other school things.”

“Will it shrink safely?”

“No problem at all.”

I picked up the book and took his arm as he walked me to my usual room. “Grandfather, can you tell me some stories about what it was like for you at school?”

“Not too old for bedtime stories?” he asked, teasing me gently.

“Never, if they’re your stories.” We climbed to the third storey.

“Flatterer. Get in your pajamas and robe and meet me in the upstairs sitting room. You’re too big now to sit on my lap in the rocking chair, so we’ll have to make do with the couch.”

“Deal. Although I think I’m too big to sit on your lap on the couch, too.” I laughed when Grandfather scowled at me.

“You know what I meant, impudent Miss.” He dropped his arm and I realized we were outside my door. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

“Give me twenty? I’d like to shower to get the grime of travel off me before sleeping.”

“Of course.”

I entered my suite. It looked the same as it always did; a huge four-poster bed, a chaise, a bank of shelving, and two doors to the closet and to the ensuite.

I slung my purse on the bed and carefully placed the grimoire beside it. The urge to open it, to start exploring its pages, was strong. Almost too strong. Instead, I took off my shirt, wrapped it around the book, and resolutely pointed at it, concentrating my energy on making it small until it shrank to the size of the rest of my things.

Grimoire safely tucked away in my purse, I took out my pajamas and laid them on the bed. It was only a matter of focusing for a moment before they regained their regular size. Satisfied, I stripped off the rest of my clothing for a quick shower.

I preferred a long, hot soaking where I could let my mind drift into imagining the adventures I was going to have once I graduated from Blackthorn Academy.

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