Page 8 of Wolf Queen Ruin
Dr.FelixMorgan’slibrarywas what might happen if a Victorian bibliophile’s collection had a passionate affair with a supernatural archive and produced highly disorganized offspring.
Books covered every vertical surface from floor to cathedral ceiling.Leather-bound tomes nestled against digital tablets displayed ancient texts, next to scrolls so old they shimmered with preservation spells.The air smelled of old paper, coffee, Felix’s pipe tobacco, and that distinctive tang of magic that always made my nose and the bottoms of my feet itch.
“I can practically hear you judging the organization system,” I told Damien as I led him through the maze of knowledge.“And yes, before you ask, those books are floating.”
Near the ceiling, several ancient volumes drifted in lazy circles, occasionally bumping into each other like bumper cars.
“I wasn’t judging,” Damien replied with unexpected humor lighting his eyes.“I’m merely wondering how Dr.Felix locates anything specific without summoning demons.”
I blinked at what almost sounded like a joke.“He has a system.It makes perfect sense if you’re a mad genius who categorizes knowledge by ‘vibrational resonance’ rather than, say, the alphabet.”
On cue, Dr.Felix himself emerged from behind a towering stack of manuscripts that should have been impossible to navigate.Today his wild silver hair seemed to be defying not just gravity but several other fundamental laws of physics.His round spectacles sat askew on his nose, and he wore frayed red suspenders that had seen better decades, paired with a T-shirt that readNecromancers Do It With Dead Bodies.
Yes, he’s a real doctor, not just some madman I found on the streets.
“Luna!”he exclaimed, arms wide for a hug that smelled like peppermint and tobacco.Then he spotted Damien, and his smile dimmed like someone had turned down a light switch.“And…company.I see you weren’t exaggerating about your new association.”
I’d called ahead to warn Felix about my research partner, but still, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
“Dr.Felix Morgan.”Damien bowed slightly.Not the stiff formal nod I’d expected, but a gesture of genuine respect.“Your collection is remarkable, and it surprised me that it’s not all medical.I particularly admire the Codex Umbrae on your east wall.The Leipzig copy was destroyed during the bombings of 1943.I haven’t seen a complete copy in a long time.”
Felix’s bushy eyebrows shot up so high they nearly merged with his hairline.“You know the Codex?Most scholars believe it’s a legend.”
“Legend tends to be history wearing a more flattering costume,” Damien replied with a small smile.“The debates about containing the Black Plague’s supernatural variants documented in those pages likely saved thousands of lives.”
Felix’s hostility thawed as he assessed Damien with new interest.“You’re a historian?”
“Among other things,” Damien said with a small shrug.“In another life, perhaps I would have been satisfied with academia alone.”
I glanced between them, feeling like I’d missed several pages of the conversation.The Damien before me—passionate about ancient texts, almost charming—was at odds with the secretive, calculating man who’d admitted to stalking me.
“We need access to your shifter archives,” I said, not wanting to get sidetracked by supernatural historical society hour.“Specifically anything related to the Wolf Queen and the Shadow Fang.”
Felix’s eyes widened behind his glasses.“The Shadow Fang?Luna, what have you gotten yourself into now?”
“Potentially?Just a job.”
He shot another glance at Damien.“And your interest in this artifact, Mr.Cross?”
A flash of raw emotion flickered across Damien’s face.“Someone I care about deeply is dying,” he said.“The Shadow Fang may be their only hope.”
The simple honesty in his voice caught me off guard.This wasn’t the smooth, diplomatic answer I’d expected.
Felix studied him for a long moment, his head tilted like a curious bird.“The Shadow Fang is more legend than fact, you know.Like searching for Excalibur or the Holy Grail.”
“People said the same about the Moonstone of Lycaon,” I said with a shrug, “until I pulled it from that temple in Greece two years ago.”
“Fair point,” Felix said.“Well, if you’re determined to chase shadows, you might as well have the best information available.”He gestured toward the western corner of the library.“The shifter archives are over there.The oldest texts are under preservation spells.You’ll need these to handle them.”
He pulled two pairs of silvery gloves from his pocket that seemed to ripple like liquid metal when they caught the light.
“I have patients to attend to upstairs.”He turned to Damien with narrowed eyes, then he pointed the same warning look my way.“Do be careful with the manuscripts from the First Convergence period.They’re irreplaceable, and I would take it quite personally if anything happened to them.”
The threat was subtle but unmistakable.
I raised my hands innocently.
After Felix shuffled away, I led Damien to the western corner, where the oldest shifter records were kept.Unlike the rest of the chaotic library, this section was meticulously organized, with each volume in a protective case lined with symbols I recognized as preservation runes.
