More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Read between
September 17 - September 17, 2022
“First, a proper introduction. My name is Malcolm Campbell, and I am a master of the… let’s call them the magical arts.” “Magical arts,” I said. “You’re about to tell me you aren’t a stage magician.” “I begin to see why Nathaniel hired you,” Campbell said. “Real magic, not rabbits out of hats. Not that I haven’t turned my hand to the latter sometimes.”
I like to say I didn’t choose this path, it chose me, he wrote, but that would deny my responsibility for what came of it. And yet I would have been content to stay as I was, had opportunity not presented itself.
As soon as the door shut behind them, Campbell said, “Why didn’t you abdicate?” “Not you, too!” “That was an honest question. You don’t know what you’re doing, and as far as I can tell, there’s no one to teach you.” He did sound curious rather than critical. “Because there must be some reason Mr. Briggs chose me,” I said, “and I’m not going to give up without at least trying. If I fail miserably, that’s the time to abdicate.” “You realize your failure could be catastrophic to this war,” Campbell said. “I ought to insist you stop now.” “You had your chance. Why didn’t you?” “I dislike William
...more
I retrieved a catalogue from the topmost box and brought it back to the Kellers. “I, um, hope you like it,” I said, feeling like an idiot. How could I ask them what it was for without betraying how incompetent I was? Harry and Harriet exchanged a knowing look. “You don’t know, do you, dear,” Harriet said, putting a wrinkled hand on my arm. “About the catalogue.” I flushed. “No need to be embarrassed,” Harry said, “everyone’s got to learn somehow.” He rolled the catalogue into a cylinder and slapped it once or twice against his palm. “It’s a basic divination tool, for the sort of everyday
...more
“It sounds like dead Mr. Briggs chose you for a reason. Though I have to say, it’s suspicious.” “What is?” “It’s almost like he chose you for your ignorance. Are you sure he didn’t predict his death?” “Lucia said we can’t use Abernathy’s for our personal benefit. So I’m reasonably sure.” “Then that means he expected to go on living and he wanted you to follow orders. You wouldn’t know enough to ask the right questions. Or the inconvenient ones.” “He did say I didn’t have any bad habits to unlearn.”
“Glass, steel, paper, stone. I’ve heard there are two others.” “Bone magi are healers,” Harriet said. She stood and began clearing plates. “They can repair damage to the human body. Not disease, of course, but broken bones, internal trauma, that sort of thing.” “And wood magi have similar protections to steel magi,” Brittany said. “They were the first magi. People used to think certain kinds of wood were protection against evil influences—we use rowan for the aegis. They also fight with living wood when they can. Mostly they work outside cities, where there’s lots of growing things.”
“Abernathy’s turned you down, probably because it doesn’t want to be party to murder. I ought to tell someone what you have in mind, except it sounds like I’m under some kind of seal of the confessional and I’d be breaking my oath. So why don’t you give up on murder?” “Because he won’t stop hitting me.” The sobs were coming faster now, and I could barely make out her words. “I’m so tired. He won’t stop. I need him to stop.” It was enough at odds with her cocky demeanor, her absolute surety that she was in the right, that I didn’t believe her. “If you’re making a play for my sympathy, it’s not
...more
This highlight has been truncated due to consecutive passage length restrictions.
“Are you hoping to stall? I’m not sure why.” A shot echoed through the still air, then another. Dunlop dropped his gun and clutched his shoulder. Then he collapsed. “She was waiting for that,” Campbell said. I sagged against the nearest bookcase, holding tight to its shelves so I wouldn’t fall. “I forgot you were here.”
