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Maidmont licked his lips ‘Yes, yes Good idea Let’s do that’ He didn’t o then’ His mouth flattened ‘The more trustworthy witnesses we have while we check, the better’
He had a point Given my reputation within the Order, I wouldn’t be surprised if the coincidence of my return and the Manuscripts’ disappearance would end up being linked I’d go down in history as the most infamous, evil witch that ever dared to walk the earth Not to mention that I’d be locked up for the rest of my natural life
The three of us headed up to the third floor Part ofand soht now, that was ht that someone had stolen the Cypher Manuscripts and all the power they contained within their ancient scrolls If they had, the amount of work Winter and I would have to do would be never-ending
Winter had permission to enter the warded room where the Cyphers were kept but I had to wait outside until Maido to all that trouble, I stepped out of the way; I could watch from the doorway At least then there would be no chance that erprints would compromise the scene
Winter opened the door and he and Maidmont strode inside My eyes searched beyond them There were a lot of oak shelves; even from here, I could see that several of theh of relief
‘It’s alright! They’re still here’ I wiped my brow It was difficult to tell whether the dampness eat or drips from the water spell Either way, the world wasn’t about to end
Winter slowly exa, I sensed he felt the saht that, however, Maidasped ‘It’s not here’
Winter leapt towards him ‘Show me’
The librarian pointed shakily With both their bodies blocking the view, I couldn’t see anything but it didn’t matter; there was no doubt that the librarian would knohether it really had goneor not
‘Could it have been checked out?’ Winter demanded
Maidmont stuttered, ‘N–no No one apart from the Ipsissimus himself is allowed to remove the Manuscripts and he’s not been in here for several rowled ‘Maybe it’s just been returned to the wrong shelf Ivy, get in here and look around too’
‘I can’t,’ I said unhelpfully ‘The on’t let -quick rune The slight pressure that had been holding me back immediately vanished I wrinkled my nose and inched forward The less involved I ith all this, the better I really didn’t want to go inside
‘It’s not here,’ Maidmont whispered ‘It’s definitely not here’
I released a breath ‘I don’t suppose you knohat Volume 9 contains?’
A deeply troubled voice sounded behind me The Ipsissimus ‘Authority,’ he said ‘Volu power and authority over others’
I bit s could be worse, right?’
His pale eyes looked at ical dictatorship, where the leader goes pered and can do whatever he or she wants to, including torture, death and corruption of the highest order, then yes, Ms Wilde, things could be worse’
Ah Well, when he put it like that…