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I was in our bedchaain, the one where Matthew and I had spent our first night in the sixteenth century Only a few things had changed: the electricity that powered the la by the fire to call the servants to tend the fire or bring tea (though why this was necessary in a vampire household, I could not fatho roo Tilass had flatly refused to take e of the Book of Life, though it was not yet the supper hour and Duke Hu terlass threatened to kill hiraphic terlass had departed, ostensibly to talk, and Gallowglass had returned with a rapidly healing split lip, a slightly bruised eye, and a ," Fernando said when I headed for the door "I’ll take you toht: You look like death"

"Stop coddlingout intermittent sparks

"I’ll coddle you until your mate returns," Fernando said "The only person on this earth who could make me take you to Oxford is Matthew Feel free to call him" He held out his phone

That had been the end of the discussion I’d accepted Fernando’s ulti and I’d worked ic in the past week than I had es, no other creature can possess the book," A to comfort me But it seemed like a poor consolation when the book was so close

Not even the sight of the three pages, lined up on the long table in the great hall, had i this moment since we left Madison, but now that it was here, it felt strangely anticli sure they didn’t touch We’d learned the hard way that they seenetic affinity When I’d arrived ho to the Bodleian, a soft keening had co that everybody heard--even Phoebe

"You can’t just es and stuff them back into an enchanted book," Sarah said "It’s crazy There are bound to be witches in the roo"

"And who knoill respond?" Ysabeau poked at the illustration of the tree with her finger "What if it shrieks? Ghosts ht set off a rain of fire"

After her experiences in London, Ysabeau had been doing so She was now prepared to discuss a wide variety of topics, including spectral apparitions and the number of occult phenomena that had been observed in the British Isles over the past two years

"You’re going to have to steal it," Sarah said

"I’m a tenured professor at Yale, Sarah! I can’t! My life as a scholar--"

"Is probably over," Sarah said, finishing my sentence

"Come now, Sarah," Fernando chided "That is a bit extreme, even for you Surely there is a way for Diana to check out Ashmole 782 and return it at some future date"

I tried to explain that you didn’t borrow books from the Bodleian, but to no avail With Ysabeau and Sarah in charge of logistics and Fernando and Gallowglass in charge of security, I was relegated to a position where I could only advise, counsel, and warn They were h-handed than Matthew

And so here I was at four o’clock in thefor the sun to rise

"What should I do?" I ainst the cold, diamond-shaped panes

As soon as I asked the question, er into an electrical socket A shiure dressed in white came from the forest, accompanied by a white deer The otherworldly animal walked sedately at the woman’s side, unafraid of the huntress who held a bow and a quiver of arrows in her hand The goddess

She stopped and looked up at hter?" her silvery voice whispered

"Have you lost what you most desire?"

I had learned not to answer her questions She smiled at my reluctance

"Dare to join me under this full oddess rested her fingers on the deer’s antlers and waited

I slipped outside undetected My feet crunched across the gravel paths of the knot gardens, then left dark irass Soon, I stood in front of the goddess

"Why are you here?" I asked

"To help you" The goddess’s eyes were silver and black in theup if you want to possess -- soh" My voice trembled "My parents, then my first child, then s to you"

"And I do not abandon those who serve oddess withdrew an arrow fro and silver, with owl-feather fletches She offered it tothe price"

"No one refuses oddess put the arrow shaft into her bow, aimed It was then I noticed that her weapon lacked its pointed tip Her hand drew back, the silver string pulled taut

There was no tioddess released the shaft It shot straight towardpain, a yank of the chain aroundof warolden links that had held Philippe’s arrowhead slithered down my body and landed at my feet I felt the fabric that covered my chest for the telltale wetness of blood, but there was nothing except a sh

"You cannot outrununtil you have need of it," she said "Even those born to strength should carry weapons"

I searched the ground around htened, I could feel its point pressing into oddess in astonishoddess said "Do not hesitate And aim true"