Laced Book Novels & Stories

Zara's pov The moonlight spilled into the library, highlighting the dust motes floating in the air. I sat at a heavy oak table, surrounded by stacks of old books and scrolls Adrian had gathered for me. He thought immersing myself in the pack’s history might help me settle in, but the quiet only amplified the unease simmering in my chest. I flipped through a thick, leather-bound book with intricate silver filigree on its cover. The delicate craftsmanship caught my eye, but the words inside gripped my soul.

I kept my mind link open to be sure no one had been startled by my abrupt change in attitude. When I'd gotten closer to Olivia's room, I felt Lyle's wolf reaching out to me. Wailing in distress. Alarmed, I mind linked Byron who quickly rushed out of his room and we ran to Lyle's room. His door was locked but I punched a hole through the door, turning open the knob.

She hadn’t been mingling with us much lately, probably avoiding me and Edina both—for different reasons. “Hey,” she said suddenly, eyes flicking to Caelora. “I found what you were looking for.” Caelora’s entire posture straightened. “You did? Where?” Lira produced a leather-bound book from behind her back, worn and ancient, its edges gilded in silver. “It’s called The Aether Bond.” That name made my chest go tight. I stepped closer without even thinking. “What is that?” “It’s… a theory,” Caelora said, taking the book like it was holy. She flipped through the pages with careful fingers, scanning the faded script. “It explains how an Aether-bearer can deepen their bond with the source magic. M

I opened it and found myself entering a smaller version of the library downstairs. There was no swirling staircase going up, up, up, rather walls full of books, some of which were only accessible via the sliding ladder off to the side. With my stomach full and heart heavy, I waltzed over to one of the shelves and scanned them, intending to pick a book at random. One in particular drew my eye. The cover was made of dark leather, embossed with a swirling gold font that was a bit hard to read. Tendrils of flame, interwoven with threads of shadow, danced up the spine and around the back.

I moved my flashlight to where I saw a row of old armor lined up against the wall, there were some rusty swords and shields that I couldn't help but think that these shields had been here way before the Lycan King had even been born, there must have been used for a battle a hundred years ago or even more. There was a large desk in the corner with an antique-looking lamp on top, the bulb seemed to be lit but not on, there were strange-looking books, some with leather covers, others paper, some old, some brand new with pages that fell open and wrinkled under my fingers. There were even some books with gold writing on the cover but none of them looked like they were readable, I picked up the ne

He mindlinked him, and he nodded, sniffing. "What the fuck is going on here?" A familiar voice asked behind them, making Hashmuk let go of Rasmore. The person standing behind them was the person he was crying for, thinking he had left him. It was Kelvin, with a pile of magic books in his hands. He and his friends smelled like they were coming from the sewer.

The Guild favors places like this when it wants to remember something and forget it at the same time. I sweep the room. Corners. Ceiling. Floor. Then I move to the wall panel. It’s slightly misaligned. I pry it loose. Inside is a thin, worn book. The leather is softened with use. No markings. Just a name pressed into the cover. Lucien. The response is immediate. A sharp pressure low in my chest. Gone almost as quickly as it comes. My fingers tighten around the spine. Heat rises to my throat. My breath falters once.

Even with Uneece's sadness, she looked mesmerizing: straight out of the painting. Nonetheless, Shiera continued to admire and stayed silent by the door. Meanwhile, Alexander rushed to his private library rummaging in his drawers, searching for the book that his deceased great- great grandmother left him. He was indeed mentally disturbed. The book he was looking for was about Lycan's soulmates. He knew their culture better than anyone but the words Uneece spoke of had him perplexed. His big fingers skimmed word-for-word. He needed to check twice.

The air was heavy with the distinct, metallic scent of ancient Lycan magic and sterile corporate preservatives. Sector Seven. A low, wet hiss echoed from the center of the room. The mutated creature was crouching on top of a central steel operating table, its elongated head twitching as its hairless olfactory nodes flared, tracking the fresh trail of blood dripping from my shoulder. It bared three rows of needle-thin teeth, its muscles contracting as it prepared to make its final, lethal pounce to consume me.

Even from atop the wall, Elara could feel powerful magic radiating from it. Old magic. Ancient magic. The chest was carefully opened. Inside rested a single book. --- Gasps erupted among the nobles. The book looked older than anything most of them had ever seen. Its leather cover was cracked with age. Silver symbols decorated the binding. The moment Elara looked at it, something inside her stirred. Recognition. Not conscious recognition. Something deeper. Something instinctive. The Alpha lifted the book carefully. "This is the Chronicle of Luna." Even Lucien's eyes narrowed.