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didn’t think he had time to learn French. The library he really wanted to hit was in Tokyo, but he didn’t think the Japanese would be particularly fond of him coming for a visit, since he’d recently sliced their First Iron Guard in half.
    It had been stupid to get his hopes up here.
    The idea was troublesome, but Jake Sullivan was beginning to think that maybe he was the expert. And that was just downright scary.
    He’d started hitting various collections after he’d combed through all of the Grimnoir Society’s collected Rune Arcanium . The Society was proud of the information they’d collected over the years, and they’d kept the things that they thought particularly dangerous a secret. Once he’d taken the oath he’d been able to learn the collected spells of the Society, and though it had been educational, their spells were nothing to worry about.
    The Society didn’t know much about the Enemy either, and it seemed the elders thought he was crazy for even suggesting its existence. Sullivan knew something else was out there, searching for the Power, and it would find them eventually. They had to be ready. The Chairman had understood that. Why couldn’t anyone else?
    Sullivan rubbed his tired eyes, shoved the latest useless research paper off to the side, and checked his watch. It was nearly closing time. Studying magic was hard work, but it beat breaking rocks. The library was quiet, as such places tended to be, but it was especially quiet tonight. February was late in the year for this much snow, but there had been a real cold snap over the last few days, and the city was blanketed in white. Everybody with any sense had already gone home.
    “Hi. They told me you could help me.”
    He hadn’t even heard her coming. Sullivan looked up to see a fancy mink coat snuggled around a pretty redhead. “Pardon me, ma’am?”
    “They said you were a librarian and that you could help me find something.” She had the build of a calendar girl, the voice of upper-crust Manhattan, and a face designed to turn men into easily malleable putty, and as she batted her big flirtatious eyelashes at him, he could tell that she was used to men usually doing what she asked, and quickly. “You don’t look like a librarian, though.”
    That’s because he was a square-jawed, thick-armed, solemn block of a man who had obviously lived a high-mileage life. “I’m not that kind of librarian.”
    “What kind are you then?”
    “The kind that isn’t much help. You need to head that way.” He pointed down the stacks. “Ask the nice ladies at the big desk in the middle.”
    “Oh, I’m sure you can be helpful if you want. You strike me like a real chivalrous type.”
    Sullivan just wanted to be left alone. “Not really.”
    “What’re you reading?” she asked, craning her head over his shoulder to read. “Oh . . . Powers? Are you an Active?”
    “No,” he lied as he pushed the book away. “Just an interesting topic is all.”
    “Too bad. I’m fascinated by Actives. Can you imagine being able to do such amazing things? Controlling weather, reading minds, changing gravity, healing the sick . . . Oh, how would it be?”
    He gave a noncommittal grunt.
    “You don’t seem very talkative. What’s your name?”
    “Nobody important.”
    “Well, nice to meet you, Mr. Important.”
    Sullivan could feel a pounding headache coming on. It must have been the eyestrain from twelve hours of reading small print. “Sorry, lady. Been a long day. Place is about to close.” He paused to rub his temples. “If you want to find something you’d best hurry along.”
    She regarded him curiously. Pretty girls weren’t used to getting the shove-off like that. “Well then. Never mind. Good night.” She walked off, heels clicking against the marble floor. He hadn’t heard her come, but he heard her go.
    Despite the sudden headache, Sullivan watched her appreciatively. There was a fine-looking woman, perfectly friendly, just needing a