Ignoring Sister Miriam's curious stare, I dart for the cupboard where Grimoire's resting.
I rush to the cupboard, my fingers tingling as they make contact with Grimoire's supple leather cover. The mont I touch him, his ntal shouts pierce my mind like a blast of thunder.
"Grimoire, for the love of all that's holy, quiet down!" I wince, pressing my free hand to my temple. "Speak at a normal volu before you shatter my ntal eardrums."
The roaring stops abruptly. Through our bond, I sense an almost sheepish energy emanating from the book. He clears his ntal throat.
You've been wasting ti theorizing when you could have just consulted with , Grimoire says, sounding far too condescending for soone who was screaming at to notice him.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Now you tell ."
"Ava?" Lucas's voice cuts through our conversation. I turn to find him frowning at , confusion etched across his face. "What's going on?"
I take a deep breath, suddenly aware of how bizarre this must look to him and Sister Miriam. "I'd like you both to et soone." I hold up the book. "This is Grimoire. He's... well, he's a sentient magic book. And apparently, he has so thoughts on our current situation."
Sister Miriam's eyes widen, a spark of fascination igniting in their depths. She steps forward, hand outstretched. "Fascinating. May I?"
Before I can warn her, her fingers brush the cover. A bright spark erupts between them, and she yanks her hand back with a hiss.
Tell the bloodsucker to keep her hands off , Grimoire's voice echoes in my mind, indignant.
My lips twitch. "He doesn't want to be touched. He called you a bloodsucker. I don't think he's very friendly."
I'm very friendly, he snaps. When I want to be.
To my surprise, Sister Miriam's lips curl into an amused smile. "Well, he's not wrong. Though I prefer the term 'vampire' these days. It has a bit more... panache."
Setting the book on the table, I keep my hand flat on the cover as I sit next to Lucas once again. "Okay, Grimoire. You've been listening. What do you think about this situation?"
Your alpha's predicant is indeed complex. The mories aren't gone, rely locked. Think of it as a defense chanism. The human mind couldn't process the raw, ancient power the wolf tapped into. So it builds a wall.
"So, how do we break down the wall?"
With a bomb, he says cheerfully.
There's no way I heard that right.
"With a what?"
Lucas leans forward. "What did he say?"
I relay Grimoire's words quickly before pressing my hand more firmly against the book's cover. "Care to elaborate?"
Not a physical bomb, you simpleton, Grimoire's voice echoes in my mind, dripping with disdain. A magical one. A surge of power so intense it shatters the ntal barriers.
So, the Grimoire I first t is still a part of his personality. Not just a cuddlebug puppy of a bond, but an intellectual elitist.
No, no. I didn't an it like that. The way he backpedals would be amusing if I wasn't more focused on the information he gave.
I relay his words again, watching their expressions shift from confusion to intrigue.
"That sounds dangerous," Lucas says, his voice tight with concern.
Sister Miriam leans forward, her eyes gleaming with interest. "It's not entirely without precedent. Brute force is often used when finesse fails."
Tell the bloodsucker she's not entirely useless, Grimoire says, sounding pleased by the vampire's understanding.
"Grimoire, what exactly would this 'magical bomb' do? And what are the risks?"
There's a pause, and I can almost feel Grimoire considering his words. It would be a concentrated burst of magical energy, focused on breaking down the ntal barriers. The risks... well, they're not insignificant. Best case scenario, it works perfectly, and all mories are restored. Worst case...
I swallow hard, already dreading the answer. "Worst case?"
Worst case, it could shatter more than just the barriers. It could fragnt the mind entirely, leaving nothing but broken pieces.
My heart plumts. I relay Grimoire's words, feeling my brief rising hope dissipate.
Lucas is the first to break the silence. "So, it's either get my mories back or beco a vegetable? Those aren't great odds."
One option is a gradual approach. Instead of a bomb, think of it as a slow erosion. We could use magic to slowly wear away at the barriers, allowing mories to trickle back over ti.
"That sounds better," I say, hope rising in my chest. "What's the catch?"
It would take ti. Possibly months, maybe even years. And there's no guarantee it would work completely. So mories might remain locked away forever.
Once again, I'm a parrot, repeating it all for Lucas and Sister Miriam.
"We don't have that kind of ti," Sister Miriam muses. "The war won't wait for a single alpha to regain his mories. The longer he is without them, the worse it is for all of us."
"What do you think, Selene?" I ask, fishing for her presence in my mind.
While the risks are frightening, the potential rewards are imnse. If it works, Lucas regains everything he's lost. His mories, his sense of self, his connection to his wolf...
I shake my head; it doesn't feel worth the potential downsides.
I know it's not what you want to hear, Selene says, her presence in my mind softening. That's why I've remained silent during this discussion.
"Grimoire, is there anything in between these two extres? Sothing that balances risk and speed?" Lucas asks, for the first ti showing real interest in the conversation.
There is one other option, Grimoire says, his tone serious. It's a bit... unconventional.
"At this point, I think we're open to unconventional," I mutter.
The alpha could summon his wolf.
I blink, confusion washing over . "Summon his wolf? What do you an?"
Just as you summoned your wolf, Grimoire explains, his tone matter-of-fact.
My brow furrows deeper. "What are you talking about? I never summoned Selene. She just appeared one day."
I can almost feel Grimoire's exasperation through our bond. Child, do you truly believe a powerful being like Selene would simply materialize without cause? You called her, whether you realize it or not.
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