Rising Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 1) by Amanda M. Lee Page A

beat. “I bow down in front of your vast knowledge every day.”
    “Don’t placate me,” I muttered.
    “An archimage is a great wizard or magician,” Paris explained. “The word has fallen out of usage. The Archimage as a book, though, is something else entirely.”
    “I’m not going to like the fact that the word ‘mage’ is in it, am I?”
    “No,” Paris replied, shaking her head. “The Archimage is a magical book that’s … well, it’s beyond measure. It’s the one book everyone wants to get their hands on. People claim that it holds enough strength to bring down the most powerful person in the world.”
    “Meaning Zoe,” Aric interjected. “You’re saying this book can kill Zoe. That’s what you’re getting at, aren’t you?”
    “I don’t know,” Paris said, her eyes clouding with fear. “I can’t read it. It’s not classical Latin. I did recognize the book for what it was, though. I knew I had to get it away from my coven. I … they might know about you.”
    Aric tightened his arms around my waist and scowled. “You told them about her? Why?”
    “I was drunk one night and it slipped out,” Paris said, refusing to cower. “I’m so sorry. They know about Zoe’s power. I never told them her name. They know I used to be friends with a mage, though. It wouldn’t be hard for someone to go through my background and find Zoe’s name.”
    “It would be harder than you think,” Aric shot back. “My father paid a lot of money to have Zoe’s name scrubbed from as many public documents as possible. As far as anyone knows, Zoe never went to Covenant College. She was never your roommate.”
    Paris’ eyebrows flew up her forehead. “Seriously?”
    “I’m not messing around with Zoe’s safety,” Aric snapped. “We did what we had to do.”
    “I still couldn’t leave the book with them,” Paris said. “The problem is … they realized what the book was after I took and hid it. They came after me two weeks ago. I’ve been on the run and in hiding since then.”
    “That’s why you came to us,” I mused. “You knew the only way you could keep yourself safe was by bringing the death book to us.”
    “I was hoping you could help me,” Paris clarified. “I … I never meant for any of this to happen.”
    “Well, it did,” Aric snapped. “I want that book, and I want you out of this house right now.”
    Paris blinked rapidly, her face draining of color. “But … .”
    “You can’t do that,” I protested, shooting him a look. “If we don’t help her, they’ll kill her. Even if she doesn’t have the book, that won’t stop them from torturing her until they get our location.”
    Aric rubbed the back of his neck as he considered my words. I could tell he hadn’t thought that far ahead. He pushed me to a standing position and followed suit, stepping in front of Paris and planting his hands on his narrow hips as he scorched her with a dark look. Even dressed in nothing but boxer shorts, he was a terrifying sight.
    “Have you told us everything?” Aric asked.
    “Yes.” Paris’ voice was weak.
    “Where is the book?”
    “It’s in my bag.”
    “I want it,” Aric said. “I want it locked in the safe overnight. You can stay here while I think about this. I’m not promising anything until I’ve had a good night’s sleep, though.”
    I let out a relieved sigh. That would give me time to think, too.
    Paris left the room long enough to get her bag from the rug by the front door. She wordlessly handed the book to Aric. He didn’t even glance at it.
    “There’s a guestroom at the end of that hall,” Aric said, pointing. “I suggest you go there now and get some sleep. If you hear anyone in the yard, don’t worry about it. There will be a team here working through the night to clean up the bodies.”
    “What happens then?” Paris asked, licking her lips.
    “I have no idea,” Aric replied. “I’m sore. I’m tired. I want to take Zoe to bed. Those are the only