Wowza! The description of the library undid me. Also, I want to see more of that book that Ethan nicked.

Oooof, connie. Wow. All those books! All that knowledge! oh.....

Does no one care about all the people? didn't think so Oh, the humanity.

They were only Watchers.

You guys ever see Name of the Rose? Because the ending where crazy old monk is eating the poison pages and the library is burning and Sean Connery is so upset. ... Damn, I just think back on all the knowledge that has been lost and I get so fucking angry.

Anyway, it's a good movie as I recall.

Elena, I've seen the movie and I've read the book. You're not wrong about what I was thinking.

Such a horrifying scene. In the book, the movie, and your fic.

basks in the glow of a happy author

Blessed tiara. Thank you, connie.

first part of the coda, darned busy work day

Despite Giles' demands that they keep moving, Ethan aimed everyone at a hotel. This time it was a nice hotel on the rich side of discreet, where money bought a chance to recuperate. He had money enough, if he wanted to use it.

Judicious use of basic misdirection spells got them all into a suite with two bedrooms, each with attached bath, and only one outside door that required warding. Ethan deposited the girls in one room, Giles in the other, then just stood in the sitting room, leaning against a table as he tried to force his brain to unlock.

He was impressed all to hell with himself, being calm and resourceful and getting everyone out of that. Underneath it all, though, he could picture the flames ripping through the walls, catching the people. He worshipped chaos, fire made him happy. If he hadn't been a sorcerer he'd have been a pyromaniac. Or a fireman. But this was just destruction for death and evil's sake. People died of some of the things he did, he didn't deny that, but that had never been the purpose. Collateral damage. This, this was just murder and barbaric destruction.

Underneath his hands were the books they'd rescued. Eyes closed, he ran his fingers across the bindings. No magic spoke from these volumes. They were old and valuable, but not alive.

He opened his eyes to look at them. Ti'tillen's Guide to the Higher Dimensions. A good book, essential for anyone who was even thinking of portal travel. So essential that several copies existed in libraries around the world. Ethan flipped through the volume and saw annotations in various hands. Notes from travellers? Possibly very worth saving, then. The other book Giles had grabbed was a collection of maps of leylines cross-referenced with known communities of demons of various sorts. Again, worth saving but hardly unique.

He laughed when he saw the book he'd grabbed as they left: Volume 6 of the Collected Works of Sigidith the Poet. Kudos to the Watchers for their urges towards a complete collection, but surely Sigidith was better used to prop up uneven table legs than as research material. He touched the book still tucked under his shirt. At least one truly unique book was saved. He pulled it out and studied it for several minutes. He understood the symbology of the Janusside linguistic system. There were probably very few people in the world--even fewer, now--who were better suited to interpreting the work than he, who would be a more appropriate guardian.

After a few more moments, he added it to the pile of books on the table.