The salamander's heart was pounding as it flattened itself against the floor, praying not to be seen. Mordred muttered something to himself and leaned back in his chair, stretching. The salamander seized this moment to quickly slide under a nearby piece of furniture.
From its hiding place, it watched as Mordred stood up and walked towards the window, turning his back to the bookshelf. It was now or never.
With a quick movement, the salamander emerged from its hiding place and climbed the shelf. Its eyes scanned the spines of the books, looking for one similar to Elio's. Suddenly, it saw it: a book with a similar cover and a faint smell of mana.
Just as it was about to grab it with its mouth, it heard Mordred turning. With no time to think, the salamander lunged for the book, clinging to it as it fell to the floor. The dull thud alerted Mordred.
"What was that?" the old man growled, approaching the shelf.