Chapter 1

Chapter

One

Halizanth Brightminer was having a thoroughly wretched day.

It had started with a hangover from one too many mugs of mead at the auction the night before, where she'd had to haggle and fight for every last one of the late Madame Bellerose's books. Then there was the matter of the estate auction manager, who seemed to think that just because the terms of the sale clearly stated the books needed to be collected by the end of the week, that he could name any hour he pleased for her to come and retrieve them. (Six in the blasted morning. She'd given him a withering look and informed him that it would be closer to nine before she arrived, nursing her headache and the dregs of her coffee.)

As a result, she'd arrived at Folio it was more of a prop for when customers asked about the kind of wares she carried. "A-are you sure? It's quite expensive."

"I'm sure." He reached into the pouch at his hip and withdrew a handful of crowns, the likes of which Hali had never seen outside of the royal treasury. "Will this be enough?"

Hali's eyes widened. "Oh, my. Yes, that should do just fine." She plucked the book from the counter and hastily rang up the sale, her hands trembling with excitement. "I'm sure you'll find it an excellent addition to your collection. You have a firm grasp of the subject matter already, I take it?"

"A bit here and there," he said, in an infuriatingly, charmingly casual way. "But I'm always looking to learn more. So if you've anything else . . ."

Hali bit back a thousand questions. Who was he? What did he plan to do with this knowledge? How had he come to be so well-versed in the arcane without her having heard of him before? But she knew better than to pester a customer. "Well, if you have any questions about the text, or if there's a particular topic you're looking to explore further, it'd be my pleasure to try and assist. I might be able to order something in for you, if I don't have it in stock."

"I'll keep that in mind." He picked up the book and tucked it into his satchel. "Thank you for your help . . . ?"

"Halizanth Brightminer, at your service. And who do I have the pleasure of assisting today?"

He offered her a small smile, and for a brief, dangerous moment, Hali almost wished she could be on the receiving end of it more often. "I'm Osric. Osric Emberhearth."

Hali's heart soared, and she offered him a dazzling smile that she hoped looked effortless, rather than the result of several years of practice in the mirror with the assistance of her favorite romantic daydreams. "Osric. A pleasure indeed." She made a great show of fumbling for the quill and ink to record his purchase in the logbook, then straightened, her smile reappearing. "I don't mean to pry, but you seem to have a great deal of knowledge on the subject already. Is it a personal interest, or are you perhaps . . . studying the subject professionally?"

There. A casual question, just as Sooty had suggested. Though she congratulated herself on the graceful way she'd phrased it, rather than blurting out the words, "Tell me everything about yourself, mysterious Osric!"

But if Osric was taken aback by her question, he didn't show it. He merely gestured toward the stacks of books lining the walls. "This place is a treasure trove for someone of my interests. The exact sort of shop one might seek out when . . . conducting research."

Hali's mouth fell open, unsure whether to be flattered or offended. She'd like to think that if there were some kind of major research project being conducted into the primordials, she would have heard about it—from her friend Professor Thornsley, if no one else. But then, she supposed, the whole point of secret research was that it was supposed to be a secret. She made a mental note to ask Sooty if there had been any unusual requests for books on the subject.

Perhaps he was a rival academic to Professor Thornsley. The dramatic possibilities were endless!

Before she could respond, Sooty appeared at Osric's side. "The books you're seeking are right this way, sir. The shelf on the far wall, third from the top. It's labeled ‘Primordials and Their Artifacts.' You might find something to pique your curiosity there."

Osric's face lit up, and he offered a grateful smile to Sooty. "Thank you. I'll be sure to take a look."

Hali panicked. But she'd been enjoying speaking with the man! "Sooty?—"

And then he was gone, leaving Hali alone at the counter, her heart pounding and her head swimming. She watched him as he loped through the stacks, and for a moment, it almost looked as if the air around him was shimmering, like the heat rising from the desert sands.

Sooty shot Hali an exacting look. "Don't you have new acquisitions to price?"

"Well, yes, but?—"

Sooty harrumphed. "Indeed."

As Hali watched, Osric headed for to the appropriate shelf to browse on his own. He ran his long, elegant fingers over the spines of the books, occasionally pulling one out to examine more closely. He moved with a quiet confidence, but there was an air of sadness about him, a weight that seemed to hang from his shoulders.

Hali was just about to go and offer him some further assistance when the door opened, and a shifty-looking human man shuffled in. He kept glancing over his shoulder as he approached the counter, and something about the furtive movements of him made the hairs on the back of Hali's neck stand up.

"Excuse me," he said, once he'd reached the counter, his voice oily. "I understand you won the Bellerose lot." He had beady eyes and a thin, pinched face, and he was regarding Hali as if he'd just caught her doing something very, very wrong.

Hali's default state was to smile blandly at oddballs, but even that smile refused to come as she stared at the man. Had he been present at the auction the night before? She was fairly certain she'd remember such a dodgy-looking fellow. "I'm sorry?"

"The Bellerose collection. I heard you acquired it in its entirety." He made no move to offer his hand, or even to make eye contact, apparently. "Particularly the grimoire. It was quite a valuable piece."

Hali sat up straighter on her stool behind the counter. "I'm not sure what you're asking."

"I think you do." He took a step forward, leaning over the counter toward her. "That grimoire—I'd like to buy it from you."

Hali was used to dealing with unpleasant sorts, and those simply unversed in basic conversational skills; it all came with the territory of people who preferred books to other people, and she could hardly blame them. But something in this man's demeanor gave her pause. "Oh, I'm sorry, but it's not for sale yet. It's . . . at our warehouse, awaiting proper evaluation and restoration." Hali forced a laugh, trying to diffuse the sudden tension that had filled the air. "But if there's another book on a similar subject you're looking for, I'd be happy to help you find it."

"I don't want another book. I want that one. Name your price."

"I told you it isn't for sale." Hali's voice rose, and she winced. She didn't want to make a scene, but the man was leaving her with little choice. "It's a valuable piece, and I cannot simply sell it off to the first person who inquires about it without conducting proper evaluations."

The man's eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared. "I don't think you understand. I need that book. I don't care what you paid for it—I'll double it. Triple it, even. Just name your price."

Hali glanced around the shop, but the other patrons were pointedly ignoring the exchange, and Sooty was nowhere to be found—probably doing as she asked, for once, and bringing more stock up from the cellar. Hali's mind raced. Why did this man want the book so badly? It had to be more than just a passing interest. But if it was something dangerous, she couldn't justl sell the damnable thing it to him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you. You'll have to look somewhere else."

"Listen, you little bitch." The man's smile fell away, and his face contorted with rage. "I don't have time for games. I know you have the book. Now sell it to me."

Hali's hands balled into fists beneath the counter. "I told you, the book is not for sale." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Now, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

The man's eyes darted down to her fists, and a cruel smile curved his lips. "You really shouldn't make things difficult." The words were a soft threat, the edges honed to a deadly sharpness. As if he was going to lunge over the counter at her.

But then Osric appeared behind him, the runes on his skin flaring a searing hot orange. "Is everything all right here?"

The man's face contorted with a mix of anger and revulsion, as if the sight of Osric was more than he could bear. He snatched his hand back from the counter and took a step away. "Just having a friendly chat with the shopkeeper, that's all."

Osric moved to stand at Hali's side, and though he didn't touch her, she felt an immediate rush of warmth at his presence. "I'm sure you were. But I think the lady made herself clear."

The man's eyes flicked between Osric and Hali, and for a moment, she thought she saw that same look of shimmering heat that had surrounded him earlier. But then it was gone, and he was just a man once more, his face twisted. "This isn't over," he said, his voice a low growl. "You don't know what you're dealing with."

He held Hali's gaze for a few more seconds, a silent threat hanging in the air, and then he turned on his heel and stalked out of the shop.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Hali's shoulders slumped, the adrenaline draining from her body. What in the hells had that been about? Her gaze fell to the grimoire still sitting on the counter, and a shiver ran over her skin. There was something about that book, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was as if it were calling out to her, in a voice only she could hear.

She needed to learn more about it. But first, she needed to find a secure place to store it, somewhere the wrong sort of people wouldn't be able to get their hands on it. The thought sent a fresh bolt of fear through her, before she realized it was just her imagination running rampant again. This was exactly the sort of situation that Sooty would never let her live down.

Hali glanced back up, toward the spot where Osric had been standing. But he, too, was gone, leaving behind no sign of his passage except for the warmth that still lingered in the air. Hali resisted the urge to fan herself. She'd been a fool to let herself get so distracted by the man. She had work to do, and she couldn't very well run a successful business if she was going to be mooning over every handsome stranger who walked through the door.

Sighing, Hali forced herself to get to her feet and cross to the counter. The grimoire was cool and heavy in her hands, and a prickle ran over her skin as she opened it once more. The strange pencil markings covered the pages were no more logical than they had been before, but still, the book seemed to hum with a secret power.

She tore her gaze away from the pages and scanned the shop. The other patrons had all but forgotten the strange man's outburst, and were now engrossed in their browsing once more. But who knew how many others might come looking for the book, if word got out that she had it? No, it was better if she kept this to herself for now. She just needed to find out what, exactly, it was that she had.

After a final, longing glance at the book, Hali tucked it under her arm and headed toward the back of the shop. She had a few ideas of where to start her research, and if she was lucky, she might even be able to make a few discreet inquiries with some of her more trustworthy sources. But first things first—she needed to find a safe place to keep the book hidden.

She'd just reached the cellar door when a voice called out to her. "Hali? Is everything all right?"

Startled, Hali turned to see Sooty standing at the top of the stairs, a disbelieving look on his face. She'd almost forgotten about him, she realized. As much as he liked to pretend otherwise, Sooty was a valuable member of the team, and she really ought to keep him better informed of what was going on.

"Everything's fine, Sooty. Just a little . . . excitement at the counter, that's all." She offered him a reassuring smile, though from the arched eyebrow he gave her in return, she suspected it might not have been all that reassuring. "I'm going to do a bit of research on this book. I shouldn't be too long. Would you mind running the counter for me?"

Sooty's face fell, and Hali felt a pang of guilt. She knew how much he hated being left in charge of the shop. But then, she also knew that he had a soft spot for her, no matter how much he tried to hide it. And he was a good kid, despite his grumbling. He always made sure the shop was in perfect order, down to the last quill and inkpot, and he had a knack for remembering just where every book was supposed to go.

"Sure, Hali. No problem." He started down the stairs, then paused. "But, um, where are you going?"

"Right," Hali said. "I'll just be . . . in my office if you need anything. Doing some research."

Sooty's eyebrows climbed up toward his hairline, and Hali felt her face flush. She was being ridiculous. She was a grown woman, and a successful business owner. She didn't need to explain herself to her employees. But all the same, she hurried down the cellar steps before he could say anything, and set the grimoire on the workbench.

As she straightened, she caught sight of a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She spun around, her heart pounding, but it was just a stack of old crates, piled precariously high. With a huff, she went to the back of the cellar and pushed a few of them aside. There was a loose stone in the wall, one that her uncle had shown her when he was teaching her all the secret hiding places in the shop. She pried it free, then carefully stowed the grimoire inside.

Straightening, Hali brushed the dust from her hands and surveyed the cellar. It was a jumble of old furniture, broken bookshelves, and boxes of unsold stock, all cast in shadowy hues of gray and blue. But somewhere in the midst of all this, her book was waiting for her. The book that had brought a sudden jolt of excitement and adventure into her life, and she had a feeling it was only the beginning.