Grimoires and Where to Find Them by Raconteur, Honor (best affordable ebook reader .TXT) 📗

marching orders.” I stood, carefully gathering the glass. “Fancy a trip to Warner’s workroom?”

“I would, actually. I don’t think I’ve ever been in it.”

“It’s a bit hazardous,” I allowed, “but fascinating to see her projects in process.”

“I bet.”

We left the flat—I locked up behind us—and strolled down to the main street, where Seaton had parked his car. He’d acquired it recently, since he was constantly travelling, and it was a fine one—cherry red in color with butter-cream seats. It must have been custom made, as I’d not seen another one like it.

I slid into the passenger seat, settling as Seaton revved the engine up and entered traffic smoothly.

“How goes the case, by the way?” he asked casually. “I don’t know much, only that Gibson mentioned Jamie had found a good training case for the junior kingsmen. He was quite pleased about it.”

“Ah, well, the case has some very dangerous undertones to it. Are you familiar with the Reaper’s Set? The grimoires made by Kerey Radman?”

Seaton shot me a startled look. “I am. We’ve a volume of it in the palace library. I borrowed it once for a read and stayed up three nights in a row thinking about it. Don’t tell me your crime involves the Reaper’s Set?”

“Unfortunately so. We’ve confirmed three stolen volumes at this time.”

Seaton swore, loudly and creatively. “This is not good, my friend.”

“We know it. We’ve got a list of all the owners of the individual grimoires, and we’re contacting each of them—plus every book broker in the city—in an attempt to stop the thief in his tracks. The hope is that someone has been stupid enough to try and sell the grimoires back to another book broker.”

I personally gave it fifty-fifty odds, but who knows. We might, for once, be lucky.

“But no real leads?”

I shook my head in frustration. “No. One of the owners hadn’t even realized he’d been robbed until we showed up at his door. The thief was clever about how he got in and out.”

“Great dark magic, I don’t like this one bit.”

Another concern crept into my mind. “Seaton, you’ve got access to the palace library. Do us all a favor and confirm it’s still there, would you?”

He shot me an alarmed look. “You don’t really think someone stole something off the palace grounds, do you?”

“It’s an insidious little concern. Remember that time when Edward Jameson kept sneaking into the palace grounds, and we were constantly tampering with the wards? I can’t help thinking about that time. If Edward Jameson got in, maybe someone else could figure out the same trick.”

He groaned, a man pained. “I do not like that idea whatsoever.”

“I can’t say I’m overjoyed by it myself. For my peace of mind, check?”

Seaton snorted. “For my own peace of mind, I’ll check.”

This relieved me. I’d sleep better knowing at least one copy was still under high security.

We pulled into Ellie Warner’s parking lot a few minutes later. I took the glass pane and my pad in with me and we entered through the side door. One should knock, I suppose, but doing so rarely got anyone’s attention. With all the fabrication noises going on in the building, there was no chance of anyone hearing something as quiet as a knock.

I’d been in here often enough that I knew where Ellie’s workroom was, so I led us confidently down the left hallway and into the back corner of the building. Her room was massive, which made sense, as this had once been a factory building. She’d converted it for her guild’s use.

Both women were perched on stools, chatting, as we came in. Jamie’s head turned first—it normally did, as she could hear an approach far more quickly than the average person. She lit up, a delighted smile on her face.

“What’s the solution?” Warner demanded, practically bouncing in place.

“For now, a workaround.” I came directly forward, as the Kindle sat on the scarred worktable between the two women. I placed the glass on top, letting it rest without my holding it for a moment.

Seaton waved to it as he explained, “We spelled the glass. You’ll need to craft something to hold the glass in place—much like a magnifying glass—but you can operate the Kindle perfectly and read it without a hitch.”

Warner promptly propped the glass up with one hand, the Kindle with the other, and tested the theory. She had a struggle trying to do things with her thumb, but she managed more dexterously than I would have. Her delighted smile grew.

“Oh, this is excellent. I can read every word. Well done, gentlemen.”

I gave her a little bow. “I trust you can craft one for me as well? And the laptop?”

“Yes, give me the dimensions. I haven’t seen more than a glimpse of it yet.”

Jamie snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me in, tilting up enough to press a chaste kiss against my mouth. I warmed under the touch, and my expression was undoubtedly besotted as I looked back at her.

“I knew you would figure it out,” she praised. “You and Sherard are a good team that way.”

Seaton asked almost rhetorically, “Does that mean our work here is done?”

“It does in my book.” Jamie looked between the three of us, eyebrows lifted. “Dinner, anyone?”

We’d had a late lunch, which threw off my normal eating schedule. A dinner with friends sounded quite splendid to me. “I’m all for it. Christopher’s?”

“Oh, yes. This is definitely cause for a celebration.”

“I’m parked outside, I can drive us,” Seaton offered. “And perhaps on the way, I can make my case to Ms. Warner about what I want invented next.”

Ellie scoffed even as she hopped off the stool and sailed past him. “Get in line. I’ve got requests queuing out the door.”

Seaton was not one easily dismissed and followed her out, still speaking. “Bargain with me, Ms. Warner. I can offer you magical help in return.”

Warner paused to shoot him a look, this one calculated. “Oh?”

Snickering quietly, Jamie whispered to me, “I’m going to bet Sherard