Page 48 of Road To Runes

“Why?” I asked. “And how do you know about me, anyway?”

“Oh, little dove. I make a point of knowingeverythingabout the people I do business with, and let’s just say you caught my eye.”

I leaned back in my seat, the snake squeezing in my belly. This wasn’t exactly a good start. They knew a lot about me and I knew nothing about them.

“Does that mean you’re willing to do business?” I asked.

“Absolutely. What would you like? Intel? Dirt? I could always dig up a little something on that ex of yours.”

I snorted. “Let’s leave Asher out of this. I need you to do something you’ve done for us before, but just for me. I need you to track down a power for me.”

“What kind of power, little dove?”

“A power that can trace someone with precision.”

“And why don’t you just ask me to track them down for you?”

“Privacy,” I said. This person already knew enough about me without handing her the key to my deepest desire.

“Of course. Consider it done.”

“How much do I owe you?” I asked.

“We’ll get to that part at a later date, little dove.”

“No, we’ll get to it now.” I added a little spice to my tone. “Asher’s told me enough that I know not to leave payment an open-ended question. We’re going to negotiate, right now.”

The silence that followed made me worry that I’d spooked them, but a moment later, they returned with ice creeping along each syllable.

“Very well, Beatrix. All I want from you is a favour that only you can give.”

“Which is?”

“When the time comes, I want you to steal a power for me. Nice and simple.”

I ran my thumb up and down the handle of the coffee mug. Thatdidsound simple. A piece of the puzzle I needed in exchange for a service I provided anyway? It sounded too good to be true, but at this point I couldn’t avoid to be picky.

“Done,” I said.

The moment I had spoken the word, a sizzling noise reached my ears, followed by the white-hot burn of pain on my left forearm.

I nearly dropped the phone again, but quickly fumbled it into my right hand and pulled my sleeve down with my teeth. Black ink spread across my skin like a stingray through the ocean, but a split second later, it dissolved, leaving behind a rune.

“What is this?” I asked.

“You’re a druid, aren’t you? You should know what the rune means.”

Promise.They had bound me to them in a magical contract that I had verbally signed.

“You never mentioned this,” I said.

“This is a service, little dove. The terms are discussed and agreed to,” they replied, their tone as casual as if they were ordering a fruity cocktail at a beachfront bar.

“And what about exit clauses?”

“Oh, Beatrix. You aren’t really telling me you’d want to take a step away from your dream now, are you?”

My jaw clenched as I looked the rune over with a more critical eye. How stupid was I to think that they didn’t already know what I was doing and why? But regardless, they were right. I wouldn’t have backed out even if they gave me the opportunity.

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