Page 3 of Fate Unchained

He smiled, a much crueler smile. Faster than she’d thought possible, he slammed his hand over hers, pinning it beneath his on the desk. “We both know that isn’t true.”

His hand over hers was cold, as if he’d stood out in the winter air for ages before walking into the library. And this close, an odd smell drifted off him, like old eggs. Lilah’s heart hammered in her chest. “Of course, it’s true.”

His eyes glinted, and his pupils flashed green. “Me, and my group, aren’t like other people. We’re … gifted. And more powerful than you can imagine.”

Lilah lurched backward, but he kept her hand pinned.

“You’re going to help me and my friends.” He lifted his hand and stepped backward, shrugging. “Or live the rest of your life in debtor’s prison.” He raised a brow. “Please me, and there may be a place in our group for you. You’d never worry about money again. Join me and take what you want, or lose everything. Your decision.”

Lilah swallowed. She stepped away from the desk and discreetly rubbed the wrist he’d touched, trying to warm the flesh. “I work alone.” Her voice trembled. The only one she could truly rely on was herself. Everyone else was a disappointment.

He studied her a long moment. “Like you, I wasn’t sure about joining a group. But it has its advantages.” His tone had changed to something quieter, oilier, and she didn’t like the way he was looking at her. As if he’d suddenly seen something he wanted to eat. “I think you’ll find you and I are rather similar.”

She drew her lips together—she should have remained silent. “I doubt that. I’ve never blackmailed another.”

Now he smiled, revealing teeth that seemed a tad too pointed. “But see, I think you would if you had to.” He slid the page across the desk toward her. “Uncode this right now.”

She squared her shoulders and settled back into her desk chair, her back stiff. She ignored the small handwritten notes and the rune and instead examined the original words. The first word was c2ynrtpgle. She examined the rest of the page. All of the words were the same, nonsense words with a number in the second spot.

Frowning, she turned to the handwriting. Whoever had tried to decipher the page had written notes on what they thought each word actually was. Above c2ynrtpgle, they’d written capturing. Lilah pulled out a drawer and removed a loose paper. After dipping a quill in ink, she scratched out notes. Testing a few words, she nodded. “Yes, this is quite clever, but I’ve seen versions like it before. Basically, each word has a different alphabet key. The first letter in each word is correct, and then the number that follows says how the alphabet will be shifted for the rest of the word. So here,” she pointed at c2ynrtpgle, “the alphabet shifted two places, so the y is an a, the n is a p, and so on. It spells out capturing. The translations here look correct. If you want me to verify every word, it will take me some time—”

Boris leaned against the doorjamb, crossing his arms. “That’s not what I need you to do. It’s already been translated. Look at the last three lines.”

She scanned it. The crabbed translation squashed between the lines said The immortal can only be captured by uttering a tuthark, one of the runic words activated by those with the right skill. The word to catch the immortal, is—

It was written below the rune. Boris jerked his chin toward the paper. “Speak it.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

The same green flashed in his eyes. “Say it.”

She’d come across descriptions of tuthark words before, but she’d never seen one. Or tried to use one. This tuthark was a variation on the runic word for catch. If she said this in front of Boris, she was revealing her skill. A skill she’d spent her entire life hiding.

But she also really wanted to know what would happen. Did she have the power to wield runes and not just unlock their secrets?

“A snap of my fingers, and I can have the king toss you in debtor’s prison right now. Or I can return to Eroica and tell your father how much you owe me. Your choice.”

Her breath hitched in her chest. Her father didn’t have much money, but he’d do whatever he could for her. Which meant selling his home. The one he’d bought for her mother. The only thing he had left of her. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Good.”

She sucked in a deep breath and whispered the word. The rune flashed, shot forward in a streak of white through the room, whirled around the ceiling twice, then returned to the page, where it sat glittering.

Boris smiled again. “Exactly what we thought would happen.”

She swallowed. “All right. I did what you asked.” She pointed at the legal papers still on her desk. “What about the debt?”

“You really think speaking one word clears you? No. You’re going to use the rune now. Follow the directions on that piece of paper,” he pointed down at the cut page, “and perform the task. When you do, I’ll sign off that you’ve paid in full.”

A small bubble of hope grew in her chest, though she knew he was probably lying. “A task? And my debts are gone?”

He jabbed his finger on the piece of paper. “Read this.”

Starting at the top of the page, she read. Her mouth dropped open. “This is about capturing an immortal. That … I can’t—”

“That’s right. An immortal my group needs. One who can only be trapped by a wyrdstaave.”

Lilah froze. A wyrdstaave was the correct name for her ability to work with runes. Boris had come here seeking a wyrdstaave. He’d been certain he’d find one in her. How? She’d been so careful to keep her skills hidden. Her hands shook, and she clasped them in her lap. “I’m a librarian. I’m not about to go catch immortals.”

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