Page 42 of Rejected By Dragons

"Casual visitors come in to browse. More serious ones will know what they're looking for."

That makes sense, with so much of the inventory locked away.

She clears her throat. "We also have some select clientele with whom I communicate directly. They'll be aware when we have objects of interest coming through."

"Got it." I'm not going to pretend that doesn't sound a little bit shady, but I've watched enough heist movies to understand that folks who deal in high end collectibles have their own ways of doing things.

Now that we're done with the tour, I scan the space again. Originally, this just seemed like a way to help out and earn my keep. Now, it feels like an opportunity I'd be a fool to pass up.

I roll up my sleeves, prepared to take some initiative. "Where would you like me to get started? I know how a normal register works, but..." I glance toward the front counter. The equipment looks a far sight more sophisticated than the glorified calculator and cashbox Maude trained me on at the vintage store back in Wynrath Crest.

Rhiannon waves a hand. "The enchantments will take some time to get you up to speed with. We'll worry about all of that later."

"Okay." I furrow my brows. "Then the stuff you actually need help with is..."

"New, specialty inventory." She takes me to the other corner of the store, where she waves a hand. A bookshelf dissolves before my eyes, revealing the entrance to what appears to be a vault of some kind. "With your unexpected skill set, you couldn't have arrived at a better time."

She enters in a code, then presses her palm to a scanner that glows with the same purple energy that emanated from her enchanted locks. She turns a dial, and the vault door swings open, revealing a room packed full of unopened crates.

"Um..."

"This hasn't been widely publicized, but Freya has offered Unity as the site for a peace summit between the Fire and Stone Kingdoms."

That gets my attention. I whip around, eyes wide. "Here? So close to the Air Kingdom?"

"It was an unconventional, choice, I agree. But Freya knows what she's doing." From the sound of her voice, she has her own reservations, but apparently she's planning to make the most of the opportunity. "Dignitaries from both kingdoms will be arriving in a few weeks' time, and I've had some shipments sent in for the occasion. It'll all need to be sorted and entered into our system."

I glance at the crates. Packing labels show that they come from all over. Some bear familiar runes and symbols, and I can make out text in languages I haven't encountered since my travels with my family as a child.

Rhiannon is really entrusting me to go through them all?

"There are items of power you'll be handling. You must be on your guard," she warns me. "Some of them are seductive. They may call to you. You must never answer."

Well, that's not ominous or anything.

My throat dry, I nod. "Right."

"I'll pre-sort most of the materials. The most dangerous items should never cross your path, but if they do, never hesitate to bring them to me."

"Of course."

And it's not that I'm not taking her warning to heart. I am. Even now, I can feel the power radiating off of some of the crates. I'd be foolish indeed to imagine they posed no risk.

But I don't care.

A low hum of excitement buzzes in my chest. I practically rub my hands together with glee.

All those years in the Air Kingdom, I thought it was just my parents I was missing--and don't get me wrong. Even now, I miss them so much it hurts.

But I missed this, too. The chance to learn. Exposure to other cultures. Celebration of otherness and the magic of dragons from all four corners of the four, historic realms.

The repression of everything except Air Dragon magic... It was stifling in ways I didn't even understand until now.

I breathe in the fresh air. It smells like dust and books and scrolls, and I can't wait to get my hands on it all.

"No problem, boss," I tell her. "Just point me where you want me to start."

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