If there was one thing I knew for certain, it was this: agreeing to help Ryn was a mistake.

  Unfortunately, it was a mistake I had already committed to.

  We left The Silver Hearth after breakfast, weaving through the bustling morning streets. The town of Bellmare was alive with the sounds of merchants calling out their wares, blacksmiths hammering at their forges, and children darting between stalls. It was a scene pulled straight from my own writing, yet somehow more real than I had ever imagined.

  Ryn walked ahead with the ease of someone who belonged here. I, on the other hand, felt like an outsider in my own world.

  "You never asked what we’re retrieving," Ryn said casually, glancing over his shoulder.

  I sighed. "What are we retrieving?"

  He grinned. "A book."

  I stopped walking. "A book?"

  "Not just any book." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "A nobleman's grimoire. Stolen from his estate last week."

  I tensed. Grimoires weren’t just books. In this world, they were powerful artifacts, imbued with spells, secrets, and knowledge that could alter the course of history. Some were harmless—a collection of basic spells. Others, however, contained forbidden knowledge that could shatter entire kingdoms.

  "And why, exactly, do you need my help?" I asked warily.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Because the people who stole it aren’t the type to hand it back with a polite apology."

  "Great," I muttered. "And let me guess—the noble wants it back quietly?"

  Ryn tapped his nose. "Smart man. Public scandals aren’t great for political standing, after all."

  I exhaled slowly. "So where is it?"

  "That," he said, "is what we're about to find out."

  Ryn led me to a small shop near the edge of town. The sign above the door read "Sable’s Curiosities"—a name I remembered well.

  Sable was a fence. Someone who dealt in stolen goods, magical artifacts, and rare items that "mysteriously" found their way into the wrong hands. She was also an informant for the right price.

  Inside, the shop was dimly lit, shelves lined with trinkets, scrolls, and potions of questionable origin. A woman sat behind the counter, feet propped up, flipping through a leather-bound book.

  She looked up as we entered, her dark eyes narrowing.

  "Ryn," she said dryly. "What do you want?"

  Ryn leaned against the counter. "Information, as always."

  Sable sighed. "And do you plan on paying for it this time?"

  "Depends on what you’ve got."

  She rolled her eyes but closed the book. "Let me guess. The grimoire."

  I stiffened.

  Ryn grinned. "That obvious?"

  "Half the city knows about it, idiot. The noble's been asking questions in all the wrong places. If I know, then so do a dozen others."

  "Who has it?" I asked before I could stop myself.

  Sable’s gaze flicked to me, sharp and assessing. "And who’s this?"

  "New friend," Ryn said. "He’s the quiet type. Now, about that book…"

  Sable exhaled, leaning back. "Rumor has it the thieves offloaded it to the Crimson Fangs."

  My stomach dropped.

  The Crimson Fangs were a mercenary group, but not like the official Guild. They didn’t care about contracts or honor—just coin. If they had the grimoire, then getting it back wouldn’t be a simple matter of negotiation.

  Ryn, however, just smiled. "That’s unfortunate."

  "Very," Sable agreed. "But not impossible."

  She leaned forward slightly. "They’re keeping it in their hideout for now, waiting on a buyer. If you move fast, you might snatch it before they offload it. But if you screw up?" She shrugged. "Then you’re dead men walking."

  I swallowed hard. Why did I agree to this again?

  Ryn pushed off the counter. "Appreciate the help, Sable."

  "Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "Try not to get killed. Bad for business."

  As we stepped out of the shop, I turned to Ryn. "You knew the Crimson Fangs had it, didn’t you?"

  He smirked. "I had a strong suspicion."

  "And you didn’t think to warn me before dragging me into this mess?"

  "Would you have come if I had?"

  I opened my mouth, then closed it.

  Damn him.

  Ryn clapped me on the shoulder. "Come on, partner. We’ve got a book to steal."

  I had never regretted a decision more than this in my life.