ise
high, its dormant solar pulse thrumming
ecognize the Dynasty mark within three seconds, impound it under historical salv
ockets, an obsession with antiquities, and enough poli
r Sincl
a fleeting rumor that old Alastair spent his Tuesday afternoons in the back room of Tomes and Parchment at the north end of Star-lantern
ed open the shop's heavy o
. The smell of cedar, dried elderberry ink, and c
oak of dark charcoal wool lined with manticore fur. A single gold-rimmed monocle was pinched in
appraiser-a stiff, narrow-faced man in forma
ation, my boots making no
immediate condescension. "The junior textbooks are in the bargain bin by the door,
is focus entire
ris-covered disk, and placed it directly onto the poli
constellations is missing its central foc
o snatch the metal away. "Impudent c
," Alastair's
silk cord against his vest. Slowly, he leaned over the table, his breat
lear testing fluid from his vest, uncorked it, and let ai
he air, carrying the faint, unmistakable sce
ns onto the felt pad with a loud clatter. "The... the Su
head snapping up. His gaze was sharp, piercing
p," I answered evenly. "Its provenance is clean
g the faint, worn outline of the solar barque stamped into the metal. "Name your pr
ousand,"
wsing the adjacent aisles turned their heads sharply
our mind? That is enough to purchase an entire townhouse in the upper district! For an u
ted Dynasty artifacts for decades. "The corrosion isn't age. It's a dormant stasis seal binding the condensed sunlight of the F
alf-open, utterly unable to refute
cing his aristocratic reserve. He let out a sudden, ro
eyes bright with excitement. "A child who understands Third-Era binding mechanics
hands rig
oed from the front
hing a jagged brass knuckle in his left hand. Behind him flanked two hulking brutes in gre
d in fury. "She paid me three coppers for a national treasure! The trade is
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