Read Online Fly by Midnight by Lauren Quick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lauren Quick
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she would tell January all the sordid details of whatever sorry case she was working on over a cup of dandelion tea. Usually, the cases had involved Honora chasing seedy wizards twice her size and getting banged up in the process. She’d even investigated witches and wizards trading in contraband magical devices for the council. No respectable Hexer would take such a lowly job, so the council farmed out the work.
Hunting through the magical black market gave Honora tons of stories to tell, and January lived vicariously through the young witch’s exploits. Honora liked having a captive audience who relished her tales of adventure. Really, she’d also been looking for a motherly shoulder to lean on, and a fast friendship formed.
“Here comes a witch to wash the boredom of the day away.” January beamed at her friend. She claimed her persuasion was a gift for locating strange and powerful magical artifacts that many considered junk. But whenever she visited the shop, Honora always found something she liked and needed desperately, and today was no different.
Her gaze penetrated the glass-topped counter, and she spied a gorgeous six-inch blade resting innocently on a piece of red velvet. “Well, hello, my pretty. What do we have here?” Honora was instantly enamored. The handle was made of stunningly carved wood with a metal inlay, and there was an emerald stone adhered to the hilt. She practically pressed her nose to the glass, admiring the craftsmanship.
Sensing a quick sale, January swept over, pulled the knife from the case, and handed it to Honora. “Feel the balance. It’s perfect. Made by one of Everland’s master bladesmiths.”
The knife was even more beautiful up close. Honora wrapped her fingers around the handle. It fit perfectly in her hand. She sighed. This was why she was always short on gold, because every time she got a little cushion of money, she found something to spend it on. “I shouldn’t.” She handed the knife back to January, who refused to take it. “I owe rent in a few days, and I just got a new case. I should save my money.” Knives were her weakness.
“I’ll give you a good price.” January’s gaze twinkled.
“I’ll bet.” Honora rolled her eyes and set the knife on the counter. “Nope. Not going to do it.” She stared at it longingly but resisted. The last thing she needed right then was a new toy.
“A witch like you needs protection. Your job can be dangerous.” January was laying the sales pitch on thick. “What if I threw in an incentive?” She twitched her wand and glided down a cluttered aisle, literally a foot off the floor, only to return a few minutes later. She placed an ancient crystal ball on the counter next to the knife.
“I’ll throw this in at no charge.” January beamed. “Isn’t she a beauty?”
The crystal ball was puny, not much bigger than an egg, and had a spiderweb crack right through the middle. Not all of January’s finds were treasures.
Honora cringed. “I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s a treasure. Think of it as a birthday gift from me to you, once you buy the knife.” January rolled the ball around in her knobby fingers. “I’m not even going to tell you what it does. It’ll be a surprise. But I will tell you, it’s very rare.” Her voice was rough and smoky.
Rare didn’t always mean useful. “Looks like a broken crystal ball. And not even a full-sized one, more like the runt of the litter. What will I see when I gaze into it? The future five minutes in advance?”
Honora and January both cackled at the joke. “Witch, you’re too much. Tell me why you really came here today. Obviously, not to shop my fine merchandise.”
Honora climbed up on a stool and cupped her chin in her hand. “What can you tell me about the history of the witching wall?” Pleasantries were unnecessary between them, and Honora needed a productive diversion away from the shiny
Hunting through the magical black market gave Honora tons of stories to tell, and January lived vicariously through the young witch’s exploits. Honora liked having a captive audience who relished her tales of adventure. Really, she’d also been looking for a motherly shoulder to lean on, and a fast friendship formed.
“Here comes a witch to wash the boredom of the day away.” January beamed at her friend. She claimed her persuasion was a gift for locating strange and powerful magical artifacts that many considered junk. But whenever she visited the shop, Honora always found something she liked and needed desperately, and today was no different.
Her gaze penetrated the glass-topped counter, and she spied a gorgeous six-inch blade resting innocently on a piece of red velvet. “Well, hello, my pretty. What do we have here?” Honora was instantly enamored. The handle was made of stunningly carved wood with a metal inlay, and there was an emerald stone adhered to the hilt. She practically pressed her nose to the glass, admiring the craftsmanship.
Sensing a quick sale, January swept over, pulled the knife from the case, and handed it to Honora. “Feel the balance. It’s perfect. Made by one of Everland’s master bladesmiths.”
The knife was even more beautiful up close. Honora wrapped her fingers around the handle. It fit perfectly in her hand. She sighed. This was why she was always short on gold, because every time she got a little cushion of money, she found something to spend it on. “I shouldn’t.” She handed the knife back to January, who refused to take it. “I owe rent in a few days, and I just got a new case. I should save my money.” Knives were her weakness.
“I’ll give you a good price.” January’s gaze twinkled.
“I’ll bet.” Honora rolled her eyes and set the knife on the counter. “Nope. Not going to do it.” She stared at it longingly but resisted. The last thing she needed right then was a new toy.
“A witch like you needs protection. Your job can be dangerous.” January was laying the sales pitch on thick. “What if I threw in an incentive?” She twitched her wand and glided down a cluttered aisle, literally a foot off the floor, only to return a few minutes later. She placed an ancient crystal ball on the counter next to the knife.
“I’ll throw this in at no charge.” January beamed. “Isn’t she a beauty?”
The crystal ball was puny, not much bigger than an egg, and had a spiderweb crack right through the middle. Not all of January’s finds were treasures.
Honora cringed. “I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s a treasure. Think of it as a birthday gift from me to you, once you buy the knife.” January rolled the ball around in her knobby fingers. “I’m not even going to tell you what it does. It’ll be a surprise. But I will tell you, it’s very rare.” Her voice was rough and smoky.
Rare didn’t always mean useful. “Looks like a broken crystal ball. And not even a full-sized one, more like the runt of the litter. What will I see when I gaze into it? The future five minutes in advance?”
Honora and January both cackled at the joke. “Witch, you’re too much. Tell me why you really came here today. Obviously, not to shop my fine merchandise.”
Honora climbed up on a stool and cupped her chin in her hand. “What can you tell me about the history of the witching wall?” Pleasantries were unnecessary between them, and Honora needed a productive diversion away from the shiny
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