An abandoned boy, a grieving prince, and a reclusive sorcerer find themselves caught in a web of peril and mystery...
Domi, a young thief abandoned on the street at birth, just wants to save his dying foster mother. But first, he must survive the m...
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It started off as the easiest burglary of Domi's life.
As he sauntered in his new high-necked lavender paenula through the cherrywood gates of the Silvula Salutis Collegium, he couldn't believe his luck. These people had no security. None. No guards. Open gates. No one at all to ask his business.
Idiots.
He strode into the courtyard like he owned the place, mindful not to trip over his clothes or gawk at the sorcerers milling around, laurels blazing all the colors of the rainbow. Most of them were kids, many far younger than him; the Collegium had three schools for Promethidae children.
No one spared him a glance. He frowned. Too few people bustled about for a new face to pass without remark. Did random strangers wander around so often no one worried about thieves and other troublemakers?
A moment later, he rolled his eyes. Of course no one worried about possible thieves. After all, what Pyrrhaeus would ever be stupid enough to try to steal from a whole complex full of Promethidae?
A nervous chuckle squeezed out of his tensing body at the thought. He struggled not to let the utter terror now crashing over him show as he met the gaze of every Promethidae he passed. Instead, he offered each a casual, confident nod, like he belonged in the basilica and most definitely didn't plan to steal anything.
His mouth dried to sticky paste as he waltzed past massive white columns, up a gilded gold staircase, down a spacious gallery overlooking the nave below, and through the fifth door on his left.
Domi strode into the Collegium's Empowerment atrium like he visited every day. His eyes darted about the domed rotunda until his gaze landed on his target.
The lapis translationis. The polished stone perched on a golden velvet cushion, every facet gleaming a deep, vivid blue.
Domi cursed under his breath. The Appraiser said the promenia artifact changed colors after it collected a donor's blood. He offered up a silent prayer to the Eternal Radiance a mere trick of the light gave the stone its brilliant blue sheen. Please, please let there be streaks of crimson when he took a closer peek.
"Ahem."
He jerked and whirled around, legs tangling a bit in his confining paenula.
A young woman slouched in a chair, reading through a ledger. He had not noticed her in the corner. Crap. He should have paid more attention. Looked harder. He was better than this.
"Name?" she asked, not sparing him a glance. Lifeholder emerald shone around her throat.
"N-name?"
She glanced up with a smile. "Nervous?"
He blinked. "Ah..."
"Many people feel that way, but don't worry. I'll be here if aught goes wrong. Now, I need your name."
