CHAPTER 1

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        Seren sighed as she approached the door, her hand hesitating over the handle. She could hear the shouts on the other side and steeled herself. Doing business at the inn was one thing, but staying the night was something else entirely. It felt like crossing a line.

        Seren had never thought of herself as a thief, but the truth of it was becoming harder to deny. The first time, it felt like a mistake. A moment of desperation. Not her. But now, she had to admit there was a bit of a pattern forming. But there weren’t exactly any other options at this hour. Certainly no safer ones. What was she supposed to do, sleep outside? Everyone knew what happened when you travelled the roads at night. 

        Knights died fast enough, and commoners faster still. 

        And so, she found herself excusing another moment of desperation. Her fingers closed around the handle, and she slipped even further past that invisible line as she shoved the door open. 

        Seren shivered, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as the heat from the fire soaked into her shoulders. 

        The inn was a seedy place. The inside smelled like damp wood, ale, and boiled meat. She first discovered the inn when she was looking for a place to meet with clients—clients that had brought her a much more dangerous label than thief. 

Her horse knew the stables, and had practically walked himself around the side of the inn, the stableboy trotting behind. The man behind the counter, Sal, didn’t smile as he took her in. “The usual?”

        Seren’s lips quirked to the side as she reached into her pocket. There were two wooden coins left. Damn. She’d let her supply get too low. She turned one over in her fingers as she looked at him and shrugged with one shoulder. “That should be fine,” she said, as if that wasn’t all she could afford anyway. She hated that she had a ‘usual’ at a place like this. 

        The coin smoothed under her touch as she turned it, and by the time she brought it from her pocket, the wood had the weight and sheen of copper. “Can I pay you the rest in the morning?” She was too tired to pay the price of magic for all the coins she would need this night.

        “Little late for a client, isn’t it?” Sal asked. 

        Seren’s jaw tightened as she handed over the copper. “I’m not seeing anyone tonight. It’s just me.”

        Sal quirked a brow, not even looking at the coin as he dropped it into his pocket and handed her a key.                The tag had the number 3 scrawled on it in faded ink. It was the cheapest room he had, and she knew it well.

        She tried not to think of the stained, sagging mattress and the draft in the window as she nodded her thanks. Instead, she focused on her hand in her pocket, where her fingers were already working the other bit of wood. She walked quickly, eager to get closer to the fire. From the time it took her to walk from the desk to the far end of the tavern, she turned the coin over ten times, and with each turn, another wooden coin slipped between her fingers, rattling against its companions in her pocket. A tremor ran through her fingers as the tenth coin clicked into her palm. The more she did it, the heavier her limbs felt—like something inside her was slowly being emptied. 

        Magic always took something.

        She made her way over to a table by the window and tugged at the hood of her cloak, pulling it further over her face. Her head hit the back of the booth and she slid her eyes closed against the exhaustion that was creeping in.

        She wiped the back of her hand against the prickle of sweat forming on her brow as her other hand, still in her pocket, worked eight of the wooden pieces into copper. She would have to do the rest in the morning, after she slept. 

        It was easier to use her charm to get what she wanted in situations like this, but that often invited more trouble than it was worth. Her charm always worked so well.

        Until it didn’t.

        Still, it was tempting. But until she figured out how to get those touched by her magic to back off, it was still too much of a risk to use it in public.

        “What’ll ya have?” A woman’s voice cut through the muddled hum of the tavern.

        Seren kept her eyes down, glancing at the brown skirt and apron swaying beside the table. The tan shoes peeking past the hem were scuffed and worn, and she imagined at one time they might have been white.                 Something brown was splattered on the toe. 

        “Whatever stew is brewing in the pot and a pint of ale,” Seren said, sliding two of the coins to the edge of the table. She looked at them, still shining in the firelight, and licked her lips. 

        The woman swept them off the table without a word and stalked off to the kitchen. 

        Seren leaned back and looked out the window at the small stable. The boy who tended the horses was sitting on a bucket, leaning against the door, his hat over his eyes. The firelight reflected in the window dimmed as a shadow stepped up behind her, the dark reflection blocking the light of the room. Seren pursed her lips and didn’t turn around. It hadn’t even been ten minutes, and she was sure she’d been careful.

        A strange feeling prickled up the back of her neck, and she shivered.

        “Excuse me,” the man said from beside her. His voice was deep and rich, and reminded her of velvet rubbed smooth against her skin.

        She ignored him, and waited for him to go away.

        “I’m sorry to bother you…”

        “Then don’t,” she cut him off, her temper flaring. She doubted very much that he was even a little bit sorry.

        “My apologies,” he breathed a small laugh, as though he were embarrassed. “It seems I’m in need of some money. Some smaller coins, I mean. I only have silver and… well, the man at the counter says he doesn’t have enough to change it.”

        Her brows knit together and she turned her head slightly, still not looking up at him. “And you think I do?”

His next words came out quietly. “Truthfully, I believe flashing around silver in a place such as this is likely to attract the wrong sort of attention.”

        “What an unfortunate problem to have.” She couldn’t imagine having so much money that she was wanting for copper. What an arrogant ass. But Seren decided he didn’t sound altogether untoward, and chanced a peek at him. 

        His hood was up, drawn tight as her own was, his face in the shadows. His clothes looked nice. Too nice for this place, she decided. “I’m sorry, I have no coins myself.”

        A long pause. “Then I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” He shifted his weight, turning to leave. 

        “Wait,” she blurted, some hair spilling out the side of her hood. She tucked it back in a hurry and pressed her lips together. 

        He half turned, looking down at her, a gleam of gold flashing in his eyes.

        She hesitated. What was that? 

        He cocked a brow, losing interest. 

        Seren blinked, her mind going back to the silver. If she had a real silver coin she might be able to copy it properly, without having to worry about changing the material every time, too. The few times she’d tried copying her fake copper coins, they always came out as wood. As if the magic knew what they really were. But if she had a silver coin and was able to copy it, she might actually have some money to work with—real money. She might never have to use her charm again. She might not have to lie and steal. 

        Well, not to survive anyway.

        Seren licked her lips, hoping he needed the copper badly enough. “I can give you six coppers for a silver,” she said quickly. She added a half shrug after, as though apologizing. “It’s all I have.”

        He pulled his chin back and frowned at her. “That’s… not a very generous offer.” He looked away for a moment, perhaps weighing his other options. The muscle in his jaw flickered as he scanned the room, taking in the other patrons.

        There was something about his voice. Velvet, yes, but edged like a blade. The way he moved, how he looked at her. It itched under her skin.

        Dangerous.

        Seren scanned the tavern from under her hood. No wonder he’d chosen her—though the irony was rich. She was likely the most dangerous one in the room. 

        Maybe not, a voice in her head whispered.

        “I know.” There was nothing else she could say. It was a terrible deal. He was basically giving her a silver for nothing. She briefly considered using her charm on him, but then decided it wasn’t worth the risk. There were too many people around if something went wrong.