Kor let go of Reyn’s arm.

“The lock is for privacy when we’re working on delicate mechanisms. Getting bothered can really delay things, especially when kids are running around screaming. Locked doors keep the adults sane. Also, it’s key-only, so if one of us really wants no choice but to work, we can request to get locked in for a bit,” Kor chuckled, “Anyway, let’s crack this book open and have an adventure, shall we?”

Reyn simply nodded, not entirely excited about the prospect of testing his actual skill.

He watched Kor flip exuberantly from page to page. Kor’s eyes read quickly, darting from section to section, page to page. Reyn wished he could read that fast, but at the same time, he didn’t want it. He loathed school, and thus, why would he ever want to read quickly? It would be the opposite of who he was. Still though, Reyn could see that reading fast was useful. Soon, Reyn felt less bitter and looked on. As he looked, he realized most of the words on the page were unreadable to him.

The pages mostly listed spells, and there were five sections for each spell. There was a spell symbol, a rune sequence, an explanation of what emotions were needed for each rune, a description of what the spell did, and the common variants of the spell when it was miscast. Reyn felt bad for all the sorcerers trying to cast anything, especially if this book had been accurately titled. Simple Spells are Simple. That was not true, Reyn thought as he shook his head. What a lie. What a gimmick.

And then Reyn realized what a genius this author was to have labeled a 1000-page book Simple Spells are Simple when it was all a lie. Of course, sorcerers would buy it hoping for simplicity, but in the end, nothing was simple at all.

Reyn laughed and asked, “Why is there an emotion for each rune listed?”

Kor looked over at him, “It’s to tune the spell. A single rune’s effect can vary greatly, and the emotion that the sorcerer has when he says it, locks the rune into a single variation. It’s explained, in, well, it’s explained somewhere. Anyway, if it’s a weak emotion or if it’s the wrong one, then the spell might deviate into a different spell. That’s what these variants are at the bottom. They’re the common ones of what happens when the sorcerer messes up.”

“Seems complicated.”

“There are men who spend their lives creating new spells. They’re called spellweavers or spellmasters.”

Reyn leaned in, “Have you ever met one?”

Kor nodded, “Many more than one. They seem to like the finest timepieces, and we craft some of the best. Now let’s see here…” Kor’s finger ran down a page.

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Reyn looked at the book again with Kor. He knew he couldn’t escape, so he tried to help as much as possible. He needed to get out of the city soon.

Kor flipped through the pages, and Reyn saw spells called New Day, Curve, Blind, Candle, Light, Point, and then Kor mumbled to himself, “What kind of spells are these?”

Kor flipped through a few more pages and said, “They’re all light spells. They look complicated, and I don’t want to get accidentally blinded. Let’s find the index.” He eventually found the index, and soon they were in a section for air.

A few minutes later, Kor found one that he thought was appropriate.

“Here we are,” he said, “Puff, a spell for blasting a small puff of air at something or someone. The runes are Befioldo with anger, Liovacodroe with mercy or empathy, and Drevgaldo with frustration. Aim it at the door, please.”

Reyn turned to the door, slid the book to the counter next to him, and said the rune Befioldo while feeling anger for being wrongly accused. He then said Liovacodroe while thinking about Mr. Eggot, and Drevgaldo while feeling just as he did at that moment: frustrated.

Nothing happened.

Reyn felt panic rising inside his chest. Kor laughed at him.

“You really thought you would get it your first time?” Kor asked.

“Yes?”

“There’s a reason why there are sorcerer academies. It’s difficult. We’ll see what the book says if nothing happens…”

Kor’s finger traced down the book’s list of variations. At the very end, the book said that if the spell is not cast at all, then either the runes were mispronounced or a wrong emotion fizzled the spell.

“Try again. If we don’t get this spell working, we’ll try another one in an hour. I don’t have anything pressing for the next few hours. However,” Kor paused as he scooted a little closer to Reyn and gazed steely into Reyn’s eyes, “not to put any pressure on you, but if you do not cast a single spell, you will be turned over. So, let’s get serious, right?”

“I’m trying.”

“That’s all you, or for that matter any of us, can do.”

* * *

“You don’t have anything?” Seff asked Baka. Seff hoped Baka would have an escape plan of some sort.

Both of them stood in Baka’s hideout in a back room where meetings were held. A small table surrounded by chairs filled the entirety of it.

“I have a little, but not enough to get through. There’s an added price to anonymity. And, the goods are still being pawned for us by the thieves’ guild.”

“Surely there’s a way out.”

“I’ll talk to the guy I know in the thieves’ guild and see what we can do.”

Seff thanked him, and Baka left.

Staying in the back of the hideout for hours, Seff was just starting to worry when Baka returned. He had prepared to fight his way out if Baka had betrayed him. Baka approached alone and sat down.

Baka leaned close and said, “We need to move fast. The thieves’ guild has a tunnel out of the inner city, but they don’t use it when the city is in full lockdown. They don’t want the authorities to wonder how people keep escaping when all the gates are closed. The price is high, though. You will forfeit your entire share to pay for it. They don’t like using the tunnel much.”

“I agree. Let’s go.”

Baka and Seff made their way through a string of back alleys, trying not to be seen. Soon, they met the contact who was dressed in a robe and cowl. Seff imagined that the man might even have dagger hidden underneath.

“This way,” the man said.

Seff followed the man, leaving Baka to trail behind him.

Suddenly, Seff felt a sharp pain on his neck as his vision blurred and his legs buckled beneath him. A black bag was fit over his head as he lost consciousness.