The Devil's Right Hand
Chapter One
It's for you," Japhrimel said diffidently, his eyes flaring with
green fire in angular runic patterns for just a moment before
returning to almost-human darkness.
I blinked, taking the package. It was heavy, wrapped in blue satin,
with a wide white silk ribbon tied in a bow. I pushed the large
leatherbound book away and rubbed at the back of my neck under the
heavy fall of my hair. Long hours of reading and codebreaking made
my vision blur, the white marble behind him turning into a hazy
streak. For just a moment, his face looked strange.
Then I recognized him again and inhaled, taking in his familiar
smell of cinnamon and amber musk. The mark on my shoulder burned at
his nearness, a familiar sweet pain making my breath catch. The room
was dark except for the circle of light from the antique brass lamp
with its green plasilica shade. "Another present?" My voice scraped
through my dry throat, still damaged; I didn't have to worry about
its soft huskiness, alone with him. The tattoo on my cheek twisted,
and my emerald spat a single spark to greet him.
"Indeed." Japhrimel touched m ... read full excerpt from The Devil's Right Hand ebook
