"Alright, where are they?" Danniel whispered to Isabella. They were alone, Lily was out helping a customer, but the wolf kept his voice low. She had a way of appearing when you least expected it. Even in a hushed tone,  his impatience was clear. While Isabella rang up a customer, Danniel stood to the side of the counter with his arms crossed. Starlight's delivery, according to Isabella's contact, was projected in by eight o'clock, an hour after the store's opening. Checking his phone, Danniel could see that it was currently half past ten.

"Like, would you ease up?" Isabella groaned. She rolled her eyes before scanning the people milling about, “Can you please go bother someone else? They'll show when they show.” Her usual deadpan expression cracked slightly as her maw curled into a smirk, "Don't worry, I'll be sure to call you when Lil gets back." 

"No clue why you would have to."

“Sure you don't, pup.You're just lucky the girl's clueless. Now could you move? I don't want you scaring the guy off. You look too law-abiding." 

"You have yet to explain what that means, by the way," Danniel remarked, crossing his arms. 

"Yeah, cool, shut up." Isabella raised her hand as she focused on someone posted near the entrance. A bat, like herself, had entered the store about ten minutes prior and only moved a few feet inside. Isabella had noticed him as soon as he walked in; his short, dyed blue hair was hard to miss, but she wasn't quite sure what his deal was. His smokey gray fur lay under a black button-up shirt and gray pants with a gold chain running from his belt to something in his right pocket. Across his chest was a strap that held a leather bag against his back. Though reflective sunglasses obscured his eyes, it was pretty clear he was stealing glances at the front counter.

Danniel, following Isabella's line of sight, came to see the same bat milling about near one of the displays. It took him a moment before the visitor's identity came to him. "Wait, is that Butch?" He watched as the bat flinched, hearing his name called. 

"Uh-huh. Guess what Bonna said was true." Isabella said with a nod. She snapped her fingers to get Butch's attention and called to him, "Are you the runner, Butch?" 

Butch responded by ripping his sunglasses off and staring brass-colored daggers at the deadpan woman. He motioned towards her as if he was waiting for Isabella to do something. Much to the bat's frustration, she simply blinked and shrugged. This caused Butch to slap his palm over his face in anger. After dragging his hand down his face, he growled at Isabella, "Are you for real?"

"Do you have the book or not?"

"Do the greeting!" Butch hissed.

“No. Book.” 

“Tartus, woman. Do the greeting.” 

"Okay, Isabella," Danniel jumped in, his tone clearly out of patience, "I don't want to get involved in your business, but we have a schedule. So, please just do whatever greeting he's talking about so we can get this moving." The gritting of Isabella's teeth was almost audible over her annoyed groaning. He watched as the bat's head snapped to look at him. Eyes narrowed into slits; the bat clicked at him in her native tongue of Chiro. He had no clue what the flurry of clicks and growls meant, but it was clear it wasn't friendly. Glancing over at the delivery bat, his wide-eyed expression pretty much confirmed it. 

When she was done speaking at Danniel, Isabella looked at Butch. Taking two of her fingers, she knocked her knuckles on the countertop before holding her hand towards him. As he approached, a sigil appeared in her palm. It was a key with three teeth at the end of the blade. At the top of the blade sat an open eye wreathed in flames. 

"Greetings, Tomerunner Bellton," Isabella spoke with a hint of positivity, dropping it instantly as Butched reached the counter. "I can't believe you made me do that." 

"And greetings to you, Speaker Clovis." Butch chirped, barely containing his excitement. He straightened up and presented his palm to Isabella, flashing his own palm. His symbol was a simple, open scroll with a long ribbon encircling it. With a big smile, He pulled the bag from his back and began rummaging around inside. After a bit of blind digging, Butch removed the day’s delivery. It was a simple book. Its cover was smooth, featureless, and made of thick black wood. A flap covered the rightmost third of the exterior and was held in place by a metal circle at the center. 

Isabella snatched the book from his hand before giving it a once over. "And the receipt?" After reaching back into his bag, the delivery boy nodded and retrieved a parchment scroll. The off-yellow paper was held shut by a clean white ribbon. Upon offering it to her, she grabbed the other end, and the ribbon started to flutter. Its once-white color shifted to a sickly gray. The only remains of its former self was the copy of Isabella's marking on the end of the ribbon. 

"My first official delivery," Butch said, eyes full of pride. "Would have been done sooner if someone did the greeting right. Anyway, I have some other news but um," Butch gestured, motioning towards the wolf. "Hey." Isabella snapped her fingers at Danniel, getting his attention in the form of an annoyed glare. "Shoo. I need to talk business." She accompanied the command with a wave of her hand. He nodded, saying that he would go get Gonzi to watch the front. Once the two were alone, she leaned forward and waited for the news.

Butch did the same, glancing around before starting. "So, this place is owned by the Wolshires, right?”

"Yeah, why?" 

"Well, I overheard some intel guys squawking while picking up today's drops. It hasn't hit the papers yet, but there was some kind of attack on Blackhollow prison. A bunch of guys came up missing. Grimhart's one of em, from what I hear." 

Isabella's eyes went from half-lidded to quarter-lidded as she heard the name. That name, or more the person behind it, was no friend of the store. She didn't have any personal experience with them, all of the knowledge being second-hand. Gonzi and Sandra did, however, and their tales of him were harrowing. Supposedly, Grimhart was responsible for destroying the second and fourth versions of the store. The fact they were no longer in containment was more than enough reason for alarm. 

"Anyone manage to get eyes on them?" 

"Nope." Butch shook his head. "His Speaker went quiet around the time it happened. Wager is that they were behind the whole thing. I would say check The Rumor Mill and let your bosses know." 

"Guy's not gonna show his face here fresh out of a cell. I'll tell them later." 

Butch shrugged while putting the receipt back in his pouch. After returning it to his back, the bat slipped his sunglasses back on and pulled his phone from his pocket. The gold chain running from his belt was now revealed to connect to his device's protective case. "Personally, I wouldn't wait, but then again, he's not coming for me. Well, I got a few more stops in Aldcrest, so I'm getting moving. Oh, and Bonna said to call her." He got a simple nod from Isabella before turning to head out. Just as he reached the door, Lily strolled back behind the counter, her eyes drawn to the book sitting on the counter.    

"Was that Butch?" The rabbit asked as she picked up their parcel. 

"Uh-huh, We were his first delivery. Get your bag; We'll leave when Danny gets back." 

"Wait," Lily looked up from the book to the bat, "Why didn't Butch just take the book to your person? That seems like it would be easier." 

"Esmeralda doesn't trust runners or really anyone. Working intel for the royal houses will do that to you.” 

As Lily returned her attention to the book, Isabella took the chance to take Butch's advice. Part of her didn't want to believe what he said. Blackhallow was a maximum security prison, and Grimhart was serving the second year of a fifteen-year sentence. In a heist that turned bad, the criminal left a wake of destruction that took a bystander's life. 

An escape like that would send the ever-chattering Speaker Corps into an uproar. Information travels fast, and a Speaker like herself would turn to their Rumor Mill at a time like this. This rumor mill was less symbolic and more an application. After a few taps, the bat's phone screen flickered and changed into a featureless white void. On it appeared a question mark. Isabella held her hand over the screen and made her Speaker marking reappear. The phone chimed as the question mark was replaced with an exclamation point. The screen flickered again and was replaced by a collection of links and messages. None of that mattered to her right now. What did matter was the red bar running at the top of the screen, sporting scrolling white text. 

It read, '"Attention! Confirmed Blackhallow prison attack, Guildcoucil Order Level 0: Do not interact with any Black tier clients until further notice. Please halt all activity on current black tier contracts not currently in transit.'

For those who ran in the bat's circles, Black tier clients are the worst of the worst, but they did pay the most. Fallen royals and crime lords usually got this rating. Picking up a black-tier contract more than likely involved something illegal. Certain guild masters would work with these types while accepting all risks involved. 

"Shit." The bat whispered before putting the phone away. Lily didn't hear her as she focused on clicking her satchel to her hip. Just then, Danniel returned with the pair's replacement. Gonzi stood a foot taller than the wolf. Despite his age, he was able to maintain his military physique. Though a bit of a gut was the only concession he made to time. His perfectly maintained coat was black as night. His mane was cut short, and its natural brick-red color had faded into a reddish-silver. He wore razor-creased slacks and a tucked-in polo shirt. As he approached the counter, the sound of clicking gears in his metal right leg could be heard. 

"Alright, get moving." The warhorse grunted.

"Hey Gonzi," Lily spoke up.

"Chief," Isabella said with a nod.

"By the elders, Thorne, would it kill you to address me properly?"

Lily shrugged, "Maybe. I don't get why you make such a big deal about it. Izzy never does it." 

"She does address me properly. Rank or title. You know the rules. Anyway," His attention shifted to the bat, "Tell Esmeralda that we moved card night to Thursday." She nodded, and with that, the pair started on their way. 

As they passed one of the large windows of Starlight, Lily took a glance back at the pair behind the counter. She caught the wolf looking at her. Even with his hair covering his eyes, she knew when they were on her. The rabbit gave him a quick wave and smile. When he gave one in return, Lily could feel her cheeks start to warm. Her pace slowed slightly but speed up once she had noticed the bat's growing lead. "If you're done flirting with the girl, we need to discuss the plan," Gonzi spoke as he leaned on the counter. The wolf nodded and turned to face him, giving his full attention. "The guy from the Founder's Day committee is gonna be here soon. I need you back before they leave, am I understood." 

"Of course, It shouldn't take too long. Just gotta make sure they can't see me." 

"And the chime?" 

"Sealed. I'm assuming you spoke to Eleven?" Danniel rolled his eyes as he walked away from the horse. Standing on the opposite side of the counter, the wolf faced his boss again, annoyance clear on his face. "I'll tell you the same thing I told him: Last year was a fluke. It won't happen again. Oh, and before I forget, Esmerelda needs to check the stand. Those cracks around the base are starting to worry me." With that warning, Danniel made his way out as well. The horse responded with a huff through his nose as a customer approached the front desk.  

****

Lily and Isabella strolled leisurely down a sun-soaked path overlooking the shimmering waters of Aldcrest Bay. Isabella ran her hand along the wooden railing that separated the two from the steep cliff edge. Lily walked next to her on the inside of the path. She casually munched away on a bag of caramel corn while enjoying the sunshine. Overhead, seagulls flew and drifted on the warm air currents. A few had taken note of the pair, more so the treat the rabbit was eating, and began trailing the group. 

"So, Bestie," Lily stepped closer to Isabella until her shoulder made contact with the bat's, "Can I ask you something?" 

"Hmm?" Isabella responded while returning the bump. 

"How did you talk Gonzi into letting me tag along on this drop-off? He always tells me no." 

Isabella dropped her hand from the railing before sliding both hands into her pockets. "Some suit from the Founder's Day committee is coming by. Said if we put our best foot forward, we can get on the featured businesses list. Of course, you know when he says 'Best foot forward,' he means-"

"Deal with it directly so we don't screw it up. Yeah yeah yeah. Gonzi's kind of an ass. You think he would have some faith in us." Lily scoffed before throwing a few kernels of corn into her mouth.

"He only hired other people because he was sick of dealing with the customers. Like, that's a sign he has at least a little faith. Besides, schmoozing is lame. I'm sure he would rather me get special stock, and you throw out assholes."

"Guess you're right." The rabbit shrugged as they reached the top of the cliff path. It split, going right and left. Going forward wasn't an option anymore as before them stood a stretch of dense forest. Beyond the oak trees, a cluster of buildings could be seen but no direct path existed.. She looked at Isabella and followed her down the right path. 

As Lily followed Isabella down the red brick path, she thought about their delivery. Pulling the book from her pouch, Lily examined it and found it wholly unremarkable. All the trouble everyone was going through to deliver it seemed really silly.. The only thing of interest was the metal circle that held the tome closed. 

While the pair began to round a turn, they reached a thinner section of the oak canopy. Through narrow gaps, rays of sunlight illuminated the shady thoroughfare. The tome's cover began to shimmer while crossing through a rather large break. 

"Whoa..." Lily whispered, stopping suddenly, "Um, Izzy! The book's doing something!"

Hearing her name, Isabella stopped and returned to her friend. Looking at the book, she watched the runic markings burn themselves into the leather binding. Seeing the worried look on Lily's face, she thought it best to try to calm the rabbit's worries. The bat pulled the book from her hands and moved it back into the shade. As the sun left its face, the cover returned to its featureless state. 

While watching the runes disappear, something caught Isabella's attention. The book was warm to the touch. It might have been a warm summer day, but this was abnormally warm. Like it was sitting in direct sunlight for a few hours, not a few moments. 

"It's written in sun ink," informed Isabella as the last of the markings faded from view. "Pretty typical for Quila Spellbooks." 

"Quila? Are you making stuff up again?" Lily asked, crossing her arms. 

"No, I learned my lesson from the marionette incident. Sun ink, it's an ancient magic thing. It only appears in the presence of sunlight or someone with a fire core." 

Isabella offered the book back to Lily, but Lily waited. She watched closely as the markings returned. The wonder that showed on her face quickly shifted to confusion. 

"Okay, but what does it say?" Lily asks while taking the book back. She stood in a patch of sunlight, and the longer she stood there, the more of the unintelligible markings came into view. Eventually, new markings stopped appearing. She studied them now that they were on full display. The runes emanated out from around the silver lock and formed  nine half-circles. Three evenly spaced and unique markings along the outermost band completed the runes' sun-like design. The shimmering sigils covered the left two-thirds of the cover. 

"Couldn't tell ya; Quila's a dead people with a dead tongue. Esmerelda's one of the few people who can speak it. The old woman's mad about the stuff, like totally obsessed. Now move; we're late enough." 

With that, the two started walking again with Lily taking up the rear. The rabbit's gaze was affixed to the book and the fading and reappearing runes on its cover. She would look up occasionally to make sure the way was clear, but her attention was focused on the book.

The canopy overhead began to recede along the outer edge of the path. Noticing this, Lily moved out into the uninterrupted sunlight. "You know, I think I've seen these before."  

"Sure, Lil,"

"I'm serious. There was something my grandpa gave me. Had markings just like these." Lily stopped walking and held the book closer to her face. The metal circle that held the book closed started to sparkle and shimmer. The binding began to show its set of runic markings. It sported ten sigils. Ten very familiar sigils. "They were…it was um…" She pulled the book away from her face and furrowed her brow. 

The rabbit fell quiet again. The markings on the circle made her think of her grandfather. Being the granddaughter of an archeologist meant Lily was never lacking in interesting and unique gifts. One had markings similar to the ones on the book. No, after a closer look, Lily recognized them exactly. All brain power was diverted to digging through the deep recesses of her memory. 

Having not heard footsteps behind her for a few seconds, Isabella looked over her shoulder and spotted Lily standing still once again. She turned around and glared at the rabbit through her sunglasses. Esmeralda was the last person she wanted to keep waiting. The old woman was about as trusting as she was patient, and they were already taking longer than Isabella intended. This being the second time the rabbit halted their progress, Isabella was starting to lose her cool. 

"Like, would you come on?" 

"Just a sec. It's on the tip of my tongue."

"Lily!" 

As Isabella approached, Lily focused as best she could. Just as Isabella closed the distance between the two, the words finally formed. Without a second thought, Lily proudly called them out.

"Kpuar Dej." 

A soft click drew the pair's attention to their parcel. The circular lock had cleanly split in two, and the flap on the front cover began to lift with the air suddenly smelling of sulfur.