Sarge was not impressed that I’d bought the big red-leather-bound book off Death Row instead of a weapon, and I wasn’t about to tell him I was having second thoughts after the little display that Oster Boon had put on back there, burning up the paper. And since when did leprechauns have fangs? What was this new kind of garbage? I made a mental note to run it by Eammon, to ask him if he knew the book seller.

To ask what the heck Oster Boon was while I was at it.

“You have less than seven hundred for weapons now! You can’t get nothing with that! The bulk of your money should have been spent on buying protection, not your nighttime reading.” Sarge flipped his hands into the air. “I’m glad I’m not your trainer.”

I shrugged and hugged the book to my chest. I hadn’t said why it was important, or who had written it. That knowledge was for me, and me alone. There was no way the little book seller could have known who I was, or that I was related to the author.

“Well, I’m glad too. You can’t see past the end of your too-long nose to realize weapons aren’t the only thing that can keep you safe,” I said. Sarge frowned and touched his nose. I just shook my head. Pretty, but dumb as far as I could see, no matter how old he may or may not be.

A quick glance showed that Corb and his protégé were off to another of the vendors, rendering the weapons wonder twins finally available. I tucked my books into my new bag, noting that there wasn’t a lot of weight to them, even Gran’s magnum opus, and the thick strap across my shoulder felt light and easy.

I sauntered over to the Viking twins, and they saw me coming. Left elbowed Right and pointed at the bag at my side. “She got hosed. She bought that book from Oster.”

“Sarge, can you hold this for me?” I held the bag out to him, and he took it with a sigh.

“I should take the books back and get your money for you.”

“NO REFUNDS!” yelled Oster Boon from the other end of the stalls. How the hell had he heard us? I did not want to know.

Because my head said vampire leprechaun as if that was a thing. I didn’t think it was, but I’d be asking Eammon.

I shook my head. “Listen, you two,” I put the palms of my hands on the table and leaned forward, “I have four hundred bucks to go toward a weapon of some sort. Whatcha got?”

“You got more than that. Last chick had two thousand and she spent most of it here,” Right said with a grin that showed off several missing teeth and one that was gold-capped.