Aldric stood outside the establishment in the Silk Quarter, his heart pounding. The building was elegant but discreet, its windows curtained and its door unmarked. A place for those who could afford privacy and discretion. He'd spent the last two days gathering information about Selene, confirming that she was who she claimed to be. The stories he'd heard were consistent: she was expensive, exclusive, and dangerous. Men who crossed her tended to find their secrets exposed at the worst possible moments.
Perfect.
He knocked on the door. It was opened by a severe-looking woman in her fifties, who looked him up and down with obvious skepticism.
"I'm here to see Selene," Aldric said. "She invited me."
The woman's expression didn't change. "Name?" "Aldric Thorne."
She stepped aside. "Wait in the parlor. I'll see if she's available."
The parlor was luxurious, all velvet and silk and soft lighting. Aldric sat on a plush sofa and tried to calm his nerves. He'd never been in a place like this before. The closest he'd come was the rough taverns near his family's estate, where the serving girls would sometimes offer more than drinks for a few extra coins. This was different. This was a place where power and pleasure intertwined, where secrets were currency and nothing was free.
Selene appeared after a few minutes, wearing a silk robe that left little to the imagination. She smiled when she saw him.
"Aldric. I'm pleased you came. I wasn't sure you would."
"I'm not in the habit of ignoring opportunities," he said, rising to his feet. "Good. Come with me. We have much to discuss."
She led him upstairs to a private room that was even more luxurious than the parlor. A large bed dominated the space, but there was also a sitting area with comfortable chairs and a small table. Selene gestured for him to sit, then poured two glasses of wine from a crystal decanter.
"To new partnerships," she said, raising her glass.
Aldric clinked his glass against hers and drank. The wine was excellent, far better than anything he could afford.
Selene settled into the chair across from him, curling her legs beneath her. "So. You want to become a mage. That's why you're here, isn't it? You're looking for a way to obtain a Luminous Crystal."
Aldric saw no point in lying. "Yes. I can't afford the Consortium Academy, and I don't have the connections to get a scholarship. Which leaves the black market."
"A dangerous choice," Selene said. "But not an unreasonable one, given your circumstances. I can help you. I know people who deal in black market crystals. But first, I need to know what you can offer in return. Information is my currency, Aldric. What do you have that I want?"
Aldric had anticipated this question. He'd spent the last two days gathering every scrap of information he could, listening to gossip in taverns, eavesdropping on conversations in the market. He'd compiled a mental list of scandals, rumors, and secrets that might be valuable.
"Lord Percival Greaves is embezzling from his employer," he said. "Small amounts, but consistent. He's desperate for money and thinks no one will notice. Lady Marguerite is having an affair with a married merchant. She's careful, but not careful enough. And there's a rumor that the Emperor's health is worse than the official reports suggest. Some of the noble houses are already positioning themselves for a succession crisis."
Selene's eyes gleamed. "Not bad. The information about Lord Greaves is useful—I can sell that to his employer or use it to blackmail him. The affair is common knowledge in certain circles, but it's still valuable. And the Emperor's health..." She paused, considering. "That's the most valuable piece. If a succession crisis is coming, there will be opportunities for those who are prepared. Yes, I think we can work together."
She leaned forward, her robe slipping slightly. "Here's what I propose. I'll introduce you to a man named Marcus Blackwood. He's a high-ranking member of the Shadow Syndicate, and he controls the black market crystal trade. I'll vouch for you, which will get you in the door. But after that, you're on your own. You'll need to negotiate with Marcus yourself, and he's not an easy man to deal with. Understood?"
"Understood," Aldric said. "When can you arrange the introduction?"
"Tomorrow night. Meet me here at midnight. And Aldric?" Her voice took on a harder edge. "Don't make me regret this. If you betray me, or if you do anything to draw unwanted attention to my business, I will destroy you. I have enough dirt on enough people to ruin you ten times over. Are we clear?"
"Crystal clear," Aldric said.
Selene's smile returned. "Good. Now, since you're here, and since I find you interesting, why don't we get to know each other better? Consider it a bonus for bringing me valuable information."
Aldric felt his pulse quicken. He'd known this might happen, had prepared himself for it. Selene was beautiful and dangerous, and he was attracted to her in a way that was both physical and intellectual. But he also knew that nothing with her was free. Everything was a transaction, everything had a price.
"I'd like that," he said.
Selene rose and crossed to him, her movements fluid and graceful. She took his hand and pulled him to his feet, then led him to the bed. Her fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt, and he found himself responding, his hands moving to the tie of her robe.
What followed was intense and overwhelming. Selene was skilled in ways that Aldric hadn't imagined, her touch both tender and demanding. She seemed to know exactly what he wanted, how to push him to the edge and then pull him back. It was pleasure mixed with power, a reminder that she was in control even when she seemed to surrender.
Afterward, they lay tangled in the silk sheets, their breathing gradually slowing. Aldric felt a strange mix of satisfaction and unease. He'd enjoyed it, more than he wanted to admit. But he also knew that this had been a test, another way for Selene to measure him and establish her dominance.
"You're a quick learner," Selene said, her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. "In more ways than one."
"I try," Aldric said.
She laughed softly. "Don't get too comfortable. This doesn't change anything. We're still business partners, not lovers. What happened here stays here. Tomorrow night, we'll meet Marcus, and you'll begin your real education. The pleasure was just... a pleasant diversion."
"I understand," Aldric said. And he did. This was the world he'd chosen to enter—a world where everything was transactional, where pleasure and pain, trust and betrayal, were all just tools to be used in the pursuit of power.
He left Selene's establishment an hour later, walking through the dark streets back to the Copper Bell Inn. His body was satisfied, but his mind was restless. He'd taken another step forward, made another dangerous alliance. Tomorrow night, he would meet Marcus Blackwood and begin the process of obtaining a Luminous Crystal.
And then, if he survived, he would become a mage.
The price of power was high, but Aldric was willing to pay it.
Whatever it took.