Hard Bound, page 24
“Yes, well, don’t expect it every time. Our normal clientele are much more apt to pay in books or information.” In truth she had wanted a favor of some sort, but a favor from the Seven was more than they were willing to part with unfortunately. Money was much less contentious. “But this should be enough to make times when you have to be away from the shop a little less stressful, so you don’t overwork yourself.”
Gaili nodded. “Thank you, Fiona.”
“You have nothing to thank me for, friend.” Fiona stretched. “You earned it yourself.”
“Did they find Jacopo safe?”
Fiona frowned. “Yes, he was fast asleep in the Pavilion. Luckily that had never happened to him before.” Without an option to take on Clara’s persona again, Sadie took a gamble changing into Jacopo. A gamble that paid off, giving her the crowns. Or some of them. Fiona had alerted Olea and Dorin afterward, but a city search turned up nothing. The Rise authorities as well had no clues as to the whereabouts of Mistress Sadie Stoneguard.
Fiona had so many questions about the illustrious hag. Why did she take them? She no longer thought she had actually been working for Clara as she had let Fiona believe. Another duplicity. The Book of Larrakane was fast becoming stacked with clever people who had dubious agendas.
Fiona took another sip of coffee, thinking hard as the pull chain bell rang. She groaned. “I literally haven’t finished a nibble between one thing and the next.” Gaili got up, but Fiona waved her back down. “No, you sit. I can get the door myself sometimes. We’re equal partners here.”
She traipsed to the front door and peeked out the glazed window. No one was on the porch, but there was a wrapped box. She opened her door, waved to her nosy neighbor, and grabbed the box before coming back inside. A letter was adhered to the top. The outline of a fox was stamped in the blue wax seal. She broke it open and pulled out a single printed page.
Fondest Fiona,
Much appreciation for all the work you did on the retrieval job from Clara. Though I did have to help a little along the way, you fared better than I expected. You truly are worth the ink fit to print your likeness. A little shorter of course, but I digress. I’m sure you’re upset by now about my wordplay in our little game, but needs must when there’s a deadline. Feel free to keep the dagger as payment. Even if I’m short one crown, it won’t be for long.
No doubt you’ll return the items enclosed. Your type tends to do those things. Till we work together again in the future.
Sincerely,
Sadie
Fiona threw open the door ignoring the cries of Gaili and ran outside. People milled everywhere; children laughed in the streets. Her neighbor called her name, alarmed. Fiona ignored them all. She couldn’t pinpoint a single thing that stood out. Not one person.
Sighing she went back into the house. Gaili had opened the package, discovering a bell, watch, and four copper crowns.
“What happened? Who sent these?” Gaili asked.
“Who indeed,” Fiona said, picking up the letter and slamming the door.
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About HIDDEN WORDS
Life flourishes in the Book, a world of stacked realms spanning the ages. Those who can travel between them are page turners, blessed with the power to go from one page to the next.
For investigator Fiona Thorne, turning the page is normal life. Solving mysteries is where the excitement lives. No case is too small to ignite her curiosity, no page too familiar to explore.
Hired by her charming, gossipy neighbor to track down a shipment of rare books, Fiona thinks it’ll be easy. She’ll search for clues, sort out the issue, and be back in time for her nightly cup of coffee. And her reward? An introduction to one of the most reclusive leaders in Spine, the Druid Elder.
But that dream slips through her fingers as she realizes there’s little evidence. She’ll have to kick this investigation into high gear if she wants to impress her neighbor and earn her way into a privileged connection.
You can only read HIDDEN WORDS by signing up online for my newsletter at www.dhalerambo.com/newsletter/
Glossary of The Planar Pages series
Find expanded lore, world information and more at https://go.dhalerambo.com/tpp
Spine: A realm connected to every page in the Book. All page turners live here and can suffer ill effects for being gone too long. Split into over a dozen districts.
Seven Known Pages (as stacked in the Book)
Elemental Chapter
Blaze: page of fire, contains salamanders, flarions, ragnis, and other fire elementals
Depths: page of water, contains water elementals, merfolk, turtles, and more
Mistral: page of air, contains sylphs and other air elementals
Cobbles: page of earth, contains gnomes and other earth elementals
Mortal Chapter
Restless Rise (Rise): page of humans, contains a central mountain with floating islands all round it
Kerus: page of smilodon, elephas, and ursidon
Court of Copper (Court): page of faekin: fairies, fae, fauns, centaurs, and nymphs
Terms
Aer: language from page of air, Mistral
Aguan: language from the Depths
the Binder: leader of the Guild
the Book of Larrakane (the Book): all the known pages of the universe
bookmark: token from a page, used to travel there by a page turner
the Card: a free leaflet by the Travel Guild
the Church of Larrakane: organization devoted to worship of Larrakane
Claire: a language from page of fire, Blaze
Depth’s Door: a lake in Spine
diamonnette paper (papers): universal currency
elephas: like elephants standing on their hind legs, from Kerus
faekin: fauns, fairies, pixies, centaurs, all from the Court of Copper
Fallen Bubble: a cocktail
flarion(s): fire elementals who live in pools of magma from page of fire, Blaze
the Followers: a subset of the Church of Larrakane
format: slang for rumor
the Gilded: six leaders in the Travel Guild, including the Binder
the Hinge: Travel Guild headquarters
inked: blessed by Larrakane with the ability to turn pages
the Inking: historic event that created page turners
jacket(s): slang for officers of the Guild
kora: fish with an oily excretion from page of water, Depths
Larrakane (she/her): bestows the ability to turn pages and creator of the Book
La’mior: a fire forest in Blaze
pagemark(s): safe places where turners can move between pages
page turners (turners): people who can move between pages
Pestles and Mortar: smithy in the Spine
pulp: slang for creatures from various pages who are not page turners
ragnis: metallic-boned quasi-flame creatures from page of fire, Blaze
ripper(s): slang for thieves and smugglers across pages
Schiflan: a language spoken from page of humans, Restless Rise
skimmer(s): slang for tourists visiting other pages
skips: slang for criminals on the run
Sod: language from the earth pages
the Towers of Calistino (the towers): prison in Copper
smilodon(s): catlike people, from Kerus
Sod: language from page of earth, Cobbles
sylph: stark white air creatures from page of air, Mistral
the Travel Guild, the Guild: organization that regulates all the comings and goings of page turners in the Book
the Trussadary Inn: hotel in Court of Copper
the Waterfall Palace: hotel in the Depths
unread turner: slang for someone new to being a page turner
ursidon: bearlike people, from Kerus
Coming Soon - Pressed, Book 3
Step into the next Page and pre-order Book 3, PRESSED
www.dhalerambo.com/pressed
The yearly attendance with Queen Brilliance of Rise is upcoming, and wouldn’t you know it, Fiona is dreading it. All human page turners assembled together in one place is not for the faint of heart. Between the tangled politics of home and facing her overbearing mother, she counts herself lucky it’s only for a few days. But this year, the Queen presses Fiona with an unexpected request—find the mythical Guardian of Restless Rise.
Can she discern true intentions amid obscured agendas? Is the Queen’s desire sincere or does she, or the enigmatic Painted Edge, seek control over the Guardian’s power?
Fiona soon finds herself joined by a sharp-tongued gentleman whose verbal sparring belies an undercurrent of something more. Can he be trusted or is he another hidden player? Amid schemes and betrayals, Fiona must piece together palace intrigues and a myths to discover if the Guardian truly exists.
Continue your adventure and purchase PRESSED in your preferred format at www.dhalerambo.com/pressed
Also by D. Hale Rambo
A SERIES OF DECISIONS ON KAIRAS
A cozy high fantasy trilogy set in the world of Kairas where the deities may be sealed away but their troubles are not.
Book 1, TOOLS OF A THIEF
How do you stop being a thief? Zizy Zakar assumed quitting her job, stealing from her boss, and teleporting hundreds of miles away was one way to give it a go.
Buy it now: teleport yourself to books2read.com/toat
Book 2, COMPONENTS OF A CASTER
Laysa has always vowed to do whatever it took to learn magic. Can Laysa keep her friends alive and survive uncovering the depths of the unknown? Does she have what it takes to be a Caster?
Buy it now: cast your coins at books2read.com/coac
Book 3, ROUTES OF A RANGER
A family under threat. A perilous journey home. Skinny has spent her life running from her past. Now she must achieve the destiny she was denied before she can defeat the enemy at her doorstep.
Buy it now: steer yourself towards go.dhalerambo.com/roar
THE PLANAR PAGES
A secondary world historical fantasy series with investigator Fiona Thorne and her motley crew of friends.
Life flourishes in the Book, a world of stacked realms spanning the ages, like the pages of an epic chronicle. Those who can travel through them are page turners; blessed with the power to go from one page to the next. For investigator Fiona Thorne, being a Turner is normal life. Solving mysteries is where the excitement lives.
Book 0, HIDDEN WORDS (newsletter exclusive prequel)
Cases are ramping up in the Spine and Fiona is in the middle of the action. Hired by her charming, gossipy neighbor to track down a shipment of rare books, Fiona thinks it’ll be a piece of work.
Read it for FREE by signing up for my newsletterat go.dhalerambo.com/freestory
Book 1, BETWEEN THE LINES
Blaze, the page of fire, is wasting away. Fire elementals are being smuggled out in waves, but by whom? Fiona is on the job and nothing will hold her, not even the overbearing Travel Guild.
Read BETWEEN THE LINES and buy it now at: go.dhalerambo.com/tppbtl
Book 2, HARD BOUND
Someone has stolen from the Court of Copper, the illustrious fae page nestled within the Book. Is it a member of the fractured counsel, the fabled Order of Seven, or could the thief be much closer to Fiona than she realizes?
The fae realm is only a step away. BUY HARD BOUND at: go.dhalerambo.com/tpphb
Book 3, PRESSED
Between the tangled politics of home and facing her overbearing mother, Fiona counts herself lucky the yearly attendance with Queen Brilliance is only for a few days. But this year, the Queen presses Fiona with an unexpected request—find the mythical Guardian of Restless Rise. Amid schemes and betrayals, Fiona must piece together palace intrigues and myths to discover if the Guardian truly exists.
Join the investigation. BUY PRESSED at go.dhalerambo.com/tpppressed
About the Author
D. Hale Rambo is an adventure and historical fantasy author whose books transport readers to wondrous worlds filled with magic, mystery, and humor. With compelling and memorable characters at the heart of her stories, Rambo weaves tales to entertain and enthrall.
A lifelong storyteller, she’s been writing and creating other worlds since she was old enough to mark them on her bedroom wall.
When she’s not writing, you can find her enjoying a stiff cosmopolitan while reading mysteries alongside her favorite pet companion.
Discover more about her wondrous worlds, the versatility of gnomes, and fun fae cocktails at www.dhalerambo.com
D. Hale Rambo, Hard Bound
