A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess Read Free Book Online Page A

the boy said with a nod. “Now.”
    The books darted across the room, slamming into one another. I cried out as books began to rain from the sky. Magnus pulled me out of the way, but Agrippa was hit in the head and fell. The rest of the books collapsed to the earth.
    “You could’ve killed him!” the red-haired boy cried, rushing to Agrippa and helping him to his feet. “I’m so sorry, sir. We never meant to hurt anyone. We did warn you, though, didn’t we?” His green eyes widened when he saw me standing beside Magnus. “Oh, it’s the girl!”
    “The girl’s here?” The other dueling-book boy turned to stare at me as well. His hair was wavy and black. “You idiot. You almost killed the lady sorcerer.” He hit the other fellow in the shoulder after Agrippa had got himself safely to the couch.
    “Don’t be fools,” Magnus said, stepping forward. “The important thing is I saw her first, so I won the bet. Both of you, pay up.”
    “That was five pounds together,” the dark-haired boy said.
    “Each.”
    “Liar!” Now they were all grappling, though they seemed to enjoy themselves. I pressed myself against the wall, taken aback. I came from a place where silence and order were strictly enforced. Waiting for them to stop, I looked about the room.
    Two more young men sat by the window. They played a game of chess and paid no mind whatsoever to anything around them. One was so small and slight he seemed on the verge of fading from existence. His hair was pale and almost colorless. The other, by contrast, had black hair and shoulders so broad they stretched the material of his jacket.
    The brief fight died. Sensing a cue, I stepped forward to introduce myself. “How good to meet you. My name is Henrietta Howel,” I said, extending my hand. I hoped I didn’t sound too nervous.
    “I’m Arthur. Arthur Dee.” The red-haired boy blushed as he respectfully bent his head over my hand, though he didn’t kiss it. “Sorry about the books,” he whispered.
    “And this,” Magnus said, straightening the dark-haired boy, “is Cavaliere Bartolomeo Cellini de Genoa. That’s in Italy.”
    “I know where Genoa is.” Magnus liked to speak for his friends, which didn’t surprise me. Cellini bowed with a flourish.
    “I speak veddy good-ah Een-glish,” he said in a dreadful accent. “But my Italian is terrible,” he added in a perfectly normal voice, which made me laugh. He winked at me.
    I met the chess-playing fellows by the window as well. The small, pale one was Clarence Lambe; the large one, Isaac Wolff. They seemed pleasant and polite, but immediately returned to their game. Not the most social of creatures.
    “Where’s George?” Agrippa said, glancing about the room. “I was expecting a full welcome.”
    Of course, Lord Blackwood. My heart sped up as I looked back at the door, waiting for his entrance. I smoothed and fluffed my skirt.
    “He went out,” Cellini said. “His Lordship said he had important matters to attend to.” Cellini pursed his mouth and stuck his nose in the air. Magnus and Dee laughed.
    Agrippa frowned. “I asked everyone to be home this evening.”
    “Oh, it’s all right,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. I would meet him eventually, after all. And being an earl, he probably
did
have important matters.
    “Well,” Agrippa said, “it can wait until tomorrow. You look as if you could do with some rest, Miss Howel.” He eased up from the sofa.
    “Good night,” I said, curtsying to the gentlemen. They bowed in return, Dee laughing a little. I suppose this was as strange to them as it was to me.
    Agrippa and I climbed the stairs to the third floor and made a right down a long hallway. Agrippa gestured to a door at the end. “This is the Rose Room. I trust you’ll be comfortable.” He smiled, but his eyes kept nervously flickering toward the door. “I shall have a maid come up and assist you. Good night.” He bowed and left me to enter the room on my