This week’s excerpt continues last week’s action-packed raid by the Crimson League on a group of sorcerer Zalski Forzythe’s elite guardsmen, hoping to discover his long-term goals and what he has them searching For.

What will they discover?

In the meantime, Menikas had helped Ranler hoist the other man to his seat for Lanokas to bind. They had just finished when another guardsman entered, attracted by the noise. Kora could tell at once why he belonged to the elite guard. He held his sword ready and reacted swiftly when Ranler shot an arrow. He dodged the projectile by flying diagonally upward. There he hovered, taking in the scene.

Kora grabbed and aimed her crossbow but overshot. The guardsman, twice her size, lunged at her from midair before the brothers’ magic hurled him back against the room’s sole bookshelf. It collapsed upon impact, sending planks of wood and numerous tomes crashing down on him. Menikas guarded the door while the others dug the soldier out. When they reached him, Ranler felt his neck. “No need to tie up this one.”

With no trace of regret Menikas announced, “I’ll search the house with Ranler. You two stay here. Find out what those men were researching. We’ll knock along the wall when we head back.”

Kora scanned the room, her allies’ footsteps ringing in her ears. Rot had set into the floorboards, and two wooden posts that supported the ceiling had cracks. The only furniture besides the table and chairs was the wreckage of the shelf.

Lanokas went through the pile of books on the table while Kora set down her crossbow and grabbed one of the stray strips of parchment. It was a list of local landmarks, including the Hogarane Museum, the Duke of Hornsby’s old vacation home, and two village antique shops. Some locations had wet lines drawn through them. Kora started when her gaze fell across the word “riverbank” printed in a plain, masculine script. Someone had struck it through.

“Look at these books.” Lanokas held up random tomes he had yet to examine, reading the titles as he went. “A History of Sorcery. Spell Books of the Ancients. The Book of the Book: The Librette Oscure.” His face went dark. “Zalski can’t be—”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Librette Oscure.” He widened his eyes. “The most famous spell book ever written. A dark sorcerer, a Hansrelto, composed it centuries ago.”

Kora’s spirits sank at the name. “I’ve heard of Hansrelto’s revolt, just not this book.”

“Rumor says it has the worst spells known to man. It disappeared before his rebellion. If Zalski gets his hands on it . . .”

“He’d be unstoppable.” Kora grabbed The Book of the Book from Lanokas. It was a leather-bound tome. “We should take this. And you should keep your hands free.”

Kora leafed through the manuscript. The ink was faded, hardly legible. Then she found a page with the corner turned down and said, “They marked this section.”

“Read it.”

“ ‘Before his revolt, Hansrelto is believed not only to have hidden his masterpiece but to have enchanted it so that only one worthy of its secrets might discover it. If legend holds true, The Librette Oscure alters its shape and form, waiting in disguise for a future owner who will recognize it for what it is.’ ”

She fell silent. The same heavy footsteps that had earlier faded now sounded again down the hall, mixed with crisp knocks. Menikas announced upon his entry, “We found no one.”

Lanokas flicked his eyes to the book Kora held. “Zalski’s after The Librette.”

Menikas blanched beneath his dark wig. “Wilhem warned this operation was vital.”

Kora pleaded, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Should we leave an arrow?” Lanokas pulled one from his quiver. “Let them know to whom they owe the pleasure?”

Menikas shook his head. “Keep Zalski guessing. Let that pinprick of doubt bore into him.”

“I like it,” said Ranler. He maneuvered his way through the window, followed by the brothers. Kora handed The Book of the Book to Lanokas and was about to climb after him when something stirred at her back, and she whirled around.

The man with the peg leg had come to. They stared at each other, his eyes dull but alert. Shivering, Kora grabbed her crossbow to slip through the window and join her fellow leaguesmen.

I hope you enjoyed this! The book releases June 15! In the meantime, please follow my author page on Facebook, meet all the members of the Crimson League here, and mark your calendars!