Vesper’s hand trembled as she slid it free, cradling it carefully. The silver symbol seemed to pulse beneath her touch as she opened the cover, and fragments of text flickered across her vision—diagrams of magical frequencies, theories about the nature of magic that made her head spin.

  “Found something?” Blair called from across the room.

  Vesper’s voice caught in her throat as she stared at the book. “A banned book,” she replied. “I’ve seen this one before, but I didn’t get a chance to read it.”

  “What’s it about?”

  “A scientific approach to understanding magic.”

  Blair snorted. “Typical. Magic and science can’t coexist to some of those magical dinosaurs who call themselves leaders.”

  Vesper traced her fingers along the banned book’s spine, its silver symbol pulsing beneath her touch. Behind her, footsteps approached across the dusty floor.

  “Here.” Blair held up a leather-bound notebook, its pages crammed with Selene’s precise handwriting. “She was tracking something. These calculations, the way she cross-referenced magical frequencies…” She glanced at Vesper. “Any idea what she might’ve been researching? This looks too complicated to just be about an artefact, even one as gnarly as the Echo.”

  The weight of the grimoire pressed against Vesper’s side through her bag. She drew a deep breath, the archive’s magic thrumming against her skin. No more secrets. Blair was the reason they were standing here. They wouldn’t have found the symbols if it wasn’t for her informants, and she seemed dedicated to working Selene’s murder case to the end.

  “I do.” Vesper reached into her bag and withdrew the grimoire. The book seemed to warm at her touch as she placed it on the table between them. In the archive’s magical atmosphere, it hummed with newfound energy, its runes flickering with a soft, silvery light. It’d been here before, waiting until a Resonant arrived to claim it.

  Blair stepped closer, her dark eyes fixed on the way the grimoire responded to Vesper’s presence. Understanding dawned across her features as she watched the book’s magic reach out, connecting with Vesper’s own resonant energy in visible waves of light.

  “Okay, now I get it. You’re a Resonant.” Blair sighed, revealing she knew more than she’d let on. Her hand moved instinctively toward her watch. “That’s why you can see things Rafe can’t.”

  The book’s hum grew stronger, matching the frequency of Vesper’s own magic until the air between them shimmered with silvery light.

  “Yes.” Vesper met Blair’s gaze steadily. “Selene knew. She was looking for someone like me for a long time. She wanted me to understand what I am.”

  Rafe as he moved to join them. “Are you certain about this?” His voice dropped low, meant only for her ears. “Once we tell her, there’s no going back.”

  The weight of the grimoire beneath her palms steadied her resolve. “Yes. She deserves to know. She’s already in it.”

  Vesper drew a deep breath, the archive’s magical frequencies humming against her skin. “When Selene died, she left me this grimoire. But she didn’t just leave it anywhere—she hid it in the restricted section of the London Historical Library where I worked. She knew what I was before I did.”

  Blair’s dark eyes fixed on the book, watching how it responded to Vesper’s touch with ripples of silvery light.

  “Resonants can interact with magic differently than witches or mages. We don’t just use it—we feel it, understand it on an instinctive level. We can see patterns others miss, unlock secrets in magical objects that remain hidden to everyone else. And I can unravel spells.” The words tumbled out, relief flooding through her at finally sharing the truth. “That’s why I can see things that Rafe can’t. That’s why I have visions—I see echoes of people’s memories.”

  “It’s also why they’re hunted,” Rafe added, his voice tight with barely contained anger. “Throughout history, Resonants have been targeted by those who either fear their power or want to use it for themselves. That’s why Selene kept her research hidden.”

  Blair’s hand drifted to her watch. “So, when Selene died…”

  “She was killed because she stole this grimoire from Lucian D’Arco—or so we believe,” Vesper confirmed. “She was searching for a Resonant, just as he is, to⁠—”

  “To find the Echo and wield it,” Blair murmured.

  “The grimoire woke my magic,” Vesper went on. “But it’s encoded. It could be the key to learning how deep my powers go, and how to control the Echo.”

  Blair paced the narrow space between the bookshelves. The detective’s hand kept drifting to her watch as her brow furrowed, connecting invisible dots of her investigation.

  “The magical disturbances reported around the city aren’t random,” the detective said. “Protective wards are failing. The attack in the Bizarre, the attack inside Thornhallow Manor. Then the Threads in the Fold start deteriorating, cutting off access between London and Nightreach.” Blair stopped her pacing and pulled out a small notebook, its pages dense with neat handwriting. “Two weeks ago, the Merchant’s Guild reported unusual magical signatures in their ledgers. Someone’s been tampering with their records, erasing transactions. The same week, three master artificers went missing from the Academy of Magical Sciences. Their research—all related to ward construction—vanished with them.”

  Rafe leant against a bookshelf, his expression grim. “You think someone’s systematically weakening Nightreach’s defences?”

  “Not just weakening—infiltrating.” Blair’s dark eyes gleamed in the magical light. “I’ve tracked similar patterns across every major magical institution in the city. Small changes, barely noticeable unless you’re looking for them. But together?” She spread her hands wide. “It’s too coordinated, too precise. Someone’s positioning their pieces for something bigger.”

  The detective’s words settled heavily in the archive’s musty air. Vesper felt the truth of them resonate with her magic, like the hum of a perfectly tuned instrument.

  “And now we know about Marina Sinclair’s betrayal,” Blair continued, her tone hardening. “A senior member of the Concordat, corrupted. The timing fits too perfectly to be coincidence. This isn’t just about finding the Echo—it’s about controlling Nightreach itself. The Echo is just the jewel in the crown. The key to ultimate control.”

  Vesper’s skin prickled as Rafe pushed away from the bookshelf, his shoulders tense. The magical light cast harsh shadows across his face, deepening the lines of worry around his eyes.

  “This has D’Arco’s signature all over it.” His voice carried the weight of bitter experience. “He’s tried this before. It’s what got him banished.”

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “It was a disaster.” Rafe’s fingers traced the scar on his left hand. “He took over a lot of the underground factions and launched an assault on the Concordat, the covens, the mage factions that resisted him. He failed, but the backlash nearly tore apart the magical foundations of Nightreach. Literally. He was banished beyond the Fold, behind several magical seals. The fact he’s returned at all is worrying.”

  Vesper’s throat went dry. The archive suddenly felt too small, its shelves pressing in around them.

  “But this time…” Rafe’s gaze met hers, heavy with understanding. “This time he’s obviously learned. It looks like he’s being methodical, patient. The Echo must be the key to whatever he’s planning, and for that—” His voice dropped lower. “He needs your magic to wield it.”

  The words settled like lead in Vesper’s stomach. Of course she already knew how much trouble she was in, but hearing it all put together like that? It seemed impossible to escape. Impossible to fight and win.

  She looked between Blair and Rafe, saw the gravity of the situation reflected in their expressions. The archive’s magical frequencies seemed to pulse faster, matching her racing heart.

  Blair stepped back, her shoulders tensing as she absorbed everything they’d shared. The detective’s hand drifted to her watch, her notebook forgotten.

  “This is bigger than a murder investigation.” Blair’s voice came out measured, controlled. “Much bigger than I anticipated when I started looking into Selene’s death. You’re talking about mass mind control. About a dark mage taking over Nightreach…and the world. And if he can do that, then London is next.”

  After London, it would be the entire human world, because nuclear weapons wouldn’t be able to withstand the Echo. The minds of the men who controlled them would fall long before they even thought to use them.

  It wasn’t just the end of the world they were facing… It was an apocalypse.

  Vesper understood the conflict etched across Blair’s features. The detective had built a life straddling two worlds, maintaining a delicate balance between her police work in London and her investigations in Nightreach. Getting involved with Resonant magic and D’Arco’s schemes could shatter that balance forever.

  “I need to think about—” Blair’s words cut off as Vesper’s knees buckled.

  The archive’s magical frequencies shifted, their steady hum rising to a piercing whine that drowned out all other sound. Vesper’s vision blurred, darkness creeping in from the edges as an echo seized her consciousness. The last thing she felt was Rafe’s arms catching her before she hit the floor, and then reality dissolved around her.

  The echo pulled her under like a riptide, stronger than any she’d experienced before. Colours bled away, replaced by silvery shadows and fragments of memory that weren’t her own. She could hear voices calling her name, but they seemed to come from very far away as the vision took hold.

  The archive’s solid floor vanished beneath her feet, replaced by cold stone and thrumming magical energy.

  Selene materialised before her, standing at a stone altar carved with ancient symbols. Her friend’s face was drawn and pale, dark circles shadowing her eyes. Her hands trembled as they traced complex patterns in the air, leaving trails of golden light that hung suspended around her.

  Vesper had seen this place before. The first time she’d touched the grimoire, she’d seen Selene standing before the stone and their gazes had met. But this time, her friend roiled with magic, her arms outstretched.

  The altar’s runes pulsed with a faint luminescence that matched the cadence of Selene’s chanting. Her voice wavered, the words in a language Vesper didn’t recognise but instinctively understood—an incantation meant to locate something powerful, something hidden.

  The Echo. Vesper felt the knowledge settle into her bones with absolute certainty. This was what Selene had been searching for all along.

  But something was wrong. The golden light began to flicker and fade, the runes’ glow dimming as Selene’s movements grew increasingly desperate. Her friend’s voice cracked on the final words of the chant, magic dispersing like smoke in a strong wind.

  Selene stumbled back from the altar, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Exhaustion lined every feature of her face as she pressed a hand against the rough stone to steady herself.

  “I’m out of time…” she rasped. “I’m…”

  The vision shattered. Vesper gasped as the archive’s musty air rushed back into her lungs, the echo’s silvery shadows retreating to the edges of her consciousness. She became aware of Rafe’s arms still supporting her, his presence bringing her back.

  Vesper’s knees trembled as the echo released its grip. “I’m alright. It… An echo…”

  “What did you see?” he murmured.

  “Selene.” Her voice came out hoarse. “It must be all the magic in here… I… She was performing a ritual at this massive stone altar. The runes carved into it…” Vesper closed her eyes, trying to capture the fading details. “They looked ancient, different from anything I’ve seen. Like the ones that led us here.”

  She straightened, though her hand remained on Rafe’s arm for support. “She was searching for the Echo. I could feel it. The magic she used—it was beautiful, all golden light and complex patterns. But something went wrong. The spell just…collapsed. She looked exhausted, defeated. Said she was running out of time.”

  Rafe’s brow furrowed. “A location ritual that powerful would need precise components, specific conditions. If even one element was missing…”

  “The spell would fail,” Vesper finished. The memory of Selene’s desperation made her chest ache. But why did she even want the Echo? To stop D’Arco…or to wield it herself?

  Blair cleared her throat, holding up the leather notebook she’d found. “Maybe that’s why she kept such detailed notes. Look at these calculations, these diagrams—they’re all about magical frequencies and patterns.” She flipped through the pages, revealing dense columns of figures and intricate magical formulae. “If the ritual failed because it was incomplete, the missing pieces might be in here somewhere.”

  Vesper reached for the notebook, her fingers tingling as they brushed against the leather cover. Even without opening it, she could sense traces of Selene’s magic lingering in the pages, waiting to be understood.

  “Maybe it’s the only way to end this,” Rafe said, shaking his head. “Find the Echo before D’Arco can. Once we have it, we can set things right.” He looked at Vesper, his eyes carrying a depth of emotion that almost made her panic. “And you’ll be safe.”

  Vesper’s fingers trembled as she traced the symbols in Selene’s notebook. Each formula and calculation spoke of countless hours of research, of Selene’s desperate race against time.

  “Safe?” She met Rafe’s gaze, unable to keep the edge from her voice. “D’Arco won’t stop until he has what he wants. And now we know it’s not just about the Echo—he’s systematically dismantling Nightreach’s defences. How many more people will get hurt while we chase down these clues? How many will die? Can the Echo bring them back?”

  Blair stepped closer, her dark eyes fixed on the notebook in Vesper’s hands. “Rafe’s right. I don’t think we have a choice. If we don’t find it first, D’Arco will use it to rewrite reality itself. Everything we know, everyone we care about—gone with a thought. There won’t be anyone left to save.”

  The detective’s words hung heavy in the archive’s musty air. Vesper closed her eyes, remembering the desperation on Selene’s face in the echo. Her friend had known the stakes, had died trying to prevent this very scenario. How could she have doubted that Selene would do anything other than try to protect the city?

  But Selene had failed. And now it fell to Vesper to finish what her friend had started…and perhaps get a little justice for her along the way.

  Vesper turned away from the books and the desk, not wanting to commit to finding the Echo, not after the day she’d had. It was the only path forward, but she wasn’t ready to say it out loud yet. If she did, everything would change again.

  Right now, they didn’t have a safe haven. Someplace to sleep without having to watch their backs, but the archive… The cramped space held an odd comfort despite its neglect—or perhaps because of it. No one would think to look for them here.

  “We could use this place,” she said. “It’s already warded, hidden.”

  Rafe nodded. “My townhouse won’t be safe anymore. They’ll be watching it.” He traced a symbol in the air, testing the archive’s existing protections. “We’ve been staying at inns, moving around.”

  “The location’s perfect,” Blair added, her tactical mind clearly working through the advantages. “Deep in a forgotten quarter, protected by the area’s natural instability. Most people avoid these parts of the city entirely. Too much trouble.”

  Rafe gestured to the walls. “And these old wards—they’re craftwork from before the standardisation of magical defences. Harder to detect, harder to break.”

  Vesper watched as Rafe began working, his hands weaving complex patterns of light into the air. New wards took shape, layering over Selene’s old protections like fresh paint over weathered walls. The magic hummed against her heightened senses, each layer distinct yet harmonious.

  “I’m setting up temporary barriers,” Rafe explained between incantations. “Nothing too flashy—that would draw attention. Just enough to warn us if anyone approaches and mask our presence.” The air shimmered as his spellwork settled into place. “But I’ll have to go out into the quarter and do some investigating.”

  “And we’ll need some supplies,” Blair added. “Like disinfectant. Did you see what was growing in the shower?”

  Vesper would have laughed, but she settled into the worn leather chair at the central table, exhausted. The grimoire’s magic pulsed, a subtle reminder of the power contained within its pages. Around her, Rafe’s new wards settled into place like a comfortable blanket, their protective energies merging with Selene’s older spells.

  Blair pulled up a chair beside her, the detective’s usual sharp movements softened by her own exhaustion. “I’ll stay. Help you work through this mountain of shite.” She gestured at the notes scattered across the table. “Three sets of eyes are better than two.”

  “You don’t have to⁠—”

  “Yes, I do.” Blair’s tone brooked no argument. “How can I just walk away from a conspiracy like this? It would be cowardly and completely irresponsible.”

  Vesper nodded, grateful for the company. The archive’s shelves loomed around them, countless volumes waiting to be examined. Magical artefacts cluttered every surface—crystals, pendulums, and devices whose purposes she couldn’t begin to guess.

  The ritual… What had gone wrong? The golden light of her friend’s spell had been so beautiful, so precise—until it wasn’t.

  All this research, all these careful notes and calculations. Selene had known she was running out of time, yet she’d persisted. The evidence surrounded Vesper now: books left open to specific pages, hastily scribbled annotations in margins, diagrams and formulas written over and over.

  Vesper picked up her grimoire and hugged it, feeling its magic respond to her touch. Selene had failed to locate the Echo, but she’d left behind everything they needed to succeed—if only they could piece it all together in time.