Shadow Heist

The Amaryllis Museum of Hargeon was not the most difficult challenge Mia Nayavinsky had been faced with. In fact, the method she used to infiltrate reminded her of how she had swiped a novel from Nero's private office as a test in her mid-teens. The air in the vents was stale and the mask she wore to conceal her face made each breath she took feel more shallow. Mia shimmied her way to position, energy tingling through her body as she dissipated into smoke-like shadow.

Her body, if you could even call it that, wafted down through the grate in the vent, minuscule particles of shadows falling to the floor of the hall. She rematerialized a moment later. She studied the case. Inside was a large tome, deep rich blue in color with gold binding and oceanic designs across it. Supposedly, it was held secrets of a long-dead magic art, not that Mia cared that much about the content.

She kneeled in front of the case, fitting a tension wrench, followed by a pick, into the lock. Mia applied pressure to the wrench, scrubbing the pick until it caught. With a soft click, the lock turned. With gloved hands, Mia opened the case and slid the tome into her knapsack.

The blare of an alarm reverberated off the walls in the open hall. Shit. Mia stood, whirling around quickly to see a dark figure standing in the doorway.