“We’re gonna steal it anyway, aren’t we?” Tolst asked when the two arrived at their room.

“Not exactly,” Danzenn replied. “I need to figure out how to copy the contents. We might have to leave and come back. I know of a spell, but it might not work if this ink is resistant. Or hexed. I need to figure out how to figure that out.”

“How’re you s'posed to do that?”

“I’m not sure. If I had the book at my lab, it’d be easy, but at that point I wouldn’t need to be copying it.”

“Let’s just smuggle it out then.”

“You think they don’t think we’ll try that? They’ll be searching us on the way out, I’m sure. And there’s no use concealing it if I can just copy and compress the contents somehow. If the book doesn’t like being copied, it’s not gonna like being concealed either.” They paused. “Actually, I don’t know that. Might be worth a try…”

“Sounds tricky, Danny. I think you’re on your own once we get out of here. I’m not exactly fond of the idea of coming ba-”

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. They glanced at each other before Danzenn opened it to a muscular and busty woman, almost Tolst’s height, several centimeters shorter than Danzenn. “You Danzenn?”

“Yeah. Who’re you?”

“This your friend?” She asked without answering.

Danzenn raised an eyebrow, not answering either. “Did the person with the circle glasses send you?”

“No. But I overheard your conversation. I’m gonna help you get that book out of here. It may be more important than you know.”

“I know it’s pretty damn important. That’s why I’m here.”

“We’ll see. Give it to me.”

“No, wait a minute. Who are you? How can we trust you?”

“You don’t have a choice if you want to read that thing. You won’t be able to memorize it, copy it, or conceal it. That person was leading you on.” She nodded at the book, which was still in Danzenn’s hands. “That thing has all sorts of tricks up its sleeves.”

Danzenn glanced at Tolst, who was grinning. Probably for more than one reason. Danzenn had a bad feeling, but the intrigue overpowered it. “Alright. What’s your plan?”

“You give me the book and I meet you outside,” she replied, locking eyes with Danzenn, her shoulders squared like she was ready to grab the book at any second.

"And I suppose you can give me a reason to trust you.”

“Not at all. And like I said, you don’t have a choice.”

“I think I’ll find that out myself.” Danzenn wracked their brain trying to remember the concealment spell. Before they could try, the book was out of their hands. They yelped a little and glanced at Tolst for help, who was still grinning.

“Meet me at the mossy boulder in the woods to the southeast.” With that, she was gone.