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“Mmm,” the Bookseller murmured. She lifted her glasses and slipped them on. “This is not the Book of Doors.”

“Pain,” Lund said simply, and the woman’s eyes flicked up in surprise.

“Lovely,” she said. “I’ve heard rumors about this and Hugo Barbary.”

Lund made no comment. Izzy watched as the woman turned the book over in her hands, and then opened it.

She looked at Lund. “You took it from Hugo Barbary, then?”

“Does it matter?” Lund said.

“Usually, but to annoy Hugo I will make an exception.”

“Can you sell it?” Lund asked.

“Of course.” The Bookseller smiled. “Always. Even when the world is going to shit, people still want to buy special books. Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” Lund said. “You can buy it from us, give us the money, and then sell it.”

“No,” the Bookseller said, pushing the book back across the table. “That’s not how it works. I do not take possession of the book. I act on your behalf. I sell it for you. You need to wait for the money.”

Lund glanced at Izzy, back to the woman.

“She will be safe,” the Bookseller said. “If that is why you are so keen for the money.”

“How does it work?” Lund asked.

“We will have an auction,” the Bookseller said. “Book hunters from around the world will be invited. It will be quite the occasion. I already have a venue and arrangements in place. I was expecting to auction the Book of Doors, but we can certainly sell this.”

“When?” Lund asked.

“Midnight, tonight.”

“So quick?” Lund asked.

“People make time for my auctions,” the Bookseller said. “They are rare events, Mr. Lund, but high value. People will come. Nobody is more than twelve hours away, and they can send a proxy if they can’t come personally. And believe me, the sooner you sell it the better for you, for all of us. Having one of these books just draws attention.”

“How much?” Lund asked.

“Straight to the point with you, isn’t it? Well, obviously, I cannotpreempt the auction, but a book like this...” She bobbed her head back and forth. “Twenty, twenty-five easily.”

Lund nodded.

“Twenty what?” Izzy asked.

“Million,” the Bookseller said.

Izzy felt the blood drain into her feet and the world tilted for a few seconds. She reached out a hand to steady herself on the side of the chair.

“My fee is forty percent. Usually I’d take thirty, but Hugo Barbary makes this more dangerous. Is that acceptable?”

Lund shrugged. “Whatever.”

She stood and brushed herself down.

“It’s a shame about Mr. Azaki,” she said to Lund. She lifted her cocktail and downed it in one gulp. “I liked him a great deal.”

Lund nodded in agreement.