Free Fragile Destiny (The Aether Chronicles) by Suzanne Lazear

make a corset and they’re expensive. If it were going over a dress it would need to be “decorative corsetry”—something meant to be seen. The few she had wouldn’t coordinate with the dress.
    But … the sprite pouted.
    It’s pretty. I do appreciate your hard work. We’ll get accessories later. Promise. Right now we need to find Thad and learn how to steal a gem.
    If Jeff wouldn’t help her, she’d find someone who would.

    Steven sat in a chair in Quinn’s office, reading up on the Staff of Eris. Noli was off doing … something, and he wasn’t about to go anywhere near the Braddock residence without her. Jeff used to be so kind. Then again, he supposed if someone were courting Elise, he might be inclined to get a little sword-happy.
    He flipped the page. Noli had been correct, right down to the Bright Lady herself ripping the staff apart. The only thing he couldn’t find was anything about the stone.
    Still, he wasn’t sure he believed that the Bright Lady spoke to Noli.
    “Darrow, we need to talk. Now.” Jeff strode into the office, pistol very visible on his hip.
    “I’m busy, Braddock.” He didn’t look up from his book. Two could play this game.
    “Do you know where Noli is?” Jeff stood in front of him.
    Steven marked the page with his finger. “At her mother’s dress shop, finding something to wear to that dreadful ball she thinks we’re going to.”
    “No. She’s onboard the Vixen’s Revenge, having Thad and Asa teach her how to steal a gem. I checked out the museum this morning, and I realized there’s no way Noli can handle a job like this herself. Especially with her crazy scheme to steal it during a ball. I told her this.” Jeff pounded his fist against the wall. “She won’t listen. It doesn’t help that the crew is completely enamored of her. Asa and Thad take orders from Vix, but for some reason Noli doesn’t think she needs to listen to her. Or to me.” He made a face.
    V couldn’t help but laugh. “Noli doesn’t generally listen to anyone. This is Noli , remember? She hoverboards, fixes flying cars, and is a mechanic for air pirates.”
    “She listens to you ,” Jeff replied, not laughing.
    “No, she doesn’t.” Otherwise things would have been different. “Your main objection isn’t actually the stealing of the gem, but that she wishes to steal it herself.” Steven rubbed his chin, trying to come up with a solution. Jeff nodded. “Perhaps I should take a look. I’d be able to tell if it were magic. If it isn’t magic, then she’d have no reason to steal it.”
    Or go to the ball. He still couldn’t believe Noli, of all people, wanted to attend a ball.
    Jeff snapped his fingers. “That’s brilliant, because I can’t tell if it’s magic or not. It just looks like a purple stone in a glass box to me.”
    He prayed to the Bright Lady that it wasn’t magic. “Perfect.
Let me find James. I want to see the museum’s exhibit on Dutch painters anyway.”

    “V, this is so boring.” James shuffled past the wall of exquisite paintings. It was a traveling exhibition of Dutch Golden Age artists.
    “Heathen.” Steven studied a painting of flowers. Noli liked landscapes. He preferred paintings depicting everyday life. Unfortunately, they didn’t have his favorite.
    Just to irk his brother, he took his time, savoring the artistry.
    Finally, he allowed James to drag him into the room with the “fairy” exhibit. These mortals couldn’t even spell it right.
    As soon as he crossed the threshold, magic hit him squarely in the chest. “Flying figs.”
    “Language, V,” James teased.
    “You don’t feel it?” Steven whispered, rubbing his midsection.
    “Other than shame at the really bad art?” James jerked his chin toward a painting of naked faeries cavorting in the moonlight. “No, I’m not you.”
    “That’s probably a good thing,” he replied. As Quinn had once put it, Steven was coming into some rather strange gifts. Ones he wasn’t sure his