I was going to review “The Dragon’s Den,” and I was wondering how to do it without introducing an author’s bias, when I received an email from one of my sources from the world of the Metaframe. I decided to present it below…

***

I was wandering the streets and back alleys of the city, wondering what was going to happen in a ‘A Dragon’s Den.’

“Pssssstttt,” said a form standing in the deep shadows of the alleyway. “Do you want some?”

“What?” I said, as the hairs on the back of my neck started to rise, a dreadful itch working it’s way into existence between my shoulder blades.

“Books mate. I’m a Booklegger, I’ve got dozens of copies of The Dragon’s Den.”

“The Dragon’s Den?”

“Yeah. The Metaframe War series - the real stuff - not the cheap and shiny stuff.”

I stroked my chin, glancing around the street, which had suddenly become deserted in the last couple of minutes. A stray breeze rallied into a gust, sending a rusted coke can scuttling along the sidewalk. I had to admit to myself that I was secretly intrigued by his offer - how had he come by such treasures?

I needed to know, so I said, “Ok, show me what you’ve got, and I’ll see if I really want it enough to pay your price.”

He emerged from the shadows, he was tall, thick set and bearded, cloaked in a long, dark duster and broad brimmed hat. All I could see by the street lamps was the bottom of his face, a crooked grin curling the edges of his thin lipped mouth.

“Price? Don’t worry about the price, it’s only a small thing that I ask for, and I find that most people don’t miss it once it’s gone,” he said, chuckling quietly for a long, lingering moment.

My hackles rose, I felt the itch between my shoulder blades begin to grow, stretching out familiar fingers, as my skin began to transform.

I growled, my voice suddenly an octave lower, “No one booklegs the Metaframe War series!"

He snarled, I leaped, we clashed, hard and fast. He was dense muscle under the duster and I felt like I was working against stone as we fought.

But stone can be brittle and I knew this was only going to end one way for him - badly.

Blood splashed onto the cobblestones and for a moment I wondered if it was mine.

***

The email had nothing more, I wonder if my source is alright. I would hate to lose him.