Andrew had taken the photos with a spell. The Grimoire had been extended recently to be more modern, and the ginger was happy for it. Now, he was home with a phone full of pictures. All needing editing.

There was another spell he was considering. One that would make people crave the sketches to the point of overpaying for them. But, there was a danger factor behind it.

For one, it will make the buyers obsess over the sketches to the point of wanting to kill to possess them. That was not what Andrew wanted. And, for another, it took quite a bit of magic. No, what he was going to use was some good old-fashioned light editing.

For an entire week, he was a shut in. The rays of the sun were seen only through the cracks in the drapes. He edited as quickly as he could and posted the sketches as he went. He didn’t forget to write something about each one in his blog. Andrew had made a separate category for his own wares.

Sure, it could have been faster to place them in the online store, but then, he risked mixing in the winnings with Karl’s stuff. With the auction, every sketch had a name, and he could much easily distinguish them.

The last sketch was edited just as January bled into February. In the week since he began, he had sold and sent half of the sketches. Now, more than ever, he needed to make sure that he was not sent on a case.

So, he stalled. He made excuses that he needed to write down all the unending spells of the Grimoire. He brought his laptop and had Erin send out the sketches as soon as the auctions were done.

The auction was a big success. So far, he had made back the twenty thousand he had spent. More than that, he had made a million dollars in total. One of the sketches was looking out to cost a hundred thousand. At least, it was stopping on a hundred thousand and one dollars.

Andrew was happy. With the money, he could buy a house. Something of his own to share with Erin. And he would have enough to begin studying to become an archeologist. He couldn’t be happier, really.

So, when Karl called him one day, he thought nothing of it.

“Andrew, I hear that you sell for yourself now,” said Karl, sounding disapproving.

“Yes, but I bought the sketches with my own money. And I still make you quite a bit,” defended himself, Andrew. He heard a sigh from the other side.

“Andrew, disloyalty is a bad trait to have. I gave you a chance when you had no experience. And you went behind my back,” Andrew gulped. He still made quite a bit from his job as the manager of the antique shop. He could afford to lose it, now, but it would sting.

“I am sorry, Karl, but I needed the money,” said Andrew. Karl huffed from the other side.

“I offer you a deal, boy. I will pay you all you invested in your current auction, and you will give me the winnings. Or else, I am firing you. Abigail could do your job just fine,” Andrew blinked.

Had greed taken control of Karl? Hadn’t Andrew made him enough money? What did it matter that he was selling things on his own, when the funds came from him?

“You know what, Mr. Roman, I resign,” Karl’s breath hitched and Andrew supposed that the man had not expected for Andrew to do so.

“Now, Andrew, let us not be hasty…” attempted Karl, but Andrew was having none of it. After the sale of the sketches was complete, he could live off his agent paycheck. As for a front, he could purchase art and antiques and sell those on eBay.

“Mr. Roman, I thank you for being understanding,” until now was left unspoken. Andrew was bitter, and he wanted to avoid backing off. “I will come with my letter of resignation tomorrow. At exactly eight. I can find you in the shop, can I not?”

“Andrew!” Exclaimed Karl Roman, but Andrew cut off the call. He sat down on the couch, looking at the auction page. Yes, Karl had appeared to be very understanding and generous, when Andrew had been his golden goose.

Andrew felt like he had no place for such trickery in his life. He would work with shops, online, and he would hire someone to send the things. He had, despite Erin not wanting him to, paid Erin ten dollars for everything he had sent. Furthermore, he could get away with paying a single person a thousand.

But, he wished Abigail and Karl good luck, in his mind. He didn’t hold Karl’s lapse in character against him. The man wanted to make a profit for once, and so did Andrew. However, it seems that they would be competitors from now on.

Andrew went to his blog and removed all of Karl’s merchandise. The online store he would give over to Abigail, and he would make sure everything was sold that was on his eBay account. But, after that, he would cut ties with Karl.

His phone rang again and, this time, it was Abigail.

“Mr. Jackson, please don’t quit. I don’t know how to run a shop or an online store or even an auction page! And I need my job,” Abigail sounded close to crying, and Andrew pitied her.

“Did Karl set you up to this?” Asked Andrew.

“Mr. Roman called and told me to convince you to stay. He saw that his things are missing from your blog. Mr. Roman things he is ruined,” Andrew sighed.

“I will train you. Granted, I have another job, so it will have to be in the afternoons. I do need to still be on call for the next month, after all. You will get a pay rise and things will be fine,” assured her Andrew. He heard a sob from the other side.

“I don’t even have a computer,” sobbed the girl, and Andrew’s eyes softened.

“I’ll make sure that Mr. Roman buys you one. Don’t cry, Abigail. Things will be fine,” Andrew waited until the crying girl cut off the phone call and leaned into the couch. He felt like scum, somehow.