All his life, Yona Reemus has felt trapped—by a father who hates him, a "best friend" who demands more than friendship, and a world that seems to resent his existence. Then a job posting catches his eye. The mysterious Irvin Hagihara is looking for someone to assist in his Athenaeum, a library where contracts are signed that can change lives as easily as it destroys them. Yona can't resist his chance at freedom, just as he finds he can't resist the charming, patient Irvin. But the Athenaeum needs more than a mere assistant, and Irvin is more than a mere employer...