Faster Than the Hound — William Meikle

John Seton is a grifter, an ex-pat Scots kid working penny-ante magic tricks on the streets of L.A.  But John has a secret. In his family, sometimes, the magic is real. And sometimes, it gets him noticed.An opportunity to make a quick buck sets Seton on a quest to find an ancient piece of leather of uncertain provenance, and high magic.Seton sets out onto the streets, and quickly finds that he is not the only one after the halter. He is soon at odds with friends, family and foes alike, and when he is betrayed by the one person he has always been closest to, the quest comes to a head.Seton has a hound on his tail, and he will have to travel far to avoid it, further than he has ever travelled before.Beyond the Veil, where the darkness is real, and the hounds bay loudly.