The Sunken Tower

by J A Campbell

  Each one of the hatchlings spoke, offering testimony to their childhood.

  “I watched my mother eat my older siblings,” Gloriana, a tall Asian-looking girl, said. “I fled the church as soon as the way was open for fear they would eat me too. We were just food to them, even if they had fish a-plenty.”

  Elise shuddered as each one had an equally horrific tale to tell. Only Darien could speak kindly of his mother.

  “Lady Hagatha Macrow.”

  Hagatha released Elise’s hand and moved to stand before the Council to testify. She noted Melanie had been reading from her laptop throughout the testimony and didn’t seem to be paying attention. She glanced up and gave Hagatha an encouraging smile.

  “Darien saved me from the Mob,” Hagatha said. “Two thugs were out to get me, and he managed to lead them off. They later found him, and he took a savage beating for helping. The hatchlings lived in squalor, yet they were willing to share their home and what they had with me.”

  The Council called a halt.

  “I hope I did some good,” Hagatha said as she seated herself. “I wasn’t asked to interview the hatchlings. Dr. Mentis and Tallon were the ones who did that.”

  “I think you did,” Melanie said, rising.

  “What are you…” Elise started to ask, but all she saw was the swirl of Melanie’s robe. The fae girl moved to the front of the room with quick steps, her head held high.

  She stepped to the curved table where the Council was seated and spoke in a clear voice that rang in the silent room. “Milords and miladies, might I have a minute of your time?”

  “This is highly irregular,” Lady Brighid Nightingale, the head of the House of Healers, spoke up in a rich, Irish lilt. “You were not called as a witness, Your Highness.”

  “But I have a proposition, which might have some bearing on the case.” Melanie looked all down the line of the Council. “Might I have a moment to suggest it before you go into deliberations? I am only here to help. Please.”

  They conferred briefly.

  “You may,” Lord Phoenix said in his Cajun accent. “I, for one, would be interested in hearing what you have to propose, milady.”

  Elise caught the minutest prick of her father’s gaze at his old friend. He and Roe often guested with each other, and, despite their differences in mannerisms, they were generally of like mind. Elise suspected Roe was indulging Melanie partly to annoy her father, who was a stickler for procedure and, as Roe had said many times, “a stick in the mud.”

  “Rehabilitation is key in the Justicariate Magus’s Codes,” Melanie said, reading the citations from her laptop. “Particularly in the case of non-human species who may not be exposed, as we are, to the human code of laws. Grayson Security has been quite successful in rehabilitating both a vampire and a pack of werewolves who’d fallen prey to a predatory bitch. I would like to offer our services to the JM on behalf of the hatchlings, now.”

  Elise heard a stirring behind her and saw Kevin Tallon step forward with Luke Killian following him.

  “Milords and miladies, may I introduce you to Kevin Tallon,” Melanie said. “He is a former Dallas Homicide Detective who was bitten by a vampire, and he’s managed to turn his life around. He has a Master’s in Psychology and has served as therapist to the werewolves. He’s volunteered to assist with the young dragons as well.”

  Tallon nodded to the Council. As always, Tallon was sharply dressed in a black suit with gleaming polished loafers. Standing in front of nine powerful mages didn’t faze him in the least—or if it did, he didn’t show it.

  “And this is Luke Killian,” Melanie said and pulled the tall, gangly, blond teenager clad in a suit that clearly didn’t make him feel comfortable to her side. “He’s my little brother, and he’s one of the werewolves.”

  The Killians didn’t make bad-looking babies, and Luke was no exception. He stood just a bit over Tallon’s 6’3” in a black suit, very similar to the vampire’s. Both men dwarfed Melanie in her black Macrow robe. Luke’s long, blond hair was tied up in a gleaming ponytail that streamed halfway down his back. Elise knew he performed often at a medieval dinner theater. He also was at ease in front of the Council, smiling to each in turn.

  “I wasn’t going much of anywhere before I got bitten and taken hostage by the werewolf bitch,” Luke said. “I’d done stupid things and messed up in high school. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I got bitten last fall, and since then I’ve gotten in my first semester of college. I’m an agent-trainee under Tallon’s tutelage with Grayson, and I’m considering a career in criminal investigation. I’m volunteering along with the rest of the werewolf pack to act as brothers and sisters to the hatchlings and help in whatever way we can. They would be part of our pack.”

  “Grayson has dormitory housing in their building for the hatchlings, which will do until we can find other situations for them,” Melanie said. “I’m proposing that each of the weres take a dragon as a little brother or sister. That way, they help each other.”

  “What say you?” Melanie walked in front of each of the nine Council members, no doubt turning her fae charm on them.

  Elise held her breath.

  The Council called a recess and filed out of the room. They returned after half an hour of time during which Elise thought she might bite every nail off her fingers and toes.

  “We accept Grayson Security’s plan,” Roe Phoenix said. “Each of the Council members has pledged their services to assist should the need arise. While the hatchlings have received stolen goods, it was a choice between taking what little resources they had and perishing. It appears they have done well with limited options, and we believe they will continue to flourish with proper guidance.”

  Elise rushed forward, hugging Darien in front of the entire room. Others in the audience came along to extend a hand of congratulations or offer some type of encouragement.

  The Council called a thirty-minute recess for the merriment to subside.

  “You think you’re in trouble?” Elise asked Melanie when they moved back to their seats for the last trial: Lord Clarion’s. This was not going to be pretty. She could almost feel the anger radiating from the crowd.

  Melanie shook her head. “I’m in about as much trouble as I stay in with your father. Grayson’s okay, though. The Council made Grayson an affiliate member last night. Finally. I got the great good news that we have access to the JM’s computer records.”

  Elise’s eyes widened.

  Melanie chuckled. “Then again, I think they got the better end of the deal because we have the skills to make good use of their data.

  Hagatha stifled a nervous giggle. The Grayson geeks had hacked into the JM’s records to find out which ship was in peril of the next dragon attack.

  Melanie bobbed her head, acknowledging. “The geeks received a commendation for their service in assisting with the case. I’m framing it and putting it up where they all can see. I’ve already ordered bonuses and a pizza party—and I think Lord Mataraci has a special cruise in mind for them, too.”

  “Ugh,” Hagatha groaned. “I hate water.”

  “You promised you were going to learn how to swim,” Elise reminded her. “You owe us that, after we nearly drowned I-don’t-know-how-many times trying to save your butt.”

  “Nope,” Hagatha shook her head adamantly. “I’ve changed my mind. As much as the world needs to see my beauty in a swimming suit, I’m avoiding water as much as I can.”

  “You have to bathe.” Elise wrinkled her nose. Hagatha actually didn’t stink, but she wanted to make a point.

  “I took a shower and soaped thoroughly,” Hagatha said.

  Elise scowled at her. She’d been the one to help magically install the monstrous, antique, clawfoot tub in Hagatha’s tower. That’d been a pain since she’d found the massive tub after they’d built the tower, and they had to enlarge the entire wall just to fit it in. Now it seemed she wasn’t going to use it because of new-found aquaphobia.

&nb
sp; “You have to drink water to live,” Melanie pointed out.

  “Tea and alcohol kill its evil influences.” Hagatha folded her arms across her slender chest determinedly.

  “You are made up of water.” Elise recalled Mataraci’s assessment.

  “It’s polluted by bile and my sheer bitterness toward it.” Hagatha humphed.

  Melanie just chuckled and changed the subject. “I feel better about fighting dragons now, knowing how they treated the hatchlings. I promise I’ll take good care of them.”

  Elise grinned happily. She wasn’t a fan of Dallas—it was too crowded, too Texan, and too traffic-y, but she suspected she’d visit there a few times now.

  “Ladies,” Lord Mataraci called to them. “Might I have a moment?”

  “Of course,” Elise bowed to him along with her kindred.

  “First, I would like to thank the three of you for your help saving my ship,” he said. “Any time you would like to enjoy a cruise, I would love to have you.”

  He held two boxes in his hands and offered them in turn to Elise and Hagatha. “Pearls for two lovely pearls of great price.”

  Elise opened hers and found luscious green pearls to match her eyes. Hagatha took a peek in the box and smiled thanks.

  He turned his dark eyes to Melanie. “I have a special gift for you from our friends.” He pulled out a larger gift-wrapped box, which Melanie opened. Her eyes widened and filled with tears.

  “This is...” She clutched something sparkly to her with both hands. Elise couldn’t tell whether her expression was joy or some other emotion. She ducked her head, letting a curtain of gleaming raven hair hide her expression.

  “I hope you will wear it.” Mataraci smiled at her.

  “Oh, of course.” Melanie slid a bracelet around her wrist. The silvery metal gleamed, and Elise could see a school of dolphins so real-looking, they appeared to be swimming and frolicking in a circle.

  “I can’t thank you enough.” Melanie’s voice was a whisper as she grabbed the aquamancer and hugged him, then kissed his cheek. “Not only did you save my life but…”

  She swallowed, unable to find words. She smiled broadly through the tears that misted down her cheeks.

  “They will sing of you for generations to come as well,” Mataraci said.

  “I–I hope I may visit them again sometime?” Melanie looked like a kid asking for a special Christmas gift with her eyes wide and her hand cupped around the silvery bracelet.

  “But, of course,” Mataraci said. “If they were here, they would insist upon it.”

  Then he turned to Hagatha. “Lady Hagatha, I was wondering if you might consider accompanying me to tonight’s festivities…”

  Elise turned to her cousin to see what her answer might be, but Hagatha had disappeared without a single word.

  “She’ll get over it,” Elise managed to speak despite a mixture of embarrassment and hilarity, which seemed to be her usual reaction to Hagatha’s hijinks. “She’s anti-water at the moment.”

  “I accept that as a challenge,” Mataraci’s eyes gleamed. “She may be difficult, but I have the feeling she’s worth it.”

  The last case was Lord Clarion. Melanie’s stomach tied in knots when the docket clerk called the name out. She was surprised when the Council announced that Clarion had entered a guilty plea and thrown himself on the mercy of the Council.

  The Council wasn’t feeling particularly merciful. Lord Paolo Clarion was sentenced to isolation for the remainder of his days. Elise explained the JM had prison cells for the worst offenders at the very core of the facility that were so dark and dank no one wanted to be there. He would be provided with food, medical care, books, and very limited visitation. His ability to communicate magically would be stripped from him, since he’d used it to harm others.

  Upon hearing the verdict, Paolo Clarion took his own life.

  “Ladies,” Marcus said after the announcement. “Might I have a word with the three of you?”

  Melanie was already braced for it. She suspected he was going to have a word or two about her impromptu performance in front of the Council. The hard truth was, she couldn’t think of a procedural way to get the Council’s attention, and the arrangements she made fell into place after Marcus left for session. So she just made the suggestion for Grayson to take the dragons on her own.

  She would have to do better. A wife of a Council member could not interrupt with her causes all the time. She needed to start schmoozing with the lords and ladies herself if she wanted to get things done. Admittedly, that wouldn’t be as hard now that Lord Clarion was gone. She liked and respected every one of the remaining nine.

  What the— a voice inside her head cried. You thought WIFE? She covered her mouth and looked away from the three Macrows.

  “First,” Marcus said. “I want the three of you to know how proud I am of each of you. You managed to survive a mission that was clearly designed to cause your demise. You did it with almost no resources, save your wits and your own strengths, and under harsh conditions. You have each earned commendations from the Justicariate Magus for your valor and resourcefulness. If this were a sanctioned mission, you would have a ceremony with all due honors. Since it is not, I am honored to award them to you today.”

  They stood in line as Marcus passed out the heavy gold medallions, which were strung on ribbons. Elise ducked her head to hide what Melanie suspected were tears. Elise adored her father, and Melanie knew, now, that the feeling was mutual. Hagatha danced a jig but fortunately did not add a song to her performance.

  “Thank you, milord.” Melanie smiled up at him.

  “Might I have a moment more of your time, milady?”

  Melanie nodded. Elise and Hagatha made haste out of the room. If they knew she was in trouble, they weren’t sticking around for the dressing-down.

  She wouldn’t blame them. It’d been a long day.

  “Of course,” Melanie replied cordially. She wondered if they’d ever pass the point where she didn’t feel formal with the man she was pledged to wed. She took a breath and decided to break the ice herself.

  “I need to apologize to you for my behavior before the Council,” Melanie said. “I should have spoken to you regarding the dispensation of the hatchlings before I interrupted and made my suggestion. That was inappropriate, and it will not happen again.”

  Marcus nodded. “I was planning on speaking to you regarding that matter. Not to chasten you, but to suggest proper procedure. You are well-liked and have a good deal of support on the current Council. They are all aware of your caring and enthusiasm and support those traits; however, you are also an example to others. In the future, communicate with one of the docket clerks seated before the Council. They will notify us that you need to speak publicly.”

  “Thank you,” Melanie said. “I will remember that next time.”

  “Indeed, the current Council thinks Lord Clarion’s insistence that a responsible adult woman adhere to the same rules as a child who’s just discovered magic are unjust—particularly Lady Nightingale and Lady Ledgister, who have suggested to me that we might reconsider forcing you to join a House simply for training’s sake.”

  Melanie’s breath caught. Her heart hammered.

  “If you agree this decision was overzealous, do you wish to end our betrothal?”

  Melanie stared into his calm green eyes and reached out both of her hands to touch his.

  “No,” she said in a breath. “I don’t want to end a betrothal with a man to whom I am seriously attracted and whom I respect for his intellect and wisdom. What I would wish for is to know you better. I’m not a woman of the days when we were given off as chattel. The Council’s decision offended me. I regret any offense I might have given you as a result of my anger.”

  “None taken,” Marcus said, squeezing her hands gently. “You are entitled to be angry—no person should be conveyed to another. It was wrong in past times—it’s unthinkable in this day and age. But Lord Clarion insisted on stick
ing to the rules, and how could the worst stickler change them under the circumstances? Now how might I make this situation better for you?”

  “What I would wish for is that we could date and talk more and know each other before we wed,” Melanie said. “I mean, you do not have to wed me…”

  Marcus leaned forward and kissed her gently. “Oh, but I would like to wed you very much, milady. And if it is dates you are asking for, I would be glad to oblige.”

  Melanie nodded, her mouth curving into a smile.

  “Then we remain engaged.” Marcus smiled down at the hand where his ring sparkled in the room’s light. “I am delighted.”

  Melanie smiled. “So am I.”

  Another kiss. This one, deeper and more tender than the first.

  Marcus stood back and sighed. “There is more, milady.”

  Melanie laughed. “Isn’t there always? Let’s get it over with. Then maybe we can have dinner or go to a movie. Or something?”

  He nodded. “We shall have a date once this is over. There are festivities planned tonight: a ball with an orchestra and perhaps small plays to amuse the gathered. I would be honored to have you at my side.”

  Melanie nodded and smiled.

  “I’ve been considering your predicament regarding your training, and I believe all of you are correct.”

  “In what way?” Melanie asked.

  “First, your belief that you have a language problem is indeed a good surmise,” Marcus said. “I’ve checked with linguistic scholars who are more familiar with Faery than I. The language may be key to your learning. Add to that the slight Scottish accent and you may well be creating unintended effects with your spellcraft, which could be disastrous.”

  “Thank you…” It came out in a breath.

  “Second,” Marcus smiled down at her. “I believe my daughter and cousin are right, and I should be your teacher. I know Faery, and with your eidetic memory, I am certain you can learn the language and spellcraft in short order. Real mastery will take years, as with any mage, but you should be safe for the world sooner rather than later.”