by T J Kelly
"Agreed." I ran my hand over the arm of the chair. I found the loose thread I was always fiddling with and gave it a tug. "I'll send them the teacher's contact information. She'll speak with them if she knows I sent them. Also, Poltens Sanator. He's the one working with the families. They may have some valuable witnesses."
My uncle nodded and jotted a few lines in his notebook. "Good job. I think we should utilize your growing connection with the alchemists. I will assign you to cover our relations with them."
Wow. I had just been put in charge of something big. Funny enough, it didn't make me nervous. Sure, I had been training for leadership since I was little, but this was something more. I cared about alchemists as people, and would do what I could to support them. Not that the other Irregulars were prejudiced or anything. But I knew alchemists better, had personal relationships they did not. The more connections an agent had to the group they represented, the better.
"Thanks, Uncle Ged. I'll do my best."
"I know you will." He studied me, a half smile on his face. "I'm so proud of you."
Those words filled me with pride, and joy, and a lot of other emotions I couldn't name but made me feel like I might float away. I was so light inside. "Thanks."
"But don't think I haven't noticed the crumbs on your sleeve."
Rats. "Yeah, yeah." I slipped the tin out of my pouch and set it on the desk. "There's a few left. I guess you can have some."
I cracked up as he chortled with glee, snatching the tin and prying it open with triumph in his eyes. "Nothing like a pre-breakfast snack."
By the time I had gotten back from my visit to Sera, it was early morning. I was exhausted, but wanted to report in before I headed to bed. "Enjoy," I said. It was almost better to watch him eat cookies than eat them myself. He took so much pleasure in it. And our rivalry. Stealing a shortbread cookie was one of the first things he had ever done when he came for me. "I'm going to head upstairs for some sleep. I should be down by teatime."
"All right, kiddo. Sweet dreams."
"Thanks." I headed out of his office and down the hall. I walked slowly, peeking into every room on my way to the stairs. As I hoped, a sitting room contained the person I most wanted to see.
"Hey there," Peter said. He set down the newspaper he had been reading and strode over to the door. He must have been waiting up for me. "You look tired."
"I can't even begin to explain how draining the last twenty-four hours have been. I'm wiped out." I leaned against him, soaking in his Light. He kissed the top of my head.
"You going to bed? We can talk later."
Always so considerate. "I am. Come walk with me. I'll tell you what I can on the way up."
We shuffled to the stairs, Peter's arm around my shoulder, mine around his waist. We separated as we climbed, but held hands instead. I explained as much as I could about my conversation with Gratia in a hushed voice, just in case anyone was still sleeping. Which they probably were, considering the early hour.
"And Ged put you in charge of alchemist relations? That's freaking cool."
I laughed. "Yeah, it is. But obviously I'm concerned about doing a good job. There's so much going on right now. I don't want anything falling through the cracks. I'd die if somebody got hurt because I missed something."
"You'll do fine. And you know I'm going to help."
I entered my bedroom, setting off the light crystals on my night stand so the bright overhead lights wouldn't hurt my eyes. We sat on the edge of my bed. "I can't stop thinking about those poor families. I feel so awful for them. And the junior agents we just lost. Peter, I'm scared."
He surrounded me with Light as he pulled me into his arms. "Me, too. I don't want to lose anyone."
"Exactly," I said, my voice muffled by his chest. I had buried my face there and didn't want to move. "I couldn't stand it if I lost any one of you." The conversations I had with Mort and Peony about my parents rang in my head. And the memory of their loss, and what it had done to me. My grip on Peter's shirt tightened.
"I know," he said, repeating the words over and over. "I know."
He did. He really did. I had confided in him since I met him. He was my best friend, my boyfriend, my partner. He knew me better than anyone. Sometimes, better than myself. I didn't have to explain the hollow terror that filled me at the thought of losing him. Or Peony and Armageddon. Mort. Anyone I loved.
There it was again. That emotion, that word. But I was so tired, so drained, so full from all the revelations of the past. I would tell him later.
For now, being with him was enough.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Solstice
As busy and fraught with peril as our circumstances were, we still needed to continue living our lives. And celebrations were a great way to take a load off. Besides, planning an event with Peony was actually a lot of fun.
"You have your guest list ready?" she asked. She was in my workshop this time. I had set up a table and bulletin board with all the information, as if I were plotting a campaign. Which I kind of was.
"Yeah, it's that huge stack of papers over there. Uncle Ged has already added the people he thinks should be there that I missed."
My aunt nodded, fluttering her tongue as she breathed out, looking it over. Normally, Armageddon wouldn't add guests to a party I was throwing, but it was a dual purpose celebration. There would be agents there, too. And assets. And maybe even some enemies, although I really hoped not. "Looks good. Run it by Mort, too. He has some legal connections we may need to include."
"Got it," I replied. I bundled the stack together, stuffed it into a manila folder, and then tacked on a note explaining what I wanted. With the briefest of thoughts, I sent it down to Mort's office for his input.
"Servants with trays?" Peony asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Seemed like a nice touch. I talked to a representative from the Sasaki clan. They will be there to keep an eye out for perimeter breaches and listen in on the general tone of the guests. Some of our enemies might crash the party."
"Clever girl," she murmured with approval, then tapped the card in her hand. "The invitations should include your dress code."
I tried not to groan. "I'll add it. We don't need to be too fancy when setting up the astrolabe, but that needs to be done by sunset on the solstice. The early evening hour is too close to the party to avoid it. I was thinking of bringing a change of clothes, though."
"Good idea. Although they should to be nice, too, since you're having a children's party beforehand. That's sweet of you," Peony praised. I wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, not to mention hold clandestine conversations about the state of the world. Inviting them would help with any child care needs. "The weather along the coast is gorgeous. Nobody will overheat in their finery and cloaks with such a cool breeze. Sera must be so excited. Have you chosen the music?"
"Oh. I forgot about that."
"Don't worry, I have the best musicians on speed dial. They'll be honored to play your party."
I made another note on my checklist. Fancy parties always had some kind of froo-froo classical music. "I think we should go Baroque," I said. "There are plenty of pieces that can be played in the background and I like that time period."
"You're doing great."
"Thanks. I have a tasting set up at the end of the week. Want to come?"
"I'd love to. That's my favorite part."
"Mine, too."
◆◆◆
The summer solstice was clear and sunny, the Pacific breeze cooling the air as promised. At least, near Rector House. It was pouring rain at Castle Laurus.
"I'm so glad my party isn't ruined," I said at the breakfast table. Not that I wouldn't have begged my uncle to fiddle with the weather on my behalf. This was the first major social event I had ever arranged on my own. The papers had been speculating about its success for weeks and I felt like I would die if it was a failure.
"Me, too," Peter replied. "But just think, with all your memory charm work
, maybe you could make the whole world forget it happened if something goes wrong."
"Ha. Don't tempt me. Water might not be the ideal element to use for that spell, but I could flip it with opposite magic to turn the entire Pacific Ocean into a power source. Ka-blam. Nobody will ever know." I pushed my plate aside. "Come on, let's go. I have some last-minute prep work to do before I get dressed."
I had gone to bed early in the evening to avoid bags under my eyes when I got up at seven in the morning. It was so different than my usual schedule. I was tempted to stay up all night, but I needed to be refreshed and well-rested to get through the day.
My heartbeat quickened. I was more nervous than usual. This would be like a redo. The last time I had so many people over, I humiliated myself in front of the most important magicians in the world as I failed to tap into my magic. Even worse, I also fainted.
"I'll be back when it's time to go," Peter assured me. He gave me a quick kiss and then took off. He had some agent business to tighten up before heading out as liaison for the wait staff.
It only took an hour to complete the remaining tasks, and then I headed upstairs to get ready. I made sure I had enough time to take a long shower and do up my hair in an ultra-formal style. I included two braids as a nod to my agent status, but I twisted them along with crystals into the up-do to make it look fancy.
I pulled on a morning gown in varying shades of coral and white with flecks of gold. The waist was cinched in with ties made of white ribbons criss-crossing down my back. The skirt came halfway to my ankles. At least the party started in the afternoon. I would have had to wear my floor length gown if we began at night.
The jewelry cabinet was next, where I pulled out different pieces and then stuffed them back in when they didn't work. I ultimately decided on diamond earrings set in gold and a delicate pendant with a filigree frame surrounding another diamond. They were small. I didn't need to show off, but the sparkle added to the effect I was looking for. I kept on my other bracelets, but cast a minor glamor over them to make them look like a simple diamond and gold bracelet to match the rest of my jewelry. Then for flair, and because I wore strappy four-inch heels in Peter's honor, I slipped on a dainty gold anklet.
"Wow," Peter said as he watched me descend the stairs. He was standing by the castle doors. I didn't blame him. I wouldn't want to wait outside in that weather, either.
"Thanks. You look great," I added. He was wearing a suit in light gray. His pocket square and tie were coral and white to match my dress.
We went outside and Peter held open the limo door. My aunt and uncle would join us later, and they would take the carriage. I was thrilled to avoid the old-fashioned vehicle.
"You ready?" he asked on our way off the property.
"Man, I hope so," I laughed.
◆◆◆
Metallum Bellator, the alchemist who had designed the astrolabe, was already there when the limo pulled up.
"Good morning," I called to him as I exited the vehicle. He waved his greeting, but remained where he was in the garden display in front of Rector House where the astrolabe would be installed.
"We set everything up according to plan," he said when Peter and I walked closer. "You have scrupulous, efficient workers, milady."
I grinned. "Most of them were hired by you, so thank you for your efforts on my behalf."
Metallum chuckled. "My honor." He placed his feet with care as he walked between the flowers and hedges surrounding the mounting block to reach our position on the driveway. "All is in place for the ceremony."
"Has your family arrived?" I asked. There were caterers and wait staff bustling around, setting up for the children's party. I used to hate going to the adult gatherings when I was a kid. They had been so boring and designed for a more mature audience. I wanted Sera to participate, but also enjoy herself. All the children of our guests were welcome to come. It would give Sera a chance to get to know children her age and give alchemists like Metallum an opportunity to observe her and make sure I wasn't some creepy magician enslaving a little kid.
Stuff like that happened all the time.
"They'll be here in half an hour," he said as the three of us made our way up the stairs. "It would bore the young ones to watch their grandfather work."
The house was clean and decorated, flowers perfuming the air. The ocean was visible through the crystal wall, a stunning display that required no additional enhancements. Once the sun went down, Rector crystals lining the gardens that led to the cliffs would glow, yet another gorgeous vision for those looking.
"Your paintings are perfect," I murmured. I had asked Peter to paint for me, replacing the modern offerings my father had preferred. I loved impressionist painters, like Monet, and my boyfriend had outdone himself.
"My pleasure," he replied.
"You have a beautiful home," Metallum said. "I've had the honor of a visit many times in the past, but there is a different sense of warmth and welcome than before."
"Thank you." When a magician decorated, it wasn't just about how things looked. It was about the atmosphere. My parents and I weren't that different, but anyone who had been there before would notice the changes.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to clean up. I'll see you again shortly." He bowed slightly before he left.
Peter and I continued on to the back garden, slipping through the sunroom where I had my failed ascension ceremony. There were large folding doors that slid away into the walls and left a clear opening, blending the outdoors with the room. Tables with bright cloths were spaced about, already filled with food and treats and drinks for the kids. There were also outdoor toys placed about in case they wanted to play. The summer solstice was when families connected with nature and many of the games enhanced their connection to the surrounding elements.
"When is Sera getting here?" he asked.
"Around the same time as Metallum's family. Cephalaea and Jessalinda are bringing her," I added, naming Sera's guard-turned-nanny and her wife. Although Cephalaea had resumed her normal guard duties, she was kind enough to continue to watch over Sera when she was home from school.
"Awesome. I feel like I haven't seen her in forever." He had visited Sera almost as often as I did, but the last week or so had been so busy he missed his usual schedule.
A ray of sunshine slipped through the underside of the leaves where we took shelter, highlighting Peter's hair to red and bringing out the little ring of green in his gray eyes. He was so handsome, so loving and kind. He had taken Sera under his wing since the first moment she came to live with us and truly enjoyed her company. I loved it. I loved everything about him.
Before I could say it, finally tell him how I felt, I heard a sweet, high voice calling my name.
"Over here," I called. Peter and I turned back to the house, watching as my ward pelted out. Sera's dress matched mine in pattern, although hers was shades of blue with detailing in silver. It really brought out her eyes, and I knew Peony would be delighted that I remembered that little detail.
"Am I late? Where's the party?" she asked.
I laughed as I bent down to hug her. "It's right here. Do you see all the tables and games? Aren't they pretty? You're early, sweet pea, so we can greet the guests as they arrive. We want them to feel welcome. Introducing ourselves to them as they arrive is the first thing we'll do."
"Come on," Peter said, holding out his hand. "I'll show you where everything is so you can tell all your new friends when they get here. Lia needs to go inside and make sure things are running smoothly."
Good idea. Although everyone knew their jobs, sometimes things came up. "Have fun, you two," I called as I went back indoors.
There was a minor hiccup with the timing on the dishes and when they would be served, but otherwise things were perfect. The children and their parents arrived and spent a lively afternoon playing and celebrating the arrival of summer.
It was interesting that the timing for installing the astrolabe was sunset, rather than noon.
Most solstice magic was tied to the peak moment of the day, when the sun was at its highest. Although the astrolabe was waiting outside, screened from view by large chamomile bushes fragrant with tiny white flowers often made into tea, soaking in the sun magic. But the second we mounted the astrolabe and cast the spells, it would be at the exact time when day and night were almost equally balanced.
Like my magic.
I knew it wasn't a coincidence, even if I wasn't sure why. I would follow directions regardless. Sometimes, timing was everything. And I wanted to finish what my parents arranged before they died.
Soon the children went to the servant quarters to wind down. Anyone who was part of the ceremony to install the astrolabe was already there - the rest, like peripheral friends, junior agents, political or legal contacts, would arrive after sunset. I had sent over an evening gown to the manor house and changed before the ceremony. It was also in the lighter summer shades of coral and white with glittering gold highlights, but was a strapless dress made of shimmery fabric and reached the floor.
"Are you ready?" Peony asked. She and my uncle had attended the children's party. Peony helped keep things running. "The alchemists and magicians are in position."
The magicians I had chosen to help setup the astrolabe were all family or close friends. Our connections ran deep and would help enhance the magical links between the object and its environment. Metallum Bellator had selected the alchemists to balance the number of magicians, all of them tied to him with deep traces. I wasn't sure what my parents had planned for the astrolabe, but it was going to be perfect.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I answered as I made my way out the front door.
Armageddon, Mort, James, Richard, Harris and Seth, Peter, Adrian, and even Chas all stood in a semi-circle around the mounting block. Peony went to join them.
Metallum and nine other alchemists filled in the rest of the circle. I had met them earlier in the day, solidifying my new position in the alchemist world. Metallum was an important man in their society and he helped me immeasurably. They were new allies, but a part of the hierarchy I was learning ruled their class. Their system wasn't as rigid as the magicians. No alchemist looked down on the ones of a lower rank. They were defined by what skills they could use to benefit the whole.