by Crook, Amy
“Oh, no,” said Julian sadly. “Will she be okay?”
“Dr. Chesterfield took the case, and Geoff’s consulting with information about what happened to you. I have to consult, too, I’m going to deconstruct your amulet and charm and report back, so James and Jacques will go through the purification with you,” said Alex. “We’re still hoping to save her.”
Julian nodded. “That’s fine, thank you, they’ll keep me safe,” said Julian. He yawned again and sighed, because he really didn’t want to leave his blanket cocoon for the cold pools.
“Just remember, you get the warm sauna in the middle, and they’ve promised to shorten the meditations since you’re in for spell damage and not personal enlightenment,” said Alex. He gave Julian a long, comforting kiss, one that promised he’d do more later to make them both feel good. “Ready?”
Julian smiled and took another kiss just because he could, then he nodded. “I’m ready,” he said.
They opened the door and got out to find Murielle and Thomas talking to James and Jacques in a none-too-casual manner. “What’s going on?”
“The Temple is going to send James and Jacques to Guard you,” said Murielle, “but they don’t have Guardians for all the apprentices, so we’re discussing what resources the Agency and Temples can share to help out.”
“Why do I rate?” asked Julian.
“Because you’re our friend,” said James. “Ours, and the Temple’s.”
“You’re also the most powerful talent,” said Jacques. “What? I heard Elkhort talking, I know that’s how they ranked them.”
“Well, that’s stupid,” said Julian, “but I’ll accept the Guardianship of my friends.”
The two Guardians beamed. “Let’s get the spell-residue off you,” said James. “We’ll all have tea with Father Stephen and finish up our talk before we go.”
Julian sighed. “Stupid cold bath,” he said, but he let them lead him away. Alex took both his protection amulet and his keep-safe charm before he went, which made him feel terribly naked even before he undressed for the hateful salt bath. “I hope he can save my keep-safe charm, at least,” said Julian sadly.
“He won’t want it destroyed any more than you will,” said Jacques.
James came over with a fluffy white dressing gown. “Here, wear this until it’s your turn. I’m going first.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” said Jacques.
“All right,” said Julian, already shivering a little despite the warm robe.
James kissed Julian’s forehead, surprising him with a little rush of warm magic. “The sauna will be lovely.”
Julian grinned. “Yes, it will,” he said. “Go on.”
James took a breath, then went into the salt pool with the quiet gratitude that always reminded Julian how lucky he was to have this in his life. Julian sat and tried to find some inner peace, but it was elusive. There was too much foreign energy in him, from Alex and Geoff’s warmth to the rush of the tea, James’ small blessing to the dull ache of the spell. He was cold and fidgety, and by the time the gong sounded again he was actually grateful for the pool.
Jacques took the dressing gown silently, and Julian went and stepped down into and then under the pool, feeling the different magics reacting to the purifying salts. Instead of aching more from the cold water, he felt the pain being washed away. He was forced back to the surface for air, and the aching magic rushed upward, making him wince against the light. It was like layers now, with his own magic rooted in his toes, Alex’s warmth layered on top, then Geoff’s and James’, and the effervescent tea-energy forming a barrier between the ache in his head and the rest of him.
Julian ducked under again and everything swirled. His own magic moved to the very core of him, grounding him right behind his breastbone. The rest cocooned around it in the same layers, Alex closest to his heart and the bright, impersonal power pushing the spell-magic out toward his skin, trying to purge it from him completely. Julian came up for air once again, and this time his own magic stayed at his core and he could feel the warmth Alex had given him starting to properly become part of him without the spell interfering.
He took a deep breath, but the gong sounded and Julian gratefully got out. The warm shower washed away the salt but didn’t undo his progress, and in the sauna Julian felt the physical heat baking away at the spell, trying to burn through it to connect with his body’s depleted energy. More of it washed down the drain in the shower after that, and Julian didn’t even mind being naked when he stepped out into the meditation garden.
Instead he just stood there and felt the earth beneath him, breathed in the plants around him, feeling the green, growing life seeping in through the holes made in the spell. The rest of his magic was almost entirely whole now, and he couldn’t tell any longer where Alex or Geoff’s magic began and his own ended. The tea-energy had bubbled all through him, and only James’ blessing floated along the outside of him, keeping the spell from re-integrating with the rest.
The gong sounded, and Julian moved on, getting a robe from the acolyte gratefully and moving on to the next room. There he was surprised to find Father Stephen himself waiting to give Julian his potion and kiss of peace, and Julian shyly accepted. This potion was far more potent than anything Julian had ever had before, and it flowed through him in a rush, pushing the draining magic down into the earth and leaving a fully integrated whole behind.
“Oh,” said Julian softly.
Father Stephen chuckled. “It’s quite a rush,” he said. “You’re already doing better, though, Alex was right to bring you to us.” He gestured Julian on through, and handed him off to his favourite masseur. They were in a different room this time, surrounded by plants and working on a mat on the ground instead of a table, but Julian let himself relax into the man’s touch. His body’s tension and toxins were encouraged to leave just as thoroughly as the magical contamination had been, and by the time he took the last shower, Julian was feeling invigorated and nearly purring.
Julian was given another new drink at the end, this one another cup of tea much like the charged brew that Geoff had given him, but served ice cold, so the drink was like a shock of electricity to wake up the parts of his system that had still been half-asleep.
“Wow,” said Julian, handing back the little cup. “That was, wow.”
“Better than any four cups of coffee,” said the priest. He gave Julian’s hands and feet a final wash with a cloth rinsed in warm, scented water, then dried them and murmured a last small blessing. “Go on and dress, now, the Father is waiting for you in his office. You’re free of contamination.”
“Oh, you can see?” said Julian shyly.
The priest nodded. “I looked in on you earlier, and I’ve been monitoring to make sure you were properly cleansed,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Julian. “I’m glad it didn’t stay, Alex was worried because of the tie to my hair.”
“Yes, your young man did a good thing, breaking the tie before bringing you here,” said the priest. “It made it much easier to purge the spell.”
Julian smiled proudly. “I’ll be sure to thank him, sir.”
“It’s Nathan, Father Nathan,” he said, and they shook hands. “Now go on, you’ll be happier with trousers, I wager.”
Julian giggled. “I can’t deny that,” he said, going through the archway and down a little hall to the locker room. “I have no idea how anyone can ever find their way around here,” said Julian, finding both his Guardians already dressed and waiting.
“Trade secret,” said James with a wink. They were patient while Julian dressed, then they all took the more familiar route to Father Stephen’s office.
“I’ve been declared all better,” said Julian, “Father Nathan was very nice, and he said to assure you that you’re very smart for doing whatever you did with my hair.”
Alex laughed and pulled him close for a kiss. “I’m guessing he didn’t phrase it quite that way,” said Alex. “Which one’s N
athan again?”
“He’s our potions master,” said Father Stephen. “He made up something special and wanted to deliver it himself.”
“It was really special,” said Julian. “It had a kick!”
“You’re looking much better, love, and you sound like yourself again,” said Alex. “Want some tea?”
“Is it more super special restorative herbal tea?” asked Julian, deliberately plaintive.
Father Stephen chuckled. “It’s a perfectly ordinary English Breakfast,” he said, pouring Julian a cup and handing it over.
Julian took a moment to add milk and sugar, and then he sighed happily at the taste. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the restoratives, but…”
“But tea is tea,” said Alex, clinking their cups together before taking a sip of his own. They all settled into seats or leaning against various furniture items, crowding Father Stephen’s office.
Stephen pulled out a tin of biscuits and passed them around, letting everyone relax for a while. “Now, your Guild has arranged for the Temple’s protection, and the Guardians are working with Agent Lapointe to be certain the other apprentices are as protected as we can manage,” said Father Stephen, once everyone had gotten their share of sugar.
“Yes, Father, will James and Jacques come stay at the flat with us?” asked Julian, mostly for form.
“Yes, my boy, we discussed sending you back to the St. Albans estate, but to be honest Alex’s wards are far more thorough and sophisticated,” said Father Stephen.
Alex shrugged. “What can I say, they’re a bit of a hobby now,” he said, but he sounded pleased. “James and Jacques have been helping me with the refinements on their off time, too.”
“With the understanding that new innovations will be brought back to the Temple, of course,” said James. “He’s really quite clever at finding ways to discourage new types of intrusions.”
“While allowing welcome things to pass,” added Jacques. “We’re looking forward to seeing the nursery wards.”
“They’re a lot more porous,” said Alex, “And not very good at screening for bad intentions, as we’ve seen.”
“What do you mean?” asked Julian.
“I think your hair was stolen today by someone you saw at work,” said Alex. “You haven’t been in a situation where someone could sneak up on you since before last week.”
“I guess that’s true, though we did have the mugger,” said Julian, trying to think. He’d mostly been at home or with Alex, though, and as a mage he wouldn’t put up with someone snipping off bits of his boyfriend.
“We’re looking into that as related, now,” said Lapointe.
“Oh,” said Julian, sinking down in his chair a little. He sighed. “So, what happens now?”
“We take you home for one of Alys’ huge meals,” said Alex, “and filling out Murielle’s map, and then either bed or cards, depending on how you feel.”
“Also,” said Stephen, “we’d like you to come work here while you can’t work at the nursery. Your lucky clover is growing beautifully, and Master Stone has promised to send more plants over, though she can’t be spared herself.”
“But you get to draft some acolytes to help,” said Jacques, all amused. “And Alex, when he’s not at Lapointe’s beck and call.”
Julian felt a little overwhelmed at that, being thrown into the deep end so soon, and alone. “Yes, Father,” he said, but he sank even further down in the chair, curled around his teacup. Then he sat up straight, dismayed. “Do I have to get purified every day?”
“No, no,” said Stephen with a chuckle. “We’ll do a very short version where we wash your feet and give you a blessing, but you don’t have to do the full…”
“Monty?” provided Alex, winking at Julian.
“I was going to say ritual,” said Stephen, but he was amused. “We’re also going to be having your Alex help our priests with the new wards at Gainesbury, and so we may get your help there once it’s deemed safe.”
“Why me?” asked Julian. “I mean, I’m just an apprentice, it’ll be years before I have even half of a Master’s knowledge.”
Father Stephen gave him a thoughtful look, considering the question properly before answering. “You love the Temple in your own way, and you love the plants you’re giving into our care, and that is reflected in your talent and the energy you give to the gardens,” he explained. “I revisited the Gainesbury Temple this morning, and the water garden glows to my sight with the goodness of the earth.”
Julian blinked, then nodded silently. “Thank you,” he said shyly, biting his lip for a moment, then nodding again. “I’d be happy to do any work the Temple needs.”
Father Stephen smiled. “Good lad,” he said. “Your talents are blossoming, and it’ll be good for you to keep exercising them.”
“He’s right,” said Alex. “All the work you’ve done recently has really strengthened your ability and control.”
“I’ve noticed that everything feels clearer to me, and I can feel things farther away and more, I dunno, specifically?” Julian shrugged. “It’s weird to try to talk about it.”
“Tell me about it,” said James wryly.
Julian giggled and felt better. “I guess there’s just so many ways to sense magic, it’s hard to talk about for everyone.”
“Oh, yeah,” agreed Geoff. “I feel magic, too, but it’s a touch thing and it’s… Yeah.”
“Yeah,” said Julian, and they had a moment of perfect understanding.
Except Murielle, who just rolled her eyes and said, “Magic users.”
“Yeah,” said Jones dryly.
That set them all laughing, and the topic moved back to the schedule and when Jones would come out, and what Julian needed to bring. Alex was planning to spend the evening at home with Julian’s amulet and keep-safe, and he acquiesced to Julian’s puppy-eyed pleas that he not destroy it if at all possible.
“It’s the first magic I ever did,” said Julian.
“Well, the first magic you ever did on purpose,” said Alex, kissing him. “No doubt you’ve been encouraging the plants around your estate for years without realising it.”
“Oh, maybe,” said Julian. He finished off his tea and set the cup down. “So, who all is coming to dinner? And has poor Alys been warned?”
“We all are, except for the good Father, who is staying here and virtuously continuing his good work,” said Geoff with a smirk.
“And I let her know to expect a horde of depleted magic-users for dinner, she’ll be ready to feed us pretty soon,” said Alex.
“Then we’ll leave you to the peace of an empty office,” said Julian, standing. “If you’re all ready to go?”
There was a flurry of last sips of tea and agreement, and Julian gave Father Stephen a shy hug on their way out, and got a warm blessing-kiss to his forehead in return. He gave one to Alex as well as both Guardians, and then Jones who lined up hopefully and promised to stay for a purification one of the times he delivered Julian, though the first day they thought he might get the honour of ferrying plants around after he’d dropped off his precious passengers.
Murielle had already edged out the door, but Geoff accepted his own blessing with surprised pleasure when it was offered. “We’ll win over your detective yet,” teased Stephen, ushering them all out.
Murielle shrugged, then came over, looking almost shy. “I guess I never really understood what you’re, you know, devoted to here.”
“We’re devoted to purity of spirit, and harmony with nature, supporting it as it supports us,” said Father Stephen, taking her hands. “But most of all we are devoted to nurturing the goodness within each person, and protecting that goodness whenever it might be snuffed out.”
Murielle thought about this for a moment, then nodded. “Then I would love to accept your blessing, Father, because that sounds a lot like what we do, but more, you know.”
“Spiritual,” said the priest, amused. He kissed her forehead and said, “Go in
peace and strength.”
“Thank you,” she said, and the rest of them thanked him, too, and then they let the Guardians lead them back to the car.
They paused to check everything over even here, but soon enough everyone was crowded into the car, with Jacques up front with Jones and the smaller James sharing with Julian and Alex.
“It’s a good thing we didn’t bring MacLean,” said Murielle, amused at the tangle of legs in their shared foot well. “We’d definitely be over capacity with him in here.”
“Next time you get to drive your own car,” said Alex, mock-crossly.
Julian giggled. “It’s not her fault we picked up two big, strapping men.” He snuggled up close, since they’d confiscated his earlier blankets in case of contamination, though his clothes had been declared clear.
“You just like the extra body heat,” teased Alex.
James chuckled. “It’s not the worst way to keep a client safe and well,” he said, shifting just a little so he could let Julian get closer. Alex adjusted, too, so that Julian was cradled warmly between them.
“Ooh, I could get used to this,” Julian said happily, relaxing into their body heat. He wasn’t too uncomfortable, the Temple was kept nice and warm and he’d had the showers and sauna, but that wasn’t going to stop him from basking when he was being spoiled so well.
Conversation on the ride home was about mundane things, and Julian let himself relax and tune it out, so much so that he dozed off before they got home. “Sorry,” he said with a yawn, waking up as Jones made his way to their assigned parking spot.
“It’s fine,” James assured him. “You need your rest.”
“We won’t stay long after dinner,” said Geoff. “Jones has promised to whisk us back to the Agency and our cars.”
Another yawn stifled Julian’s intended comment, which seemed to amuse everyone else, at least. “All right,” he said, once he was sure he was done yawning.