Transformed (Ancestral Magic Book 2)

by Michael DeAngelo

  Adelia heard the sorceress well enough, but Merlin was wrapped up in so many new experiences that he needed to be coerced away. The trellis ended just several steps from the bridges, and that lane of flowers allowed them to see the intricate stonework that made up the smooth street. There were perfect transitions to the overpasses as well, as if a divine being had created everything at once and placed it there with the utmost precision.

  As beautiful as the place was, Lucinda didn’t seem taken with Sungarden. She stepped onto the bridge without looking at the stone beneath her or the rails or even the wide river that passed under those viaducts. The mere thought had Adelia studying her surroundings with greater concentration. At predetermined lengths, small squares of land had been built up in the river and fortified with stone. A single cherry blossom tree had been set upon each of those islands, and some of their petals floated down the river. That waterway was also completely constricted to the design made for it—more canal than anything, really. Adelia hummed at the staggering work that had gone into the city’s aesthetics. Every single detail was meticulous. She couldn’t understand how Lucinda could just ignore it all.

  Almost perfectly in line with the central tree within the river, a tall bronze statue stood on a pedestal on the opposite side of the water. He was framed further between diamond-like fields that curved with the roads.

  The plump purple woman kept moving forward, undeterred by the distractions her wards experienced. Every time Adelia dragged Merlin closer to their chaperone, something else caught her attention: three-story buildings with slanted, shingled roofs; towers that stretched up past those tall buildings; exquisite topiaries that would have taken the girl considerable time to recreate, even with magic. There was no end to the magnificent sights Sungarden had to offer.

  Every few moments, Lucinda would pull aside one of the citizens and query where Blythe was. They were given countless sets of directions that pulled them deeper into the magnificent city. No matter where they went, though, the houses and shops remained as regal as ever. It seemed Sungarden was a city for the masses—as long as those masses were affluent.

  There were some small exceptions, of course, for municipal buildings that provided the least opportunities for the city’s growth, but they were few and far between. Still, when the slew of directions took them to a dreary one-story building surrounded by far less attractive flora, Adelia couldn’t hide her surprise.

  The apothecary shop was situated in a decent enough place in town. Other buildings surrounded that one on almost all sides, as if they were hiding that humble place. Herbs and odd shrubs grew on the property, and it was clear that whoever planted them was more interested in function than form.

  Lucinda sauntered through that overrun lawn to reach the door of the building—a plain oak slab with a dingy brass knob before her. When she attempted to turn it, however, she found it to be locked. A few more wriggles of the knob yielded the same disappointing result.

  “It’s closed,” the sorceress heard a moment later. She turned to see a man walking with his wife or consort, who wore a gigantic hat with wild plumage, and it was all Lucinda could do to hold back a laugh. “If you need a tonic, best head to Cerses’ shop on the east side of town.”

  “We’re actually looking for Mister Blythe,” Lucinda called out.

  The man never missed a step, and passing so far behind the sorceress, he didn’t even look back. “You won’t find him there. Not anymore.”

  While he and his companion passed through the street, Adelia and Merlin finally arrived before the shop. “What’s the matter?” the girl asked.

  “Apparently, our Mister Blythe no longer tends to this shop,” the sorceress revealed. “Would you two mind keeping there for a moment?” Lucinda turned back to the door and held her hand just before the knob. A wave of color washed over it, and a subtle noise shifted within. “One other nice thing about transformative magic: there’s no such thing as a locked door.”

  “Wait, what are we doing?” Adelia protested. “We can’t just break in here.”

  A wry smile was already upon Lucinda’s face. “Whatever do you mean, child? It was already open.”

  “I thought we needed Blythe,” Merlin said. He followed the two magicians inside and closed the door behind him. “What do we gain by being here when the apothecary isn’t here to assist us?”

  “If Gaston has taught young Miss Adelia here the value of a good potion, I’m sure she can tell you why we might not need the man.”

  “You think he left something behind that could change Merlin back to his true form?” the sage’s pupil asked.

  “Why not?” Lucinda wondered. “Stranger things have happened. Now, this place is deceptively large on the inside. Spread out and look for anything you might be able to find.” She slipped behind the counter and fingered through books and ledgers.

  While Adelia scoured one side of the building, Merlin looked indiscriminately from place to place. His sights settled on an old wooden ladder that stood in the center of the opposite wall, leaning up against the loft above the shop floor.

  All three intruders were deeply entrenched in their search and didn’t hear as the door shifted open once more. Another woman entered, careful to drop her armored heel onto the floor with as soft a step as she could manage. And though she wore a polished suit of armor just as ornate as anything Sungarden had to offer, no one in the shop noticed the subtle glints on that metal. Nor did they notice as she tapped her fingers against the miniature crossbow situated on her hip.

  She took a brief account of those trespassers, and when satisfied with the odds, she scooped up her weapon and held it upright. A quarrel was already loaded in place, sitting in a barrel located on the crossbow. When she drew the cord back, a resounding snap reported. That noise finally gained the attention of everyone else who was in attendance.

  “Does somebody want to tell me what’s going on here?”

  Lucinda peeked out from behind the counter and offered a wide smile.

  Chapter Six: Apprehended

  “Terribly sorry,” Lucinda cooed. “We were just looking for Mister Blythe.”

  The woman in the fancy armor did not appear to be amused by that. She kept her weapon trained on the oldest of the three intruders, her finger brushing against the trigger. “I doubt you’ll find him beneath the counter, on the shelves, or even in the loft. Fact is, you’ve broken into this shop. I’ve half a mind to arrest the lot of you.”

  Adelia’s face lost all color as swift as the words came out. “Please, we aren’t here to cause any trouble. We’re just looking for something to help a friend. He’s been—”

  “He’s been better, that’s for sure,” Lucinda interrupted. “Seen better days and all that. The truth is, we did come here to meet the apothecary, but our friend is in such a poor state, we were desperate enough to come inside and see if he had left out our order.”

  A pair of narrowed eyes stared back at the woman in purple. The guard kept her crossbow raised and steady. “Seeing as Orson asked me to watch after his shop and never mentioned a word about you, I’m inclined to call your bluff. Now you hush.” While the crossbow remained fixed on Lucinda, the guard’s eyes swept back to Adelia. “You there. You seem compelled to tell the truth. Let’s hear it then—straight from your mouth.”

  “We did come here hoping to find Mister Blythe,” the girl insisted. “But when we learned he wasn’t here, we were hoping to find something we’d heard he was working on—something that could help our friend.”

  “Your sick friend?” the guard growled.

  Adelia blew out a nervous breath. “Not exactly. He’s not sick. He’s just…not himself. The result of magic gone awry.” When she noticed the subtle shift in the guard’s demeanor, she pointed to Merlin. “That’s him right there.”

  The transformed cat offered a reserved wave from atop the ladder.

  “Well, your friend back there was right to try to exercise discretion,” the guard said. She lower
ed her crossbow and attached it to her belt once more. “You need to learn to lie, girl. And you need to learn to lie better,” she called to Lucinda. “I’m sure you’ve heard Sungarden doesn’t take kindly to magic. A little secrecy goes a long way.”

  “Thank you, miss,” Adelia breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Reya,” the guard informed. “Lieutenant Reya. And you’re not out of the woods yet. You’re still trespassing in my friend’s home. And who knows what you’ve already got in your pockets.”

  Lucinda stepped out from behind the counter and raised her hands. “We haven’t taken anything, Lieutenant. You’re free to search us. We were here just to look for a way to help him. But it sounds as though you know where to find Mister Blythe. We could just go to him.”

  “You very well might, if I bring you in,” Reya said.

  The plump sorceress arched her eyebrow. “He’s been arrested?”

  “Apparently, even potions are too arcane for the likes of the citizenry of Sungarden. When they found out he was working on whatever flask or concoction was supposed to negate magic, they labeled that an infraction. The strange thing, though, is that while I’ve seen him in the castle dungeon, he’s been formally declared a guest at the upcoming ball.”

  “That could be an excellent opportunity to meet Mister Blythe, this Orson,” Lucinda said. “When did you say this no doubt lavish event would occur?”

  “I didn’t,” Reya spat. “Look, this celebration has only been extended to Sungarden’s most elite and those of the utmost renown who live beyond our walls. I don’t know you at all. I shouldn’t even be telling you these things.”

  “Well, you don’t seem particularly happy with your friend’s arrest. Perhaps you sense people who are willing to help.”

  “In exchange for a way to negate magic,” the guard surmised.

  “If Orson is willing to part with it.” Lucinda offered up a warm smile. “Perhaps we could appeal to his needs at the ball.”

  Reya blew out a weary sigh. “You’re either thieves, or you’re just mad.”

  “We’re not thieves,” Adelia half-teased. She turned to Lucinda, who gave a terse look and a subtle shake of her head. “I’m not usually a very trusting person, but you’ve helped us, and it’s only fair you know the truth.” The girl lifted her hand, showing Reya the frosty sphere of ice that formed in her palm.

  “Witches,” Reya whispered. “I might have known. Careful who you show those powers to in this city, child. Sungarden is not fond of magic or those who use it.”

  “So we’ve heard. But we’re not trying to use spells in this place. We’re trying to stop one.”

  “Oh?” the guard wondered.

  Lucinda rolled her eyes and stepped forward. “The boy is a cat—or at least he used to be. I’ve not been able to change him back. A mutual friend of ours suggested Mister Blythe when we conceded to needing extra help.”

  “Well, as I said, he’s inaccessible now.”

  “Right, but he will be at this ball. What’s the cause of the celebration?” Lucinda asked.

  Reya cocked her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s the magistrate’s daughter’s sixteenth birthday. Only those who have been formally invited will be granted entry.”

  The plump sorceress wore a wry grin then. “Trust me, showing up where I’m not invited is my specialty. If we can help your friend, can we rely on you?”

  “There’s no way you’ll be able to liberate Orson,” Reya insisted. “You underestimate how tyrannical our magistrate can be.”

  “I look forward to surprising you, Lieutenant,” Lucinda countered. “But we’ll need to appear as guests. Surely there’s someone on the invite list from afar that’s sent their regrets—someone that not many of the other guards would recognize.”

  Reya grumbled. “I’ll see what I can do. I know who has the list.”

  “Excellent. We’ll also need to see one of the invitations. Recreating an existing one—ink, paper, seal, and all—is the only way we’ll gain entry.”

  The guard bowed her head. “I’ll get you one. But it feels like I’m doing an awful lot of the work here, madam.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lucinda bade. “Recreating the thing will be my job. As will convincing the guards to let in my young friends here. Speaking of which, that’s the last piece of this puzzle.”

  “What’s that?” Reya asked.

  Lucinda’s smile was wide and bright indeed. “We shall have to clothe this riffraff.”

  *****

  His brow furrowed, and he cradled his arm against his chest. “I’m still not quite sure why we’re doing this.” Merlin crouched by the riverbank—one of the only places in Sungarden not manipulated by canals or sluices. It was the most natural point in the city, far from homes and shops but with plenty of wild flora about. The park was vast, and with the sun beginning to set, time was fleeting.

  Adelia had a collection of small, round stones in the crook of her arm as well. She scrutinized the sand and the water, looking for suitable additions to that pile. “I’m not either, but this is Lucinda’s master plan. While I question just about everything she does, she seemed adamant about this. What better way to change you back than to pluck stones out of a stream?”

  As she spoke, the sage’s pupil noticed the familiar shade of purple approaching from across the park. “Better hurry and find some more. Here she comes.”

  “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” the sorceress called out. “I thought you were going to be by the bridge.”

  “You asked us to get flat, round stones,” Adelia said. “We didn’t find any good ones there.” She held up one of the ones she was proudest of.

  Lucinda let loose a brimming smile. “You silly, naïve girl. They needn’t be perfect—only close enough.”

  “Close enough for what?” Merlin wondered.

  Lucinda pointed with a fluttering finger. “Just put them together in a pile there.” She crouched down beside the stream, almost bursting out of her dress. When she stood back up, she had her own collection of stones and tossed them, one by one, in with the other ones. “Behold,” she said. With a point of her cane, a bright white light enveloped the stones, and when it subsided, a shining pile of gold was in their place.

  Adelia’s eyes opened wide, and she dropped down beside those sparkling coins. “This is enough to buy a carriage for the way home.” As the aspiring sorceress plucked them from the ground, the truth slowly washed over her. “These aren’t real coins. They’re still just rocks. It’s all an illusion.”

  “The threads you wear will be as real as the ones you wear now,” Lucinda assured. “They’re so wary of magic here; let’s give them something to be wary about.”

  “Why not just transform the clothes we’re wearing?”

  The plump arcanist sighed. “Why won’t you let me treat you to something at someone else’s expense? Depending on our difficulties at the celebration, we may need the infinite duration of a real, traditional outfit. It wouldn’t do to be conducting our rescue when suddenly your attire reverts back to those…those rags.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Adelia, if it truly weighs on you, consider this: one day, you’ll be a mighty caster. You’ll earn all manner of coin—real coin. You can send some to this arcanophobe if it weighs so heavily on your conscience. But for now, we have a job to do.”

  Adelia nodded and set to work collecting the fool’s gold. Merlin helped as well, and before long, they had it all scooped into a pile. Their chaperone was already far along then, as quick a pace as they had seen from the sorceress since they met her. They sped through the park and raced to catch her. It wasn’t until they had crossed the bridge and surrounded themselves with the ritzy houses and shops of the city again that Lucinda’s pace appeared to slow.

  “Come along, children,” she said. As she weaved her path down a busy street, she kept her attention drawn to one shop in particular. A sign above the door displayed a needle and thread and had the word “Nooma’s
” emblazoned upon it. “What say we get you out of those rags, eh?”

  As the trio entered the shop, a waft of the most delicious aroma hit Adelia. The place was spotless, except for the stray bits of fabric here and there. In each of the adjacent rooms, exquisite attire was showcased upon mannequins. The aspiring sorceress couldn’t focus on any of those for long, for she felt Merlin’s desperate grasp upon her.

  A quick glance to her side explained everything. A graying, old, chocolate-colored dog made his slow approach, wagging his tail with every taken step. Adelia grinned and bent low to greet the weary canine.

  “Ah, it’s so good to see you back, milady,” they heard. Another woman, with beautiful tan skin and long, brown locks, seemed to skip into the foyer. “I hadn’t expected to have you return so soon. The people of this city either buy what they like right away, or they ruminate for months on whether it’s just right.”

  “I just had to fetch the riffraff who are going to be wearing your gorgeous garments,” Lucinda said. “These two are my wards.”

  The shopkeeper offered up a warm smile. “Then they are quite lucky indeed! Were we still thinking of the blue dress with the shoulder strap?”

  “Of course,” the sorceress confirmed. “And the blue jerkin with the white shirt for the lad. That can come right off the stand, however. I think you’ll find he’ll fill it out well enough.”

  “If that is what milady wants!” the woman gleefully responded.

  “That it is. I need your best work on the girl, though. The dress needs to be as stunning on her as it would be on the magistrate’s daughter.”

  Adelia’s eyes widened as her brow furrowed. “Lucinda, I don’t need anything so osten—”

  “Must I say it again, my dear?” the plump sorceress asked. “In public, you will address me as Lady Maray.” She looked to the seamstress and rolled her eyes. “Honestly, you show them a dash of hospitality, and they think they’re your equal.”