“I hear the railway line is being extended again,” Caleb said, into the silence. “Is it now going all the way to Thornwood?”
“That’s the plan,” Karan said. “My friends and I rode the railway all the way to Cockatrice.” She looked at Emily. “They named a locomotive after you.”
“Emily the Tank Engine.” Emily smiled, even though she knew no one else would get the joke. “I haven’t seen the station for nearly a year.”
“They’ve expanded it,” Karan said. She gave Emily a guileless smile. “We had a few hours in Cockatrice before we rode back to the city. Your castle is very impressive.”
“I believe we will be discussing your formal position later.” Sienna’s voice was cool. “Until then…”
Marian leaned forward. “Jan was saying that he got a five for ten deal on notes,” she said, quickly. “I was thinking…”
Her mother skewered her with a glance. “No.”
“Mother, it will pay off,” Marian insisted. “Everyone says…”
“And if everyone were to jump off a cliff,” Sienna asked sharply, “would you jump too?”
Emily glanced at Caleb, silently asking him what was going on. Caleb shrugged. Whatever it was, it was clear that Sienna objected to it. And that she would not be moved. Marian’s pleas and protests fell on deaf ears. Emily was mildly surprised that Marian hadn’t been sent to her room for cheek. Her pleas grew more and more frantic.
She looked up as the door opened, breathing a sigh of relief as General Pollack entered. He was followed by a young man who looked very much like Casper, save for his obvious youth and unscarred face. Croce, Emily guessed. Caleb’s younger brother. Caleb, Karan and Marian rose to greet their father; Emily rose a second later, remembering the etiquette lessons that had been drilled into her at school. General Pollack was, at least in theory, the master of his household. Emily rather doubted that his wife paid much attention to conventional wisdom. She was a power in her own right.
“Welcome home,” Sienna said. Her voice was very formal. She hadn’t moved from the armchair. “I greet you, husband.”
“I greet you, wife,” General Pollack returned. His voice was equally formal, but there was a warmth in it that made Emily smile. They loved each other. “We have much to discuss.”
“Indeed we do.” Sienna rose. “Shall we eat?”
Emily felt her stomach rumble as Sienna led the way into the dining room. It was larger than she’d expected, large enough to make her wonder if someone had been experimenting with expansion charms. There were ways to make one’s house bigger on the inside, but without the vast power of a nexus point they tended not to last long. Emily wouldn’t have cared to trust her safety to a pocket dimension that didn’t have an inexhaustible source of power.
“Take a seat.” Sienna’s lips crinkled into a humorless smile. “I think we can forget about the formalities, can’t we?”
“Of course, my dear,” General Pollack said. “Emily, please take a seat.”
Emily sat and watched as the two girls hurried into the kitchen to fetch dinner. Had they cooked it? A wealthy family like Caleb’s would probably be expected to hire servants, but the house was small and sorcerers liked their privacy. And yet…she found the idea of Sienna – or her young daughters – doing all the cooking and cleaning to be a little unbelievable. Perhaps the servants were merely expected to remain out of sight at all times.
A tasty smell wafted up from the tureen as Marian put it down in front of her father and removed the lid. It was a fish stew, the fish heads clearly visible within the white sauce. Emily was surprised to see the bowl of cooked rice that accompanied it, although rice was fairly common at Whitehall. It might not grow anywhere near the city, but the combination of shipping lanes and preservation spells would allow merchants to bring it from the other side of the continent. The meal might look simple, yet it was – in many ways – an understated display of wealth. Only the richest citizens would be able to afford rice.
General Pollack served Emily and Frieda first, then his wife and children. Emily reached for her spoon, then stopped herself, remembering that etiquette forbade her from eating until everyone was served. Caleb, sitting opposite her, gave her a reassuring smile. Emily smiled back, wishing they were alone. They’d taken picnics into the mountains at Whitehall, back before the war, back before everything had changed…
“Please, tuck in,” General Pollack said. He picked up the tureen and moved it to the center of the table. “Take more if you wish.”
“Thank you, Father,” Caleb said.
Emily picked up her spoon and took a sip of stew. It tasted strong, stronger than she’d expected. And yet, the more she ate, the more she grew to like it. The blandness of the rice and boiled vegetables complimented the fish nicely. It was definitely better than most of the food she’d eaten during the war.
“So,” Sienna said, holding up her spoon as though it was a knife. “What happened?”
Emily glanced at General Pollack, who shrugged. “My wife can hear everything,” he said, dryly. “You can speak freely.”
In front of two impressionable kids, Emily thought.
Sienna snorted. “Emily,” she said. “What happened to my son?”
Emily forced herself to look back at her. “The necromancer killed him,” she said. “He…he was blown to dust.”
“I see,” Sienna said. “Details?”
“We were out on patrol,” Emily said. She had no wish to recite the entire story, but…Sienna had a right to know. Besides, she’d probably get the rest of the tale from her husband. “We didn’t know Gaius was a traitor. He sent Casper away, then attacked me. I beat him, only to discover we were cut off from the city. Armies were already on the march. There was no way we could get back before it was too late.”
Sienna nodded, inviting Emily to continue.
“We decided we could strike directly at the necromancer himself,” Emily said. “He was at Heart’s Eye, so we went there. We battered our way into the school and challenged the necromancer. And then we fought.”
She sucked in her breath. There was so much she wanted to forget. Dua Kepala’s incredible success – and the secret of his sanity. The moment when she’d watched in horror, helpless, as Casper died. And the sheer power of the revitalized nexus point, reaching out through her to tear the necromancer apart. She didn’t dare tell Sienna everything.
“We had a plan,” Emily said. “Casper died making it work.”
It wasn’t the complete truth, she knew. But it was true enough. Casper had died a hero, and that was all that mattered.
Sienna studied her for a long, cold moment. Emily looked back at her, hoping – praying – that Sienna didn’t ask too many questions. There were secrets that couldn’t be shared. And yet, didn’t Sienna have a right to know? Her son had died in the war.
“You could have saved him,” Marian said. “Couldn’t you?”
“No,” Emily said. She’d been drained after the first battle. Even if she’d known what was about to happen, she doubted she could have done anything about it. “He was dead before I could do anything.”
“Emily would have saved him if she could,” Frieda said, sharply. She shot Marian a challenging look. “She’s good at saving people.”
“So I have heard.” Sienna’s eyes had never left Emily’s face. “And he was a dueling champion, was he not?”
“He took the title from me,” Emily confirmed. It wasn’t entirely true, but Casper had been impressive. She’d given him a tiny window of opportunity and he’d used it perfectly, winning the duel in a single moment. “He was the champion when he died.”
“It wouldn’t have brought him happiness.” Sienna sounded tired, tired and sad. “It would only have gotten him killed.”
Emily bit down, hard, on the comment that came to mind. Casper had worked hard to live up to his famous parents, the great military commander and the powerful sorceress. And he’d never felt as though he had managed to move out of
their shadow. He’d been on the verge of trying to commit drunken suicide when she’d accepted his challenge. She knew he’d been a prideful ass – he’d been one of the luckiest people in the world – but she also understood precisely how he felt. He’d still been an apprentice when his friends were completing their own masteries.
“He died a champion,” Caleb said. “It was what he wanted.”
“He was young,” Sienna snapped. For a moment, her mask slipped. Emily saw grief and sorrow before it became hidden again beneath her expressionless face. “He didn’t know what he wanted.”
“He died a hero,” General Pollack said. “And I will always be proud of him.”
There was a long silence. Emily felt awkward, as if she were intruding on a family’s private grief. They’d invited her to stay with them, to attend the funeral, but…part of her was tempted to leave. She could take Frieda and find lodgings somewhere nearby, easily enough. It wasn’t as though she was short of money. Coming to think of it, she could ask Markus if they could stay with him.
“There was another sighting of Justice,” Marian said. Emily could have hugged the younger girl for trying to change the subject. “Four workers claimed they saw him standing near the docks, watching the boats.”
General Pollack made a rude noise. “And how much had they had to drink at the time?”
“Antony, Son of Emil, was replaced by a stone statue,” Sienna said. “And while Alba was in shock, I don’t think she was lying.”
“Antony was turned to stone,” Karan said.
Emily blinked. “Antony and Alba?”
“Alba is a friend of mine,” Karan said. “Antony was her very brave boyfriend who was turned to stone.”
“That’s what it says in the books,” Marian said. “Those who transgress against the god will be turned to stone!”
“Magic can turn someone into stone,” Sienna said, curtly. “You know how to stop someone in their tracks, if necessary. There’s no reason to believe the rumors. It would hardly be the first time someone claimed to have seen a god.”
Emily leaned forward, interested. “What do the stories say?”
“That Justice will return to pass Judgement on us all,” Marian said. “And those who defy his law will be turned to stone.”
“Except there’s still no reason to believe the stories,” Sienna said. “The victims – all of them – might easily have been targeted by their enemies. All someone would need to commit the murders would be a warped petrifaction spell.”
She shrugged. “And Speaker Janus, no doubt, has taken advantage of the rumors,” she added. “Attendance at his services is up.”
Emily glanced at Caleb. “Janus?”
“The High Priest of Justice,” Marian said, before Caleb could answer. “He’s a very powerful man.”
“And this is not a suitable conversation for the dinner table,” Sienna said. She gave her daughter a sharp look. “We’ll discuss other matters later.”
“Yes, Mother,” Marian said in a sweet voice. “And what should we talk about?”
“Your schooling, perhaps,” Sienna said. “You’ll be off to school in a year.” She looked at Emily. “You can give her some advice, perhaps,” she added. “You’ve seen two of the magic schools.”
Emily nodded, shortly.
“Later, perhaps,” Caleb said. “We have much to do tomorrow.”
“Indeed you do,” Sienna said. “And we shall discuss it tonight.”
Chapter Four
EMILY COULDN’T HELP MULLING OVER THE godly affair as Karan fetched the dessert, a syrupy sponge so sweet she had to drench it in custard before she could eat it. Croce insisted on chatting with his father about life in the military, making it clear he intended to seek an apprenticeship as soon as he completed his time at Stronghold. General Pollack attempted to convince Emily to talk about life in the sorcerer’s tent, but Emily had to admit she hadn’t seen that much of military life. She’d certainly never taken a full apprenticeship with a combat sorcerer.
“Karan, I would appreciate it if you were to take Frieda to her room and sit with her for a while,” Sienna said, once the dessert was finished. “Emily, would you please accompany me?”
Emily felt a cold weight settle in her chest as she rose, following Sienna through a pair of solid wooden doors. Someone had embedded spells within the wood, ranging from a simple protection and warding spell to a number of nastier tricks that would freeze, blind and – at worst – kill anyone who tried to enter without permission. The study behind the protections was simpler than she’d expected – a desk, a set of overflowing bookshelves and a pair of wooden chairs – but it clearly belonged to a skilled magician. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as the interior wards peered at her, assessing her power. If Sienna hadn’t been there, Emily doubted she could have made it out before the wards tore her to shreds.
“Take a seat,” Sienna said. Her voice was surprisingly calm. “We have a great deal to discuss.”
Emily sat on one of the wooden chairs, feeling like a mouse being eyed by a cat. Sienna was powerful – and skilled, which made her dangerous. Emily didn’t have any reason to believe that Sienna might want her dead, but she knew – all too well – that a grieving mother might not be in any state to think logically. Her eldest son had died because she’d convinced him to accompany her to Heart’s Eye.
And would Lady Barb be any kinder, Emily asked herself, if she’d had a son who died on your watch?
Emily forced herself to remain calm as Sienna took her seat. Sienna was a combat sorceress, no small achievement for a woman. No allowances would have been made for her when she started working towards her mastery; indeed, her tutor would probably have pushed her harder, just to make sure she could keep up with the men. Even now, after giving birth to five children, Sienna was formidable. Emily couldn’t help a pang of envy. Casper and Caleb – and their siblings – probably didn’t realize just how lucky they were.
“I’m afraid the decision to send Frieda as your chaperone is quite awkward,” Sienna said, curtly. It was, Emily realized, her version of small talk. “Her presence causes other complications.”
Emily nodded, shortly. Caleb was taken, but Croce was only a year or so younger than Frieda…not enough to avoid a scandal, if he were caught spending unsupervised time with her. Emily doubted Frieda would be interested – she’d turned down a dozen offers at Whitehall – but it would still be embarrassing. People would talk. And while she doubted it would be that irritating, in the long run, she could see Sienna’s point.
“I apologize on behalf of my advisor,” Emily said. She wasn’t sure if Lady Barb was still her advisor, given that she’d left Whitehall after the grandmaster’s death, but Emily had no intention of choosing another. “I’m sure she would have come herself, if the war hadn’t placed demands on her time.”
Sienna smiled. It didn’t touch her eyes.
“The war comes first,” she said. “Even with the necromancer dead, there will be other…considerations.”
“Yes,” Emily said.
“There are points we have to discuss,” Sienna said, shifting course. “And I expect you to listen.”
Emily tensed. This was the meat of the matter. “I will.”
Sienna’s face twisted. It took Emily a moment to realize that she was embarrassed.
“First, I am aware that you and Caleb have been sleeping together,” Sienna said. “I trust…”
Emily’s mouth dropped open. “He told you?”
Sienna snorted. “Can you imagine a young boy who’d want to discuss his love life with his parents?”
She pressed on before Emily could formulate a response. “Of course he didn’t tell me, but it’s obvious from the way you two react to each other.”
“Oh,” Emily said. She had to fight to resist the urge to cover her face. She knew she was blushing brightly. Caleb’s mother knew…What on Earth was she supposed to say? “I…”
Sienna held up a h
and. “I trust that you have been using precautions,” she added. “What sort of protections?”
Emily groaned. “Do we have to…?”
“Yes, we do,” Sienna said. “What sort of protections have you been using?”
“Contraceptive potion,” Emily said. She forced herself to be clinical. “Both of us have been taking it.”
“Good,” Sienna said, stiffly. “I assume you know how to cast a protection charm?”
“Lady Barb talked me through it,” Emily said. God! She’d thought that conversation was embarrassing. Barrier charms were perfect, if they were cast properly. But they didn’t last long, so they had to be cast shortly before penetration. Did anyone have the mental discipline to cast such a charm under such circumstances? “But we normally rely on potions.”
Sienna nodded. “There are two important points I want to make to you,” she said. She pointed a long finger at Emily. “First, you are not to sleep together under my roof, not until you’re married. There’s a charm on your room that will alert me if Caleb enters without my permission. Or any other man, for that matter. I understand the urges you’ll have, as a healthy young woman, but I won’t allow you to slake them under my roof. Do you understand?”
Emily felt her cheeks grow even hotter. “I understand.”
“Caleb will hate me for this,” Sienna added. She looked at the bookshelves, her face oddly pensive. “But it’s for his own good.”
“I don’t think he’ll hate you,” Emily said.
“He certainly won’t be pleased.” Sienna smiled, rather thinly. “But I have made it clear to him that he will regret it if he defies me.”
Ouch, Emily thought.
Sienna cocked her head. “And that leads us neatly to the second point.”
Emily braced herself. She didn’t think anything could be worse than having the talk with her boyfriend’s mother, but she knew she could be wrong. Not that she blamed Sienna, not really. An unplanned pregnancy – or a scandal – would have all sorts of unfortunate repercussions. She had no idea what Sienna could do to her, beyond kicking her out of the house, but Caleb could be disowned – or worse.
Fists of Justice (Schooled in Magic Book 12) Page 4