Fists of Justice (Schooled in Magic Book 12)

by Christopher Nuttall

  “I know,” Emily said, quietly.

  She shook her head, slowly. Marriage was a holy state, as far as the magical families were concerned. Divorce was almost unthinkable, particularly if children were involved. A couple might choose to live separately, perhaps on opposite sides of the Allied Lands, rather than endure the condemnation of both families. A married couple would be expected to work through their problems rather than split up at the slightest provocation.

  And Melissa chose to leave rather than accept her family’s choice of husband, Emily thought, grimly. Who can blame her?

  Markus cocked his head. “Harman has arrived.” He held out a hand. “Coming?”

  Emily nodded as she followed him down the stairs and into the office. Harman, wearing the bright robes of Grand Guildmaster, stood by the window, peering at the streets below. The other guilds were currently electing new guildmasters – if nothing else, the crisis had loosened up the requirements a little – but it would be at least a week, according to Sienna, before the city council was reconstituted. Harman might even lose his seat when the newcomers took theirs.

  But at least that will make him want to listen, Emily thought. Vesperian’s black hole isn’t going to go away. He needs to present the council with a plan to save the city if he wants to stay in power.

  “Lady Emily,” Harman said. His voice was unfailingly polite, but there was an undertone of resentment. Emily didn’t blame him. She’d fingered him as a traitor and he’d suffered for it. “I understand that you have a plan?”

  “I do,” Emily said. It was actually Markus’s plan, but her name might help in convincing the city council to adopt it. “Please, take a seat.”

  She sat and smoothed down her skirt. Harman eyed her for a long moment, then sat down facing her. Markus ordered drinks and then sat himself. Emily couldn’t help thinking that he looked tired and yet, at the same time, enthusiastic. But then, he had to look supremely confident. Harman would expect her to have discussed the plan with her allies first. If she couldn’t sell it to them, who could she sell it to?

  “The problem is simple,” she said. “Thousands of people poured money into Vesperian’s scheme. Vesperian then used that money to buy supplies for his ongoing project, gambling on recouping the money when the extended track went into service.”

  “Yes,” Harman said. “And now the money has vanished.”

  “I propose to buy back the notes at a third of their face value,” Emily said. Markus had spoken to the other surviving bankers. They’d be investing chunks of their own money in the recovery scheme. “We’ll start with the smaller investors, but hopefully we should be able to buy back a majority of the notes within the next week or so.”

  “The note-holders will not recover all of their money,” Harmon noted.

  Emily nodded. “That cannot be helped,” she said. The combined investment from both her and the bankers wouldn’t be enough to replace all the losses. All they could do was cushion the blow. “However, each of the investors will get something back.”

  “A large number of suits have already been filed against Vesperian’s estate,” Harman said, coolly. “How do you propose to deal with those?”

  “This will be their only real chance to recover anything,” Markus pointed out. “There is no way the entire estate, even putting aside the argument over who owns what, can meet the demands for repayment. I believe that most of his creditors will see reason.”

  “You may be right,” Harmon said. He looked directly at Emily. “I assume you want something in return, Lady Emily?”

  “I want the railway,” Emily said, flatly.

  Harman raised his eyebrows. “You think you can make it work?”

  “I believe that the line between Beneficence and Cockatrice was already profitable,” Emily countered. “Putting a line between Cockatrice and Swanhaven – or the Iron Hills – is a little harder at the moment, but the original railway is solid. Given time, the network can be gradually extended further into Zangaria without requiring such a vast investment.”

  She leaned forward. “However, this only works if the railway remains intact. I have no interest in a pile of scrap metal.”

  “The railway station was burned to the ground a week ago,” Harman said.

  “The damage is mainly cosmetic,” Emily countered. “Vesperian’s staff had the sense to send most of the engines and rolling stock to Cockatrice before all hell broke loose. The railway lines themselves are largely untouched. Rebuilding the station and replacing the handful of damaged rails won’t take that long, given how many people have an interest in reopening the line. The engineers agree that a week or so is all they require to restart a basic service.”

  “I see,” Harman said. “And, given what else is involved, why should the city itself not run the railway?”

  Emily glanced at Markus, who shrugged. “In that case, the city would also become liable for the original investment,” he said. “You’ll have to sue yourselves to recover the investment, then satisfy your creditors. I don’t think the guilds will appreciate it.”

  “Particularly as they’ll be dipping into their own funds to repay the debt,” Emily said. She shrugged, trying to sound as though she didn’t care. “Naturally, us buying back the notes will be contingent on an agreement you won’t try to requisition the railway or attempt to recover the rest of the money.”

  She watched Harman for a long moment. The crisis hadn’t happened on his watch. Of all the old guildmasters, he was the only one who could claim any innocence at all. And yet, he might well wind up being the scapegoat if the money was never recovered. He had to know it, too. The Accountants had never been popular, even before their corruption had been exposed by the New Learning. It was easy to imagine the new council throwing him to the wolves to escape blame themselves.

  “I believe the council would go for it,” Harman said, finally. He glanced at Markus. “I assume you will be handling the details?”

  Markus bowed his head. “Of course.”

  “I should have an answer for you by the end of the day.” Harman made a show of preparing to rise. “Is there anything else we have to discuss?”

  “You’ll need to rewrite the laws to prevent something like this from happening again,” Emily said. “Something, perhaps, that will keep the next Vesperian from running his own disastrous scheme.”

  “We’re already looking at options.” Harman shrugged, expressively. “The real problem is encouraging investment while discouraging over-investment.”

  “Perhaps insist on openness,” Emily said. Earth had had rules, but she didn’t know how they’d worked. Markus and his fellow bankers would have to reinvent them. “A business that wants investors should be able to disclose its current position, if only to make sure potential investors know what they’re getting into.”

  “And make sure that promises are not too exaggerated,” Harman added. “That’s not going to be easy.”

  Emily nodded in agreement. Vesperian was hardly the first person who’d made grandiose promises, although his project had been several orders of magnitude greater than any she’d seen in Cockatrice. She’d met any number of businessmen who’d promised her unimaginable sums, if she invested in their plans. Some of them had even managed to turn a profit.

  “It will be a while before another such scheme gets off the ground,” she said. “You should be able to lay the ground rules before then.”

  “We’ll certainly try,” Harman said. He gave her a sharp look. “What actually happened?”

  Emily raised her eyebrows. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Janus was no sorcerer,” Harman said. “I knew him. He was always a devoted little prick, but he was no sorcerer. Where did he get his power?”

  “Magic,” Emily said. She groaned, inwardly. The secret was definitely spreading. “He did something unprecedented and…and it allowed him to create a false god.”

  “Ah,” Harman said. “And will it happen again?”

  “I hope
not,” Emily said. She wished for a chance to examine the scrolls again, although she knew she should be glad they’d been destroyed. If, of course, they were destroyed. Master Wolfe’s secrets might have vanished back into the past. “I don’t think what he did would be easy to replicate.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Harman said. “The city is fragile, Lady Emily. We could not endure another…another fake god.”

  “I don’t think that will be a problem,” Emily said. Sienna knew the truth, as did a couple of her friends. They’d keep an eye out for the scrolls. Perhaps they had been destroyed after all. “Janus was unique.”

  “In many ways,” Harman agreed. “The pressure of his job drove him insane.”

  Emily kept her thoughts to herself. The Accountants – and she counted Harman among them – had been corrupt. She hated to think what it must have been like, for an honest man, to watch as his fellows embezzled from their clients, praising them openly while stealing and using the account books to conceal their crimes. Janus must have found it a relief, she suspected, when double-entry bookkeeping had changed the world. He could watch his former guild collapse with a clear conscience.

  But he could have left earlier, she thought. What kept him in his job?

  She shrugged. She’d probably never know.

  “It won’t happen again,” she said, instead. “I’m sure of it.”

  “Good,” Harman said. “And that leads neatly to the final point.”

  He met her eyes. “The city council would prefer you left the city today, Lady Emily. Your presence is…disruptive.”

  “She saved you all,” Markus pointed out, sharply.

  “Yes,” Harman said. “But she’s also disruptive.”

  Emily held up a hand before Markus could say or do something Harman would regret. In truth, she’d expected to be asked to leave days ago. Too many people were muttering about how her innovations had allowed Vesperian to thrive, how her innovations had brought the city to its knees. And while she had defeated Justice, most of the city didn’t know what had really happened. They didn’t know they should be grateful…

  “I understand,” she said. She rather doubted she was expected to attend the rest of Casper’s funeral, let alone Caleb’s confirmation as Heir. God alone knew what had happened to Casper’s casket. Sienna hadn’t said anything, but…If nothing else, it was an excuse for her and Frieda to leave the city. “I’ll be gone by the end of the day.”

  “Thank you.” Harman rose. “And I hope we will meet again.”

  Emily concealed her amusement as Harman left the room. She didn’t think anyone had told her anything quite so insincere…

  “I’m sorry,” Markus said. “I can petition the council, if you wish. They cannot send you into exile without a proper hearing.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Emily said. “Just send a message to Frieda, telling her to meet me on the bridge. She won’t want to stay either.”

  “Probably for the best.” Markus rose and held out a hand. “Good luck with resuming your studies, Emily.”

  “I’ll need it,” Emily said. She rubbed her forehead. She’d have to work hard – very hard – to catch up. And she would have to do some of that with Caleb. It was going to be awkward as hell. “I’ll be sure to give Melissa your love.”

  “She said she would come visit at half-term,” Markus said. “By then, hopefully everything will be back to normal.”

  “Or as normal as it gets around here,” Emily said. Beneficence had been changing – for better and for worse – even before Vesperian’s death. “Don’t forget to send the message.”

  “I won’t.” Markus paused. “Caleb is waiting for you downstairs. Do you want me to sneak you out the back?”

  Emily hesitated. She didn’t want to face Caleb, not now. But she didn’t have a choice. They had to talk…

  “I’ll meet him downstairs,” she said. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn’t help feeling that facing a necromancer would be easier. “I’ll walk with him to the bridge.”

  “Good luck.” Markus waved a hand. “See you next time.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  CALEB STOOD BY THE DOOR WHEN Emily entered the lobby, looking as if he had aged several years in the last few months. His face was scarred – Frieda had caught him a nasty blow, during their brief fight – although Emily was surprised he hadn’t asked his mother to heal it. But then, there were far more injured people on the streets, people who could never live a normal life without magical healing. He’d just have to live with his scars until he returned to Whitehall.

  “Emily.” Caleb sounded nervous. “I…how are you?”

  Emily looked back at him for a long moment, unable or unwilling to put a name to any of her emotions. She’d liked Caleb, even loved him. He’d been a decent man, for all of his faults; she’d trusted him enough to lower the barriers completely, to allow him to enter her and take her virginity…she thought, though she didn’t know, that he’d been a virgin too. Were they both still virgins if they’d swapped virginities?

  Her lips twisted at the absurd thought. Caleb looked alarmed, then offended; Emily sighed inwardly, realizing he thought she’d been laughing at him. But she hadn’t laughed…she closed her eyes for a long moment, centering herself. The dull heartache felt worse when she looked at him…

  “I’m fine,” she lied. She nodded to the door. “I have to walk to the bridge.”

  Caleb’s expression tightened. “They’re kicking you out? After everything you did for them?”

  “Someone has to take the blame.” Emily pushed open the door. A gust of warm air struck her. It smelled faintly of fish from the market down the street. “And I’m leaving the city anyway.”

  She cast a privacy ward as they started to walk down the street, heading to the bridge. She’d meet Frieda there, hopefully, and then teleport back to Dragon’s Den. Or all the way back to Whitehall, perhaps. A night in her own bed felt like a very good idea, but the sooner she was back at school the better. She had a lot of work to do.

  “Mother said you probably wouldn’t want to stay,” Caleb said. “She had a lot of sharp things to say to me.”

  Emily nodded. Having a mother like Sienna was a two-edged sword. She would fight for her children, defend them…but she’d also keep them firmly in line. Caleb hadn’t lived up to the standards she expected from her children. Emily was grimly sure that Sienna would make him pay for it.

  “But Marian wanted to apologize to you,” Caleb added, after a moment. “She was…she was overwhelmed.”

  “I don’t blame her,” Emily said, tartly. She’d been overwhelmed by blood magic, four years ago. “Is she recovering?”

  “Slowly,” Caleb said. “Mother thinks she’ll be going to Whitehall next year.”

  Emily glanced at him. “Is that a good idea?”

  “She’s too fragile for Stronghold, after…after…well, everything,” Caleb said. “Mother actually thought about keeping Marian at home and teaching her personally, but she doesn’t know everything Marian will need to learn. I have strict orders to look after her when she arrives.”

  “Ouch,” Emily said. She wondered if Sienna was doing Marian any favors. An overprotective brother dogging her heels would make it harder for her to establish herself at school. But she didn’t blame Sienna for wanting to protect her child. “Don’t be too overbearing.”

  “I learned from Casper.” Caleb smiled, his face lighting up. “Mostly, I learned what not to do…”

  “True,” Emily agreed. “But…”

  She shook her head. Casper had followed her to Heart’s Eye. Caleb, she knew now, wouldn’t do the same. He wasn’t a fighter, not at heart. He was a researcher…

  “But nothing,” Emily said. She touched his arm, lightly. “Take care of her.”

  They walked in silence for a long moment, unspoken words hovering between them like a shroud. Emily missed, with a pang that almost brought tears to her eyes, the times when they’d walked hand in hand.
She’d liked that…had she ever told him she’d liked that? And there had been the kissing and…she wondered, suddenly, how Imaiqah could move from boyfriend to boyfriend so easily. Part of her wanted to kiss him again, despite everything that had happened…

  Caleb reached out and touched her shoulder. “I…I need to tell you something,” he said, slowly. She stopped, turning to look at him. “I…I thought Marian was going to die.”

  Marian would have died, if Justice hadn’t been stopped, Emily thought. She…

  She bit off that thought, hard. There was nothing to be gained by making Caleb – or herself – feel worse. She wanted to scream at him, to lash out with her magic…and at the same time, she wanted to wrap her arms around him and feel safe. But she knew she couldn’t do either.

  “I thought you would kill her.” Caleb’s voice was quiet. “I thought…”

  “I understand,” Emily said. She felt a pang, mingled with bitter understanding. When the chips were down, Caleb had put his family ahead of her. “You thought your sister was going to die.”

  “Yes,” Caleb said. “I should have trusted you. I…”

  He looked away, one hand playing with his hair. “I didn’t want to consider the possibility that she might have betrayed us. Casper was a jerk, at times, but he wouldn’t have betrayed the family. When you suggested it, I got so angry…”

  And Frieda didn’t help, Emily thought.

  Caleb fell silent for a long moment. “Marian was a brat to you,” he said. “She was having problems coping with Casper’s death. She…”

  “I don’t blame her,” Emily said. “I never knew what it was like to have siblings.”

  “Lucky you.” Caleb looked back at her. “I always imagined that I would leave the family, one day. There was little for me here--” he waved a hand at the surrounding buildings “--and Casper was the Heir. I would complete my studies and get my mastery, then open a university or maybe a small research lab. I’d see my family every so often, and that would be that.”