Welcome To The Age of Magic

by C M Raymond et al.

  And yet, he’d seen her fight. He knew she excelled in hand-to-hand combat and could probably beat even him. That caused a discomfort and Garrett couldn’t get to the root of it. Bastian could. His detached view of Garrett’s emotions made it easy to spot. Garrett admired her, even thought she'd be an excellent leader

  However, he also wanted to protect her, keep her safe. His worry was distracting him to the point it was dangerous, and his twisted logic couldn't reconcile the two versions of her.

  Frustrated at his inability to fix Garrett’s problem, Bastian threw a small branch on the fire. “How long until we reach Arcadia?” he asked, hoping to get Garrett’s mind off Bette.

  “Late afternoon, if we travel well.” Bastian’s ploy worked, as Garrett’s mind immediately ticked over to planning the next day. They would leave early, pack quickly and travel through until lunch time, stopping to eat and rest the horses a short while before moving on.

  “Bastian, how long since you passed this way?” Danil asked.

  “Years. I was only nine when I was brought here. I only remember it raining. And raining, and raining…” Three days of rain, in fact, and a wet, muddy climb up the mountain.

  “Lucky it wasn’t snow,” Garrett said. “One year, a cold snap hit right at the end of the season and froze the melting sludge. It got real slippery, and we lost two men that went right over the damn side. ‘Course, one was drunk and the other was tryin’ to sled down the Heights. He might’ve been drunk, too, come to think of it.”

  “I knew rearick ale was bad, but didn’t realize it’d drive a man to suicide,” Danil chuckled.

  Garrett eyed him. “Our ale is the best in Irth. ‘Course, it takes a real man to appreciate it proper. Or even a good woman, if she’s got any taste. Not like the lolly water yer friends drink up the hill. Ours will put hair on yer chest!” He thumped his chest for emphasis.

  “Would you lot stick a sock in it?” Bette’s yell from the second tent made all three men jump, then burst into hysterical laughter. “I mean it! We’re tryin’ to bloody sleep in here!”

  With incredible effort, the laughter ceased, only to start all over again when Garrett mouthed ‘stick a sock in it’ with pursed lips and one hand out like a posh lady.

  “If you three don’t shut up, I’ll send you to sleep where you’re sitting.” Julianne’s threat had a little more weight to it and suddenly, Danil yawned.

  “Oh, shite, did she do that?” Garrett whispered.

  “No, but she bloody will in a minute if you don’t can it.” The side of the women’s tent bounced as something was thrown against it inside.

  With much snorting and chuckling, the fire was banked and vacated. As Bastian tucked himself in, he heard murmuring beside him.

  “The only way you two will be able to work together is if she has your respect, friend. If she thinks you don’t trust her as much as you would any of the men, she’ll come to hate you.”

  “Aye. It’d be easier if she weren’t so damned pretty.”

  Bastian rolled over and slept, only to dream of gargantuan women crushing the houses and streets of Arcadia, all because the men around them didn’t think that they could.

  16

  They reached the gates of Arcadia just as Garrett predicted. The steady ride and short break went without interruption and when they arrived, tired and sweaty, they were waved through the gates without hesitation.

  “Please,” Julianne caught the sleeve of a guard. “I must speak with the Chancellor. Could you let her know that Julianne, Master of the mystics seeks an audience? I’m staying at the Queen’s.” She ducked her head to hide her eyes, then gave the instruction a mental shove, lodging it into his head.

  The guard blinked, then nodded. “My shift ends in an hour, ma’am. I’ll be sure to deliver your message directly.”

  “Thank you, Earle.”

  Earle opened his mouth, intending to ask how she’d known his name, but she was already gone.

  The Queen’s Inn was crowded, but the press of bodies parted for the small party as they entered.

  “I see the general feeling towards mystics hasn’t changed since I was last here,” Danil muttered. He hadn’t been to Arcadia since Adrien had been in power.

  “You didn’t see how bad it got,” Julianne said. She spoke aloud, uncomfortable displaying her power in the crowded room. Danil didn’t have a choice, he needed his magic to navigate the city. If she joined him, though, and if Bastian’s eyes went white as well, she worried the situation would go from uncomfortable to downright hostile.

  “Should we find somewhere else?” Bette asked.

  Julianne shook her head. “We’ll get the same reception wherever we go. Mystics are tolerated in Arcadia now, but we’d best not press our luck.”

  “Well, then, best we’d see if they have room for all of us.” Bette looked questioningly at Garrett and he nodded for her to go. She headed for the bar as the others found a vacant table.

  A few moments later, she returned with a jug of water and a tray of glasses. “Looks like we got here just in time,” she said, taking a seat. “There are two rooms left. You boys will have to share and one of you lucky bastards gets a mattress on the floor.”

  All eyes went to Bastian, who groaned. “Right, I’m the youngest. I get it.”

  Danil chucked him on the shoulder. “Atta boy. You’re learning.”

  A young girl darted up to the table. “Sorry for the wait, ladies, gentlemen. Can I get you some wine, or something to eat? We have a fine cheese platter, or some cold meats if you’re in need of a light meal.”

  Julianne regarded the pink cheeked beauty. “You’re a little young to be working a bar room, aren’t you?”

  The girl ducked her head. “I’m finished with my schooling for the day and Aunt Grace says it’s the best way to learn the workings, my lady. I’m to have the inn when I come of age. It was my Da’s, but he…” her eyes darted away and Julianne’s heart tore. The people of this city had lost so much in recent times.

  “I’ll take some wine, please, and the cheese sounds lovely.” A quick chorus of voices joined in requesting wine and mead from around the table. Julianne handed the girl some coins.

  “She shouldn’t be working in a place like this,” Bastian muttered as she ran off to fill their order.

  “And what should she be doin’, then? Wasting her time on pretty dresses and boys?” Bette shook her head. “That girl is making her future, and she’ll do well with it if she keeps it up.”

  “Bette, it’s a bar. She’s not even old enough to drink!” Bastian clamped his mouth shut as the girl in question returned, expertly twisting through patrons with a wide tray.

  She set it down and placed the mead and four glasses on the table. “If I’m not mistaken, sir, you ain’t old enough to drink either.” She gave a pointed look at the empty spot in front of Bastian, who hadn’t ordered a drink. “I suppose it’s lucky I’m serving the wine instead of drinking it, hey?”

  Bette gave a whoop of laughter as the girl strode off, head high. “And what did I tell ye? Lass has every right to be workin’ in the business her Da left her, and you’ve no right to be complaining about it. Would ye have said anything if she were a boy instead?”

  The answer was evident by the scarlet blush that crept up his face. “That’s different,” he said without conviction.

  “And what do you think, Garrett?” Bette asked, a dangerous glint in her eye.

  Garrett missed the glint, and the sensible warning that his brain screamed came just a moment too late. “Bastian is right; this is no place for a wee lass like that.”

  “And a wee lad?” Bette leaned forward on the table, glaring.

  “Well… I mean... no? Kid should be learning or playing games, lad or lass.” Garrett winced, then heaved a sigh of relief as Bette relaxed back into her seat.

  The company ate and talked, mostly about the city and the changes it had seen recently. Since Adrien’s downfall, the new Chancellor had been scr
ambling to bring Arcadia back into some kind of order, while undoing the damage its old leader had wrought over the common people. The reports Julianne had received were promising, though.

  Danil stood, almost tipping the table over in his haste. He waved an arm and called out, “Over here!”

  A young man, sweat beading on his forehead, caught Danil’s wave and trotted over. “Message from the chancellor’s office. I’m looking for Julianne?”

  Julianne nodded and reached out to take the message. “Thank you for bringing it so quickly.”

  “Ah, no need for that. It’s my job.” He sketched a quick bow and took off again, doubtless on another errand.

  Julianne cracked the fat red seal on the envelope. “I’m to meet with her right away,” she said in surprise.

  “You’ll need to wash up, first,” Bastian blurted. Cursing his fat mouth, he added, “No disrespect, Master, but you’ve been on the road all day.”

  “That I have.” Julianne stood, gulping down the last of her wine with a grimace. “They certainly don’t make it like they do back home,” she murmured before setting down the cup and going to clean up.

  When she emerged from her room, Garrett was waiting. He’d combed his hair and put on a clean shirt. “Yer not going through the streets of bloody Arcadia by yerself, not on my watch. Besides, I haven't seen Amelia in a good while.”

  Sensing his resolve even without magic, Julianne just nodded. “Of course, Garrett. Thank you.”

  Look after those two, Julianne sent to Danil as they passed back through the common room.

  Bastian’s exhausted, Danil sent back. I’d wager he won’t make it more than fifteen minutes before heading to bed. Say… two gold coins?

  You’re incorrigible. He was right though, Bastian had slipped into the glassy eyed stare of someone who was only minutes away from much needed sleep.

  17

  Julianne stepped out into the cold evening air and shivered. “Yes,” she said, reading Garrett’s mind. “I should have brought my cloak.”

  Garrett laughed. “Aye. I wasn’t going to say it out loud, so ye canna blame me for thinkin’ it.”

  “It’s sensible advice,” Julianne admitted. They walked quickly, footsteps echoing through the quiet night. “It’s late for a meeting. I wonder why she didn’t want to wait until morning?”

  “Perhaps Arcadia has had trouble of the sort we saw in the Heights,” Garrett suggested.

  Julianne didn’t answer, and they walked in silence. The streets were empty except for the odd patrol of soldiers, and some staggering drunks. A cat screeched, making Julianne jump before it ran off into the night and a loud argument a few streets over carried through the night air.

  “And people wonder why we hate the bloody city,” Garrett sighed.

  “It’s certainly different from home,” Julianne remarked.

  They walked on, only to stop when a stifled cry caught their attention. They paused.

  “Over there,” Garrett said in a low voice. He gestured to a dark alleyway. “Wait here.”

  “To hell with that,” Julianne said. She didn’t bother to lower her voice as she darted over to the entrance.

  The moon was bright enough to illuminate the narrow street, where a tall man stood against the wall. “Stay still, bitch, or it’ll hurt all the more when I fuck you.”

  “Step back, pig fucker,” Julianne called.

  The man spun, letting the woman he’d had pressed against the wall fall to the ground. She heaved a sob, then scrambled to her feet. Her footsteps slapped on the cobbled road as she fled.

  “Oh, you want a turn, too? I’ll fuck you so hard your teeth’ll hurt.” He grabbed his nuts, which dangled freely from his unlaced pants.

  “Love your cock, don’t you?” Julianne asked, smiling.

  “You’ll love it, too, if you give it a chance.” The man grinned. “Tell ya friend to piss off before I knock his head off. Then I’ll show ya why I love my cock so much, bitch.”

  Garrett hefted his sword, but Julianne waved him down.

  “Must be a mighty fine cock,” she said as the man shuffled closer, hand still grabbing his bulge. “Why don’t you give it a squeeze?”

  The man stopped, his hand tightening. His eyes widened as his arm started jerking. “What… what the fuck?” He bent over, wrestling with himself.

  “Squeeze tighter,” Julianne said, her voice hard as stone. “Squeeze it until it pops.”

  “What? I… ahhh!” He whimpered in pain and crumpled to the ground.

  “Come on. We don’t want to watch this.” Julianne turned and took Garrett’s arm, the rearick’s face white in the moonlight.

  The whimpers behind them turned to screams of pain for a minute, then cut off.

  “You… you let him go?” Garrett asked.

  “Oh, hell no,” Julianne said. “He probably passed out from the pain. He won’t be sticking that dick in anyone ever again.”

  They walked on, Garrett swallowing dryly.

  When they reached the offices, an aide named Marie greeted them. “The Chancellor apologizes for pulling you out so late, but it was the best time.”

  “I understand,” Julianne reassured her, thinking back to the days after Selah had passed away. They’d slipped by so quickly, buried under a sea of work.

  “Julianne!” Amelia flung open a door and stepped out, ushering Julianne inside. The women shared a brief hug. Garrett refused the invitation into the Chancellor’s office, instead taking a seat in the hallway outside.

  “I’m so sorry for the short notice, Amelia.” “Oh, it’s fine.” Amelia said as she waved a hand in the air. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you. So much has happened and even more has changed. We’ve rebuilt the factory and had to set up a whole new trade industry to fund the restoration of the city.”

  “The work seems to agree with you.” Julianne was pleased to see the healthy flush on her friend’s cheeks, and the sparkle of excitement in her eyes, though something seemed a bit off—maybe even forced.

  Amelia grinned. “It’s a lot of work, but it was worth it. Seeing it all come together like it did and knowing how we impacted the people in the city was incredible..”

  There was a pause before Julianne said, “I couldn’t help but notice that you used a lot of past tense there. Was incredible?”

  Looking down to her desk for a moment, Amelia said, “There is so much happening. I want to tell you, but I also just wish we could have a normal visit.”

  Julianne forced a smile, and hated herself adding more to Amelia’s plate. “It sounds like we have a lot to discuss. I’m just passing through, Amelia, but I needed to speak with you. I have things that need my immediate attention as well.”

  A look of concern crossed Amelia’s face. “You first. You went out of your way to come here. It must be important.”

  Without hesitation, Julianne said, “There was… an incident up at the Temple.”

  Amelia sat, and gestured for Julianne to do the same. “That must have been one hell of an incident for you to have come here in person.”

  Julianne nodded. “A group calling themselves the New Dawn appeared a few days ago. I don’t know who’s leading them, but they’re crazed, convinced that mystics are the only ones fit to rule. They want that rule to be absolute.”

  “Shit.” Amelia shook her head, thinking of Adrien’s rule over their city, but also of the recent things that had been happening. “That sounds familiar. Unfortunately, a bit more familiar than you can imagine.”

  “How so?” Julianne responded.

  Taking a deep breath, Amelia said, “To keep a very long story short, I accidentally hired Adrien’s bastard daughter to be the Dean of Students. More than that, she has what I could only describe as a dark mystic in her employ. I don’t know if she’s one of your New Dawn people, but Scarlett is definitely up to no good.”

  Julianne’s eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing. Was it possible this Scarlett was one of them? One
of the New Dawn? The name didn’t sound familiar to Julianne, but that didn’t necessarily mean that she didn’t know her. The rogue mystic could have changed it, or she may have been at the Temple before Julianne had met her.

  Their situations seemed so much different until then. It was possible they both faced the same enemy, but she had no way of knowing for sure without a little digging. Julianne’s eyes flashed white as she dipped into Amelia’s mind. It was obvious the Chancellor knew it was happening, but she allowed the intrusion with no protest.

  When she was finished looking, her eyes returned to normal. “This Scarlett person is unfamiliar to me, but that doesn’t mean anything. I know nothing of the New Dawn yet. It’s possible she is self-taught, or perhaps she left the Temple before I met her.”

  “How much of a threat do they pose?” Amelia asked.

  Julianne shifted in her chair. “They’ve managed to find some way of shielding that can’t be penetrated, so I can’t be sure. It seems they hail from the other side of the Madlands, which is where I’m headed now.”

  She sighed, shaking her head. They’d fought together before, and she wished she could stay and help now, but with so many lives on the line in the Temple—her people’s lives—she couldn’t pull away from her mission.

  Finally, she said, “I wish I could stay to help you. I feel compelled to, but I have a responsibility to my people, and they atta—"

  “No, no, no,” Amelia said, reaching over to give Julianne’s hand a light squeeze. “Don’t do that. You don’t have to make excuses to me. You always belonged in the Heights, and I belong here. We worked together to free the city, but we have our responsibilities to our homes. I know you’d stay if you could. I would go with you if I could, but my city is in danger, and I can’t leave. I truly understand. Seems we have our own paths to take.”

  Julianne smiled, but it was forced. It hurt her deeply not to be able to help her friend.