The Reluctant Assassin Boxset

by Thomas K. Carpenter

  "A lot," said Vin.

  "A crap ton," said Eddie.

  Konig chuckled, his bushy mustache quivering. "Yes, a crap ton. Which means the effects will be easy to see, because the person who's thinking about it will know how large the effect will be, and so this thought will be easier to divine. An important thought or intention becomes like a beacon in a storm, shining a light for the seer to follow. So the larger the impact, the harder it is to hide from the seers. This, of course, doesn't mean it's going to happen. In fact, Salinger's Paradox states that the more likely something is going to happen, the greater the chance that it won't, because by seeing it you can prevent it. Wrap your heads around that conundrum, though keep in mind, this only applies to situations in which divination magic is in play. This is why assassinations and wars in the modern magical age are rare. They're easy to prevent because they're easy to see."

  Zayn's thoughts went immediately to the Lady of Varna and their conversations during the summer. Keelan caught his eye. His lips were flat, his forehead hunched. They both knew what this meant. The Lady employed powerful seers, which meant any attempt to kill her would certainly fail.

  "This is why assassination attempts especially don't work when it comes to powerful people," said Instructor Konig. "As far as you should be concerned, it's impossible. The personal impact to them is too great, which means it's too easy to see."

  "Then why are we even here if it's impossible?" asked Skylar.

  A huge grin appeared on Instructor Konig's face. Zayn could tell he'd been hoping someone would ask this question. Konig held one finger up.

  "Because there are many things you can do to influence events without killing anyone. A seer must typically focus on a particular person or event. They'll only be able to see those outside forces which radically affect it. But a seer can't distinguish between those things that the target has decided and the influence around them."

  "So if you can convince someone that they want to do what you want them to do, then the seer won't see it?" asked Vin.

  "If you disguise your intentions well," said the instructor. "This is why the Academy teaches you the skills to be spies and diplomats more than assassins. Because it's the former two that work rather than the latter."

  He clapped his hands together. "Enough theory. Who wants to be the first to try some obfusium techniques?"

  Many hands went up, but Instructor Konig picked Skylar, who looked like she was trying out for a spot in a Goth metal band. The instructor pulled out a remote and tapped on the keys, dimming the runes around the tank. Then he blew a silver whistle that made no audible noise. A long snake-like creature with glittering rainbow scales stuck its head above the edge. The face of the creature was less reptilian and more mammalian, with wide-eyes and a face almost like a sloth's.

  "This is a kwalic. They live in the ocean around coral reefs. They're not quick, but they are dangerous. They have two defenses. The first is that when spooked, they can emit a powerful electricity. The second is that they are natural seers. They can detect when other creatures mean them harm. This allows them to charge their scales. Kwalics have been known to kill a great white shark with their shocks."

  Skylar took a step back.

  "Don't worry," said the instructor. "As long as you're performing obfusium correctly, you won't get attacked."

  "How comforting," said Skylar with an eye roll.

  "Inside the tank are some white stones that look like kwalic eggs. The task is to move to the tank, reach in, and grab an egg, but to do so, you need use the spells you memorized from your tomes, and think about anything but what you're about to do. It's best to create an internal narrative that hides your intention."

  After casting a few spells, Skylar moved towards the tank, but as she did, the kwalic shifted towards her.

  "It's sensing your intentions," said Konig.

  "I'm trying not to think about it," said Skylar. "But that's like when someone mentions a horrible popular song and then it's stuck in your head for days."

  Konig chuckled. "Imagine that you dropped something in the water, and you're merely retrieving that which is already yours."

  Skylar centered herself, shaking out her hands as if she were clearing her mind. Then with a faraway look, she approached the tank again. This time the kwalic moved away as if it were distracted by something else. Skylar reached into the water and pulled out a white stone, holding it up victoriously.

  "Excellent work, Skylar," said Instructor Konig. "Who's next?"

  The class made a line and each third year approached the tank. The instructor coached them through the task when the kwalic appeared to sense the real intention.

  While he was waiting for his turn, Keelan asked Zayn a question in a hushed voice. "Is it just me or does this class feel very relative right now?"

  "The Lady?" whispered Zayn.

  "No. Where we went last night," said Keelan.

  Zayn blinked. "Yeah, that too. It explains our failure."

  "But on the other topic," said Keelan. "This is why your plan will never work."

  "Nothing's impossible," said Zayn. "Only improbable, or have you forgotten what Priyanka taught us?"

  "How about rather than improbable, foolish," said Keelan.

  "I'm not giving up," said Zayn.

  Keelan looked away. "If there was a way, I'd be right there with you, cuz."

  Their conversation was interrupted when it was Zayn's turn to approach the tank. It was hard to concentrate on the task at hand.

  "Go ahead, Zayn," said Instructor Konig eagerly.

  The obfusium spell made his skin tingle for a moment after he cast it. Before he took a step, Zayn stared at the kwalic while he thought about the Lady. The creature looked back at him hypnotically.

  "Try not to look at the kwalic," said the instructor. "You need to come up with a narrative that excludes the creature completely. It's best to act like it isn't there."

  "Easier said than done," he muttered, not really meaning the kwalic.

  The Lady was a fixture in his life. His existence depended on regular doses of her poison. His family was bound to her irrevocably. If he couldn't figure out a way to confuse her divinations, he'd never have a chance to kill her. The conversation they'd had this summer came into focus with this lesson. While it wasn't about her, it was all he could think about.

  "Zayn, you need to concentrate, the kwalic is set on you," said Konig.

  "Sorry," said Zayn. "I need to clear my thoughts."

  But as he looked the kwalic, he knew he couldn't just create an alternative narrative so he could grab an egg. He'd already proved that he could use obfusium when he'd fooled the Goon's amulet as a kid, or when he and Keelan had tricked Alex Malice's alamus. But that wasn't enough to deal with the Lady. It was clear that hiding his intention wouldn't get him near her. Zayn had an idea.

  "Zayn, you're focused on the kwalic. It senses you," said Instructor Konig, a frown tugging at his lips.

  Rather than try to create a narrative in his head, Zayn scrambled his thoughts, thinking of anything and everything at once: Neveah's food truck, the Jamaican bodega, surviving the Bastille. He created a kaleidoscope of events in his head, fracturing them into tiny moments. As he did, the kwalic grew less interested in him.

  Zayn took a step forward. Swimming in the pond behind Doc's. Another step. The time Keelan threw a spider on Mean. He was near the tank. The way thunder boomed off the Stack in a summer storm. He reached out his hand.

  "Zayn, Zayn," said the instructor, but he ignored him.

  Ms. Gardenia's ever-present cigarette smoke. Reaching further. Barkley licking his face. Almost there, his fingers touched the water. The Lady's purple eyes as she looked down at him.

  When his hand was sliding through the water towards the stone egg, a fraction of a thought slipped through. He tried to throw himself backwards as the kwalic released its energy into his arm. It hit like a freight train, launching him across the room. The last thing Zayn remembered was Ins
tructor Konig pumping his chest.

  #

  When Zayn awoke, he was lying on a mat in the classroom. The other students were gone, except for his team, who were lounging on the hardwood floor next to him.

  "He's awake," said Portia softly.

  Zayn shifted into a sitting position and rubbed his arms. The muscles were sore, as if he'd been lifting weights all day, and the patch of skin where the kwalic had hit him was slightly blackened.

  "Why did you try and touch the kwalic?" asked Vin, shaking his head softly.

  "I...it's hard to explain," said Zayn, and when he looked up at Keelan, he could tell his cousin knew why he'd done it.

  Skylar put a hand on his arm. "We're your teammates. You need to trust us."

  "I was trying something. I thought I could scramble my thoughts, overload the kwalic with so many possibilities that it couldn't figure out my true intention." He hung his head. "But it didn't work. It was stupid. I'm sorry."

  "You don't have to say sorry. We're just glad you're okay," said Vin. "Though someday we'd like to know why you're pushing yourself so hard."

  When he didn't say anything, they helped him to his feet. His legs felt shaky.

  "Professor Konig said you should take it easy the rest of the day, tomorrow too, but we know that's not going to happen," said Portia.

  "Professor?" asked Skylar.

  Portia bit the side of her lip. "Yeah, Instructor Konig. I guess he seems more like a professor than an Academy instructor. How did he get to be in this Hall?"

  "Or survive it?" said Skylar. "He’s like the living embodiment of beige."

  Vin snorted. "He has a supernatural ability to be uninteresting."

  "Be nice, guys. I like the class. He seems like a good teacher," said Zayn.

  "I think his years of working with obfusium magic rubbed off on him though," said Skylar with a smirk.

  Keelan put his arm around Zayn's shoulder. "You guys mind if I talk to my cousin for a moment? Family matters."

  By the looks in their eyes, they knew it was more than that, but they nodded and went on ahead. Zayn knew he was going to have to explain Varna completely at some point, but he wasn't ready just yet.

  "You're going to kill yourself if you keep trying this stuff," said Keelan. "Or worse yet, get everyone else killed."

  "I can't just accept what's going to happen when we get done with our five years," said Zayn.

  "I don't mean that," said Keelan. "The team. If you do something like this on a mission, you're going to put everyone at risk."

  "I wouldn't do that," said Zayn.

  "I have a whole litany of stories that say otherwise," said Keelan.

  "Are you sure you're not talking about Varna?" asked Zayn.

  Keelan shrugged a shoulder. "It's not like it can be avoided. It shades everything we do. Like I know you're mad at me for giving in to the Lady, getting my mom a house and stuff."

  Zayn wanted to tear at his heart. "I'm not mad. I...I just want there to be another option."

  His cousin pulled his arm off his shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. "I get it, I really do. But the situation in Varna is a lot like this team. Don't go making choices for other people that they didn't sign up for. Let's just say you figure out a way to fool her seers, get past her defenses and all that. Let's just say you think you figured out a way to solve the poison issue, and kill her. What if you're wrong? Is it right for one person to make a decision like that for so many?"

  When Zayn couldn't answer, Keelan left, leaving him in the room by himself. He knew his cousin was right. How could he make that decision for everyone else? But they hadn't been asked if they wanted to live under the Lady's control either. For most of the town, it was a no-win situation. Maybe it was, as Keelan said, impossible and foolish. Maybe it couldn't be done. But Zayn knew he couldn't give up.

  Chapter Eight

  Seventh Ward, October 2015

  A bet's a bet

  In the month after the first obfusium class, Zayn was able to lose himself in his studies. Whenever he thought about taking another trip to the Diamond Queen's building, he remembered what Keelan had said about his reckless behavior endangering the rest of the team.

  But this hesitation didn't last, especially when the news came out in the Herald of the Halls that the building was intended to be the embassy for the Diamond Court. This put the city and the world into a frenzy, speculating on why Queen Zaire had an interest in this realm.

  So Zayn thought it was time to move forward and came down to the living room, where his teammates were deep into their tomes. Portia was sitting cross-legged on the living room table, using a levitation spell to hold her open tome in front of her face while she read. Vin and Keelan were on opposite sides of the couch. Zayn didn't see Skylar at first, but then he heard rummaging in the kitchen. It smelled like she was making nopales omelets again.

  "Can I talk to everyone about something?" asked Zayn.

  The others glanced at each other with a strange lurking smile that Zayn didn't trust.

  Vin cleared his throat. "Uhm, sure. What's it about?"

  "I was thinking we should try to get into the Diamond Court's building—"

  Zayn didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, as his teammates erupted in laughter.

  "How much time? Who won?" asked Portia as her tome crashed onto the table.

  Skylar came running in with a spatula in her hand. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

  Zayn had a sinking feeling. "What's going on?"

  Keelan pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket. "We had a bet on how long it would take until you brought up the Diamond Court building again." He ran his finger across the paper. "And the winner is...Skylar!"

  "Bingo!" she said with her arms in a V. Skylar did a victory dance that involved ample gyrating and movements inspired by a strutting peacock. Afterwards, using her spatula like a microphone, she said, "I'd like to thank the Academy for sending me into perilous locations with nothing but a few spells and my friends to bail me out. I'd also like to thank Instructor Allgood, for being a hardass, and teaching me how to 'break skulls' and 'get to work, you lazy maggots.' I'd also like to thank Zayn, the boy of the moment, for being so predictable."

  Zayn blushed and put his hands on top of his head. "I'm really that predictable?"

  "It wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when,'" said Skylar.

  "The good thing is that gave us a month to think about how we might go about such a thing," said Keelan.

  "Well I feel a little foolish," said Zayn.

  "Don't," said Portia. "You've inspired us to be better planners in order to stay alive."

  "Thanks? I'm not really sure what to say, other than I can't wait to hear what you have to say," said Zayn.

  After reapplying protective enchantments on the house, in case anyone was scrying them, the team crowded around the dining room table.

  "How are we getting into the building?" asked Zayn.

  "The problem," said Keelan, "is that we don't exactly know yet, but we have an idea on how we might figure that out."

  Skylar, who'd been eating her nopales omelet, put her fork down. "We don't think that we can sneak into the building like we did last time. It's just too straightforward and creates too much intention for them to scry."

  "Okay," said Zayn, nodding. "I agree, but then how do we get in?"

  "We need to be invited in," said Vin.

  "And?" asked Zayn.

  His teammates looked at each other. Vin made an exaggerated shrug. "We don't know yet."

  "We think that's why everything's all wonky this year at the Academy," said Keelan. "Priyanka knows something about Queen Zaire's intentions, but if she tells us, or instructs us to do something about it, then the queen will find out. That's why she sent us past the building on the first day, and the classes about obfusium, and how none of the instructors will tell us what's really going on."

  "What do we know about the Diamond Court?" asked Zayn.

&
nbsp; "You know more than most, since you went to one of their casinos last year with Priyanka," said Vin.

  Zayn thought back to the game with the deathhead scorpions and shivered. "I don't think I really learned that much except that the maetrie prefer games of pleasure and pain to chance. Have you done much research on them?"

  "There's a lot about the maetrie, the Eternal City, the War of the Four Courts," said Vin.

  "Three now," interjected Portia.

  "Okay, three. Ebony was destroyed, leaving Ruby, Diamond, and Jade," continued Vin. "The three courts, once four, have been battling for supremacy in the Eternal City for millenniums. Their conflict is older than human civilization. Which is why it's so strange that the Diamond Court has placed an embassy in the city of sorcery."

  "There must be something here they want," said Keelan.

  "Either Priyanka knows what it is, or is trying to find out," said Zayn. "We have to get in."

  "But we can't go directly. We have to hide our intentions, make them invite us to the embassy," said Portia.

  "I know what we need to do," said Zayn. "We have to go to the Eternal City, do some checking on our own."

  "Are you insane?" asked Keelan, screwing up his face. "We can't just waltz in there."

  "Priyanka goes there all the time," said Zayn, thinking about options. "We just have to be prepared. Since we're not going after anything specific, no one will know we're coming. We're only doing a little reconnaissance. Learning what we can about the maetrie."

  "It sounds very dangerous," said Vin.

  "It is very dangerous," replied Zayn. "Which is why we're only going after we've made the proper preparations."

  After some quiet thought, everyone agreed. The study session broke up, and everyone went to their rooms except for Keelan and Zayn.

  "What's up?" asked Zayn, when he saw Keelan lingering by the table.

  "Checking on you," said Keelan.

  "I'm good," said Zayn.

  Keelan's forehead crinkled. "What about the Veil? Still okay there?"

  Zayn didn't have to concentrate hard to feel the sensation of being watched. "It's still there. It's a little closer, but not too close."