“What’s going on here?”
Faster than a blink, Lucien appeared between them, brushing his cloak aside. His cool eyes shifted from Aspen and Tana before resting on the guy and his ugly companions.
“I don’t believe I gave any of you an invitation to be here,” Lucien said, his voice light, as if he was talking to them over drinks. “Would you like me to show you the way out? Painfully?”
The ghouls practically tripped over themselves as they scurried out the gates. The guy simply sauntered backwards, one hand still clutching his nose.
“Just a friendly reminder from Xavier,” he said.
“Guess Xavier’s down to sending errand boys.”
“This isn’t fair to her, Lucien, you know that. She enters, she loses.”
“That’s the plan.”
The guy’s forehead wrinkled. “I can’t guarantee she won’t get hurt.”
This time it was Lucien’s turn to smirk. “From the looks of your face, I’d worry more about you than her.”
“It was a lucky shot.”
“I have a feeling it wasn’t. Now leave. And if I catch you here again uninvited, I’ll kill you,” he added cheerfully.
The guy shot Aspen one final dirty look before disappearing out the gate. Lucien waved his hand and the doors slammed shut.
“I hope that nose hurts him as much as it looks like it does,” Tana said.
Lucien let out a sigh. He turned to them. Despite her hazy memory from their first encounter, he looked the same as she remembered: almost too good looking, and well aware of it. His every movement was dipped in exaggerated grace, every expression something he might have practiced in a mirror for hours.
“So, couldn’t stay put, could you?” Lucien said, almost approvingly. “Barely awake and beating people up. Why am I not surprised?”
“What was that about?” Aspen demanded. “And what did you do with my gear? What am I doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Lucien looked put off, but elegantly so. “Didn’t Tana tell you? You’re here to be my apprentice.”
The Mage’s Apprentice
“Be your what?”
Lucien flicked his hand again and the study doors behind them slammed shut. He’d led her from the main gates, through the large courtyard, to another, smaller, courtyard deeper in the house. This one wasn’t quite so extravagant, with only a small garden bursting with lilies, and a pond with a miniature wooden bridge leading to a center island. The island was empty, save for a deep black marble orb the size of a basketball placed atop a pedestal.
He’d taken her past this without an explanation and led her into his study. It appeared this was where all the clutter that the rest of the house lacked resided. The room was small and square and had dark wood tones. Aspen was struck by, though it was smaller, how similar his study was to the Mage’s study in the job she’d botched; bookcases haphazardly strewn with leather-bound texts and scrolls and small metal busts. Stray pieces of parchment coating the floor like fallen leaves. Cabinets full of unorganized armillary spheres, astrolabs, and a strange, wooden Russian nesting doll looking thing she’d never seen before. Tools only magic users ever cared about, their use a mystery to Aspen.
Lucien was currently in the process of clearing off his oak desk; by placing his arm at one end and sweeping everything onto the floor in one smooth motion. Satisfied, he dropped his cloak to the floor, which immediately picked itself up and swooped to hang on a peg beside the door.
“You need to explain what the heck is going on,” Aspen demanded. “You can’t just—are you all right, Tana?”
“Me?” Tana, who had followed them, took a limping step back, hands up in a placating gesture. “Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me—”
“You’re limping.”
“She’s fine, Aspen,” Lucien said. “Tana’s stronger than she looks.”
“She bit a ghoul. Isn’t that, like, bad for her?”
Lucien paused. “Ah, yes that does change things. Tana.” He waved a hand for Tana to come over to him. Tana rolled her eyes and approached his side.
“I’m fine, Lucien.”
“That’s for me to decide.”
Tana rolled her eyes again and held out her arms. Lucien checked them over, then pulled back her teeth.
“I din dink any,” Tana said as he prodded her gums. “I dust bid him.”
After some more inspection, Lucien seemed satisfied. “Very well. Go make sure Aspen’s room’s ready.”
“My ro—Hold up, I’m not staying here,” Aspen protested as Tana left. She stabbed her fingers into the desk. “You need to start explaining right now.”
Lucien didn’t. Instead, he placed his head atop his folded hands and gave her a dazzling smile. “By all means, if you want to leave, be my guest.”
Aspen immediately cycled through the numerous ways this could be a trick. Maybe he’d put another charm on the door and was just waiting to watch her get zapped again. He seemed like the kind of guy who’d find that funny.
“I need my things first,” Aspen said.
“I’ll have Caretaker get them.”
Aspen took another step towards the door. Lucien kicked his feet up on his desk, still smiling.
Apprehension pinged in the back of Aspen’s mind, but she ignored it. Screw this game. She was gone. She put her hand on the door knob.
“Something funny happened to me the other night,” Lucien said, almost to himself. “Strangest thing. I was walking alone, enjoying the night air and deep, contemplative thoughts, when I was jumped by a skinny little thief.”
Aspen froze, dread filling her gut. Lucien picked at a nail, looking extraordinarily relaxed.
“Which is weird, because no idiot in New York would be dumb enough to try to attack a Mage from the Council.” He looked right at Aspen. “That’d be a capital offense, Aspen Rivest of 19 Conor’s Street, Ember’s Landing.”
Aspen felt the blood drain from her face.
“You’re blackmailing me.”
“Nope, simply stating fact. And giving you options.”
“Options? Like what? Like if I walk out I’ll be hunted down and if I stay here…” She gestured in the direction of the main courtyard. “A posse of goons will show up and try to kill me? And for what? Because they think I’m your apprentice, which I’m not.”
Lucien simply stared at her for a long moment, until Aspen wanted to throw something at his oh-so-perfect face.
“How much do you know about the Council of Mages?” he finally said.
“I know enough. They’re the most powerful magic users in New York, probably the whole country. Maybe the whole world. There’s seven of them, and each one rules over a different borough.”
“’Rules’ sounds so medieval—”
“And,” Aspen added, her eyes narrowing, “they’re super corrupt and complete jerks. Nobody likes them.”
Lucien chuckled, which definitely wasn’t the reaction she was hoping for. “The last observation is pretty much true on all accounts. And it’s soon to be eight.”
“Eight what?”
“Mages. The Council is adding another one.”
Aspen’s jaw dropped. That had happened in the history of…well, never. From what little she knew of the members on the Council, they had to train for years, then be selected by committee to join. It wasn’t just a show-up-job-interview kind of position.
“It is weird,” Lucien agreed, reading the look on her face. He stood and walked over to a drawer set in the wall, pulling it open to reveal a tray of rings. He began exchanging those in the drawer for the dull ones on his hand, methodically slipping them on and off. “Mages are keepers of the peace between the boroughs, on top of running off any threats to the city and ensuring the protective wards stay up.”
“Protective wards?”
Lucien glanced at her. “The ancient protective wards that surround New York? The ones that keep the really bad stuff out? What, you thought we lazily lorded over ever
ything and reaped the rewards of our position without doing any actual work?”
“Only me and a ton of other people, yeah. What does this open spot have to do with me? You’re not…”
A horrible thought struck her. Apprentice. Open spot. The two clicked together as harmoniously as an exposed wire in a swimming pool. “You’re not going to try to make me take the place as the new Mage, are you? Because I know even you aren’t that stupid. That’d be insane. Suicide.”
Lucien finished exchanging rings. He closed the drawer. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Aspen took a step back. “No. No way—”
“You owe me, Aspen. Believe me, I’d rather not do it either.” He smiled grimly. “But the Council thought it’d be an amazing idea to let the two youngest Mages—me and that complete tool named Xavier, Mage of the giants and ogres of Brindle’s Spire—have our apprentices compete for the spot. You already met Xavier’s apprentice.”
Aspen thought for a second. “You mean broken nose boy?”
“That was a good hit. Yes, him. And since I don’t have an apprentice, you’ll have to do.”
“Why don’t you have an apprentice?”
Lucien tapped the desk. “I just don’t.”
Aspen knew enough about people to know when someone was clearly not going to give her an answer. “What about Tana?”
Lucien’s face crinkled in confusion. “What about her?”
“Why can’t she do it? Why can’t she be your apprentice or champion or whatever?”
“Tana’s my ward. And she’s a Vampee. Her kind aren’t exactly liked around here. Or anywhere, really.”
Aspen had no idea what a Vampee was, but it wasn’t the most pressing issue in her mind. “Oh, and my kind is? You might not have noticed last night when you were pummeling me, but I don’t have any magic. None. Zip. Zilch.”
Lucien sat there, unmoving.
“I’m a Norm, Lucien. Does that mean anything to you? You really think the Council that rules over all the supernatural boroughs, the same boroughs that don’t want me in the first place, want a magic-less Norm on it?”
“Let me handle that,” Lucien said, as if it settled the matter.
It was as if every argument, every reason that this whole entire thing was absolutely insane, was just a minor inconvenience to him. Just a blip on his radar. Didn’t he see what a problem this could be? How could she, a girl who barely fit in her own home, expect to take a Mage’s spot?
She wasn’t. Plain and simple.
“He’ll kill me,” she said matter-of-factly. “Xavier’s apprentice will kill me.”
“Who, Isak? No, he won’t. I’ve seen the boy. He’s dark and brooding and probably thick as a brick, but he’s not as vicious as his master. Besides, it’s not a gladiatorial contest. The Council will have you do a challenge of some kind.”
“I’ll lose any challenge they’ll have us do.”
“Exactly.”
Aspen must have misheard. “I’m sorry, what?”
Lucien stood beside a world globe, spinning it idly while looking out the window. “I said: you’re going to lose.”
“Oh, good. I was worried you were starting to sound rational.”
“Do you want to win?”
“Do I—? No! But…but why would you pick someone you knew was going to lose?”
“I don’t want the spot. And even if it’s my apprentice in the position, it’d still technically be mine, just not in title. It’d mean someone else I’d have to deal with and train and watch over to make sure they’re not off blowing themselves up. If I wanted to put up with that I would have gotten a real apprentice. So no. You’re going to lose. That’s exactly how I planned it.”
Aspen let that sink in. Her head was spinning and she couldn’t seem to get it to stop. “And if we have to fight?”
“Then I think you might actually do well. You’re not half bad. If they have you fight, it won’t be to the death, if that’s what you’re worried about. They got rid of that rule a while ago.”
Aspen stared at him, her legs growing weak. Lucien continued mindlessly spinning the globe. It was clear he was extraordinarily unconcerned with this entire conversation. He was extraordinarily unconcerned about her. He was just like all the other Mages she’d heard about: So focused on their own special lives that anyone beneath them wasn’t worth bothering with. Who cared if she lost? Then he’d get what he wanted. Who cared if she was hurt? Oh well, at least he wouldn’t charge her with a crime. Consider the punishment fulfilled.
“No,” Aspen said firmly.
Lucien stopped spinning the globe. “No what?”
“I won’t do it.”
“Did you forget what I said literally five minutes ago? I could charge you with a capital offense. You have to do it.”
“Oh, I heard.” Aspen walked up to him, sticking a finger in his surprised face. “Let me tell you a little something: You might think you can push me around, force me to do whatever you want. But you can’t. You Mages are all the same: you have no idea what the rest of us go through. What I’ve been through. When my parents were killed, where were the Mages then? Did they help find the murderer? No, they dismissed them as just a couple Norms who shouldn’t have been in Ember’s Landing in the first place.”
“Your parents?”
“The townhouse fire, down near the Shopping District. Ten years ago. Probably so insignificant you don’t remember.”
Lucien’s face went pale. “No, I remember.”
“Then you’ll also remember the Mages did nothing. They always do nothing. So, no, sorry. I won’t be your little toy for this one. You can lock me up, punish me, whatever. It’s a no.”
Aspen managed to pull herself away before she let her emotions get the best of her. To her shock, she found her cheeks were wet. She never cried. Hadn’t since the day of the fire, as if the flames had dried up all her tears.
“I’m sorry,” Lucien said after a moment. “I wasn’t a Mage back then, and I can’t excuse them now, but…”
When Aspen glanced back, she found he was composing himself, as though her outburst had actually affected him. Why was he so bothered? “Look, this is crappy for both of us. I wish I didn’t have to do it.”
“Then don’t. Let the Isak guy win. Easy.”
Lucien offered a wry smile. “Oh, how I wish I could. Just snub them. The Council would love that. Problem is, I might have a slight problem with insubordination and obstinance among the Council. Some members didn’t even want to vote me on when I was elected to the seat.”
“Shocker.”
“I know,” Lucien said, oblivious to her sarcasm. “So as much as I want to shove this back in their face, I’m treading a fine line. The Mages are stuffy, self-important, power hungry, corrupt. But they have a lot of weight around the boroughs, and the strength to make real change. I can’t give a position like that up. I’ll do their little demand. But…it doesn’t mean I’ll do it exactly how they want.”
“I said I’m not helping you.”
Lucien looked at her then, and for the first time since she’d met him Aspen felt he was really seeing her. Like he actually cared about her say in this.
“I promise I’ll keep you safe, Aspen. We go in to the Mages, you lose whatever contrived contest or assessment they have, and you’ll never have to see me again. You’ll be free by the end of the week.”
“And…” Lucien added, almost as an afterthought, “I can compensate you for your time.”
“I don’t need your charity,” Aspen snapped, even as her heart leapt at the prospect. That was tempting…far more tempting than she could let Lucien know. For all her bluff, she was a cat backed in a corner, all hiss and spit but with no real way out.
“Clearly you don’t need my charity, which was why you weren’t trying to steal from me,” Lucien shot back. “And if you won’t take it I won’t force you to.”
“You’ll just force me to do the contest.”
“Yep!”
Lucien said without an ounce of shame.
Aspen continued glaring at him while Lucien resumed his place behind his desk. Despite her earlier protests, she could practically feel her wall of opposition crumbling beneath the prospect of payment. As a Mage, Lucien probably had deep pockets. It was pretty well known all the Mages did. Whether they’d acquired it legally was another matter.
“How much?”
“Enough that you won’t have to steal. Ever again.”
Aspen thought about that, keeping her expression neutral. Part of her wanted to continue protesting. Part of her knew she’d lost this fight. As Lucien had so gracefully reminded her, it wasn’t like she had a choice. And even if she loathed to take Lucien’s money, she felt she needed to, for Brune’s sake at least. After all he’d given her, he deserved to live without the worry of where next month’s rent would come from. Without the fear that she wouldn’t come home at night because her luck finally ran out on a job.
“I’m going to need my gear back,” Aspen said.
“Not all of it,” Lucien replied, not missing a beat, like there was never any question what her answer would be. “I’m thinking the weapons are a little too much to trust you with, not with our newly budding relationship.”
“One that’ll be dead and gone by the end of the week,” Aspen reminded him. “At least give me my knife.”
Lucien toyed with a ream of paper on his desk, mulling over just how dangerous one knife could be in her hands.
“Fine, your knife, though I promise you won’t need it.”
Aspen stuck out a hand. Lucien eyed it before shaking. His hand was warm, his rings smooth against her palm.
“Don’t screw me on this,” Aspen said.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Lucien replied with a blinding smile, one that probably worked on all the ladies. “It’s settled. Tomorrow, we see the Council of Mages.”
A Rude Awakening
Aspen felt as though her head had hardly touched the pillow before she was being shaken awake.
She leapt up, her fist hurtling toward whoever had touched her.
Tana’s wide, golden eyes stared back, having just barely moved aside to avoid the blow.
Mage's Apprentice (Mages of New York Book 1) Page 7
