The Heart of Alchemy

by James E. Wisher

  “Fine. What’s another week, right?”

  “Right. If you win, congratulations. If you die…” Otto shrugged. “In any case, I’ve spent all the time on this I care to. Good morning.”

  Otto paused long enough to pass the word of a deal to Father before vanishing into the ether. He sincerely hoped Mother didn’t arrive home to a bloodbath. But whether she did or not, Otto had done everything in his power to prevent it.

  Chapter 2

  New Year’s Day had arrived and, to celebrate the formation of the empire, some genius had suggested resuming the annual gala. They hadn’t had one in two years, not since before they were forced out of the Portal Compact. If they never had one again, it would have suited Wolfric perfectly fine.

  He stood in the throne room and watched as the rich and powerful filed in. Beside him, Captain Borden, commander of the palace guard, eyed each group like they were potential assassins. Wolfric couldn’t exactly criticize him since that was his job.

  Each individual or group approached the throne, bowed, and went to mingle. In addition to the Garenland nobles, the governors he’d assigned to the new provinces had come via portal for the gathering. Even former King Liatos and his daughter had been set free for the night. Mainly so Otto could see who dared speak to him and listen in on what they discussed.

  He would have ordered the gala canceled, but Otto pointed out that an emperor needed to be seen by his people. It was also a perfect chance to eavesdrop on the nobles and merchants to discover what they really thought about the empire. Meeting and greeting, listening to them complain or flatter, all of it served a purpose.

  The stiff collar of his black and gold formal uniform scratched his neck and he yanked it away. He was emperor for heaven’s sake! He should be able to wear whatever he wanted and receive nothing but compliments.

  When the throne room door finally thudded shut, the band started playing soft music and servants began to circulate, bearing heavily loaded trays of food and orders to keep their ears open and mouths shut. Otto had yet to put in an appearance. He would be busy spying on the proceeding via some magic or other. There never seemed to be a moment of rest for his dear friend.

  Well, if Otto could do his work, the least Wolfric could do was circulate and act like an emperor. His first stop was the hors d’oeuvres table where Edwyn Franken was piling a plate high. Annamaria stood a few feet away looking stunning in a white gown, her hair done up with silver clasps. He hadn’t been nearly diligent enough in visiting his old friend and that would have to change.

  When they spotted him approaching, Edwyn bowed without losing a roll and Annamaria dipped a graceful curtsy. “Your Majesty,” they said in unison.

  “I’m pleased you both made it, though I must apologize about keeping Otto too busy to escort you properly.”

  Annamaria smiled and waved off his concern. “It’s fine. I often go days without seeing Otto, sometimes weeks. All for the greater good of the empire, I’m sure. It is a great honor for our family that you trust him with such important tasks.”

  “Indeed,” Edwyn chimed in. “I fear I won’t be able to hand off the running of our business to him for many years.”

  “I say with all honesty that without Otto, not only would the empire not exist, I might well be dead several times over.” Much as he would have enjoyed spending the whole evening with Annamaria and her father, Wolfric needed to move on. “Enjoy the gala.”

  “Be sure to pay us a visit when you can,” Annamaria said.

  Wolfric smiled but made no promises. He did make a mental note to arrange an afternoon visit sometime soon. He eased his way through the crowd, chatting with this governor and that baron. A couple dukes bent his ear about a promising new farming technique he couldn’t have cared less about.

  “Your Majesty!” He turned to find Governor Varchi plowing through the gathering like a charging warhorse.

  The former general had gained about twenty pounds since taking on his new position and his hair was slicked back with some black oil. He really did look the part of a nobleman now. More’s the pity.

  “Governor. You’re looking well. I’m pleased to see you made it for the gala.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed it. If you have a moment, I need to speak with you about Otto Shenk.”

  Wolfric winced. He’d already heard all the man’s complaints about Otto stealing both his mithril and the best scouts in the Northern Army. As if either of those things actually belonged to him.

  “What about Otto?” Wolfric asked. He made his tone hard enough to cut glass.

  “When is he planning to return my scouts?”

  “Why, do you have an enemy position you need spied upon?”

  “No, but they’re assigned to the Northern Army. If he doesn’t need them, they should be sent back to Straken.”

  “Let me make this clear,” Wolfric said. “And I’ll use small words to be sure there’s no misunderstanding. If Otto wants the scouts, they’re his until he’s finished with them. You may consider them no longer a part of the Northern Army and therefore no longer your concern. I swear, if I hear one more word about either those men or the mithril, I’ll see you reassigned to oversee the cleaning of Tharanault’s sewer system. Do I make myself clear?”

  Varchi had the good sense to look ashamed. “Of course, Your Majesty. I—”

  Wolfric spotted an unfamiliar face in the crowd and left the governor talking to himself. He didn’t know who the woman was, but the glimpse he caught of her made him want to know more.

  He found her standing near the right-hand wall beside a man old enough to be her father. She wore a black gown accented with silver jewelry. Her skin was a deep bronze rarely seen in the capital. Green eyes grew wide at his approach. She and her companion both made their obeisances as he drew near.

  “Your Majesty, it’s an honor to speak with you,” the man said. “My name is Baron Martinique St. Croy and this is my niece, Jade. When I received the invitation to the gala, she insisted on joining me. My wife has been unwell of late and willingly gave up her place.”

  “My pleasure, Your Majesty.” Jade blushed in a most fetching manner.

  “Where is your holding?” Wolfric asked.

  “Far to the south, near the Rolan border,” the baron said.

  “It must have been a difficult journey. I trust the roads weren’t too rough.” He addressed this last question to Jade.

  She shook her head, her long, dark hair partially covering her face as she looked down, too nervous to meet his gaze. “They were fine, Majesty. It was exciting to leave the barony and make the journey. I’ve always wanted to visit the capital.”

  “And is Garen everything you hoped it would be?”

  She looked up and caught him with those deep-green eyes. Wolfric’s heart skipped a beat. “It’s been wonderful. We’re planning to stay for the winter. Uncle rented us a villa.”

  “Quite a small one,” the baron said. “St. Croy Barony is a modest holding after all.”

  Wolfric had nearly forgotten the man was there, so engrossed had he become with Jade. He forgot all about the rest of the party and spent the next two hours chatting with the beautiful noblewoman. They discussed nothing serious, just minor, safe topics. Her childhood in the south swimming in the ocean, collecting crabs with her uncle.

  He in turn told her about his youth, learning swordsmanship, hunting with his father. When the gala finally ended, he found himself surprised to see everyone filing out.

  “Come along, Jade,” the baron said. “We’ve taken up enough of the emperor’s time.”

  Wolfric wanted to say she could stay as long as she wished. Instead he said, “It was a pleasure to talk to you. Perhaps you might visit the palace again while you’re in Garen.”

  Jade looked eagerly at her uncle, who offered a fond smile. “We certainly couldn’t turn down an invitation from the emperor. Anytime you wish to see us, we are at your service.”

  Wolfric had absolutely no interest in seei
ng the old man again. His niece was another matter. Of course, as her guardian, it wouldn’t be appropriate to let her come to the palace unescorted. Especially if St. Croy was an old-fashioned nobleman. Some things simply weren’t done.

  “You’ll hear from me soon. Good evening.”

  Jade and her uncle bowed again and withdrew. When the night was finally over, Wolfric went straight to the library where he had a meeting with Otto. He never even thought about visiting his harem. The only woman on his mind was Jade.

  Otto blew out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. Beside him, Corina and Draken likewise relaxed. The three of them sat in a room directly under the throne room. From there, they easily listened and watched as the nobles chatted, plotted, and schemed. Happily, everything Otto heard and saw indicated no one had anything detrimental to the empire in the works.

  “Did either of you learn anything that concerned you?” Otto asked.

  “As ordered, I focused my full attention on Liatos,” Draken said, his voice thin and strained after using so much magic for so long. “Beyond a few polite greetings, no one had anything to do with him or his daughter. I see no threat.”

  Otto nodded. “Good. Corina?”

  “Wolfric, I mean His Majesty, spoke to a number of people, but seemed especially interested in a pretty girl who showed up with an older man claiming to be her uncle. They discussed nothing of importance, though he did say something about inviting them for a meal at the palace.”

  “Okay, thanks, both of you. I need to talk to the emperor. You two can go home.”

  Draken stood, his spine popping, and bowed before heading for the door.

  Corina started to join him, hesitated, then asked, “Is everything okay, Master? You’ve been tense lately.”

  Otto grimaced. Between refitting the ship and making preparations for the journey to the Celestial Empire in the spring and wondering what was happening in Shenk Barony, Otto had been somewhat out of sorts. Hopefully only Corina noticed.

  “I’ve got a lot going on just now. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Go on. You know how Hans worries.”

  “Heaven’s mercy, you get kidnapped once and he starts thinking you can’t cross the street without getting hit by a carriage. Are we still going to Lux to check on the ship tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but not until afternoon. I’ll collect you at the warehouse.”

  She bowed and they left the listening post together. At the top of the basement stairs, she turned right toward the front gate and he went left, toward the library where he was supposed to meet Wolfric.

  The guards outside nodded to him and opened the door. He found the emperor seated in one of the overstuffed leather chairs, a leg slung over the arm and a brandy in his hand. Wolfric smiled and looked around in an almost dreamy state. Hopefully it was just exhaustion. The day had been a long one.

  “Otto! I trust all is well, my friend.”

  “No one seems to be plotting anything at the moment, at least nothing they discussed at the gala. Are you well? You seem a bit…off.”

  “I met a girl tonight. Pretty, charming, sweet. I hope to see her again soon. She seemed willing.”

  “You’re the emperor,” Otto said. “Any woman, noble or common, would want to get close to you. Has she asked for money yet?”

  Wolfric frowned. “You don’t have a romantic bone in your body, do you? Still, her uncle did mention their barony produced only a modest income. I really hope that’s not why she seemed so interested in my conversation. Either way, I’ll know more when we have dinner together in a day or two.”

  “I sincerely hope I’m wrong,” Otto said. Of course he didn’t believe for a second he was. “No doubt it would please the nobility if you took a wife and produced an heir or three. It’s not like we can tell them you plan to live forever.”

  Wolfric’s frown turned to a grin. “I can imagine the looks on their faces now. They’d probably think I was either a lunatic or an imbecile that needed to be removed from the throne with all haste. When their great-grandchildren are bowing to me, they’ll know the truth.”

  “Indeed. At the very least, I can say with confidence that no one is plotting anything of concern to us. At the moment anyway. With the nobility, that can change over a cup of coffee.”

  Wolfric waved a hand. “If anything happens, I’m sure you’ll handle it, just as you always do. If there’s nothing else, I think I’ll call it a night.”

  Otto nodded and Wolfric took his leave. Alone in the library, Otto made a mental note to look a little closer at Baron St. Croy.

  Chapter 3

  After a morning spent studying one of the handful of books he could find on the Celestial Empire, Otto set out for the warehouse to collect Corina. The streets of Gold Ward were quiet at this time of day and he saw only a pair of carriages, their passengers concealed by closed curtains, as he walked toward the gates.

  Given his position, Otto really should have taken a carriage as well, but he found he enjoyed the fresh air, even when it held a bitter chill like today. Happily, it took little in the way of magic to keep him comfortable. The guards nodded to him as he passed into the business district. He’d made the walk often enough that they hardly even flinched at his appearance anymore. That was both a relief and a concern. As the old saying went, familiarity bred contempt.

  He shook off the stupid notion for the waste of mental energy it was.

  The business district, unlike Gold Ward, bustled with activity. What it gave up in wealth, it made up in energy. The streets practically vibrated with excitement. Vendors shouted at passersby in the hopes of getting a sale. Messengers ran past at full speed, ignoring everyone and everything in their quest to earn a good tip. Life, it seemed, had at last fully recovered from the effects of the war.

  It never ceased to amaze Otto how resilient people were. Reports from the rest of the empire agreed that things were getting back to normal in the provinces as well. Even Straken seemed calm. Hopefully it wasn’t the calm before the storm.

  He reached the warehouse without incident and pushed the door open. No stench assaulted him today, thank heaven. Ulf seemed to be between experiments at the moment. In fact, he found Ulf, along with Hans and his squad, seated around a table enjoying their lunch. Everyone started to stand when they saw him, but Otto waved them back.

  “Where’s Corina?”

  “Here, Master!” She came running out from behind one of the giant suits of armor.

  “Ulf, have you seen Allen or Sin?” Otto asked.

  “I believe Allen is at the tavern. Sin left an hour ago on some errand or other. Was there something I could help you with?”

  “Yes, you can give them a message for me. I want them to look into a baron named St. Croy. Start with the servants, they’re always good for a little gossip. Tell them I’ll want a report in one week.”

  Ulf nodded. “I’ll tell them as soon as I see them. Is this nobleman trouble?”

  “Too soon to say. His niece has her eye on the emperor and I want to know more about them. If all they want is imperial favor, that’s harmless enough. If it’s something more, let’s just say I’d like that information.”

  “We’ll do our best.”

  “Good. Corina, time to go check on the ship.”

  Hans and his squad finished wolfing down their stew and stood.

  “We’re ready, my lord,” Hans said.

  Otto had intended to leave them to rest this trip, but didn’t feel like arguing. The little group collected their heavy wool cloaks and they set out for the portal.

  The trip through the portal took only an instant. When they emerged in Lux, a gust of wind nearly knocked Otto off his feet. The clouds were so black it felt like day had turned to night. No guards emerged to greet them and Otto couldn’t find fault with their decision. Only the poor devils on duty could be seen at their posts on the wall and at the gate. It took both men to push the gate open against the howling wind.

  As soon as they were outside the walls, the
storm grew even worse. After ten paces, Otto conjured a barrier around them. It took fifteen threads’ worth of ether to seal the storm out, but once he was done, they all stood up straight and walked with ease.

  “I see why you didn’t want to sail until spring,” Corina said.

  It was less that he didn’t want to than it was that the storms made it impossible.

  Aside from some trash blowing down the street, the city looked empty. They made the trip to the docks in record time and soon found the Sea Star in her dry dock. No workers appeared and no sounds reached them over the wind.

  “Guess they took the day off,” Hans said.

  Otto muttered to himself. Given what he was paying the shipwrights, they could stand a little cold and wind. They were working inside the ship, after all.

  “Lord Shenk!”

  Otto turned to see Captain Wainwright waving at them from the entrance of a nearby shed. At least it looked like a shed; it was actually the size of a small house. The workers stored their tools in it and ate their meals out of the cold.

  They hurried over and slipped inside before the captain closed the door behind them. “You picked a miserable day for an inspection,” Wainwright said.

  “It wasn’t this bad in Garen. How goes the work?”

  “Good. The crew’s making a quick job of it. When storm season ends, we’ll be ready to sail. In fact, I’ve been plotting our course using that map you gave me. Would you like to take a look?”

  Otto very much wanted to take a look and they all gathered around a rough-sawn table where the centuries-old map was held down by a pair of planes, a drill, and a hammer. Otto winced until he remembered it was just a copy and the original was still safe and sound in the armory.

  The line Wainwright had plotted followed a course far south around the tip of the Dead Lands then back north before ending in the middle of a sea labeled The Demon’s Pit. A rather ominous name that hopefully sounded worse than reality.

  “Why does the course stop there?” Otto asked.