by T J Kelly
"Sweetheart, you're amazing. You've been training for this your entire life. My sister and brother-in-law have raised an intelligent, thoughtful, and kind daughter. Your employees know that. They won't let you fail. As much because of how they care for you as for their own livelihoods."
It occurred to me that I hadn't spent much time with him lately. I didn't begrudge anyone their time with Armageddon, and he had a lot of other demands on his time. But he was family. With so many more people in residence, there had been little opportunity to visit with my uncle, just the two of us, the way I had when I first came to live with him at Castle Laurus.
Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have felt so uncertain about myself.
"I love you, Uncle Ged," I burst out. It had been too long since I said that as well. If my past had taught me anything, it was that I needed to tell the people around me how I felt, and often. Before it was too late.
"Well, I love you too," he replied with a chuckle. "This past year has been a delight. You bring us so much joy."
"And trouble," I laughed. I had a constant target on my back.
"Something we all know how to deal with. If it wasn't your enemies attacking, it was mine. We're used to it."
I grinned as I took another swig of my drink. He was trying to reassure me, but if I were being honest, he was also telling the truth. If I wasn't the cause of the most recent disaster, somebody else would have been. That's how it worked for the powerful clans. Strong magic was like a magnet for strife.
"Comforting thought," I said. The smile remained as I looked out the window at my Rector Enterprises. The main building was ugly, a modern monstrosity against the backdrop of buildings transported in their entirety from their original locations in the United Kingdom. They were more my style, built late in England's regency period.
An idle thought about restructuring the outside of the building flitted through my head. An acre-sized building would be a lot to work with but I could probably handle creating a new facade by myself. Or better yet, I could get Peter to help me design it and then use his drawings as a pattern. I would need to find a way to keep the walls made of mirrored glass. They let in a gentle light that brightened the interior. But there had to be a way to disguise the satellite dishes and solar panels, a helicopter landing pad and odd cement angles jutting from the side of the building created for decorative purposes.
The guards on their motorcycles drove off to a smaller building that used to be the stables before they were repurposed into a garage and break area. Now that we were on Rector land, they didn't need to shadow us. The limo continued to the main building and came to a stop.
"If you don't mind, I would like to do some exploring on my own," Armageddon said.
"Sure. I've already set full access for you and Aunt Peony." It would be easier for me to establish my relationships with my staff without my guardian around. My standing alone gave the impression that I was the one in control despite being younger than everyone except the apprentices. And even some of them were older than me.
My uncle exited the vehicle first, holding the door open. I thanked him as we walked into the lobby area. My aunt's embroidery made such a stunning display. The darkened wick on her candle display annoyed me, reminding me that Clarissa, Chas's Promised, had lit it while tagging along with Oberon. He liked to use her to annoy me, and it worked. She got under my skin every time. I mean, who lights other people's candles? What was that even about?
So rude.
"Welcome back, milady," the receptionist greeted me. "And welcome, Armageddon. What a true honor to have you here, sir."
He was so sweet, and obviously in awe of my uncle. He wore the Rector badge and a secondary badge of the Robus clan, which meant he was related to Jonathon. Not a surprise, considering we employed hundreds of his family members.
I wandered off after a brief hello, giving my uncle some space while he took a moment to visit with the receptionist. I could feel the interesting harmonics surrounding him as well as my uncle could. Armageddon was always on the lookout for unique magic and extraordinary magicians. He would spend some time with the star-struck young man to explore that further.
Caeli Cael, the plant manager, was waiting on the other side of the main doors.
"Welcome back," she said. "This is a pleasant surprise."
"Thanks. It's good to see you again. I wanted to check in, see how the different departments are doing."
"Well, in that case, you know your way around." She gave me a hug. It was always nice to see her again.
"Yeah, I'm good. My uncle's here, too. I think he's in the mood to prowl around, but if he needs anything, he'll ask."
"I'll leave you to it, then. If you have time, swing by my office on your way out so we can visit."
"Definitely." I gave her a smile before I turned to walk all the way to the back of the building. There was a covered walkway that led to the other buildings. I stopped to greet people as I saw them, but my goal was the alchemists.
Once I arrived at their labs, I took several deep breaths to settle my nerves and went inside.
◆◆◆
The alchemist laboratory was housed in a converted granary, made of the same gray brick as the other buildings. It was huge, but the inside even bigger, the square footage bigger than the footprint of our main building, which only covered an acre. Of course, it went up several stories, but my father kept it from sprawling everywhere. No need to take up perfectly usable land. My mother had insisted on bee-friendly properties and that meant large fields of clover and flowers.
The interior was filled with workstations, the tables, shelves, and cabinets all made of wood since metal could react to the spells being cast. Along the exterior walls were shelves of finished projects and diagrams tacked to the walls. Most of them were decorative renditions of some of our most famous spells, trade secrets carefully left out. We located the forges in the back where the heat was vented, making the interior working environment comfortable for the alchemists.
"Milady, welcome," an older man greeted me. He was average height, so he didn't tower over me the way my uncle and cousins did. And the Andersson brothers. And Peter. A nice change. "This is a pleasant surprise."
"It's good to see you again, Metallum Bellator," I replied. His name meant Metal Warrior. I had never questioned the names of our workers before, but now that I knew more about alchemist culture, it made me curious. There wasn't a lot of information about alchemists in our history books. At least, not the ones provided at school. Magicians in general were more interested in their own pursuits. But I had read a few tomes at my uncle's castle and had come across some passages about ancient alchemist warriors. He may have descended from them.
"To what do we owe the honor of your presence?" Metallum asked. He had been the head of our labs since before I was born, although he had technically retired years ago. I was thrilled he wanted to keep an eye on the alchemists - Metallum Bellator was an incredible artisan. He also happened to be the man who created the mysterious astrolabe at my manor house. I was fortunate that the timing and patterns aligned in such a way to allow me access to the one man I really wanted to talk to at the moment.
"I needed to check in to see how things were going. It's been a while since I've visited some of the back shops. If there is anything you need, please let me know."
"We have everything we've ever requested. Your father was a great man, milady. He always made sure we worked under the best of conditions. If you don't mind, I would like to extend my condolences."
"Thank you," I said around a tight throat. It had been over a year since my parents had passed away, but it still got to me when they came up in conversation. And with the mandatory three-year holding pattern on my business, my father's policies were still in effect, keeping him in focus.
Metallum's warm brown eyes studied my face for a second. "Please, come with me to my office. I have some freshly brewed tea if you're interested."
"That sounds wonderful," I replied. I
t would also give me a chance to chat for a while. Check on their welfare and ask questions about the astrolabe. The threats Poltens had mentioned may be too nebulous to pinpoint accurately, but if I set up a line of communication with somebody in Metallum's position, they could approach me for help when needed.
Metallum stopped by the workstations in use as we walked to his office, introducing me to the workers and showing off their work. Nobody made beautiful carvings the way an alchemist did while working with their favorite metals.
I took over the duty of pouring our tea. It was his office, but my company, and I felt it would be more respectful to serve him. He was one of the best alchemists on the planet, after all.
"Thank you." Metallum sat on a brown upholstered chair near a small table by the window. I joined him when I was done adding sugar to my tea.
"I'm glad you're here today," I started. "I was at Rector House the other day finishing the plans for reconstruction and came upon a gorgeous astrolabe. There were diagrams showing where it should be mounted. I had no idea it even existed. It has your maker's mark, and I was hoping you would tell me a little about it."
"Your father commissioned it shortly before his passing," Metallum explained. "But it was your mother who helped design it. She comes from the Laurus bloodline and asked to include her clan symbols." He sipped his tea before taking a small bite of a cucumber sandwich.
"It's very close to the rings I use in my workshop," I said. My bloodline magic was Rector, but the Laurus side had influenced me enough that it had taken a lot of work to figure out how to trigger my magic. Usually the mechanics of being a magician were dedicated to one bloodline. My trigger turned out to be like my mother and uncle despite my magic being my father's.
"She had provided a diagram of rings," he said. "It was important to her that I include the right magic. I filled the centerpiece with lead per their request and covered it with gold leaf."
I choked as a small crumb from the strawberry-basil tart I had just popped into my mouth lodged in my throat. The center of the astrolabe was the compass rose. If it was made almost entirely of lead, the amount of power it contained would be staggering. Not that most magicians knew the power enhancing qualities of lead the way I did. But once mounted, it would be like having a nuclear missile on display in my front yard.
"You did beautiful work. My boyfriend is an artist and he admires your craftsmanship."
"It was my pleasure. If you are ready to mount it, I would be happy to oversee that part of the project."
Wow. He was an important man, and there was no need for him to be there. It was a special offer. But also, maybe there was another reason. One that had come up before in conversation with other alchemists or healers.
"That would be wonderful, thank you. I'd like to host a celebration honoring my parents once the work is complete. We can include the mounting of the astrolabe as a part of the ceremony. You are more than welcome to include your family in the occasion. I have a young alchemist girl in my care who would love to meet them, if that's okay with you. I want her to keep in touch with her culture and planned a children's party early in the afternoon so she can make friends."
As I hoped, Metallum's shoulders relaxed at my invitation. I knew it. A magician taking a young alchemist into their household was always cause for suspicion, and I realized I needed to reassure as many people as I could that I wasn't some kind of creep experimenting on children. Or like Oberon, indenturing her into a life of service backed by an illegal curse.
"I would love to," he replied. "I've heard about the presence of Seraphina Wallace in your household. I knew her father, who is a distant relative of mine."
Family lines were important in alchemist culture, too. Their magic worked differently, and was often thought of as weaker and less worthy, but they were powerful in their own way. More than most magicians realized.
"I only knew Aurum Quaesitor for a short time," I explained. "But his mastery over his horses and dedication to his work impressed me. I hope I'm worthy to raise the daughter of such a respected bloodline."
Aurum's name meant Gold Seeker. It was a prestigious name for an alchemist. Even though he worked as a coachman, he was a well-respected and prominent man in his community. The jobs an alchemist held had little to do with their status. It had to be that way - they had been disrespected and degraded for generations, many times forced into menial positions to survive. None of that was a reflection on their value as people, even if magicians didn't seem to remember that.
"You honor her father with your care and concern," Metallum assured me. "As a relative, I would be happy to spend time with her, and include her in our family celebrations."
Even better. Now Sera would have a sense of family as well as community. "That would be wonderful. I'll send the information about the completion date and an invitation for the ceremony. Sera's at her school right now, but you can meet her then."
"And you arranged accommodations with the great healer Poltens Sanator?" Alchemists didn't sit with CEOs, questioning them about children in their care, but I understood. And I had indicated in every way possible that it was acceptable to me for him to check on her welfare.
"She is lodging with their family. There are certain activities taking place that led me to believe it was in her best interests to stay away for the summer."
Metallum nodded. "A wise choice." He was in a position to have recognized the nebulous issues Poltens had told me about, even if neither could formulate enough of a pattern to explain it. But that was okay. As an Irregular, that was my job.
"I need to head out now, but please, if there's anything you wish to discuss with me - even if it seems trivial - send me a message." I handed him my card, which included my personal contact information. Confidential conversations could be arranged on a phone, even if they were too easy to monitor to use as a reliable communication method. He could call me and I would send a messenger to him. Or pop in for a visit. Nobody would think it strange that I visited Rector Enterprises considering I was the CEO.
Metallum slipped my card into his vest pocket, zipping it in safely. "Thank you for stopping by, milady. I look forward to seeing you again. And if you can forgive my boldness at saying so, you have done your family proud."
I smiled my response since I wasn't sure I could speak around the lump in my throat. With a final wave, I left the alchemist labs, glad I had a new ally.
CHAPTER TEN
Crystal Wall
I should have realized leaving wasn't going to be as easy as the rest of my visit.
We were nearing the lobby on our way out when a limousine and twelve outriders on motorcycles drove up. The Taine coat-of-arms was painted on the door, guards wearing matching badges. Ugh.
"We need to figure out who keeps telling Oberon where I'm at all the time so I can kill them," I declared, only half-joking.
My uncle chuckled. Neither one of us was in the mood to confront my age-old enemy, but whatever. It wasn't like Oberon ever asked what we wanted. Or cared.
"Peter's at Rector House, correct?" Armageddon asked.
"Yes, he was going to meet us there. Although, now it looks like we'll be delayed." I huffed with annoyance.
"I'll take care of this. You go on without me. I'll look over the astrolabe you've told me so much about another time."
"Are you sure?" We paused in the lobby. The embroidered tapestry on display drew my attention. It was made with a medieval-inspired theme, complete with knights and ladies fair. Surrounding the castle in the center were fields of flowers and animals and above, birds. They were glowing with an aura, pulsating golden-orange with security. I had never seen it respond that way before. My uncle's presence must have set it off. Sometimes, strong magic will react when in proximity to the creator, or a bloodline magician related to the one who cast the spells. Since he and my aunt had made it together, that didn't surprise me. Especially since the spells could stop Oberon and his entourage in their tracks if needed.
"Def
initely," he replied, his silver eyes glittering with anger and annoyance as Oberon and two of his sons exited the vehicle. "It's long past time to remind the Taines that you have a family. And we don't appreciate them coming after you every chance they get."
I grinned in response. When I was fighting to win Rector Enterprises back, I had to face Oberon, his brothers, and older sons on my own. I had to face all the competitors alone. But like my uncle said, I had a family. And friends close enough that I considered them family. Any one of them would stand with me. Or stand in the gap for me.
It was a nice change from the trials.
We exited the building, only a few feet away from where my most-hated enemy stood. He was around the same age as my uncle and nearly as tall, but with light blond hair and icy blue eyes.
"Armageddon," Oberon said to acknowledge my uncle.
"Oberon," my uncle replied. I stifled a laugh. I did the same thing. Oberon's magician name was Domitorem Lux, or Vanquisher of Light. It was tacky and obnoxious, and I didn't feel like giving him the respect of calling him by his magician name. It set the tone for the entire encounter and annoyed him. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"
Armageddon's tone was smooth and polite, yet it was clear to all that he felt no honor was bestowed upon us. I made a mental note to use that tone someday, myself.
"By the accords of -"
"Yes, yes," my uncle said, interrupting him. "I see. Well, have at it then. You go ahead and tour the company, make sure the employees are content with their lot in life or whatever else concerns you." He shifted his stance, the magic he kept under tight control reaching out from him like a force of nature, creating a corridor in the Air around us. It separated me from Oberon and his two eldest sons, giving them only enough room to walk to the door of the building. Their path back to their car was also cut off, giving them no choice but to play out their tired old excuse to harass me at my company.
