“It…I…it didn’t look good. He had Kat backed into the corner. She was on the floor, and he had his wand lifted, but I didn’t see anything other than that. She didn’t appear injured, and when I asked her, she said she was fine.”
“Gee, thanks, Kellan. Congratulations, you are now officially useless.” I turned back to Lilibet. “Kellan didn’t see it. I had sores all over my hands from a spell Thaddeus had cast.” In a corner of my mind, a voice said I was acting like a petulant child.
“Yes, he did that to me too when I was little to teach me not to touch a flame. He’s protective of you, Kat. He would never let anything happen to you. Maybe you shouldn’t be a field agent if you jump so quickly to the wrong conclusions.” Steel entered her voice and eyes.
In the space of a few minutes, I had alienated Kellan and Lilibet, two of my only allies at the CCS. Everyone would react like they did. I couldn’t accuse Thaddeus in public until I had concrete evidence that he was the man we were looking for. I couldn’t do that without help, and help wouldn’t come if everyone was mad at me.
I took a deep breath. I had to salvage what I could. “I’m sorry, Lilibet, and you too, Kellan. I didn’t mean it. This whole thing is so frustrating. Everyone else is deciding what I can and cannot do, where I can and cannot go, whether I’m going to live or die. I can’t handle it.”
Kellan walked past me to the door. “Sure, but I’ve got to go. Would you mind stepping outside so I can hand you off to a guard?” There was no mistaking the hurt in Kellan’s tone. I’d really screwed this up, and I’d have to make it right somehow.
“Of course.” I gave Lilibet an apologetic look and followed Kellan.
Outside the greenhouse, a guard waited, and Kellan pointedly walked in the opposite direction of where I headed. I plastered a fake smile on my face to mask the tension. “Great to see you, Sebastian. I’m all yours for the exciting walk to my room. Be on high alert: dangers could jump out at any moment.”
We’d gone less than a hundred feet when Lilibet came up quickly behind us. I jumped at the chance to do a little damage control. When she passed me, I sped up to match her pace. “Lilibet, I really am sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. And Thaddeus was right; there’s so much left for me to learn. I just thought I was done with my training.”
“You will never be done. My father’s spent his entire life serving our people. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t train, hone his skills, push himself to be better. You could learn something from him.”
I tried not to chafe at the comparison. I didn’t want anything to do with Thaddeus. “You’re right. Where are you headed to now? I thought you were going to work.”
“I’ve been summoned to the Council chamber. An emissary from the sorcerers has arrived, and the Council asked me to be there.”
“What do you think they’re here for?” She had piqued my curiosity. As far as I knew, there hadn’t been a sorcerer at the Citadel since I’d arrived. I’d never even met one other than my father through the talisman.
“I don’t know, but it has to be something big.”
“Can I come too? I’ve never seen a sorcerer. It’ll be a learning experience.”
Lilibet eyed me in a way she wouldn’t have before I’d made my accusations. Coming to a decision, her face relaxed. “Sure, it’ll do you good, show you there’s a world outside the Citadel that very much influences what goes on inside.”
Chapter 18
Before we reached the rings to teleport, a frightening thought occurred to me. The emissary from the sorcerers might recognize the magic in my talisman as belonging to a sorcerer. Mages weren’t as in tune with magic as sorcerers, which was why the unusual nature of my talisman had gone unnoticed by anyone other than Millhook. If my understanding of sorcerers was correct, they would have the same sensitivity as the fae to the different types of magic. But Millhook had assured me that the only way a sorcerer would notice my magic was if we were within a foot or so of each other.
The Council chamber, or as I had known it, the judgment room, was a cavernous space. Lilibet and I would sit at the back, far away from where the action would take place. If I kept my magic calm and under control, there was no reason the sorcerer should notice it. I’d just make sure to keep my distance.
We ported to the rings inside the Council chamber, Sebastian shadowing as usual. The Councilors were in their seats, murmuring to each other. The giant orb floated ominously above the largest throne in the room, just as it had when I’d come here to face judgment. During training, Lilibet had explained the meaning behind the orb. It acted as an all-seeing eye, representing the mages of Elustria whom the Council had sworn to protect. While the workings of the Council were not transparent to the people, the eye served as a reminder that the people were always watching, and ultimately the Council was accountable to them.
Would the mages of Elustria approve of me if they knew the truth? If they knew that a pidge not only lived among them but worked in the CCS trying to safeguard their way of life, what would they think? Would there be an outpouring of rage, anger? Would they even care? Yeah, right, because so many times throughout history, being different had worked out well for a minority.
All the mages may not approve of my choices, but it was for them I fought. If the sorcerers knew the extent of what the Directorate was doing, they wouldn’t rest until every last mage had been destroyed. My studies of Elustrian history had shown that mages and sorcerers were capable of coexisting in peace, but that was before a mage discovered how to steal a sorcerer’s magic, killing them in the process. Keeping secrets from the people who had taken me in and who I had sworn to protect didn’t sit right with me, but sometimes it was the best thing for everyone involved. As a spy, keeping secrets was part of the job, but it didn’t feel the same.
Calista acknowledged us with a nod as we walked to the row of plain chairs against the wall across from the Councilors and next to the main doors. Then she went back to talking to Councilor Olivandron, the same Councilor who had been speaking to Calista and Thaddeus after the explosion. I hadn’t had much contact with her, but as a CCS agent I had read a dossier on her and all the Councilors. She was a good friend of Calista’s, which would make her a good mole. Her interest lay in the development of magical objects. She would be an excellent resource for the Directorate.
Narystra and Meralynd, the other two female Councilors, were deep in discussion. Meralynd, as the Councilor in charge of the economy, appeared worried about what the emissary would say. Any news from the sorcerers could affect trade. Narystra provided a sympathetic ear from the looks of it. Her area of concern was education. At first glance, she didn’t seem an obvious choice for a Directorate mole. What value could they find in the Councilor in charge of education? Not only that, she fit the stereotypical description of a librarian. Soft spoken, she wore her plain brown hair straight to her shoulders—not straightener straight but I’m-not-doing-my-hair straight.
However, she was regarded as one of the most intelligent mages in Elustria. That kind of intellect might be attracted to the Directorate, and they could certainly make use of it. She also had access to section five and any other books or materials she wanted. Golem magic wouldn’t be a problem for her. Out of all the Councilors, she appeared the most calm. Was that her natural demeanor or was it the manner of someone practiced at keeping secrets? I’d take a closer look at her dossier when I had a chance.
Thaddeus spoke to the Councilor on his right, Warrand. He was in charge of the military, a position I would’ve expected Thaddeus to occupy given his extensive experience. Warrand had served briefly in the military but quickly altered course to a more diplomatic route. His experience on the battlefield didn’t touch Thaddeus’s. More reasonably, Thaddeus was the mole. It was the only logical reason for him to have given up his military command to work for the CCS.
That left Gareth and Lorkrest. Gareth seemed a little on edge. He took the explosion in my room and the mishap at my trials as personal failures. It might
be wise to find out which Councilors were getting close to him. Anyone who wanted to get to me had to go through him. I knew Olivandron had been quick to ask him for a report on the explosion.
Lorkrest, the Councilor Gareth spoke to, was in charge of wands. Since all mages needed a wand or talisman, Lorkrest was arguably the most important member of the Council. It was his job to ensure the supply of wands kept up with demand, which meant keeping good relations with the fae and ensuring that the Flamewood Forest remained in good health. He also worked with Olivandron to regulate and monitor talismans. Each lawful talisman was registered with the Council. Lorkrest made sure every mage had either a wand or a talisman. Olivandron ensured the talismans were appropriate.
This view of the Council differed from my previous encounters. Before, they had all sat straight in their thrones, confident and sure. Now their heads were ducked as they spoke amongst each other.
“What has them so worried?” I asked Lilibet.
“An emissary coming from the sorcerers is rare. I’ve never seen it.”
That seemed odd. “We communicate with the sorcerers, though, right?”
“Of course, but it’s usually through letters or lower level meetings in neutral locations. The fact that a sorcerer came here in person means they have something important to say.”
“Or they want to see our response to it.”
Lilibet smirked. “Very good.”
Two loud booms filled the room as if someone outside had banged a staff against the stone floor.
“He’s here,” Lilibet whispered.
The murmuring in the room stopped, and the Councilors arranged themselves in their usual formidable positions atop their thrones. The enormous doors opened, and a herald walked in. This must be the protocol for sorcerers or, really, any visitor more important than me.
“His Excellency, Tolemy Bullangier, emissary of the Circle of Sorcerers,” the herald announced in a thunderous tone. He moved to the side, blocking my view as a sorcerer entered the room. Even though Millhook had assured me I’d be fine this far from a sorcerer, I still worked to keep my magic calmly humming in the background, suppressing it as much as I could. Once the sorcerer stood in the middle of the room, the herald exited, shutting the door behind him.
The sorcerer cut an impressive figure and stood with his head held high in front of the intimidating Council. His long black hair seemed to swallow any light around it. At his waist, his hair stopped in a line so sharp it looked as if it could cut glass. He wore a golden robe made from high-quality material with intricate embroidery. The outfit appeared more ceremonial than practical. The stitch work probably held some significance that eluded me.
Calista took the lead. “Your Excellency, welcome to our humble chamber. You honor us here with your presence today. I trust that your journey was uneventful?”
His Excellency acknowledged Calista with a slight nod. “It was, Your Grace, thank you.”
I’d never heard any of the Councilors addressed in such a way. It must be a formal title only used in international relations. With the tenuous relationship between sorcerers and mages, the overly respectful tones and deference would be expected.
“I’m glad to hear it. What is so important that it couldn’t be handled through our usual channels?”
“I hope you understand that this is a delicate matter, one that the Circle of Sorcerers takes seriously. We could not risk a dispatch being intercepted by anyone with nefarious motives. There was even talk of sending the Chairwoman herself. I tell you this so you understand the gravity of what I’m about to share. Only the Circle’s concern for her safety kept her in our capital.”
The Circle of Sorcerers existed in Wizards and Fae, and this all sounded like something from the game. Each day the game closer resembled reality and my college life occupied a place of fantasy in my mind.
“You have our undivided attention,” Calista said. Everyone in the room, myself included, leaned forward. His Excellency had done an admirable job of building anticipation. Now, would he deliver?
“I am here, grand Council, to inform you that fourteen sorcerers have gone missing.”
I slouched in disappointment. Surely people must go missing fairly often.
He continued. “Normally, this would not be cause for my journey here, but we recently found one of the missing sorcerers on the shore of the Cushing Sea. He was murdered. What we are keeping secret, even from his family, is the state the body was in when we found it. His magic had been corrupted. We’re not sure what happened, but it seems some of his magic was missing.”
My heart raced. It couldn’t be. How had the Directorate moved so quickly? Without my mother’s notes, how was this possible? Did they have someone else working on it? Had Sibelius given them some crucial key before he had died?
“What do you mean some of his magic was missing?” Calista asked, clearly voicing the question behind the shocked expressions of the rest of the Councilors.
“It’s almost as if someone tried to steal his magic and corrupted it in the process. When his body was first discovered, we weren’t even sure he was a sorcerer. Then we matched his magical imprint to the one on file in his missing person’s case.”
He had said fourteen sorcerers were missing. Had they all fallen victim to the Directorate?
“Do you have any leads?” Thaddeus asked.
“No, whoever it was didn’t leave behind any clues. However, there are many in the Circle who believe this is the work of a mage. There doesn’t seem to be much motive for another race to do it.”
“I take offense at that insinuation, Your Excellency,” Olivandron sneered. “A mage has no need for a sorcerer’s magic.”
Calista shot Olivandron a sharp look. Diplomacy clearly didn’t concern her.
“The reason I am here is to notify you of this development. I am not here to make accusations. It is our belief that the Directorate is behind this.”
“We disavowed the Directorate long ago. They are as much our enemy as they are yours,” Meralynd said.
“That is why we thought you would like to know of this development. This is also to serve as notice that should we capture or attack a mage, it is in pursuit of the Directorate operatives responsible for this.”
A rumbling murmur went through the Council.
“We thank you for your notification,” Calista said above the noise. “As Councilor Meralynd said, the Directorate is our common enemy. We would not begrudge you your right to protect yourself. Please, rest assured that we will put the full weight of our resources behind discovering what happened.”
“You understand that we must also take our own action. For decades, you have been promising to destroy the Directorate, and it still has not happened. We grow weary of waiting for you to take care of this.”
“Excuse me, Your Excellency, but we are taking action. The Directorate has killed more mages than it has sorcerers,” Calista said.
“Then your resources are not enough. We will not stand by while the Directorate threatens our people. We will take whatever action we deem necessary and would ask that, given this latest affront, you share any intelligence you may discover that pertains to this.”
“And are you prepared to share any intelligence you have?” Thaddeus asked.
“We may be able to offer you some intelligence in return.” His Excellency did not seem as certain on this point.
“We can only promise that we will share intelligence that does not threaten our people,” Calista said. “While we are horrified by this latest action by the Directorate, we cannot compromise the safety of our own people in protecting yours.”
“Very well. Then you will not mind when we do the same.”
There was another slight murmur amongst the Council, and Calista spoke over it, silencing the others. “Of course, we would not object to our friends doing anything that will keep them safe. Please, Your Excellency, you have traveled far, let’s retire to the dining room so we may eat and discuss the situatio
n further.” Calista stood and gestured to the door.
His Excellency bowed, and the rest of the Council stood and filed out through the door. Before she left, Calista gave us a nod of acknowledgment, but in her eyes was an order to get to work. Sorcerers now hunted mages, and the CCS was two steps behind all because I had kept my secrets from them. Was the blood of these fourteen missing sorcerers on my hands?
This entire thing had gotten out of hand. I didn’t know if I could fix it on my own. Not anymore.
Chapter 19
Once the last person left the Council chamber, Lilibet turned to me. “Let’s go.”
I’d never seen her face so determined. We took the rings from inside the chamber to the closest ones to the greenhouse entrance. Before the work started, I needed to apologize. “Lilibet, I’m sorry for earlier, for what I said about your father. I need to learn to not let my frustration take hold of me. Thanks for bringing me with you. I think it did do me some good.”
“You’re welcome, and I accept your apology. Just try to remember that we’re all on the same team. I wasn’t upset because Thaddeus is my father; I was upset because I’ve seen the steps he’s taken to protect you. Trust isn’t something to give away lightly, but if you don’t trust your teammates, you'll end up getting yourself killed. And I don’t think I could handle consoling Kellan over the loss of our only Earth-raised agent.” The joke more than anything let me know our relationship would be all right. Lilibet didn’t let many people see that side of her.
It seemed soon to be asking for a favor, but I couldn’t help it once we were inside the Greenhouse. “I’d like to be part of the team that’s going to be on this.”
“Of course you'll be on the team, but that doesn’t mean you can go into the field. Your knowledge of your mother’s work is as much of a lead as we have.” Lilibet led the way to the pit and scanned the room. “Darian, Priya, you’re with me. Come on.”
“But I’m in the middle of an assignment Thaddeus gave me yesterday,” Darian said.
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