by Jake Kerr
Mister Ali replied, “A citadel is a fortress that guards a city. We are going to the Citadel of London. It is one of the greatest fortresses in the world, although few even know it exists.”
We reached a limousine. A stranger stood guarding the open doors. He bowed his head as I approached and swung his arm toward the open door. Everyone stood still, waiting for me to get in. I felt awkward, as these were my friends and I didn’t think it appropriate that I was receiving special treatment. Still, I entered the car and slid along a huge seat to the opposite end.
This was obviously another illusion, the black limousine was probably the size of a bus, and as we all gathered inside, there was plenty of room for more people.
The moment everyone was still, Mister Ali turned to the master named Simin. “That was a stunning illusion, Simin.” The master looked annoyed.
“You noticed that?”
“Yes, but it was some of the most complex magic I’ve ever seen, and you did it while walking. Even your gait seemed normal.”
The master grunted. “Not normal enough apparently.”
“What illusion?” I asked.
“Now that’s what I was looking for!” The master laughed.
Mister Ali smiled. “Master Simin here created multiple illusions of us leaving the station. Someone looking for us would have had a hard time choosing which group was the real one. Or even knowing there was an illusion at all. That alone is extraordinary, but he also excluded us from the illusion, which is something very few magicians can do.”
“Parlor tricks,” Naomi noted. She was sitting across from me, her legs were stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankles. She looked immensely pleased with herself.
“Respect, young lady!” Mister Ali replied, anger in his voice.
“Respect?” Naomi pulled her legs in and pointed at Master Simin. “He didn’t help at all while I was saving us. At least his friends did something.”
“Naomi!” Mister Ali’s voice filled the limousine.
Master Simin raised his hand at Mister Ali. “It’s okay Ali.” He stared at Naomi for a moment and then made a few movements with his hand. Naomi screamed and grabbed her throat. An enormous snake was curled around her neck.
“Get it off me!” Her hands grasped at her neck, her fingernails scratching and clawing at the snake.
“Enough, Simin!” Mister Ali again raised his voice.
I looked at the master, and he smiled and shrugged. “Just a parlor trick.”
The snake was gone, and Naomi was taking deep breaths, her eyes wide as she tried to regain her composure. She looked at me, and I saw something in her eyes. Was it a plea for help? Embarrassment?
“You will never do that again.” I tried to sound confident and powerful. I must have succeeded because Master Simin looked at me.
“Excuse me?”
“You are not to cast spells on another in my presence unless they request it.” My voice was steadier, but it took an effort to keep my gaze on the face of the master. His stare was intimidating.
There was a long pause, and then Simin replied, “As you wish, Archmage.” He then turned away and dropped his hands to his side.
I looked at Niaome, who was rubbing her neck with her left hand. “You could try to be nicer,” I added, although I was certain I sounded much less confident in my comment to her.
“As you wish, streetlight.” I thought I saw the corner of her mouth turn up, and the rest of the ride was a blur.
CHAPTER TEN
NAOMI PASSES A TEST
“Not far now,” Mister Ali said, although all I could see through the windows was English countryside.
Naomi spoke up. “So what do we do once we get to the Citadel?”
Master Richard replied, “I don’t know what you will be doing, but we will present the new Archmage to Cain. He will decide what to do next.”
Naomi fumed but didn’t say anything else. I decided to ask my own questions. “Who is Cain, and will he help me find my grandfather?”
Mister Ali replied before Master Richard could speak, “Cain is the greatest master in the world. He has achieved heights in magic not seen in centuries. His guidance will be invaluable.”
“Archmage.” It was the master whose name I still didn’t know.
“What was that?” Mister Ali replied.
“Archmage Cain. He accepted the Archmage title recently.”
Mister Ali’s face was frozen in shock. He recovered quickly, however, and raised his voice. “Such arrogance! Such disrespect! There is and can only be one Archmage, and he sits with us right here.” He crossed his arms, looking defiant.
Master Richard shrugged. “You can take it up with him.” He seemed amused at the prospect.
We rode in silence, and I considered the circumstances. The masters were truly impressive, but they didn’t seem very pleasant or even welcoming. I was worried about Mister Ali. He appeared out of his element. He was clearly impressed with the presence of the three masters, but they didn’t treat him with a corresponding respect. I looked over at him, and he had the furrowed brow and pinched face of someone holding in their anger and unhappiness.
Naomi ignored us all. She was making rhythmic movements with her hands, which I understood to be some kind of magical manipulation. She was focusing her attention on some imaginary point in the distance while she repeated the motion over and over again.
I stared at her. The focus in her blue eyes and the sharp angles of her face gave her a serious and intense look, but I found it made her even more beautiful, like a lion or tiger. Despite her dusty dungarees and her dirty and wrinkled shirt, there was nobility in her, a nobility of purpose and a nobility of stature. I thought back and wondered if I did the right thing in confronting Master Simin. She seemed thankful, but were my actions actually insulting? She didn’t need me to save her. She didn’t need anyone to save her.
She made some small error in movement, something I didn’t notice, something I couldn’t notice, and dropped her hands, shaking them in annoyance. She looked up and caught me staring at her. I turned away, embarrassed, but my heart leapt at what I perceived to be a slight smile out of the corner of my eye.
I looked out and noticed we were far from the city. It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps these masters weren’t to be trusted. “I thought we were going to the Citadel?”
“We are.” It was the nameless master.
“Then why are we heading away from the city?” After being attacked three times in quick succession I was nervous and not very trusting, even though it appeared that the masters had helped save us.
The nameless master sighed and answered as if he was tutoring a student who hadn’t done his homework. “Just because it protects the city, doesn’t mean it needs to be in the city.” Mister Ali tried to break in, but the master waved him off with a hand. “It is called Fort Belvedere, and it has been the center of magic for over five hundred years.”
I had heard of Fort Belvedere. It was the home of the recent king of England who had abdicated his throne. I wondered if the former king was also Cain. With Mister Ali’s talk of my grandfather being involved in great battles and evil leaders, it struck me as a reasonable. The prospect thrilled and intrigued me.
The concrete turned into dirt and before long we turned onto a driveway leading to a large estate. It was cobblestone and in much better shape than the primary road that led to it. The main house looked nothing like a fort and more like a mansion. There was a massive stone wall in front, but it appeared to be useless against any real attack, as it contained windows and was not very tall.
“This is an illusion,” I stated.
“Very good, Tommy,” Mister Ali replied. “This is a folly, which is a building designed to look like something, even though it isn’t intended to actually be used for that purpose. In this case, there is a wonderful irony at play. You are looking at something meant to look like a fort, yet commonly known to be useless as one. However, the reality is that it
is a mighty fort, indeed.”
The limousine drove through a small opening in the defensive wall, despite the fact that we were in a large vehicle. The opening changed even as I watched it. It was now a gated entry big enough to allow us to pass. We entered a courtyard. It appeared cramped between the wall and the mansion behind it. There was a fountain, around which went the stone road from the gate to the steps leading to the house. The limousine stopped in front of the steps, where a small group of uniformed men were waiting for us.
One of the men opened the doors to the limousine. The three masters exited first and went off to talk to a man to the left. An imposing man stood facing us. Mister Ali shouted “John!” and went up and hugged him.
“Ali! So glad to see you safe.” The man Ali called John patted him on the back and then pulled away.
Mister Ali turned to us. “This is Lord Gort, Knight Commander of the Army Council.”
“Wonderful to meet you, Knight Commander,” I replied.
Lord Gort was older with thin short-cropped grey hair and angular features. His eyes had a sorrowful look that struck me as distinctly unmilitary. Despite my perception, his uniform was covered with medals, and he looked very serious. He didn’t frown, and he didn’t look angry, but he wasn’t smiling either. More than anything, he looked like he was in the midst of a difficult and painful mission, and his calm was all that stood between loss and victory. He nodded to me and said “Archmage.” His voice was even but short, like wasting a single syllable would pain him. I immediately liked him, despite his reserve.
Mister Ali returned to my side. “We weren’t expecting a group, Ali, but it is understandable. Details were in short supply after the disaster in New York.” Lord Gort looked at me. “At least you have the staff and the new Archmage with you.”
“He is a worthy heir, John. Tommy used the staff to destroy a cavernous room, black with Shadows!” There was great pride in Mister Ali’s voice. Lord Gort looked unsurprised. I couldn’t help but feel proud. I had experienced the terror of the Shadows and knowing I defeated them was probably the greatest thing I had ever done in my life.
“And who is the girl?” He didn’t sound pleased as he asked the question.
Mister Ali looked surprised that Naomi was still with us. “This is Naomi. She is an apprentice Waymaster. Her mother perished defending us from the Djinn. We will need to—“ Mister Ali paused and then continued, “find her a home.”
Naomi stepped forward and addressed Lord Gort. She completely ignored everyone else. “Excuse me, sir. My mother trained me to be a master magician, not a Waymaster.”
“Mother? A female Waymaster?” Lord Gort seemed intrigued more than judgmental.
Before Naomi could reply, Mister Ali broke in. “Her grandfather was Waymaster Bergeron.”
Lord Gort’s face lit up. “Your grandfather was Alexander? What an amazing coincidence we have here. The granddaughter of our greatest Waymaster, and the grandson of our greatest Archmage.” He looked at Naomi. “So, how can I help you miss Bergeron?”
Naomi stood tall. “I have decided that I would like to conclude my studies here.” I marveled at her. She was more polite and respectful than I had ever seen her, but she was just as demanding as ever. She looked a remarkable combination of charming and confident.
For the first time the Knight Commander looked amused. “You wish to conclude your studies, do you? Well, I have no need of domestic magic. However—” Lord Gort paused and then smiled. It was the smile of someone preparing to tell a hilarious joke at your expense. Not of one who is happy in your company. “Duncan, come over here!”
The man with the medals that was talking to the Masters looked at us and walked over. “Sir?”
“What is that accursed spell that the senior Journeyman are always complaining to Cain about being on the exam? The one that none of them can do.”
“Do you mean Arachne’s Ladder?” Duncan replied.
“That’s the one!” Lord Gort turned to Naomi. “If you could show me Arachne’s Ladder perhaps we may have a place for you.” It was as if time had stopped. We all stared at the two of them facing each other, the chiseled member of the Army Council and the young girl with the cowboy boots, dungarees, and defiant eyes.
Naomi stood up straight, and pulled her sleeves up to the elbow. She placed her palms flat against each other and then began manipulating her fingers with such speed that it looked like she was weaving something with her wrists shackled. A moment later she moved her palms slightly apart. Her fingers continued to move and every few seconds she would edge her palms outward. I caught a glimpse of something shiny between her hands, and as they moved further and further apart, it became clearer. Soon, her hands were about a foot apart, and a glowing mesh of material was spread between them. It looked like a tightly knit web of glowing thread. I looked at Naomi’s face, and there was perspiration dripping down her forehead. She stared at her hands.
She stopped, a look of defiance on her face. All told it had taken her about five minutes. She shoved her hands toward Lord Gort. “It would be stronger if I had more time.” I looked around. Mister Ali’s jaw was dropped open. Duncan was frowning. One of the masters was shaking his head.
“No doubt.” He smiled for a moment and then it was gone. He turned to Duncan. “Finally, someone with potential.” He let his comment sink in and then continued. “Find comfortable lodgings for the Archmage and Ali. And take this young one,” he looked directly at Naomi, “to the Academy.”
“My Lord!” I expected the surprised response, but I was saddened that it came not just from Duncan but also from Mister Ali. For some reason girls weren’t considered as magician material, but I had seen Naomi, and it was clear that she was not just skilled, she was nearly as accomplished as the masters.
Duncan continued, “She is but a girl.” He nodded toward Naomi, as if perhaps the man who seemed to run the Citadel had somehow missed that fact.
“General Duncan, how many of our current senior journeymen can do that spell at all, let alone using nothing but their hands?”
“None, but they are all quite young, sir.” Duncan sounded defensive.
“Nonsense.” And with that the conversation was over. Lord Gort turned and walked away, without a wave or a goodbye. Over his shoulder he added, “Follow me, Ali. Cain wants to speak with us, and I’d rather get that annoyance out of the way.” It suddenly struck me that I was going to be without Mister Ali for the first time in—what could it have been—days? Longer? Being without him concerned me, even though we were finally in a safe place.
“Couldn’t I come with you, sir?” I blurted out. Mister Ali leaned down and put his arm around me and smiled warmly.
“It is okay, Tommy. Your time to speak will come. In the mean time, you should get some rest. This has been a most difficult journey, and you need a soft bed.”
I whispered “Okay,” and hugged Mister Ali. He stood, patted me on the back, and then pulled away, turned, and hurried after Lord Gort.
As Mister Ali retreated, Duncan turned to us, disgust on his face.
“Corporal, take our guests to the living quarters,” He addressed a soldier that was standing by the limousine. “And take that one to the academy.” He waved toward Naomi with his hand.
The corporal nodded and walked toward us. He looked to be only a few years older than me, and when he reached us, his voice was very respectful. “If you would please follow me this way, Lord Ainsley can attend to your needs. Your quarters are not far from there.” He pointed to a long wing off the main building, with three stories and lots of windowed rooms that overlooked the entrance. There were three doors along its length, all of which looked identical.
We all walked along quietly. I looked around the Citadel, trying to take in what was illusion and what was real. What struck me the most was that even when you knew you were looking at an illusion, it was still difficult to see through it. Occasionally, I would get a glimpse of turrets and men manning them in place of wha
t looked like a slate roof, but such images always slipped back into the reality as I perceived it—the former King’s country retreat with the appearance of a fortress.
As we walked along the gravel path that fronted the mansion, its immense size became clearer despite the illusion. It was as if we were taking three steps for every step that it looked like it would take to get to our destination. After longer than I ever thought it would take, we reached the first door. The Corporal stopped and pointed at it.
“These are the guest quarters. They border the main house and are adjacent to the apprentice wing, which starts at that door.” He pointed at the second door. “The training area and classrooms begin down at the end.” He then pointed to the third door. “Young lady, that is the Academy and you will be spending your time down there.” He looked at Naomi, and then turned back to me. “But our first stop is here.”
He walked up and grabbed a large iron door knocker shaped like a frog. He rapped the door three times, which rang out much louder than I thought it would. Immediately, there was a click and the door slid smoothly outward. The door was massive, at least four inches thick and made of iron bound solid wood, but it moved as if it was as light as a feather. Was it actually a light door and an illusion made it look massive? Or was the door actually this massive and so well designed that it moved smoothly in the frame? By now I was losing track of what was and wasn’t real.
A girl about my age stood in the door frame as the door swung fully outward. “Hello, Felice. We need lodgings for the new Archmage.” He waved an arm toward me.
“Yes, sir. And for the young lady?”
“I am taking her to Mister Sagan.” Felice’s eyes went wide, and she stared at Naomi. Before Felice could say anything more, the corporal added, “I know. Perhaps they can find a room on the floor above the dormitories.” He turned to me. “Felice will escort you from here.”
I thanked the corporal and followed Felice into the building. I looked back over my shoulder, but Naomi was already gone, heading off to her new life as a future master. I wondered when I would see her again.
