by Sarah Noffke
“It’s only been open for thirty years,” Liv said dryly.
Chloe turned and faced Liv, running her eyes up and down her. “And you are?”
“She’s a War—”
“I’m a woman, and also John’s assistant,” Liv said, cutting him off before he could tell Chloe she was a Warrior. Something told her it would be better to hide that information.
“Oh, well, then how about you fetch me some water? I’m thirsty,” Chloe ordered.
Liv caught the mischievous glint in Plato’s eyes, and it encouraged her rebellious side. “Sure,” she said. She flicked her head to the side, and a cup of water materialized over Chloe’s head. Before she could reach for it, the cup tipped over, spilling its contents onto the older magician and drenching her.
Holding her fists by her side, she let out a grunt of frustration. “John, look what your assistant has done to me!”
John didn’t know what to do about it. He simply stared at Liv and Chloe in confusion.
With a snap of her fingers, Chloe dried her hair, shaking it out dramatically. “And I see your assistant is a magician. Not a very good one, but interesting, nonetheless. You seem to attract magicians, don’t you?”
“She’s actually a—”
“Yep, newbie magician,” Liv said. “Sorry about that. I meant to give it to you, but I’m so clumsy with my magic. Silly me.”
Chloe flashed her an insincere smile. “You’ll learn in time, little girl.”
John strode forward, Pickles at his heels. “Chloe, what are you doing here? And why?”
She pulled her attention away from a disassembled air conditioner. “Because I missed you.”
“So it isn’t that he was recently named as one of the Mortal Seven for the House?” Liv asked.
Chloe’s attention snapped to her. “Don’t you have a bathroom to clean or a floor to sweep?”
“Actually, no,” Liv said, crossing her arms over her chest and giving the other woman a challenging glare.
“And what is this? You’re one of the Mortal Seven?” Chloe asked John, feigning surprise. “That’s amazing. I hear the Mortal Seven will be even more powerful than the Magician Seven on the council because their votes weigh twice as much since they are mortal.”
“It’s strange that you didn’t know John was a Mortal Seven, and yet you just quoted the press release about it verbatim,” Liv stated.
“I must have heard that through the grapevine,” Chloe fired back.
“Again, Chloe, why are you here? You left me with hardly a word over three decades ago,” John stated, a strange pleading in his voice. “I tried to find you. I did everything I could.”
Chloe smiled. “Oh, you did? I’m sorry, John. But I’ve come to my senses.”
“Thirty-five years later?” Liv asked.
Chloe ignored her. “I was honestly afraid you would get hurt in my world.”
“You told me I’d never understand magic or your world,” John argued. “That was your reason when you left me.”
Tapping the side of her head, Chloe said, “Your memory is as good as ever. And you’ve aged exceptionally well.”
John combed his hands through his hair, smiling and blushing. “It’s just so strange seeing you.”
Chloe approached him tentatively, her eyes darting to Pickles, who looked ready to pounce. When she was close, she swiped her finger down his arm. “Strange as in good?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “So much is happening in my life right now. With the Mortal Seven, and my first meeting today—”
“About that,” Chloe began. “How much do you know about the House of Seven?”
“Well, Liv is a—”
“Proponent of calling it by its true name,” Liv interrupted. “The House of Fourteen.”
“Right,” Chloe said. “And no matter what it’s called, it’s a despicable organization. We don’t need rules for magic. The House just imposes regulations on us. I’ve known perfectly good magicians who were apprehended by them.”
“And these perfect magicians did what?” Liv asked.
Chloe waved her hand at her, the bangles clanging. “Small stuff. Selling magical tech or creating potions.”
“Magical tech and potions that did what?” Liv asked.
Chloe turned and faced her, a scrutinizing glare on her face. “I don’t know. Stuff that could see through walls or potions that created a never-ending cough. That kind of stuff. Harmless, really.”
“For not knowing, you sure seem to know,” Liv stated. “And yes, things that violate citizens’ privacy or cause harm to another are illegal unless sold through the proper channels.”
“Spoken like a true follower of the House of Seven,” Chloe fired back. “Who cares if we sell potions that hurt others? It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. Every magician for herself.”
Pickles growled in reply to this. Liv flashed him a smile.
“What about mortals?” Liv asked. “Who is going to protect them when those potions fall into their hands? Who is going to help them when they get hurt by magic?”
Chloe rolled her eyes and returned her attention to John. “Really, how are we supposed to catch up properly when your assistant keeps interrupting?”
“Liv is more like my family,” John said, standing taller. He had recovered slightly. “And Chloe, you’re not being very direct about why you’re here after all this time.”
She huffed. “I’m here for you, John.”
“And?” he asked, lowering his chin and giving her a look Liv had never seen him wear.
“And also, I’m really proud to hear you’re a Mortal Seven,” Chloe went on, moving closer to John,. She was nearly pressing against him. “I run a group called the Renegades. We are working to overthrow the House. You’re in the perfect position to help us. You can tell us what happens in the meetings. Who the Warriors are. Help us spot them so that we can avoid getting caught and take them down one by one. And then one day, we will be powerful enough to fight their rule.”
The fire was building so intensely in Liv that she thought she’d burst at any moment. Instead, she remembered to maintain her breathing.
“So, what do you say, John?” Chloe said, her lips close to his.
Liv was utterly shocked when John laid his mouth on hers, kissing her. “Chloe, I would be more than happy to help you.”
Chapter Five
“Are you insane, John?” Liv yelled, slapping him on the arm after Chloe had left the electronics shop.
He dared to grin at her. “Yes, but I thought you already knew that.”
“John, you’re going to help that witch to take down the House? I get that you have your doubts, but you have to believe me when I tell you the main purpose of the House of Fourteen is pure. Many there get that legality is different from morality.”
“First of all, Liv if you told me that the world was flat, I’d believe you, so you don’t have to try very hard to convince me of anything.”
“Ummm, don’t do that. Don’t blindly believe anyone, especially one of the Flat-Earthers.”
He laughed. “But I do believe anything you say. You’ve never lied, and your instincts are great.”
“Okay, it’s strange, because you sound lucid and yet you’re going to conspire with that nut job just because she’s your ex-wife.”
John shook his head. “I’m not going to do any such thing, but she sure thinks I’m going to, which is perfect.”
Liv studied him. John wasn’t the crafty type. He didn’t scheme or plot. What you saw was pretty much what you got with John Carraway. “What are you up to?”
He grinned again. “Well, if you thought I was going to fall for that bad act of seduction, you were wrong. Have you heard of this Renegade group?”
Liv shook her head.
“Okay, well, then I’m thinking one of my first orders of business as a Councilor for the House of Fourteen is to help determine who the members of this rebel group are.”
Liv’s face b
rightened. “Which you’ll be able to do if Chloe thinks you’re working for them.”
“Exactly. I can feed her false information and find out as much as I can about them, then hand it over to you so you can bring them down.”
Liv wanted to hug the man before her. “That’s genius. But you played it so well, I totally didn’t even see this coming.”
He winked at her. “That was part of the plan. I knew as soon as Chloe showed up that she wanted something. That’s how she works. But I also know that she knows me well enough to figure out if I’m lying.”
“So you had to really act,” Liv stated.
He smiled triumphantly. “And if I fooled you, I definitely fooled her.”
“John, not that I ever had any doubts, but you’re going to make an incredible Councilor for the House of Fourteen.”
He bowed slightly. “I hope so.”
Chapter Six
The Pacific Ocean and the tourists striding down the boardwalk in Santa Monica were overshadowed by John’s disbelief as he stared up at the House of Fourteen. “That’s it?” he said, staring at the two-story shop.
They stood in front of a single black door with a hand-painted sign that read: “Closed.” Around the door was a black-and-red-checkered frame, and above it, there was a neon sign that said Palm Readings.
The building, which was narrow and seemingly connected to the ones around it, had one window on the second story, where a set of paisley drapes hung, with various shadows moving behind it.
“There’s more to it than meets the eye,” Liv explained. Plato was beside her, and Pickles was on the other side of John.
“Kind of like the expansion and renovations you did on the shop and your apartment, I’m guessing.”
Liv shook her head. “The magic used on the House is way beyond anything I’ve done to those places. You’ll just have to see what I mean.”
He waved her toward the unpromising door. “After you, then.”
“John, you can’t simply follow me through,” Liv stated. “The House has to grant you entry.”
He scratched his head. “How is it going to do that?”
“It’s a Palm Reading place, so let it read your palm.” Liv stepped up and pressed her hand to the front of the door, right under the sign that read Closed. A moment later, the golden handle glowed faintly and the door clicked open, sending a strange musty smell through the air. Liv pushed the door open, then stepped into the blackness. “Just do as I did, and you should be fine. This door will automatically shut behind me. I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.”
He gave her a shaky smile as the door closed.
Plato appeared beside her as she stood in the entryway, looking at the door with anticipation.
“I can’t believe John is about to enter the House of Fourteen,” Liv said, her voice vibrating with excitement. “It’s like all my worlds are colliding, and it’s amazing and terrifying.”
“Mostly terrifying, though, right?” Plato asked.
Liv lowered her chin and scowled at the cat. “Yes, but you shouldn’t really have to ask that since you’re in my head, you creepy, mysterious animal.”
She let out a deep breath, watching the door intently. “It’s just so amazing that John ended up being a Mortal Seven. I mean, what are the odds that the person I met the day after my parents died, right after I met you…” Liv’s words trailed away as she put everything together. “Wait. Plato, did you orchestrate this whole thing?”
“I have no idea what you mean,” he said innocently as he licked his paw.
“You already told me that my parents asked you to watch over me if anything ever happened to them. That’s why you showed up when you did, which was already odd. But how did I randomly end up at John’s shop, who would later turn out to be a Mortal Seven? And since then, I’ve learned from Papa Creola, who is about as forthcoming with information as you, that my magic is stronger because I’m constantly around one of the Mortal Seven.”
“Yeah, that is strange,” Plato said casually. “I have no idea why Papa Creola is so secretive. I’d be suspicious of him if I were you.”
Liv stuck her hand on her hip. “You’re avoiding my speculations.”
“Am I?” he asked coyly.
“Plato,” she said, drawing out his name.
He avoided her gaze, which was seeking to burn a hole in him. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he relented a little. “Okay, fine. I might have encouraged you in John’s direction.”
“Because you knew he was a Mortal Seven?” Liv asked.
“I wasn’t sure, but I had an inkling.”
“And you knew that being around him would help my magic?”
“Again, I wasn’t sure, but I thought it was a possibility,” he answered.
Liv didn’t say anything in reply, only continued to stare at the lynx, knowing that silence was a powerful negotiation technique.
“Fine, your parents told me to watch out for you. I knew being around a Mortal Seven would be good for you,” he stated reluctantly.
“Because they also create balance for magicians,” Liv guessed.
Plato nodded.
“If you found John, who is a Mortal Seven, then can you help me find the other ones?” Liv asked, hope rising in her voice.
He shrugged. “I used a ton of magic to locate John, and I wasn’t even certain until recently that it had been successful. I’m afraid doing that again would cost me greatly.”
“Like one of your nine thousand lives?” Liv joked.
Plato’s face turned suddenly serious.
Liv tensed, not sure why the lynx seemed more stressed lately and was not as amused by her jokes as usual. “Is this business with John the other secret you were going to reveal to me?”
Plato averted his eyes. “No, and I’m not quite ready to venture down that road.”
“Because I’ll be livid?” she asked.
He shook his head and then seem to change his mind. “No, and maybe. It’s hard to know. In all honesty, I think you’ll be hurt.”
Liv’s mouth popped open. “So, when are you going to tell me this secret?”
“At the last possible moment,” Plato said just as the front door opened and John and Pickles stepped through.
“There you are,” Liv said, bounding forward and hugging John as if it had been years and not minutes since she had last seen him.
Absentmindedly, he wrapped his arms around her, distracted by the entryway. “This isn’t like how you described it.”
Liv pulled away and glanced around, noticing the entryway properly for the first time. It was brighter than usual. Bigger. And there were sparkles floating around them. “Actually, it’s different than it was before.”
“It is?” John asked. “I wonder why?”
“Well, the House of Fourteen changes depending on who is in it and what’s going on in the magical world,” Liv explained. “I’m certain it looks different because you’re here.”
John turned in a complete circle, taking in all the details. “It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
Liv smiled. “It is beautiful. More so than usual.” She pointed at the long hallway. “What does that area look like to you?”
He glanced at her like this was a trick question. “I’m guessing the same as it looks to you. It’s a long, majestic, arched hallway, painted gold with statues.”
Liv nodded, striding toward the area covered in the Founders’ language. “I guess it is the same. I wonder if you’ll be able to read the ancient symbols.”
“Symbols?” John asked. “What symbols?”
Liv touched them, and they danced to life as usual. Their message was the same as before: Stop the One and You’ll Free Us All.
She turned to John with an expectant expression. “You saw that, right?”
He shook his head. “No, what should I have seen?”
“Well, there’s this language of symbols the founders created. When I touc
h it, the message dances around.”
“That’s neat, but no, I don’t see anything. Just shimmering gold.” John looked up, admiring the intricate details overhead. “But you did say it was the language of the founders, right?”
Liv nodded, putting it all together. “And the Mortal Seven weren’t a part of the original House. They were invited in after the fact.”
“So I wouldn’t be able to see the symbols or read them,” John guessed.
Liv led him to the far end. “Well, if you can’t see the ancient language, I’m guessing you can’t see that.” She pointed at the Black Void, which was brighter than the last time. The spiraling mass seemed to have grown bigger, now taking up most of the space between the Chamber of the Tree and the door to the residential part of the House.
John actually laughed. “How could I not see that? It’s huge.”
Liv did a double-take, glancing between the Black Void and John. “Are you serious? You can actually see it?”
“Well, yeah.” He took a step back, pulling her with him. “But something tells me to stay away, like it’s full of evil. It feels like we’re standing on the edge of the pit to hell.”
Liv nodded. “That’s exactly the feeling I get. I wonder why you can see it? No one else can.” Then something connected in her mind, and she gasped in realization. “I wonder if I can see it because of you? Kind of like how you make my magic stronger. I’m the only one I know who can see it, and I’m the only one constantly around a Mortal Seven. Maybe there’s something about you that illuminates the evil?”
“Well, you did say the Mortal Seven brought balance to the House,” John stated.
Liv nodded. “I guess we will have to see how things change once the others are around you.”
John laughed at that. “I never thought I’d be illuminating anything for anyone, especially a group of powerful magicians.”
Liv pointed at the Door of Reflection. “In just a moment, you’re going to have to step through there. It’s going to be a very strange process for you. I know it looks like a mirror, but it’s not.”
