PANIX: Magician Spy

by Guy Antibes

  “No. My mother died when I was little. My father remarried much later. My stepmother and Aston—he’s older than my sister and me—kept their distance from us. Sometimes I thought we were two families under one roof. Father, Corlee, and myself and then there were Aston and Polla.” He seemed to go into that pensive mood again.

  She interrupted, “I, for one, am glad you learned so well from your father and that you kept your skills up. I admit that it takes more than magic for food to taste this good.” Lorna kept sampling the fare.

  “My father was a pretty fair magician, for a merchant. He taught us that magic is only a helper. It only enhances what we do. In cooking, I use it mostly for heating and stirring. But I will admit, I also use it for blending flavors.” Panix colored a little when he said it.

  Lorna changed the subject. “I have some bad news for both of us,” she said, not quite sure how to break her father’s decision to Panix. “I let myself drink too much at the inn, because of it. Fennel has been given your job and Father has named him to be his successor. He said he was never comfortable with all of your power.” She stared at her plate, stirring her food around.

  Panix just nodded. He ate a bite or two just thinking. “It’s a little funny that I leave right after I’ve given him a plan to keep the plant in full production for years to come. And Fennel. I’ll bet he’s been poisoning Foald against me for quite some time.” Panix rose and walked to the window, looking outside. “You know, I don’t know if this isn’t a blessing.”

  Panix sat back in his chair looking at the ceiling. “It looks like I have too much talent and you don’t have enough, to suit your father.” Half of a smile crossed his face and he turned to her. “At least I don’t have to worry about my next job. I guess I’m doing it. If you will excuse me.”

  Lorna saw him walk out the door. If body language meant anything, her news was quite a blow to her former rival. Now they were bound by mutual disappointment. Her tantrum from the day before seemed so out of place now. It seemed that she handled her disappointment a bit differently from Panix. She looked down at her food and realized that Panix really was a good cook. That was one redeeming quality. The cottage shook for a moment. She heard the plates clatter in the kitchen. It stopped as suddenly as it started. She remembered her father’s words about the administration building shaking. If he used magic to calm down, she would hate to see him get really upset.

  As much as she thought it would be appropriate to lose her appetite, she really hadn’t. When she finished a second helping of the fruit compote, Panix walked in. Taking a deep breath, he sat down in front of the cooling food. He looked at the platter and the food started to steam.

  “Normally, I don’t like to heat food up, but this kind of breakfast is better eaten hot.” He sighed again and then began to concentrate on his food.

  “I think for our next step we should try to get the big picture of what’s going on down here. The Palace is getting anecdotal evidence. Before we left, I checked, and no one is recording all of the incidents,” Lorna said as she picked up a small chunk of steak with her fingers and popped it in her mouth.

  “Good thinking. Had I been better at this, I might have done the same thing. Is there a central constabulary down here?”

  Well, a compliment from the man and quite unexpected. “Not really. Verva Lettec runs the forts. He reports directly to the Palace in Pent City. There is no regional police force. Each village and district operates their own law enforcement.” Lorna tidied up her mouth with her napkin and resolved not to eat any more food.

  Panix shook his head and pulled out a map. “How far away are we from Riverwood? Since that’s the biggest town, they might be keeping some records on some of these robberies.” He pushed the map over to her.

  “It’s half a day’s ride through Mardon Fannok’s property.” Lorna traced the route with her finger. “He’s the local squire.”

  “We can go to the town, visit Squire Fannok, and still be back here tonight. By the way, I feel better about your father’s decision. I hope you will too. I guess I’m not too comfortable with forced changes of circumstance, but I think we both should make the best of it.” Panix rose and began to clear the dishes.

  Lorna just nodded. For some reason it was still hard for her to accept anything he said, but it was time to get on with her life on her own terms rather than constantly struggling with her father in a futile attempt to run the firm. Panix was right about making the best of it.

  She thought she had, but evidently she wasn’t quite in control of her feelings regardless of her previous rationalizations. Lorna would work with Panix day to day and leave all of the unpleasantness in Pent City aside until they returned.

  ~~~

  Chapter 13

  The pair sat outside the Riverwood constabulary for half an hour waiting for the chief constable to finish his midday meal somewhere else. Panix brought out packets of the remainder of their breakfast, heated them up with his talent and handed one over to Lorna.

  He looked over at Lorna and could see her enjoying the leftovers. Perhaps the way to a woman’s heart was through her stomach, but he discounted the idea since it hadn’t worked with Merra.

  The town consisted mostly of wooden buildings. Many had river rock foundations, but the constabulary was one of two brick buildings. Panix could sense the magic construction, so it would be difficult for an inmate to escape from the cells inside the building. Raised covered walkways extended from the front of every building, keeping pedestrians from struggling in the muddy, animal-fouled roadway.

  An approaching steamcar slithered around the street and parked in front of the constabulary. Great globs of mud caked the large wide wheels. Panix rose as the chief constable walked up the steps to his office. “I’m Panix Gavid and this is Lorna Baltac.”

  Lorna gave the man their authorization document from the Marquessa. Panix looked at the new steamcar. There weren’t that many outside of Pent City.

  “You like it? Maybe you can buy it off of me. That darn thing doesn’t like the mud, that’s for sure.”

  The chief constable straightened up after reading their papers. He watched Panix admiring his steamcar. “A contribution to the constabulary from Mardon Fannok.” He gave them a little bow and said, “Anything I can do for the Marquessa. Come in.” He unlocked the door and walked in.

  The chief constable sat on an upholstered office chair. Panix and Lorna were left to sit on two uncomfortable wooden stools. The constabulary walls consisted of exposed red brick, making the inside dark and dreary. The chief constable lit a lamp. Panix resisted enhancing the light with his magic.

  “Are you related to the Baltac who owns the metal factory? That’s where my brother worked before his wife dragged him back here.”

  Lorna merely nodded her head, and then said, “We’d like to know if anyone is keeping records on the bandits.”

  “We are starting to call them insurgents because the Squire has asked us to call them that. He says they’re common folk, not too happy with how the Marquessa is ignoring the south.”

  “Do you feel you’re being ignored by Pent City?” Lorna asked. She looked at Panix, who kept silent, concentrating on the constable.

  “No. Nothing different. We don’t bother the capital and it doesn’t bother us. But there are doubts around here. People are getting worried.”

  “Worried about what? The only thing we’ve noticed is that the people we’ve come into contact with are concerned about the bandits,” Lorna said.

  “Are you keeping records?” Panix said quietly.

  “No. The Squire said ‘don’t bother’. No one else is.” The chief constable shrugged his shoulders, but he turned red. The questioning made him uncomfortable.

  “As you are undoubtedly aware, you report to Pent City and not the Squire. This document clearly states that the Marquessa would appreciate you assembling whatever incident reports you can about robberies in your area. We will be back in a couple of days to pick the re
ports up. Even if you have to recreate them,” Lorna said.

  “But the Squire—”

  Panix held up his hand, “—does not pay your wage, sir. I’ll remind you again that the Marquessa does. The Marquessa can reward or punish her employees as she sees fit.”

  The constable nodded as his shoulders drooped, not happy about the request. “Your reports will be ready.”

  Panix got up and looked at Lorna, expecting her to close their interview.

  “Thank you.” Lorna extended her hand to the chief constable as a man would. They all shook hands and the pair left.

  “Good job, Lorna,” Panix said after they were on their way out of town. “The constable was lying until we pressed him. Obviously, he’s been bribed by Fannok. I would be surprised if the Marquessa approved of the chief constable receiving an expensive steamcar from a local noble,”

  “But why?” Lorna turned her head towards Panix.

  “We’re here to find out, aren’t we?” He flashed her a smile. “If Fannok made the chief constable call the attacks an insurgency, he’s got to be involved somehow.” Panix thought about their upcoming meeting with the local lord. “We’ll have to be sharp when we talk to Fannok.”

  ~

  Mardon Fannok’s outer buildings were built of wood painted the same color as the yellow brick of the manor house itself. The grounds were a bit shabby by Panix’s standards. He noticed that Fannok had no magician tending them.

  The place reminded Panix of White Water in Helvanna. Mild dishevelement. He smiled and memories of his father’s picture, with him standing by the float coach, popped into his mind. Panix could see Fannoc’s sheep grazing in the distance. His father would know what kind of quality wool Mardon produced. He felt the chronic loss of his father’s companionship. Merra and Father. Could he ever get them out of his mind? Not that he wanted to. He just craved for perspective.

  Lorna certainly missed her mother, but it didn’t seem like it ruled her life like his father’s death. Obsession. That was it, he longed for his two personal tragedies to recede from obsession.

  After tying their horses to hitching posts at the front of the house, they walked up to the door and made good use of the massive heavy knocker. Panix thought that there still were some valid uses for heavy iron rather than Baltac’s alloy. A servant answered the door.

  “We’d like to see Squire Fannok on the Marquessa’s business,” Lorna said.

  Fannok was close as the servant was gone for only a few seconds before the Squire appeared. Lorna produced their authorization.

  “Come in.” Fannok turned and Panix let Lorna go before him. He led them to a pleasant room warmed at present by brief periods of sunshine. All the chairs were upholstered in grayish-green velvet. “Now what is it you want?”

  Lorna presented him with much the same information as they gave the chief constable. Panix sat back and observed.

  “I think the bandits are insurgents. There are a lot of people down here who aren’t happy about the Marquessa’s neglect of her southern flank.”

  “I talked to the victims of a robbery a few days ago. They noticed Bentonnian and Murgontian accents among the men. That doesn’t sound like a homegrown revolution to me.” Panix said, breaking his silence. He waited for the squire to reply.

  Mardon took his time and shook his head slowly. “You know, these movements attract all kinds of people. Freedom fighters. That’s what they are—fighting for freedom in the south.”

  “It sounds like you sympathize with these people,” Lorna said. “I’d think you wouldn’t want freedom fighters roaming around your estates. Men like that don’t historically respect the property of the nobility. At least that’s what I learned.”

  “Oh, I agree,” Fannok said. Panix noticed tiny droplets of sweat popping out on Fannok’s forehead along with the man blinking more rapidly. “It’s just that these movements can take a life of their own. I’ve told the chief constable to keep track of these people. He’s doing the best he can.”

  Panix pitched in because of Lorna’s alarmed look. “Have you seen a blond man? In middle age, fit, longish hair. I think he goes by the name Soy. We think he may be leading the bandits,” Panix said.

  “No. I don’t know why the leader would be showing his face around here.”

  “We’ve asked for reports from the Riverwood Constabulary to present to the Marquessa.” Panix got out of the chair. “We’ve already taken too much of your time.”

  “If I get information, where can I contact you?”

  “The Baltac cottage,” Lorna said.

  “Oh. You must be Foald’s daughter. You’ve grown up since we last met. You won’t remember, but you and your steward visited me a few times on your rides.”

  “I remember. It’s been five years or more. Your wife would give us cake and lemonade.”

  Mardon paused. “My wife left me some time ago and went to the capital. I haven’t bought a lemon since.” Panix could identify with the wistfulness of his demeanor.

  “I’m sorry. We do have to leave,” Lorna said as she started out of the room.

  Outside and mounted on their horses, the two rode off towards the cottage. “I wish you hadn’t told him where we were staying.” Panix chided Lorna as soon as they were out of earshot. “Mardon was lying most of the time.”

  “I know. I nearly…” She paused. “It showed didn’t it?”

  Panix nodded. “That’s why I had to barge in and get us out of there. You know, I had a martial arts tutor at the Morven Academy who was an ex-KII operative. He taught me to read people as they talk, as Mardon lied, his eyes blinked more often and I’m sure you noticed the sweat. It wasn’t just his misleading us about the constable, he lied about not knowing Soy and about the insurgents. The differences were stark between his lying and the truth about your visits and his wife.”

  “Do you think he might be involved?”

  Panix grimaced, “I know he is and now he knows where we’re staying. Some magicians can set magic guards around military camps. I wasn’t trained to do that, but I’m going to figure something out. We’re going to have to treat the cottage like a castle from now on or move to an inn at Riverwood.”

  ~

  “Just exactly where is this Baltac cottage?” Sovad asked.

  “About four leagues directly north of the caves. Here.” Mardon made a mark on the map with his quill. Sovad wasn’t happy that the fool had marked up his map. “Do you know them?”

  “Oh yes. I know both of them. This Panix fellow is a powerful magician. Very smart, very capable. He probably knows you lied to him and that we will be showing up soon.”

  “I didn’t tell him anything.”

  “There is telling, which I am sure you didn’t do, and there is showing. I am nearly certain you showed him you were lying and they will be prepared.” Sovad folded up his map and put it in his pouch.

  “You have enough men to take care of them, don’t you?”

  “I’ll tell you what Mardon, I asked you for ten more men and you recruited two. I’ve had to spend some time getting more, but I have enough. Leave Master Gavid and Mistress Baltac to me.”

  He paid a high price for that information, Sovad thought. With Panix now warned, Sovad didn’t underestimate Panix’s ability to see through Mardon and prepare for a visit. He had no idea what kind of talent Panix possessed. Some magicians could be formidable in a fight, others not so much. Sovad knew Panix had tremendous potential, but did he have the sense to prepare for a war?

  The spy’s own magical talents were modest. At the Murgontian School for Assassins, he found he could cultivate a special talent to perceive others’ intent. Sovad could read most people like a book. It wasn’t exactly mind reading, but a feeling inside. Panix had never told him a lie and he measured every word, never revealing much.

  Sovad thought back to the Assassin school. It was the only place he knew that actually encouraged the use of magic. Even then, the students’ biases kept many from even trying. He
invented the glass garrote all Assassins carried as a standard weapon. The innovation only earned him disdain and derision from his instructors and classmates. Did he harbor any resentment? No. Sovad had long discarded such thoughts. His desire to learn and be the best assassin Murgontia had ever produced overcame any possible aversion to the magical arts.

  ~

  Panix felt uneasy with Lorna’s eyes on him, as he made sure all of the shutters were bonded shut. Her offhand comment to Mardon Fannok had forced him to do things to prepare the house he had never done before. At this point all he wanted was to make it through their South Pent expedition. He wondered if they shouldn’t leave now. They had enough information to show that the insurgency was a fake. But why? Who was behind it? The why and who pushed him to continue on.

  It had been years since Panix practiced the self-defense skills Moshin taught him. This was the first time he was really afraid since those dark days at the Academy, when the Junior Fellows were after him.

  Stone and slate made up most of the building materials of the house. Panix felt that if he could eliminate any combustion, they would be safe. Lorna started a fire at his request in the fireplace. He sat before it and thought out how he would extinguish the fire. His eyes closed as he put his head in his hands and sensed the fire. What makes it burn? He thought. Air, heat, fuel. Those are the elements.

  He thought about how he created a light. For those he made air fizz. At least that’s how he thought of it. He excited the air and it made light. He concentrated on a small spot and observed how the air itself fed the light. Fire acted differently.

  He concentrated on blocking the air going into the flame by creating an absence of movement in the air, trying to do the opposite of what he did for the air lights. The flame flickered, and then died. The fire snuffed out. He could keep that air barrier in place for at least a few hours. That would give the fuel enough time to cool down so the fire wouldn’t start up again.