Still in something of a daze, Amanda walked around the table, making her way past the assembled Magi who talked in small groups, nodding to those who acknowledged her as she passed. She soon approached Trevelyan in his tunic, belted at the waist to look very much like the mystic wizard he was. He stood talking with the suave looking Harry Fleming in his tailored suit. Beside him a young woman with a neutral but clearly alert expression on her face glanced up at Amanda, she wore a fitted black cat suit adorned with belts, holsters, guns and pouches, looking very much like some kind of special forces agent, or maybe the Avengers own Black Widow.
‘Amanda,’ Trevelyan said, turning to address her as she approached, ‘well done, you handled yourself very well during that.’
‘It doesn’t feel like we discussed much really,’ she said.
‘But of course, they merely wanted to see you for themselves to be sure of the truth of it all, the real discussions will happen with only the council and will be private affairs.’
‘Aaah, I see,’ she said. With a brief pause for thought, she wondered what they all thought of her and what they would discuss. No doubt if it became relevant to her, she felt sure that Trevelyan would be in touch. So she looked up and smiled at Harry. ‘Lovely to see you again Harry,’ she said, offering her hand.
‘And you Amanda. This is Rebecca,’ he said, indicating the woman stood beside him.
‘Hi,’ Amanda said.
She nodded back at Amanda but didn’t offer her hand.
‘Interesting situation you find yourself in,’ Harry said.
‘You’re not kidding,’ Amanda replied. ‘I didn’t ask for any of this and there are times when I feel like I’m drowning in it, so I’m just going with the flow and keeping my head above water if you see what I mean?’
‘Sure, something like this has to feel totally overwhelming, especially when it’s launched upon you without your consent,’ Harry said.
‘You’re not wrong,’ Amanda smiled back.
‘You met Shaitan recently did you not?’ Trevelyan said out of nowhere.
Amanda turned to look at him, a little surprised by the shift in conversation. ‘Um, yes, I did.’
‘Harry here is hunting for the Libre Nox Noctis, the rather well-known book that Shaitan wrote.’
‘You met Shaitan?’ Harry asked.
‘That’s right, in Los Angeles. He was terrorising some of the Covens there and I went in to sort it out.’
‘And rightly so too, you did the right thing there,’ Trevelyan said. Amanda glanced at Trevelyan then, noting his support of her actions in L.A. which ran contrary to Forrest’s opinion. Did he hear their conversation a moment ago from across the table and now wanted to show his support?
‘And did you manage it?’ Harry asked.
‘I did. It wasn’t without some loss of life, but Shaitan won’t be causing any more issues in that city for the foreseeable.’
‘Then that’s a success, well done.’
‘Agreed,’ Trevelyan said, smiling at them.
The doubt that Forrest had planted in her mind felt swept away by the words of support that Harry and Trevelyan had just expressed, and Amanda started to feel much better about herself once more.
‘Do you know where he went?’ Harry asked.
‘Not for certain, but the Magus Nefertiti took him and said she would watch over him, so maybe Egypt?’
‘Thank you, that’s helpful,’ Harry said, and nodded to Rebecca. If you don’t mind, we have a few urgent matters to attend to, good day to you both,’ Harry said and gave each of their hands a brief shake before walking off with Rebecca, who gave them a curt nod as she departed.
‘Here, let me walk you out,’ Trevelyan said and led her down the steps and off the raised dais to the floor of the council chamber.
‘Thank you, Trevelyan, you have been a great support to me,’ Amanda said.
‘My pleasure, and don’t let the words of a few people cause you to get downhearted, you have only ever tried to do what’s right, anyone can see that.’
Amanda smiled back at him. ‘I guess these markers, this tattoo and my Aura etcetera all only serve to confirm the belief you already had about me being the subject of the Prophecy.’
‘You are correct Amanda,’ he said.
‘I don’t have all the markers though do I?’
‘No, that’s true, you don’t… yet.’
Amanda smiled. She appreciated that Trevelyan didn’t proceed to go into a long talk about his opinion and his belief in her. After her last visit here, where he had revealed his belief in her, he clearly knew to keep these opinions to himself now, knowing that they made her uncomfortable.
She really appreciated that.
- Near Amarillo, Texas.
‘It’s all god damned bullshit if you ask me. Someone’s having us all for fools, I’m sure of it. Chosen one my ass!’
‘So you don’t believe it?’ Saxon asked.
Forrest looked up at Saxon, his right-hand man in the coven who worked with Forrest as his second in command. ‘Yeh damned right I don’t.’
‘But you followed the plan and removed the complaint?’
Forrest sat back in his chair, a feeling of defeat filling him up. ‘Yeah, I did. Now all we gotta do is wait and see how this plays out.’
Absence
New York
Jan 12th
‘Where were you?’ Amanda asked as she filled up the kettle with water from the tap. It was a mundane thing, sure. She could just conjure up some drinks if she wanted, but sometimes the process of making a coffee, even an instant, was a little therapeutic. She didn’t look at Maria as she talked, preferring to look out of the window and into the garden beyond.
‘I was away. Sorry, I didn’t know you needed me around. You know I can’t be with you all the time,’ Maria said from behind her.
‘I know that, but I did try contacting you to say that some support would be grand,’ Amanda said.
‘And sometimes I won’t get those messages right away. Again, I apologise. But you seem okay to me.’
‘I am, everything went smoothly, from what I can tell.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’ Maria asked.
‘Sorry, I know I’m being selfish. I just need you there from time to time so I do.’
‘And so do my other lovers Amanda, you know this, I can’t spend all my time with you.’
Amanda nodded. She had always known that Maria had other lovers and it had been a condition of them getting together that their relationship be an open one, where each was free to be with anyone else they chose to be with. Today was the first time that this arrangement bothered her.
After all, Maria had been away a couple of times during their short relationship already and had been quite open about where she had been and what she had been doing. But today felt a little different. Maybe because the Council meeting felt like such a huge thing and because Maria had served on the Council before and knew how these things went, meaning that having her there would have helped to calm her nerves and given her someone to speak to and ask questions of, if she needed too.
But Maria had been gone and the last minute meeting meant that she had no idea that this had happened to Amanda.
‘Was it anyone I know?’ Amanda asked.
‘That’s not important, and, why ask that? You’ve never asked before.’
‘I don’t know, it doesn’t make any difference I suppose.’
‘No, it doesn’t.’
Amanda heard Maria approach her, and let her come, still facing away from her lover. Maria pressed into her back and wrapped her arms around her. Maria’s touch felt good, she enjoyed the warmth of her body next to hers.
‘It sounds like it was an important and difficult meeting, I am sorry that I missed it.’
Amanda turned to face Maria and smiled. ‘Thank you. I appreciate it. The meeting was fine. There were a few tough moments, but everything went well really.
‘That’s good. I’m proud
of you Mandy. We believe in you, you know. When will you start to believe that you really are the chosen one written of in the Prophecy?’
‘I don’t know, I really don’t.’
‘Well I believe in you, Gentle Water does, so does Trevelyan and Liz. We all do.’
‘Then you also know that these things can change and what might be true today might not be tomorrow, we are dealing with a very fluid concept here.’
‘True, but I know for a fact that we will all be there for you, no matter what happens.’
Amanda hugged Maria tight. She loved her, of that she was sure, but she had yet to take advantage of their open relationship, and it did occur to her that maybe this could be the issue. Maybe she was feeling a little left out that Maria would go off to be with one of her other lovers leaving her feeling somewhat unfulfilled and alone.
Maybe if she had someone else she could turn too, then maybe the next time Maria went to see someone else, Amanda could do the same.
She’d have to have a think about it, and if she did decide to do this, she would need to find the right person to be with.
‘Are we okay now?’ Maria asked.
‘I think so yes,’ Amanda answered as they pulled apart so they could talk.
‘I mean it you know, I am sorry that you felt bad, but you went into this relationship with me knowing what you were getting into didn’t you?’
Amanda nodded, avoiding looking into Maria's eyes.
‘Good, so why don’t you get out there, be adventurous, try a few new things, and have some fun?’ Maria encouraged.
Amanda smiled and looked back up at Maria. ‘You think?’
‘Hell yeah, go for it. You’re still young with your whole life ahead of you. Just start to believe in yourself a little more, have some confidence and live your life.’
‘I… I can try,’ Amanda mumbled.
‘Do, or do not, there is no try!’
Amanda burst out laughing at Maria’s reference to Star Wars.
‘I mean it,’ Maria said. ‘It makes even more sense as a Magus. We have so many people wanting to kill us that it seems stupid to me that so few of us really get out there and live our lives. There’s so much to sample, so much to see and do, so many people to meet, and when you could be killed by a vengeful Nomad tomorrow, today is so much more precious, right?’
‘Right,’ Amanda said, feeling filled up with confidence and a need to live her life. Maria was right after all. Some psychotic Nomad from hell could turn up tomorrow and kill her, so why wait. Why be so filled with self-doubt and miss out on all that life has to offer. If Maria can have other lovers, then she can too.
To Assunta
Make haste and report back to me in the Vatican. We have a new assignment for you that needs your full attention. Thank you for all your efforts in New York, your hard work and dedication to the cause has been noted.
May God go with you.
High Inquisitor Damask.
Deal with the Devil
Nowhere
Jan 12th
Alicia strode after Yasmin along the corridor, the heels she had created on her feet clicking satisfactorily on the floor as they walked.
The Magical control over darkness that the Abyssal Lamprey inside her bestowed upon her allowed her to clad herself in pure featureless darkness from the neck down, a look that had the effect of mirroring her Mistress’s preferred mode of dress. Something she felt sure had not passed Yasmin by.
After the hard lessons that Yasmin had taught her, the new sense of freedom she now had felt great. She was free to live her new life finally and to see what she could do with the powers that the Lamprey had given her. She felt determined to make herself useful to her Mistress, to prove her worth to her, not least because she knew what happened to those who did not, although that was not the primary reason. Pleasing Yasmin was what made her happy, it gave her life meaning and as she had come to realise that her position as a new kind of Scion put her above the mortal masses of humanity, her whole perspective on life changed.
The best analogy she could think of was that even as a Christian she didn’t think twice about killing Ants. During the summer months, they were a real problem around the classroom she had once taught in. There always seemed to be an Ants nest nearby and she hated to come to her classroom to find a swarm of Ants there, with the flying ones being the worst.
She’d always end up standing on some of them as she went inside, boiled a kettle and proceeded to pour boiling water over the mass of crawling insects. They surely died in agony, but she didn’t think twice about this mass murder of a lower creature. Instead, she got on with her day and thought nothing of it.
Yasmin taught her that as a Magus or Scion, they were so far above the mass of humanity that they might as well be Ants to them. Ants could be annoying and get in the way, and while a few individual ones might bite you, they never really did any lasting harm. However, if you were swarmed by the deadly ones, they could potentially kill you, but that only happened if you went looking for trouble.
Humanity was the same, annoyances that were of little consequences to the day to day lives of most Magi. They could hurt you, but as long as you didn’t go looking for trouble, they weren’t really a threat, and killing them should mean nothing to a Magus or Scion.
There were times when she struggled with that viewpoint, but it was still early days she reasoned, these things took time.
They walked through Yasmin’s Sepulchre, her home, and followed her into a large Giger-esque room that looked like the inside of some kind of alien stomach with its ribbed structure and pulsating fleshy walls.
Stood ahead of her in the center of the room, Alicia could make out Kez, Yasmin’s most beloved, Nate, her apprentice and Sybil, Yasmin’s Oracle.
They waited patiently in silence as Yasmin approached them, and gave a respectful nod of the head to her as she came to stand before them.
‘Any news?’ Yasmin asked.
‘Nothing much. As predicted Angel eventually returned to Milan and her businesses there. We’ll keep an eye on her,’ Nate said.
‘That’s fine, she’s not important at the moment, she played her part, we don’t need her for what’s to come and I can deal with her later should she become a problem.’
‘We have no further information on the whereabouts of the Lazarus Scroll or the Libre Nox Noctis I’m afraid,’ Kez said.
Yasmin nodded. ‘I believe the last person to have the Scroll was Amanda, I have plans to make inroads there so that hopefully I can find out more.’
‘Might we not just take what we want from her?’ Nate asked.
‘Amanda is my concern, and mine alone. I will deal with her in my own way,’ Yasmin barked, annoyance seeping through her answer.
‘Of course, my Baal,’ Nate said, lowering his gaze.
Yasmin had some kind of special relationship with Amanda. Alicia could not work it out, but as she had no information to go on, that wasn’t really surprising. It seemed like Nate and the others were equally in the dark about Amanda and Yasmin as she was, even though they had been a part of Yasmin’s Coven for decades at least.
‘Speaking of Amanda, Nymira seems to be on the move again. We don’t have much information, but she is disappearing from Haiti for days at a time. Is she hunting Amanda as revenge for killing Lucian?’ Kez asked.
Yasmin pressed her lips together in thought Alicia noticed.
‘Perhaps. Keep an eye on that for me will you?’ Yasmin asked.
Kez nodded.
‘I have an errand to run in Japan, you two will be joining me and Alicia,’ she said, indicating Kez and Nate. They nodded their assent, and with a sudden and powerful flare of Magic, the scene shifted, accompanied with the now familiar feeling of dislocation before the flash of light in her eyes faded and she felt solid ground beneath her feet again.
They had appeared in a good sized, and lavishly appointed room with a strong oriental style to it. Alicia looked about her in wonder at the d
eep mahogany furnishings and all the attractive ornaments placed with care about the room to guide and channel chi in line with the rules of Feng Shui.
Movement caught her eye suddenly and she saw a man in a black suit walk past the open door to this room. He glanced inside and stopped in surprise upon seeing Alicia and her three companions.
‘Hoi!’ he exclaimed and had been about to shout and make a fuss.
With a thought, Alicia created black tendrils from the shadows just this side of the doorway that shot out of the darkness and wrapped around the security guard, including his face and mouth, keeping him from making further noise. The tentacles deftly lifted the man off his feet and brought him into the room, only to pull him into the shadows, where he disappeared.
Alicia knew that the man had exited the darkness in the deep pacific ocean, which probably crushed him to death in an instant with the huge pressures down there, but she didn’t tell anyone that.
‘Thank you, Alicia,’ Yasmin said. As she nodded to Yasmin in acknowledgement, Alicia felt the Magic flare up around Yasmin again, but in a much smaller and lighter form. Alicia couldn’t see Magic like she knew Yasmin could, but she could feel it, sense it and because of that, prepare for it.
Yasmin had also told her that she possessed a natural Aegis, a Magical Shield that would help protect her from Magical attack. She hadn’t used it yet, but it felt good to know it was there.
Moments later, another man neared the doorway, and this one she could sense way before he reached the room. He was a Magus.
‘I will deal with this,’ Yasmin warned.
Infinities' Edge Page 9
