by Crook, Amy
“I’m sorry this is affecting you,” said Thomas with puppyish sincerity.
Julian shot him a grateful smile. “Thanks. It’s hard to stay grumpy about it with all you guys helping, though.”
“You don’t really want to stay grumpy, anyway,” said Alex, wrapping an arm around Julian’s waist. “I’m the infamous grouch, not you.”
“You’re our little ray of sunshine,” said Geoff, coming up behind Smedley. “Alex is our gloomy raincloud. Don’t confuse us by trading roles, it’s unkind.”
Julian snickered. “Yes, Doctor,” he said all singsong. “My shoulder’s almost better, by the way.”
“Good,” said Geoff. “You had excellent care.” He paused, then asked plaintively, “Now, why are we all standing here instead of eating?”
“You’re waiting for me,” said Lapointe, emerging from her office. “The offer of assistance has been made, and they’ve got my number if they want to arrange things, though the person on the phone seemed to think it was all beneath them.”
“The Grandmaster had a pair of Guardians with him, they were nice,” said Julian. “I don’t think they thought he was really in danger, though, they stayed with me while he looked around the nursery with Mary Margaret.”
“Maybe they just thought you were in more danger,” said Smedley ominously.
Julian hmphed. “I’m only in danger of starving. Come on!” He dragged Alex, and by extension the whole group, to the elevators and down. They paused to talk to the man at the desk, who was the same one that had gotten an extra coffee the other day, and promised to bring him over a treat. His name, it turned out, was Sherman Wu, and he was really quite nice when they gave him a chance to do more than wave them through security.
“I never knew Agents were so nice,” teased Julian. “In books they’re always surly and full of deep angst about their partner who was killed or their wives that left them over the job.”
“I’d say you have terrible taste in books,” said Lapointe, “but I’ve read them, too.”
“Maybe that’s Fischer’s problem,” said Alex, trying and failing to maintain an innocent expression. “Deep angst.”
“That still doesn’t explain Armistead,” said Thomas, doing innocent much better.
They stepped out of the building wards joking and laughing, and Julian felt something strange tug at him. He turned to Alex to ask what was going on, and the world spun, and then went black.
CHAPTER 11
Everything sounded so far away to Julian, like his ears were full of water. He tried to reach up and clear them, but his body was sluggish and unresponsive. He realised his eyes were closed and opened them, then immediately snapped them shut against the bright white glare. It made him aware of the headache that pulsed in time to his heartbeat, dull waves of pain with a sharp edge that made him afraid to try moving his head. He could smell ozone and something charred, but he didn’t feel burned, just the headache that seemed to grow with each breath.
Julian could tell there were voices in the sounds echoing distantly around him, but they weren’t distinct enough for him to discern who was talking, or to whom. He swallowed and considered opening his eyes again, but the decision was taken from him as fingers pried his eyelids open one at a time. He flinched and whimpered, the sound huge and loud inside his aching head.
“I think he’s coming to,” floated into one ear, but the response was still a murmur. He became aware of being very cold, except for one hand. Not only was his hand warm, but the heat seemed to be flowing up his arm, slow as molasses. He shivered, and the warmth tingled higher, breaking up into individual streams that grew attenuated as they rushed up toward his shoulder.
The smaller streams pulled the thick mass of warmth along in their wake, and Julian thought it might not be heat at all, but life itself. He could feel, now, someone’s hand in his, and as one of those little tendrils reached his ear it popped, and he started to hear distinct voices.
“-ian, can you hear me, love?” said Alex, and it was Alex’s hand holding his. Which made the thing flowing into him magic, probably, or just love. Or possibly warmth, given how warm Alex’s body was.
Julian nodded, or hoped he did, a tiny movement that set off more pain rattling around in his skull. “Head hurts,” he whispered, the words inaudible to his ears and yet, somehow, as loud as the rushing wind inside his head. “Cold. You’re helping.”
“He’s conscious, but we have to get more magic into him,” said Geoff. “Julian, do you think you could swallow a mouthful of potion?”
Julian swallowed experimentally, and that seemed to work, though most of his body still felt distant and numb.
“I’ll do it,” said Alex, and Julian whimpered when the hand left his and the cold started creeping back.
“You keep doing what you’re doing,” scolded Geoff, and Julian cheered internally when Alex’s hand took his up again. “This is a medicinal kiss, and you’ll need your energy. You’re still all out of whack, remember?”
Julian could practically feel Alex’s petulance and he wished he could smile. He felt himself propped upright and held, and he accepted the kiss and the potion with it, swallowing the thick stuff awkwardly, though he managed not to choke. It was followed with another kiss of cool, pure water, and the combined rushes of magic tingled all the way down to Julian’s toes.
Another hand took up his left, and he felt things balancing out with a jolt. His heart felt like it skipped a beat, and then the headache began to recede like a huge wave rolling away from shore, leaving sharp debris behind it. “That sucked,” said Julian, his voice hoarse.
Alex laughed and kissed his forehead. “I just bet it did, love,” he said gently. “Someone targeted you with a rather nasty spell.”
“I thought that was really hard to do,” said Julian, his voice raspy. More water was pressed to his mouth, in a cup this time, and once he’d drunk a few more cool sips he forced himself to try opening his eyes again.
It still hurt, but not the same way it had the first time, so he blinked to clear them and looked around. He was in Geoff’s infirmary, propped in the bed against Alex, with his hands being held by Alex and Geoff both.
“It is, but it’s a lot easier if you’ve got something personal, like a lock of hair,” said Alex. “You’ve got a bit missing in back here, I didn’t notice until you fainted.”
“What were they trying to do to me?” asked Julian.
Alex kissed his mouth softly, and Julian sighed at the tingle of magic. “I’m not sure yet, your amulet did something to deflect or transmute some of it into heat and light.” He chuckled. “It didn’t hurt your skin, but your shirt’s ruined.”
“Oh, that’s what I smell,” said Julian. He relaxed back against Alex and sighed. “Damn, and I’m still hungry.”
“Fortunately for you, once Alex carried you down here, we sent the rest of them away for provisions,” said Geoff. “You can have some food as soon as I’ve checked you over for contamination.”
“And if I’m still contaminated?” asked Julian peevishly. Today had not gone well so far, and he wasn’t looking forward to more bad news.
“Then we’ll take you to the Temple for a purification after you eat,” said Alex, “instead of waiting for tomorrow.”
“Oh,” said Julian, leaning into him and closing his eyes again. “That’s all right, then.” He was still cold, even though the numbness had left, and starting to feel drowsy.
“None of that, now,” said Geoff sharply. “You need energy before sleep, young man.”
Julian sighed, but he sat up and offered Geoff his hands. “Go on, check me out so you can feed me and then I can sleep.”
“He’s a worse patient than you,” said Geoff to Alex, taking Julian’s hands. “Hm, there is still something, I can’t quite say what, though. It’s definitely tailor-made for you, though, that’s why it’s so enmeshed in your subtle body. Hm, though I think your little keep-safe charm is also doing something, maybe because you helpe
d make it?”
“I’ll call Father Stephen and arrange for us to take Julian through the purification together,” said Alex. “Their mages will be able to help him.”
“I’m right here, you know,” said Julian. He felt like something was missing, or he had too much of it, or something. Off-kilter and unhappy about it, anyway.
“I know, love, I’m sorry,” said Alex, kissing his forehead and then his mouth. “I’m going to listen to your magic while you eat, is that okay?”
Julian sighed, but he nodded. “Food now?”
“Tea and food,” said Geoff, pulling over a rolling bed tray. There were three big meals on it, and a whole pot of tea, which proved to be Geoff’s herbal restorative. They all had cups of it liberally laced with honey, and there was no talking at all for a while as Julian and his two rescuers ate to replace the energy they’d used up.
“I wish I had a sweater here,” complained Julian, sipping another cup of tea after the food had been demolished to the last bite. “I hate being cold.”
“Jones is going to stop by the house, I sent Alys a message to give him a fresh shirt for you,” said Alex, sounding worried. “It’s pretty warm in here, though.”
“I’ll get you another blanket,” said Geoff, getting up. “Your persistent body temperature issues might be related to magic use, I was thinking something like that the other day, but it’s not really my area of expertise. You should mention it to Dr. Chesterfield when Alex sees him on Thursday.” He got a fresh blanket out of a cupboard, draping it around Julian’s shoulders like a shawl. It smelled of lavender and other freshening herbs, which made something inside Julian relax.
“I will, if I’m allowed to go with him,” said Julian, leaning into Alex again and sipping more of the tea. “I don’t know where I’ll be able to go if he’s casting spells at me.”
“Well, I have good news and bad news about that,” said Alex. “I can break the connection between you and your hair so he can’t use it against you, assuming he’s got any left.”
“But?” asked Julian.
“But it means a haircut,” finished Alex. “Not all of it, but I’ll need at least one big lock of hair.”
Julian laughed, tired and relieved. “That’s fine, whatever you do my stylist can fix it,” he said, giving Alex a kiss. “I thought it was going to be something awful, you git.”
“Perhaps our vain mage thinks that would be something awful,” teased Geoff. “One more pot of tea, and you can have a little nap while we wait for Jones.”
Julian yawned on cue, burrowing more into Alex’s chest. “Nap on Alex?”
Alex laughed. “Maybe nap on me, imp,” he said, kissing Julian’s hair. “If anyone wants my opinion on something, they can come find me, but not until I’ve broken the spell connection.”
“Oh, I never did Murielle’s map,” said Julian, sleepy and worried.
“She’s bringing it by later,” promised Alex. “Fisher’s on a bit of a rampage now, and she’s keeping him away from us on the condition that we feed her later somewhere he can’t find her.”
Julian giggled and rewarded him with another kiss. “So, what happened, anyway?”
“From our perspective,” explained Alex, “you stepped out of the Agency building, turned and fainted. I caught you, and carried you down here. I’m guessing whatever it was they sent after you was kept out by the building’s wards, so it hit you as soon as you stepped out. We knew it was something magical because your shirt started to burn from the amulet’s protection.”
“Oh,” said Julian tiredly. “So not really very dramatic, then.”
“It was plenty dramatic for me,” said Geoff, coming back in with a different teapot and fresh cups on a tray. “And I’m pretty sure Alex thought it was dramatic, to have you faint in his arms.”
“Well, near my arms,” said Alex. “It would’ve been easier to catch him if he’d fainted into my arms.” He kissed Julian’s nose. “Work on that next time, will you?”
“Yes, dear.” Julian rolled his eyes, then accepted another cup of tea from Geoff. He smelled it, then took a sip, feeling a little rush of power. “You charged it?”
“It’s a special brew for magical exhaustion cases, which I got in after we has all those problems with Alex during your Courtship,” said Geoff. “I’ve used it a few times for the mages on staff.”
“What’s in it?” asked Julian curiously.
“Specially grown everything, of course,” said Geoff with a laugh. “I can find the recipe for you later, but it’s made by very talented monks in some monastery, and then I have magically-charged water to brew it with, and even a special teapot and kettle.”
“Well, thank you,” said Julian, taking another sip. “It’s wonderful.”
“It really is good,” said Alex. “It doesn’t feel like a restorative potion, more like one of those natural wellsprings.”
“That’s where the water’s from,” said Geoff. “It’s all a kit, the plants are grown near the wellspring, they even make the cups there from local clay. It’s set up so that even someone like me who’s more of a sensitive than an actual magic user can do it.”
Alex chuckled. “You’ve got talent, I could hear you helping Julian. I’m surprised you never got it trained, really.”
Geoff shrugged. “It wasn’t really enough to train, back when I was in medical school.”
“You mean the school you went didn’t think minor magic was worth cultivating,” said Alex. “I hate places like that, though you seem to have come out of it all right.”
“Maybe he can join in my lessons sometime?” said Julian, feeling more alive and alert with each sip of tea. “I mean, it’s not healing, but it’s affecting living things.”
“Given the rate you two seem to get injured,” said Geoff, “It could certainly be healing.”
Alex grinned. “We could do that, and actually, this is a good excuse to test and see if you can brew potions, too,” he said, kissing Julian’s hair. “No more avoiding it.”
Julian huffed at him. “I haven’t been avoiding it, I just don’t see what good potions will do me as a Grower.”
“Those fertilisers you were using are a potion,” said Alex.
“I hate it when you’re right,” said Julian. “But Geoff wants to do potions, too, there’s all kinds of healing potions.”
“It would be good to be able to do customised work sometimes, though I can always send out to an apothecary,” said Geoff. “Still, a few lessons here and there would be nice.”
“We can start when you come over to check up on me,” said Julian slyly.
Geoff laughed. “Now I see how he keeps up with you,” he said to Alex, shaking his head. He took Julian’s cup and refilled it. “Clever and efficient, how can I say no?”
“Just remember he’s taken,” said Alex. He gave Julian a sweet kiss, then rubbed their noses together.
“Ugh, how could I with the way you two behave?” teased Geoff. “I can feel my blood sugar spiking.”
“So, how are you getting me out of here?” asked Julian. He drank a big gulp of the tea, but he could feel sleep tugging at him, and he yawned again. “After my nap.”
“Alex will snip a lock of your hair before you nap, and use my lab to set up the spell,” said Geoff.
“Then I’ll go out front to where you fainted and annoy everyone by setting things on fire, and then Jones will park in the garage here and we’ll transfer you from the building wards to the car’s protections without going back outside,” explained Alex.
“And then to the Temple?” said Julian with a sigh.
“And then to the Temple,” said Alex. “But I’ll arrange it so you’ve got me and someone else to go before and after you, in case you feel sick again.”
“I’m not the one who bled all over the purification pool,” said Julian, poking him.
“Finish your drink,” said Geoff. “You, too,” he added, giving Alex a poke of his own. “You gave Julian a lot of energy.”
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br /> “Yes, sorry,” said Alex sheepishly, downing the rest of his tea. “Let me call Father Stephen before I have another cup.”
“Ask him about letting me work while I’m supposed to stay safe,” said Julian hopefully.
“I promise,” said Alex. He helped Julian settle back against the pillows and got up to make the call, slipping outside the room.
Julian finished his tea and handed back the cup with another, bigger yawn. “Definitely nap,” he said, poking at the buttons on the bed.
“Let me,” said Geoff. “You’re lucky Alex is so good, that spell might’ve sucked you dry before anyone noticed anything if it wasn’t for your amulet,” he said quietly, sounding concerned.
Julian nodded seriously, then spoiled it by yawning. “I am lucky, for both of you.”
Geoff grinned and started clearing up after their meal, moving the bed tray away and taking all but the charmed tea set out of the room, saying, “Sleep, we’ll keep you safe.”
“Yessir,” slurred Julian, already dropping off. He snuggled up under the extra blankets and dropped off to sleep, not even waking for Alex to take a lock of his hair. When he did wake, it was to be gently bundled into a clean shirt and sweater, and then carried, blankets and all, to the familiar warmth of Jones’ car. “Goin’ t’Temple?” he asked sleepily.
“Yes, love, you nap on the way,” said Alex. Geoff was beside them with Julian’s feet over his lap, and Murielle and Thomas were across the way looking rather grim.
“S’wrong?” asked Julian, yawning.
“Nothing you need to worry about until we’re there,” said Alex. “I promise.”
Julian sighed and relaxed, because Alex wouldn’t promise if it wasn’t true. Alex took care of him, but also didn’t try to shelter him or keep information from him. Instead he was honest about the problem, and then looked for solutions. “Loff you,” muttered Julian, sliding back into slumber.
When he woke the second time, the car was parked in an unfamiliar garage, and he and Alex were alone. “We’re in the Temple garage, Father Stephen brought us in,” said Alex. “Another of your fellow apprentices was hit with the same spell that went after you, and she’s in critical condition, so they wanted us to drive into the wards before you got out.”
