by Crook, Amy
“You deserved it,” said Brianna tartly. “I’ve got this, go on. And you two, too, get back to work.” She demonstrated by bending to her own task, and her three workers followed suit.
James came over and they explained, and he, too, looked dubious. “You’ve got your amulet?” asked James.
“I do, and here,” said Julian. He whistled, and Horace launched himself off the bench where he’d been basking and flew over to rest on Julian’s shoulder. “Now I’ve got extra protection.”
They followed poor, nervous Genevieve through the Temple to the unassuming delivery area, where they apparently took in everything from foodstuffs to rare magic items, if the labels were to be believed. Genevieve gestured toward a delivery man waiting by the open doorway, his cap pulled low against the bright sun streaming in.
“That’s him, make sure I can check in whatever he’s brought if it’s not personal, please?” she was being called over by an older priest, and she hurried off without bothering got get an answer, her confidence back now that she was in her own territory.
“All right, let’s see what he’s got for us,” said Julian, taking a step forward.
“Wait,” said Jacques, stepping in front of him. “I don’t like this.”
“Something’s off,” agreed James.
Julian tried not to roll his eyes, because the delivery man looked perfectly ordinary, tapping his clipboard and standing with a crate of something green and growing on the ground next to him. Then he looked up, and it was like something in his eyes reached for Julian, something dark and acquisitive. Julian instinctively stepped behind Jacques, hiding from that sharp gaze, and he felt that reaching energy shatter against the Guardians’ barrier.
James launched himself forward at the man while Jacques took a half-step back, arm coming around to make sure he knew where Julian was.
“I’ll stay put,” said Julian, huddling against Jacques’ back and feeling very small.
“Back up,” said Jacques. “The wards are thin here.” Julian could feel him wanting to be at James’ side but also proud and protective that he was the one trusted with their Charge.
“Will do,” said Julian. He hooked two fingers in Jacques’ belt loop and gently led him back through the door they’d come in, then further back when he could feel the creeping threads of intention falling away one by one. “How’d he get in here? Who was that? It wasn’t Jack.”
“Anyone with a delivery can pass into the wards at that entrance,” said Jacques, eyes intent on the hallway. “I wonder if James caught him.”
“Am I safe here? Can you go help him?” said Julian, looking around for a dead-end alcove where he could hide himself.
“I can’t leave you,” said Jacques. “James can take care of himself.”
“I hate not knowing what’s happening,” said Julian quietly, feeling silly for worrying. James was trained for this sort of thing, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still dangerous for him.
“We’ll find out soon,” said Jacques. “If you can find your way back to the garden, we’ll send Raj and Roger to check on him.”
Julian couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not sure I even know where the delivery entrance is now, I got a little lost,” he said sheepishly. “Oh! But I bet Horace knows, don’t you?”
The little bird chirped, then flew ahead and landed on a wall sconce, twittering until Julian followed him. He guided them in their odd little train, Julian tugging his alert Guardian by the belt-loop, until they came to their half-built garden. Alarm hadn’t been raised, so they were still hard at work, with the acolytes cheerfully bickering over this or that stone for the edges of the terrace levels. They stood up and got serious when Julian came in and Jacques parked himself at the door.
“Raj, Roger, I need you to very carefully go down to the delivery entrance and find out what’s going on. James was in pursuit of someone who tried to hurt Julian, and I have to keep Guarding him,” said Jacques, standing sideways in the doorway so he could watch both entrances.
“Why don’t we go to Father Stephen’s office?” suggested Brianna, dusting off her hands. “Jones can wait here in case James comes looking for us, and that way there’s only one door for you to watch.”
“Good idea,” said Jacques, and a little of the worry left his face. “All right, boys, go on. Watch out for anyone suspicious trying to get into these back corridors and come find me if you do see anyone.”
Raj and Roger nodded seriously, then took off down the corridor at a ground-eating lope, easily avoiding the boxes of seedlings. Jacques led them back to the priest’s office at a much more cautious pace, with Julian and Brianna keeping lookout behind them.
“It’s not likely that he got in past the wards,” said Julian, more hopeful than authoritative. “I haven’t felt his magic since you got me far enough away.”
“It didn’t get a proper hold on you this time,” said Jacques, understandably proud. “You’re too well-protected now, and James and I got another good look at his magic, so we’ll be able to help Alex add refinements to your amulet tonight.”
“Or a second something, maybe?” asked Julian. “I don’t want to rely on just my amulet, because if it’s gone, then I’m helpless again.”
Horace chirped and nipped his ear, and Julian chuckled. “Horace will help, too.” He tickled the bird’s filigreed belly. “But you can’t do much against bad magic the way you did against that spider.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” said Jacques, nodding to Brianna, who darted forward and opened the office door. “Alex told me he’d been tinkering again, to make him more useful for you.”
“Of course,” said Julian with a chuckle. “That’s my Alex.”
Jacques cleared the room, sharp-eyed and radiating a magic that Julian could feel but not place, though it reminded him of the real birds that sometimes stopped at their window box, hoping for a butterfly snack. He went outside and shut the door, standing in front of it, and Julian collapsed into a chair.
“So, you’re not just here to plant a garden, then,” said Brianna dryly.
Julian laughed. “They didn’t explain?” When she shook her head, he told her the whole tale, from finding the body to the delivery man just now. “So there were only enough Guardians for three of us, but I’m glad it was James and Jacques, because they Guarded Alex during my Courtship.”
Someone came up outside and they tensed. Julian felt Jacques’ magic peak and then tinkle into warm welcome, and the door opened to show a frustrated, disheveled James. “I got him,” said James, “but we’re pretty sure he was just a spell carrier.”
“What happened?” asked Julian, eyes wide.
James chuckled. “I tripped over the stupid box of plants, which had a tangling spell on it, but recovered enough to catch him. He didn’t run far, and they’re taking him to the Agency now to do all the necessary tests.”
“To make sure he’s not faking,” said Jacques. “And figure out what was done and who did it. Plus, agents are headed to the courier’s office to track the box, and the box is in evidence.”
Julian sighed and let his head hit the wall with a gentle thump, which earned him a scolding from Horace. “This is all too weird.”
“Well,” said James, finding their big box of treats and pulling out the little packets of chocolate, “at least you know he’s not after you for your fortune.”
Raj and Roger arrived at the door to the office looking sheepish. “We missed you at the delivery door, so we found Father Stephen and let him know what was going on, and he told us to tell some other people, and is that chocolate?” said Roger.
“Yes,” said Julian with a laugh, “and luckily there’s some for you two, too.” He tossed them each their portions, passing around the rest, and they all spent a few moments just appreciating the very good truffles. Ellen had sent something different for each of them, and Julian’s were lemon tarragon from the Benedict estate, and spicy gingered peach from his own. The people they didn’t know had less risky flavors
like honey or simple chocolate, but each Guardian had something special.
“Oh, this is exquisite,” said Jacques, making happy noises as he ate a truffle with a crystallised flower on top. “Ellen is a master.”
“She really is,” said James with a happy little sigh. “We’ll break for lunch after this, right?”
“If we’re allowed,” said Julian, glancing toward the door. “I expect people to come demanding us any moment now.”
“Too bad we can’t eat under the wish tree,” said Brianna. “Hardly anyone goes back there on a weekday.”
“We’d have to do some extra warding,” said Jacques, trading looks with James, “but it might be worth it to debrief Julian ourselves first.”
“Me?” said Julian. “Why me? You got a much better look at him.”
“You actually felt the spell, though,” said James. “And you’re learning to talk about magic usefully, so we want to hear your impressions.”
“Would it be worth the energy?” asked Julian hopefully. A picnic under a tree sounded like the best cure ever for his frustration and fear, but he didn’t want to wear out his Guardians for a little bit of peace and quiet.
James and Jacques exchanged looks, then they both nodded. “It’ll be worth it,” said James. “Brianna, can you find us something to sit on?”
“I’ll get a tablecloth from the dining hall, there’s old ones that aren’t fit for formal occasions anymore,” she said.
“We can have our tea afterward, in the new garden,” said Julian. “Raj, can you get us some water and suitable glasses for drinking outside?”
“Yes, sir,” said Raj, and he was off like a shot.
Brianna chuckled. “Boys,” she said, sauntering off on her own task.
Roger fidgeted. “Should I help, too?” he asked.
“You’ll carry the box,” said Julian, pointing to their lunches. “I’ll send Horace for Jones.” Julian went to the door with the metal bird. “Bring Jones to us, please,” he said, then gave Horace a little boost into flight. Horace chirped and circled, then took off down the corridor to get the last member of their little party.
“That’s a really neat bird,” said Roger, watching him fly off.
Julian smiled fondly. “Horace is a very complex construct. He saved my life once.”
“He did, we saw him,” said Jacques, sounding just as proud as Julian felt. “Alex, that’s Julian’s boyfriend and our former Charge, fixed him afterward. He used to be all bronze, but Alex added in the silver parts during the repairs.”
“He’s really pretty,” said Roger, grinning. “How come he’s yours now?”
Julian smiled fondly. “He chose me, after Alex let me keep him a while during my Courtship.”
James chuckled. “We’re fairly sure he’s not dating Alex for the bird, though.”
“Well,” said Julian teasingly, “Not just for the bird.”
Brianna returned with two nice big tablecloths that were only slightly singed, and Raj arrived soon after with a big jug of cold spring water and a bunch of plastic cups. Horace flew up moments later, and Jones rounded the corner into their corridor with a grin on his face.
“Ah, good, I was a little worried you guys needed help, but he didn’t rush me,” said Jones. “Is it lunchtime?”
They laughed, and everyone agreed it was lunchtime. They paused at a washing station to get their hands and faces at clean, and then trooped out to one of the larger courtyards. It had a huge wish tree in the middle, growing right up past the roof. There were four tall towers in this Temple, one for each of the cardinal directions, but most of the building was on a single, sprawling level.
“Wow, this has been here for a long time,” said Julian, all his attention on the tree. It called out to him with its old, deep magic, full of all the stories and wishes that previous patrons had given it. Julian walked up and lay a hand on the coin-studded bark, leaves and paper rustling all around him in the slight breeze. It was electric, the tree giving far more than it took as Julian connected with its life force. “Strong, the tree is so strong,” he whispered.
“Did you want to make a wish?” asked a voice, and for a moment Julian thought it came from the tree. Then a little old priest stepped into his view, and Julian chuckled at himself. “Picnics are also welcome, of course, just take your trash with you.”
“Thank you, Mother,” said Julian, turning to see them already spreading out the tablecloths. “I would like to make a wish, you only allow the paper ones now?” The tree told him it was tired of the pounding of metal into its bark, and while it would happily grow around what was already there, it didn’t want more.
“That’s right, our tree’s a bit old now for all that hammering,” said the priest, patting the bark. “I’m Mother Lauren, keeper of the wish tree. It’ll be a pound per wish, for the supplies; even the acolytes pay.”
Julian chuckled. “Seven pounds for the lot of us, then? Oh, eight, Horace might want one,” he said, though the bird was already happily up in the branches communing with the tree in its own way. “I’ll just make it ten,” he said, getting out his wallet and handing over a ten-pound note.
“A generous soul,” she said, making the money vanish. “You’ll find supplies over there, I’ll leave you to your picnic.” She waved to the acolytes and wandered back to the doorway she’d emerged from on the other side of the courtyard.
“I got us all wishes,” said Julian, coming to sit on the cloth. “She said even you guys have to pay.”
Brianna laughed. “We do, Mother says it’s so we don’t waste our wishes on frivolous things, since we don’t have much of a stipend.”
“Well, now we can all have one, and perhaps Horace will fly them up to where they’ll be out of the way, if the tree allows it,” said Julian. They got the food sorted out so everyone had their lunch and a cup of water, and the tea snacks were left in the box for later. Everyone exclaimed over the brownies’ delicious food, roast beef sandwiches on herbed bread, a pear and satsuma for everyone, and a jar of salad that they had to shake up before eating to spread dressing over the ingredients.
“How can you guys eat so much?” asked Brianna, who had been given less salad, no pear, and only one sandwich.
“Magic,” said Julian.
James chuckled. “Literally, in our case. Raj and Roger haven’t been using much of theirs today, but at their age it’s just the way boys are.”
“I’m glad I’m a girl, then,” she said, shaking her head as she peeled her satsuma. “This is plenty, especially with the chocolate earlier.”
“There’s more for tea, too,” said Julian. “But you’ll work it off, we’re almost done terracing and then there’ll be more planting.”
Their conversation turned back to the work, and if Julian felt the occasional burst of magic from James or Jacques as they did their Guardian things to keep him safe, he wasn’t going to complain that they weren’t paying attention to the conversation. Without them, he suspected he wouldn’t be having a conversation.
Brianna finished her food first, and went over to get eight wish papers and one of the pens from the supply table. She wrote her wish and folded it deftly, then passed the pile along to Jacques. They each paused their eating to write something down and pass them along, Julian writing down a wish from Horace that met with chirped approval, and then he finished the last of his food and got up. “I’ll make sure the tree doesn’t mind that Horace is going to hang them,” said Julian. Brianna was attaching long loops of string to each little wish-knot, to make it easier on him.
“Would you mind if…” Julian began to ask, and he got a burst of approval from the tree, for finding a way to decorate its high branches instead of crowding more on the lower ones. “I guess not,” he said, pressing his hand against the bark again. “Go on, Horace, one at a time,” said Julian.
Horace flew the first wish over to Raj for a last infusion of intent, and Raj kissed the paper, then launched the glittering bird into the sky. Horace circled
the tree three times, then landed up high and managed to get the wish-knot looped around a branch and held as securely as it needed to be. Nature would dissolve the wishes with wind and rain, but until then they were meant to stay safely in its branches.
Julian saved his own wish for last before Horace’s, and he kissed it as well, pushing as much of his own magic into it as he dared before giving it to Horace for delivery. He let it go and felt his heart lighten just a little, as though the making of it had been enough to give him more hope. Horace tied this one very near the crown of the tree, careful with the little paper rose that Julian had made out of his wish.
“Keep us safe,” whispered Julian, too soft for anyone but the tree to hear, though of course it had already heard the words when he wrote them. It sent back another wave of wise, old magic, and Julian sighed. He watched Horace deliver the last wish-knot, a little paper bird that just said, “useful,” inside.
“Thank you,” he said aloud, and everyone else came over and touched the tree and thanked it, giving little tendrils of energy to it and sheltering for a moment under its aura of hope and possibility.
After that, they were quiet and thoughtful as they packed up and went back inside, filled with the peace and silence of the tree. Work went quickly, and soon enough the terraces were finished and they’d begun to fill them with seedlings, taller plants against the wall and bright flowers along the edges. Julian poured himself into the plants unstintingly, just as he had before he was in danger, and although he was tired when they stopped for the day with one whole side of the room done, he was also happy.
They gathered everyone up and were just sitting down to tea in the empty dining hall with a tired Alex and worried Father Stephen when Julian’s phone rang.
“I was wondering when you’d call,” said Julian, seeing Murielle’s name on the caller ID. “I take it we’re to head over for debriefing or whatever?”
“How’d you guess?” she said with a laugh. “When can you get here?”
“We’re having tea now, so maybe an hour?” said Julian, relieved when Jones nodded. “Traffic willing, of course.”
