The Apprenticeship of Julian St. Albans

by Crook, Amy

  Alex nodded, and the music took on a different tone, a whirling dervish of almost-dissonant notes that made Julian shiver. Jacques was right at the edge of the now-harmless plants, and Julian could feel the spell above them now, feel it pulsing with power, waiting to release itself on their heads. Alex’s music swirled around it, and then Julian felt something sharp enough to make him cry out. It lanced through the waiting spell, cutting it off from its source somehow and leaving the empty trap hanging above them in limp, fading tendrils.

  The front door swung inward, and Alex looked at Jacques before stepping over the plants and right under the trap.

  Something lashed out, a last burst of energy, and Alex fell into the flat, where invisible hands caught his flute and dragged him fully inside.

  “That’s all there is,” said Jacques, then he braced himself and jumped, over the plants and through the front door for a teeth-jarring landing where Alex had recently been. He let out a sigh of relief. “I’m really glad I was right,” he said, taking Julian to the chair and settling him in it. Alex’s body had floated itself to the couch and was laid out, pale but breathing.

  “Oh, no,” said Julian, but he didn’t have the energy to struggle out of the blankets wrapping themselves around him. “Will he be okay?”

  “He should be, he’d broken most of the spell before he set off the rest,” said Jacques. “It might’ve killed you, as weak as you are right now, but Alex had reserves.”

  “He doesn’t anymore,” said Alys, coming in with a tray of steaming cups and little bottles. “The potions are yours, I took the liberty of choosing them out of your kit.”

  “That’s good,” said Jacques, taking one of the chairs that had made their way in from the kitchen. “We’ll all need them.” He got out his phone and put it on speaker, calling down to James. “Trap’s been sprung, Julian’s okay but Alex is out cold, and they’ll both need medical attention.”

  “I’ll bring Jones up,” said James. “The car can stay illegally parked for a little while.”

  Julian giggled. “Lapointe can take our spot instead, then.”

  “I will. I am,” said her voice, through Julian’s forgotten phone. Julian poked at it until it was on speaker. “We’re up in the flat, Alex disabled most of the trap but he had to spring the last of it to get us in safely. Me, he set off the trap for me.”

  “I’m parking now,” said Lapointe. “I see James and Jones, tell them to hold the elevator?”

  “Hold the elevator,” said Jacques, sounding amused at their game of telephone. “That’s Lapointe, right, she’s got the doctor with her? Good, good, we’ll see you soon.” He hung up.

  Julian could hear voices through his phone, but he had a feeling she’d stuck hers in a pocket, because everything was distant. “Today sucks. This week sucks,” said Julian sulkily, though he let Alys put a potion in his hands and even drank it. He felt a rush of energy and alertness, followed by a pervasive warmth that let him finally start to thaw out from the chilled lassitude he’d fallen into. “Oh, that’s better,” he said, then accepted the tea and blew on it gently before drinking. “Mmm, and that,” he added, when it proved to be proper tea with a shot of whiskey.

  “Good lad,” said Alys, delivering the tray to the table and forcing Jacques to take his doses. “Make sure everyone gets a dose that needs it, I’ll use that message tablet to order more from the apothecary.”

  “Will Alex wake up?” asked Julian, looking worriedly over at him. His skin had gone from its usual pallor to a pasty white, not even his lips had much colour left in them, and there were dark hollows around his closed eyes. “I don’t think I can do this without my Alex.”

  “You won’t have to, lad,” said Alys, turning a sharp eye on her charge. “He’s resilient, and the spell didn’t drain him dry, just gave a shock to his system.”

  Julian nodded, feeling very young and very helpless as he sipped his tea. He snuggled deeper into his blankets, pulling his feet up into the cocoon so he was nothing more than a tea-drinking lump when their people arrived at the open door.

  And found themselves unable to enter.

  “At least we know his wards are still working,” said James, who was already part of them and could therefore pass the threshold and get his own dose and tea. “I’m not sure my control’s precise enough to let you guys in right now.”

  “We’ve helped with the wards a little,” explained Jacques, “but they’re really keyed to Alex, and he’s still out cold.”

  “I hope his head doesn’t feel like mine,” said Jones miserably. “Ta,” he added, when James handed him a potion through the wards, followed by a cup of tea.

  “What’s with all the plants?” asked Geoff. “I didn’t think Julian wanted to decorate the hall in case your new neighbours hated it.”

  “They were part of the trap,” said Julian, his voice sounding small even to himself. “The plants and then something on the ceiling above them, that’s the part that got Alex.”

  “Ugh,” said Alex. “You are all too loud, and it is way, way too bright.”

  “Worse, then,” said Jones glumly.

  The lights dimmed, and Jacques helped Alex sit up enough to take his potion and a sip of tea. “We need you to let everyone in,” he said apologetically.

  “Oh, yeah.” Alex turned to see who was there; only the first car had arrived in time to catch the elevator, so it was Lapointe, MacLean, and Geoff waiting outside with Jones. Alex licked dry lips, then apparently decided humming would be better on his headache. There was a little flare of blue near the edge of the door, then he sighed and flopped back on the couch. “Just you for now.”

  “We’ll let the other units know,” said Lapointe, walking in first. “Guess I can hang up now,” she said, pulling her phone out of her pocket and disconnecting the call. She went to the kitchen to talk to the other police officers while Thomas stationed himself in front of the now-closed door, and Geoff came over to examine his patients. Jones took the other comfortable chair and looked rather the worse for wear as he sipped his tea.

  “We have got to stop meeting like this,” said Alex, smiling wanly.

  “I think that’s my line,” said Geoff. “Are there more blankets?” Two appeared over Alex and floated down to cover his long body, with another going to drape over Jones. Geoff chuckled. “That’s a yes, then, good.” He reached out and laid his hands on Alex’s temples, concentrating on whatever it was he felt when he touched his patient.

  “I suppose it’s a good thing we’re meant to see Dr. Chesterfield tomorrow, after all,” said Julian, listing a little until he was propped against one arm of the chair. He finished off his cup of tea and held it out, and it floated itself back to the kitchen for now.

  “At this rate, he may have to come here,” said James seriously. “Father Stephen, as well, he can do a purification here with that big bathtub of yours.”

  Julian sighed. “Do I have to have another one?” he said. “Or just Alex?”

  “Probably Alex and Jones,” said Jacques. “You were never in direct contact with anything, though Geoff should make sure there’s nothing lingering.”

  “Alex’s wards seem to have burned off whatever hit him,” said Geoff, taking his hands away. “You’re lucky they’re better than your murderer’s spell.”

  Alex chuckled. “Not lucky, paranoid,” said Alex, sitting up enough that he could drink his tea properly. “I’ve been working on these wards for months now.”

  “Both, then,” said Geoff, shaking his head. “No more magic tonight for any of you, just food and sleep.” He stood up and took his chair over to Jones. “Your turn next.”

  “I feel awful,” said Jones, holding a hand out at Geoff’s gesture. “Really awful.”

  “Can he stay here?” asked Julian. “Do we have anywhere for him to sleep?”

  “I’ll make the couch comfortable,” said Alys, though she stayed out of sight, “but just Jones, there’s no more space.”

  Geoff nodded. “I
can’t feel any spell residue, but you should put something on your bruises and get purified tomorrow with Alex.”

  “You can have the first bath, Paul,” said Julian. “I’m sure we can find sleep clothes for you, and Alys can clean your work clothes for morning.” Jones was still in the jeans and shirt he’d worn to work in the garden, with dirt from there mingling with dust and stains from the fight.

  “Your name’s Paul?” asked Lapointe curiously.

  Jones chuckled. “Yes, though honestly everyone does call me Jones, it’s fine.”

  “Paul can bathe now,” said Alys’ voice. “Dinner will be done when he gets out, then the lovebirds can share their bath.”

  Jones looked amused and said, “Yes’m,” and finished off his tea. Geoff helped him up and James directed them back to the bathroom, with another tired hum from Alex to let them into the warded bedroom. Then a knock came at the front door and started a parade of people that Alex refused to allow inside, including the Agency mage that had roused himself to answer their distress call.

  “That’s all right,” he said, when Fischer was going to protest, “As long as I can have the tainted coin, then everything of interest to me is out here. Dr. Tamlinson will give me a full report on the people, so the artefacts are all I need for now.”

  “Here you are,” said James, handing over the box.

  “Nice box,” said the mage. “I’ll give this back to you as soon as I’ve transferred the coins to one of ours.”

  “Good,” said James, and then he shut the door on everyone.

  “Dinner and Paul are both almost ready,” said Alys. “Anyone who’s not being fed should leave.”

  “I think we all need to stay,” said Lapointe apologetically. “No one can argue that Fischer or anyone else needs to come in when we’re already here.”

  Alys hmphed, but more chairs found their way into the crowded living room, and Jones and Geoff emerged just as trays started floating out as well. “I still need to check up on Julian,” said Geoff, taking a chair next to him.

  Julian extricated a hand from his blankets, figuring he’d need it again soon anyway, and put it in Geoff’s. He felt Geoff’s now-familiar warm energy feed into his depleted body, and was unsurprised when the diagnosis was, “Clean, but quite drained. It’s all well and good to help rescue yourself, but you shouldn’t be taking a page from Alex’s book and killing yourself doing it.”

  Julian giggled when Alex replied, “I’m hardly dead.”

  “Good,” said Jones, “Because that bruise potion is wonderful, and you’re about out.”

  Alex huffed. “I’m not going to refill it tonight, but there might be another bottle somewhere.”

  “I can make him up a poultice if need be,” said Alys’ voice, and a tray floated up to Jones with a good, hearty meal on it.

  “We need to figure out who’s doing this,” said Lapointe, shoving Alex’s feet off the couch so she could sit there.

  Alex huffed and sat up, wrapped in blankets and grinning at her. “I suppose I ought to earn my fee,” he said, giving a big yawn before settling a tray more comfortably in front of him. “I just can’t figure out what they’re after.”

  “We ruined their seeds,” said Julian, digging into his food. Alys had made a couple of shepherd’s pies, and the lamb was as delicious in them as it had been the other night as chops. There were bowls of soup and crisp salads of summer greens along with the pie, cold water scented with mint and lemon, and more tea. “Maybe they need someone really talented to make up for it?”

  “Well, we ruined the planting,” said Lapointe. “The seeds are still fine, though they’re well out of reach.”

  “Right, they’d be in stasis in evidence,” said Alex, between spoonfuls of the rich bean soup.

  “Not out of reach of everyone,” said Jacques pointedly.

  “Well, yes, but Armistead’s hardly likely to have turned to a life of crime,” said Alex.

  Julian sipped his tea, and then asked the question he could see on both Guardians’ faces. “What about the new lady, Ms. Eberly?”

  “You think she transferred into the city to start murdering people?” said Lapointe, though it wasn’t nearly as mocking as it could be. Her name had come up once in the case already outside of her official capacity. “That seems like a very long-term plan for a couple of seeds.”

  “It’s not the seeds,” said Julian. “It’s where she plants them. There’s something, somewhere she wants bound to her, maybe some property or the people on it.”

  “Or the magic on it,” said Alex. “Duckworth’s confession about the magic source on your lands would have gone into evidence, and that sort of thing gets around once it’s out there.”

  “That would explain why they’re so eager to get their hooks in you,” said Jacques. “And maybe why they started in the nursery.”

  “That site’s really old, though,” said Lapointe. “Our research shows it’s been some sort of nursery or greenhouse for centuries.”

  “Like the Temple, that’s always been a growing Temple,” said James. They were all eating while they talked, passing around the basket of herbed bread that had appeared in the middle of the table, but most of their attention was on the conversation.

  “We don’t know it’s her, though,” said Thomas. “She’s really nice when she’s not around Fischer.”

  “Fischer makes everyone a little more horrible,” said Julian, making a face. “But even if it is her, she’s got at least one more person working with her, that man Jack.”

  “Two people, two seeds,” said Alex.

  Jacques sighed. “Partner magic can be very strong, but it didn’t feel like partners the way we’re partners.”

  “There’s other ways for that, though,” said Julian. “I mean, Alex and I are partners, but not like the two of you, and he’s definitely making me stronger.”

  “You make him stronger, too,” said Geoff. “And yes, that’s an official diagnosis, it seems to be at least part of the spiking. I’ve been paying more attention to the way you interacts with everything.” Geoff looked sheepish and sympathetic. “Sorry, I know I said it wasn’t you, but it kinda is you.”

  “So I give him energy, too? Not just plants and Horace?” asked Julian. Upon hearing his name, Horace climbed his way out of Julian’s pocket to sit on a shoulder.

  Geoff laughed. “Has he been hiding in there with you the whole time?”

  “Yeah, he got in my pocket for the trip upstairs and never bothered to come out,” said Julian. “You’re feeling okay, though, right?” he asked the little bird, reaching up to stroke the metal breast.

  Horace chirped and gave Julian’s finger a playful tug with his beak. He hopped down and flew over to Alex, and then tugged on his hair and gave another little chirp. Alex whistled back, then smiled quite fondly. “Horace says he was protecting your heart.”

  “He did a good job,” said Julian, smiling just as sappily at the construct. Horace had become so much more complex and alive since Julian first met him, and he was proud to think he might have had something to do with that. “So, you’ll check out Ms. Eberly?”

  “We’ll have to be discreet,” said Lapointe, “but I’ll call my boss and talk to him. She’d have been tested for any magical talent during training, but she could be like you and have come into her powers late.”

  “Julian’s really coming into a powerful magical talent,” said Geoff. “I think he’ll end up being quite a unique mage, not just a Grower.”

  “As if being a Master Grower is a just,” said Julian, sticking his tongue out. “No more than being a Healer.”

  “Point,” said Geoff sheepishly. “I meant, you know, that I think you’re developing something more than just a rapport with plants.”

  “Yeah, I think so, too,” said Julian. “But I don’t want to anticipate what’ll happen with me next. I’d hate to get arrogant like some mages. Then I might go around alienating everyone who worked with me.”

  Alex laughed. �
��You don’t know anyone like that,” he teased right back.

  “Alex isn’t so bad now that he’s got you,” said MacLean. “I thought he was going to hand me my head on a platter a few times, though.”

  They let the subject change to funny stories, first of Alex’s bad temper, then of other people and experiences, though Julian knew that every one of them was thinking of their murderer and what he, she or they would do next.

  CHAPTER 16

  “What if the timing was about the people?” said Alex idly, curled around Julian after their bath and post-bath lovemaking. He drew little designs on Julian’s shoulder with his finger, then kissed them away. “Not significant in the grand scheme of things, but to the individuals involved?”

  “Like somebody’s birthday or when Venus was in their third house or whatever?” said Julian sleepily. He knew Alex’s mind liked to work at times like this, when his body was relaxed and sated, so he didn’t bother to protest that he wanted to sleep. Alex would keep thinking whether or not Julian paid him attention.

  “Just like that, yes,” said Alex. “Or significant to the history of the two sites, maybe. I’ll have to look wider tomorrow.”

  Julian yawned hugely, then twisted around for kisses. “Tomorrow we have to get checked out, if they’ll let us leave the house.”

  “Or if we can get the doctor here,” said Alex, yawn echoing Julian’s. “All right, sleep.”

  “Good boy,” teased Julian, shifting back to their warm, comfortable spooning. At least here he was confident they were safe, within the double shell of Alex’s wards with their Guardians outside. The Agents had all left, but Jones was safely ensconced on the couch, with the Guardians taking to their pallets in shifts and Alys grumbling good-naturedly about the extra work. Julian let himself relax and drift, thinking of nothing but Alex’s arms around him.

  He was almost asleep when there was a sharp knock at the door.

  “There’s been another murder, and we’re confining you to the apartment,” said James through the door. “We’ve left a message with Dr. Chesterfield’s service.”