When we reached the bottom step, a bubble of magic engulfed us. My escort continued to climb the stairs, but I glanced around, looking for the magician. The press of power disappeared. Since no one caught my eye, I hurried to catch up.
Councilor Tama Moon’s office suite was located on the first floor. The long hallway to her elaborate double doors had been decorated with art from various clan members. I noticed all of Gressa’s glass pieces were gone. Not surprising. She had helped Akako take possession of Tama’s body. I wondered which prison Gressa had been sent to—Wirral or Dawnwood.
When we entered Tama’s expansive reception area, my escort said for the fifth time, “She won’t see you today, and it’s doubtful she’ll even let you make an appointment.”
The woman sitting behind the desk frowned and appeared to steel herself for an argument. Considering what had happened to her, I understood Tama’s precautions, but the whole atmosphere reeked of paranoia.
“She knows me, and if I have to wait a few days to see her, that’s fine,” I said.
However the heavy tread of boots behind me wasn’t fine. I turned and two wide guards tackled me to the floor. My breath whooshed out with the impact. In a heartbeat, they yanked off my cloak, pulled my arms back and manacled my wrists.
Voices yelled and confusion reigned for a moment. Jerked to my feet, I swayed as dizziness obscured my vision. A hot metallic taste filled my mouth. I probed teeth and lips with my tongue, seeking damage. A split lip so far.
The commotion drew Councilor Moon from her office.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Good question.
“Zebb said she has a null shield,” the guy clutching my left arm said.
Why would they think—? Oh. The bubble of magic couldn’t sense anything from me, therefore I must be shielded.
Tama stepped closer. The men increased the pressure as if I would try to attack her. I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation until I saw the strain in her face. Hollow cheeked and with dark smudges under her eyes, she gaped at me in fear.
“Opal?” she asked.
Not trusting my voice, I nodded.
“Why are you here?” She hugged her arms to her chest as if to keep herself from falling apart.
“To visit you.”
She blinked. “Why are you shielded, I thought…”
Stunned, I watched this brittle shell of a woman as she struggled to make sense of the situation. Her blond hair hung limp and greasy; she had aged years in the span of one season and stains covered her white silk tunic.
Her gaze snapped to me with a sudden intensity. “You lost your magic. Are you afraid someone is going to attack you, too?”
“No. I’m not shielded.” But I began to understand. Magic once again surrounded me, seeking. I guessed the magician wanted an update.
My escort spoke for the first time, and I wondered if he could feel the power, as well. “Maybe I should fetch Zebb?”
“No. Absolutely not. He is not allowed up here,” Tama said. “Why did that magician think you’ve erected a null shield?”
She spat the word magician. Coming here had been a bad idea; I wondered if Nic and Eve were aware of the change in the Councilor.
“He must be mistaken,” I said. “You know I have no magical powers. Why would I come here to harm you? I helped rescue you.”
The viselike grip on my arms relaxed from crushing to bruising. Tama melted. She covered her face with her hands, either embarrassed by her overreaction or relieved.
“What’s this all about?” another female voice demanded.
I glanced over my shoulder and recognized Faith Moon, the Councilor’s First Adviser. Light reflected off her glasses as she scanned our little group, assessing the situation. The Adviser’s short brown hair was tucked behind her ears. Her mouth dropped open when she spotted me wedged between the two guards.
“Release Opal immediately,” she ordered. “Dari, bring some tea for our guest.” The woman behind the desk shot to her feet and bolted from the room.
The guards didn’t move. “Councilor?” Left Arm asked.
Tama dropped her hands as if overcome by pure exhaustion. “Yes, of course. Let her go.”
Right Arm unlocked the manacles. I rubbed my wrists. My skin crawled as if I had walked through a sticky spiderweb. Threads of invisible magic clung, but I couldn’t wipe them away. Or could I?
“Opal, please forgive me. I…I don’t…know…” The Councilor spread her hands out in a vague gesture.
Faith wrapped a supportive arm around Tama’s shoulders. “Let’s go back to your office. Opal, please come with us.” She scowled at the three men. “Gentlemen, you can return to your duties.” She guided Tama into a comfortable armchair near the door.
I stood to the side, feeling awkward. The magician stopped trying to reach me. The bands of magic fell away and I sucked in a relieved breath. When Dari returned with a tray of tea, Faith grabbed it from her and shooed the woman out. Two guards bookended the entrance, but remained in the outer office. Faith closed the office door with her hip and set the tray on a table.
Serving the Councilor first, Faith then handed me a steaming cup. “I’m glad you’re here. Please sit down.”
I sank into a chair opposite Tama and sipped my tea. I didn’t know what I should say or do. “If this is a bad time…” I tried, but they ignored me.
Faith knelt next to Tama and clasped her hand. “Talk to Opal. She might be able to help you. She’s been harmed by magic and by Warpers. She’s been betrayed.” Faith gestured to me. “Yet, here she is. And without any magic to defend herself.”
Tama shrank into the cushions, shaking her head. “She wouldn’t understand.”
“Not completely, but you need to tell her what you won’t tell me.” Faith squeezed her hand, shot me an encouraging look and left the room.
The click of the door vibrated in my chest. An awkward silence grew.
Tama finally said, “Did the Council send you?”
“No. I’m here on my own.”
“Why are you in Fulgor? Can I help you with something?”
I would have welcomed her attempt to change the subject and the opportunity to ask for a favor, but not now. Not when she held herself as if she would shatter at the next harsh word. I had no idea how to help her, but I had to try.
I dredged my memories, disturbing the painful emotions that had settled to the deepest layer of my mind. They swirled and polluted my thoughts.
“It was horrible to be betrayed.” I met her wary gaze. “It felt like my heart was rotting in my chest and every breath burned with the knowledge I had been fooled. It was difficult to trust after that. The rot spread throughout my body, leaving behind so many doubts, I stopped trusting myself.”
Tama leaned forward. “How did you conquer it?”
“I didn’t. I survived it. Endured by realizing my friends and family can always be trusted no matter what. And when I feel the rot creeping back, I grab onto one of them and hold on until it goes away.”
She snagged her lower lip with her teeth. “But you have a large family and friends. I don’t. I have Faith.” A weak smile touched her lips at the play of words.
“What about Dari?”
Tama waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “New. My sister killed all my loyal people.”
“So this place is filled with strangers?”
“Yes.”
“Then get rid of them. You don’t need all those guards. They’re tripping over themselves.”
“But who…”
“Will protect you?”
She nodded.
“Do you trust me?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I pulled in a deep breath. My plans to find my blood would have to wait. This was more important. I had to finish rescuing Tama first. “I will protect you. Hire me as your new assistant, and I’ll find you the right people.”
“But what about magic? It can influence anybody. Fo
rce them to do horrible things. And magicians can be corrupted by all that power. That magician downstairs has been spying on me.” She shuddered so hard her teacup rattled.
Which explained the paranoia I had sensed earlier. “We can ask Master Bloodgood to assign you another magician. One who can surround you with a null shield. Then you won’t have to worry about being spied on or attacked.”
“No. I don’t want anyone who has magic near me!”
I backed off. One problem at a time.
We summoned Faith and I outlined my plans to her. She glanced at Tama. A little color had returned to the Councilor’s face and she leaned forward, listening to my strategy.
“Did you check employment history before hiring the new staff?” I asked Faith.
“We didn’t have time. Everything was so chaotic.”
“First order of business is to reduce security. We’ll keep the best ones on staff.”
“How do you know who is trustworthy?” Tama asked.
“I don’t. But I trust two people who do.”
“Wow.” Nic whistled. “You went in search of a job as a correctional officer, and became the Councilor’s new assistant. How did you manage that?” He propped his elbows on the edge of my massive desk. He rested his square jaw on his hands.
We were in the Councilor’s reception area. I had claimed Dari’s work space and Nic and Eve sat opposite me.
“I impressed her with my amazing filing skills. I can alphabetize in seconds.” I snapped my fingers.
“In seconds? You’re my new hero.” Nic batted his eyelashes at me.
Eve punched him in the arm. “Knock it off.” She turned to me in concern. “What’s going on?”
Only a few people knew all the details of what had happened in Hubal. The whole city of Fulgor believed the Councilor had been under the influence of her sister. That Akako used magic to control Tama. Close enough.
I explained Tama’s fears.
It didn’t take Eve long to sort through the information. “What do you need from us?”
“The Councilor needs two bodyguards with her all the time. How many teammates do you have?”
“Our team has twelve. I’ll talk to Captain Alden about our short-term reassignment, and I’ll work up a watch schedule.”
Nic groaned. “Don’t put me on night shift or I’ll die of boredom.”
“What’s next?” Eve asked, ignoring her partner. Just like her fighting style, she didn’t waste energy or time.
“Weeding out the security staff. Can you do a little digging into their histories? Find out who’s trustworthy?”
“I can get rid of half of them for you right now,” Nic said. “When the Councilor returned, she wanted this place full of soldiers. We couldn’t provide the manpower, so they hired people with no training or previous experience just to have warm bodies here.”
“Great. Make me a list,” I said.
“Captain Alden can investigate the rest for you,” Eve said.
Nic tapped his finger on the chair’s arm. “I hope you realize you’re not going to be popular once word spreads.”
“I’m not here to make friends,” I said. “Besides, I’m temporary. Once we have the right people in place, we can all go back to normal.” Except, I didn’t know what normal would be. Since my sister Tula had been kidnapped and murdered over six years ago, nothing in my life had been normal.
Dari and the Councilor’s personal bodyguards were the first to go. Nic and Eve returned for the night shift and handed me a list of names.
“Good or bad?” I asked.
“The riffraff,” Nic said. “Can I give them the boot? I always wanted to be in charge.”
I scanned the names, but didn’t recognize any. “No. Faith Moon will handle that unpleasant task.” I glanced up from the paper. “Are you ready to be reacquainted with the Councilor?”
“I showered,” Nic said.
“Did you put on clean undergarments?” I asked.
“Yep. Got my best pair on. No holes. Do you think she’ll want to check?” He grinned with wolfish delight.
“Eve, I think you should do all the talking.”
“Yes, sir.”
I knocked and waited for Tama’s faint response before entering. The Councilor’s back was to us as she pulled employee files from a drawer, sorting them. Her office was long and thin. Narrow stained glass windows striped the side walls and stretched up to the ceiling two stories above our heads. The sitting area was near the door and across from an oval conference table. Opposite the entrance, her U-shaped desk faced a wide picture window.
The sunlight faded, reminding me of the need to light the lanterns. My stomach grumbled. I hadn’t eaten since this morning. When Tama reached a stopping point, she turned and faced us.
I introduced the soldiers, emphasizing their help in Hubal. Her stiff demeanor relaxed, and she smiled at them when I explained they would be guarding her tonight.
“Finally,” she said. “A good night’s rest!”
While they talked, I lit the lanterns. The cold season’s nights arrived fast, dropping a curtain of darkness with little warning. When I passed my friends, I brushed against magic. I paused and stood behind them. Trying not to be obvious, I rested my hands on the backs of their chairs. The hairs on my arms pricked. A web of power surrounded them. Her magician must be eavesdropping, but I couldn’t be sure. I now understood Valek’s frustration.
Not wanting to upset Tama, I kept quiet as Nic and Eve left to take up position outside her office door.
“Make sure you introduce them to Faith,” Tama said. “She’s the only person I allow in my private suite. I keep Council business and my personal life separate, but with living in the Hall…” She wrapped her arms around her waist, turning to stare out the window.
I wondered if she looked at her flickering refection or the blackness of the night. My image stood beside her, but it didn’t waver. Odd.
She turned to me. “Where are you staying?”
“At the Second Chance Inn.”
“You can live in the assistant’s apartment on the ninth floor once Dari leaves.”
“I’d rather not.”
She tried to hide her disappointment.
I rushed to explain. “Eventually, we’ll find you a permanent assistant. And I should be out there—” I pointed to the window “—listening to the tavern gossip, getting a feel for the citizens’ moods and complaints for you. If I stayed here, I’d never leave and we’d miss the opportunity to connect with the townspeople.”
“That’s smart, Opal. Your experiences have made you stronger and more confident. While I’m a mess. I can’t make decisions and I’m terrified another magician will…”
“No magician will hurt you. The man who switched your soul with Akako was a Warper. He used blood magic. And the Warpers who know how to use it are all locked up in your prison. The magician downstairs…Zebb?”
She cringed, then nodded.
“Was he sent by Master Bloodgood?” I asked.
“Yes. Bain assigned every Council member a magician capable of erecting a null shield around them for protection.”
“And Bain would only send a trustworthy person. You’re a Councilor. One of only eleven and all critical to Sitia. Your safety is of the utmost importance.”
“Really?” Tama shot back. “Then how come not one of them, Master Magician or Councilor—the same people I’ve known and worked with for years. None of them even questioned Akako when she attended Council sessions in my stolen body. When she voted on policy and laws. Not one!”
“She was protected by a null shield,” I tried to explain.
“That only blocks magical attacks. We have different personalities. How could they not suspect something was wrong?”
I swallowed the huge knot in my throat. “They knew something wasn’t right. They probably worried about it, and they also probably found logical explanations for all your new quirks.”
Tama remained doubtful. “Com
e on. They’re intelligent men and women.”
“You called me smart. Do you believe it?”
“Of course.”
“I wasn’t smart enough to figure out Devlen’s soul was in Ulrick’s body, and I was dating Ulrick.” I told her my story. “He was bolder, more confident, and there were other clues, as well. But I didn’t even question him. I justified each and every one. Try not to be so hard on the Council and Master Magicians. I’m sure they feel horrible, and I’d bet my sister’s favorite skirt that Bain sent you the finest protector.”
Her lips parted, but no words escaped. I couldn’t tell if she thought I was an idiot or if she pitied me. Good thing I didn’t tell her that Devlen had managed to do what Ulrick couldn’t while we dated. Sleep with me.
“I’ll have to think about it,” she said.
“That’s a start.” I said good-night and moved to leave.
“Opal?” She touched my shoulder.
I stifled a yelp as magic burned through the fabric of my shirt.
“Thanks for sharing your story.”
I nodded because if I opened my mouth I would cry out.
“See you tomorrow.” She pulled her hand away.
I left her office and waved to Nic and Eve as I hurried through the reception area. Once I reached the deserted hallway, I sagged against the wall, and rubbed my shoulder. Magic coated Tama’s skin. Since she wasn’t a magician, it had to be Zebb’s. If he protected her, she’d be surrounded by a null shield. He was either trying to manipulate her or spy on her. Either way I just lost Mara’s favorite skirt.
Exhaustion soaked into my bones. I couldn’t deal with this magician right now. I pushed away from the wall and descended to the lobby. Plenty of guards milled about, but most of the staff had gone for the day. I signed out.
The lamplighters had lit the streets of Fulgor. Soft yellow light flickered. Shadows danced. Groups of townspeople talked and laughed as they headed toward taverns or their homes. I should stop at the Pig Pen for a late supper and to listen to the gossip, but fatigue dragged on my body.
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