The Apprenticeship of Julian St. Albans (Consulting Magic Book 2)

by Amy Crook

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."

  "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."

  "Oh, no," said Julian sadly. "Will she be okay?"

  "Dr. Chesterfield took the case, and Geoff's consulting with information about what happened to you. I have to consult, too, I'm going to deconstruct your amulet and charm and report back, so James and Jacques will go through the purification with you," said Alex. "We're still hoping to save her."

  Julian nodded. "That's fine, thank you, they'll keep me safe," said Julian. He yawned again and sighed, because he really didn't want to leave his blanket cocoon for the cold pools.

  "Just remember, you get the warm sauna in the middle, and they've promised to shorten the meditations since you're in for spell damage and not personal
enlightenment," said Alex. He gave Julian a long, comforting kiss, one that promised he'd do more later to make them both feel good. "Ready?"

  Julian smiled and took another kiss just because he could, then he nodded. "I'm ready," he said.

  They opened the door and got out to find Murielle and Thomas talking to James and Jacques in a none-too-casual manner. "What's going on?"

  "The Temple is going to send James and Jacques to Guard you," said Murielle, "but they don't have Guardians for all the apprentices, so we're discussing what resources the Agency and Temples can share to help out."

  "Why do I rate?" asked Julian.

  "Because you're our friend," said James. "Ours, and the Temple's."

  "You're also the most powerful talent," said Jacques. "What? I heard Elkhort talking, I know that's how they ranked them."

  "Well, that's stupid," said Julian, "but I'll accept the Guardianship of my friends."

  The two Guardians beamed. "Let's get the spell-residue off you," said James. "We'll all have tea with Father Stephen and finish up our talk before we go."

  Julian sighed. "Stupid cold bath," he said, but he let them lead him away. Alex took both his protection amulet and his keep-safe charm before he went, which made him feel terribly naked even before he undressed for the hateful salt bath. "I hope he can save my keep-safe charm, at least," said Julian sadly.

  "He won't want it destroyed any more than you will," said Jacques.

  James came over with a fluffy white dressing gown. "Here, wear this until it's your turn. I'm going first."

  "I'll be right behind you," said Jacques.

  "All right," said Julian, already shivering a little despite the warm robe.

  James kissed Julian's forehead, surprising him with a little rush of warm magic. "The sauna will be lovely."

  Julian grinned. "Yes, it will," he said. "Go on."

  James took a breath, then went into the salt pool with the quiet gratitude that always reminded Julian how lucky he was to have this in his life. Julian sat and tried to find some inner peace, but it was elusive. There was too much foreign energy in him, from Alex and Geoff's warmth to the rush of the tea, James' small blessing to the dull ache of the spell. He was cold and fidgety, and by the time the gong sounded again he was actually grateful for the pool.

  Jacques took the dressing gown silently, and Julian went and stepped down into and then under the pool, feeling the different magics reacting to the purifying salts. Instead of aching more from the cold water, he felt the pain being washed away. He was forced back to the surface for air, and the aching magic rushed upward, making him wince against the light. It was like layers now, with his own magic rooted in his toes, Alex's warmth layered on top, then Geoff's and James', and the effervescent tea-energy forming a barrier between the ache in his head and the rest of him.

  Julian ducked under again and everything swirled. His own magic moved to the very core of him, grounding him right behind his breastbone. The rest cocooned around it in the same layers, Alex closest to his heart and the bright, impersonal power pushing the spell-magic out toward his skin, trying to purge it from him completely. Julian came up for air once again, and this time his own magic stayed at his core and he could feel the warmth Alex had given him starting to properly become part of him without the spell interfering.

  He took a deep breath, but the gong sounded and Julian gratefully got out. The warm shower washed away the salt but didn't undo his progress, and in the sauna Julian felt the physical heat baking away at the spell, trying to burn through it to connect with his body's depleted energy. More of it washed down the drain in the shower after that, and Julian didn't even mind being naked when he stepped out into the meditation garden.

  Instead he just stood there and felt the earth beneath him, breathed in the plants around him, feeling the green, growing life seeping in through the holes made in the spell. The rest of his magic was almost entirely whole now, and he couldn't tell any longer where Alex or Geoff's magic began and his own ended. The tea-energy had bubbled all through him, and only James' blessing floated along the outside of him, keeping the spell from re-integrating with the rest.

  The gong sounded, and Julian moved on, getting a robe from the acolyte gratefully and moving on to the next room. There he was surprised to find Father Stephen himself waiting to give Julian his potion and kiss of peace, and Julian shyly accepted. This potion was far more potent than anything Julian had ever had before, and it flowed through him in a rush, pushing the draining magic down into the earth and leaving a fully integrated whole behind.

  "Oh," said Julian softly.

  Father Stephen chuckled. "It's quite a rush," he said. "You're already doing better, though, Alex was right to bring you to us." He gestured Julian on through, and handed him off to his favourite masseur. They were in a different room this time, surrounded by plants and working on a mat on the ground instead of a table, but Julian let himself relax into the man's touch. His body's tension and toxins were encouraged to leave just as thoroughly as the magical contamination had been, and by the time he took the last shower, Julian was feeling invigorated and nearly purring.

  Julian was given another new drink at the end, this one another cup of tea much like the charged brew that Geoff had given him, but served ice cold, so the drink was like a shock of electricity to wake up the parts of his system that had still been half-asleep.

  "Wow," said Julian, handing back the little cup. "That was, wow."

  "Better than any four cups of coffee," said the priest. He gave Julian's hands and feet a final wash with a cloth rinsed in warm, scented water, then dried them and murmured a last small blessing. "Go on and dress, now, the Father is waiting for you in his office. You're free of contamination."

  "Oh, you can see?" said Julian shyly.

  The priest nodded. "I looked in on you earlier, and I've been monitoring to make sure you were properly cleansed," he said.

  "Thank you," said Julian. "I'm glad it didn't stay, Alex was worried because of the tie to my hair."

  "Yes, your young man did a good thing, breaking the tie before bringing you here," said the priest. "It made it much easier to purge the spell."

  Julian smiled proudly. "I'll be sure to thank him, sir."

  "It's Nathan, Father Nathan," he said, and they shook hands. "Now go on, you'll be happier with trousers, I wager."

  Julian giggled. "I can't deny that," he said, going through the archway and down a little hall to the locker room. "I have no idea how anyone can ever find their way around here," said Julian, finding both his Guardians already dressed and waiting.

  "Trade secret," said James with a wink. They were patient while Julian dressed, then they all took the more familiar route to Father Stephen's office.

  "I've been declared all better," said Julian, "Father Nathan was very nice, and he said to assure you that you're very smart for doing whatever you did with my hair."

  Alex laughed and pulled him close for a kiss. "I'm guessing he didn't phrase it quite that way," said Alex. "Which one's Nathan again?"

  "He's our potions master," said Father Stephen. "He made up something special and wanted to deliver it himself."

  "It was really special," said Julian. "It had a kick!"

  "You're looking much better, love, and you sound like yourself again," said Alex. "Want some tea?"

  "Is it more super special restorative herbal tea?" asked Julian, deliberately plaintive.

  Father Stephen chuckled. "It's a perfectly ordinary English Breakfast," he said, pouring Julian a cup and handing it over.

  Julian took a moment to add milk and sugar, and then he sighed happily at the taste. "It's not that I don't appreciate the restoratives, but..."

  "But tea is tea," said Alex, clinking their cups together before taking a sip of his own. They all settled into seats or leaning against various furniture items, crowding Father Stephen's office.

  Stephen pulled out a tin of biscuits and passed them around, letting everyone relax for a
while. "Now, your Guild has arranged for the Temple's protection, and the Guardians are working with Agent Lapointe to be certain the other apprentices are as protected as we can manage," said Father Stephen, once everyone had gotten their share of sugar.

  "Yes, Father, will James and Jacques come stay at the flat with us?" asked Julian, mostly for form.

  "Yes, my boy, we discussed sending you back to the St. Albans estate, but to be honest Alex's wards are far more thorough and sophisticated," said Father Stephen.

  Alex shrugged. "What can I say, they're a bit of a hobby now," he said, but he sounded pleased. "James and Jacques have been helping me with the refinements on their off time, too."

  "With the understanding that new innovations will be brought back to the Temple, of course," said James. "He's really quite clever at finding ways to discourage new types of intrusions."

  "While allowing welcome things to pass," added Jacques. "We're looking forward to seeing the nursery wards."

  "They're a lot more porous," said Alex, "And not very good at screening for bad intentions, as we've seen."

  "What do you mean?" asked Julian.

  "I think your hair was stolen today by someone you saw at work," said Alex. "You haven't been in a situation where someone could sneak up on you since before last week."

  "I guess that's true, though we did have the mugger," said Julian, trying to think. He'd mostly been at home or with Alex, though, and as a mage he wouldn't put up with someone snipping off bits of his boyfriend.

  "We're looking into that as related, now," said Lapointe.

  "Oh," said Julian, sinking down in his chair a little. He sighed. "So, what happens now?"

  "We take you home for one of Alys' huge meals," said Alex, "and filling out Murielle's map, and then either bed or cards, depending on how you feel."

  "Also," said Stephen, "we'd like you to come work here while you can't work at the nursery. Your lucky clover is growing beautifully, and Master Stone has promised to send more plants over, though she can't be spared herself."

  "But you get to draft some acolytes to help," said Jacques, all amused. "And Alex, when he's not at Lapointe's beck and call."