Enchantress Under Fire, page 7
part #4 of Arcane Artisans Series
“I don’t see how that’s my fault.”
“It’s not. But she’s intimidated by those of us who have had our powers for a while, or the ones like Meg who have a boatload of magical strength. In my opinion, she’s looking for a rival, someone she can hate and try to defeat without much risk. You may have just been singled out.”
“Oh. Hooray.”
Lauren rose and dumped her chicken bones in the trash before stacking her plate with the others. She crossed to our table and stood looking down her exceptionally pointy nose. “Hey newbie. I’m Lauren.” She stuck her hand in my face.
“Marcela.” I shook her palm, letting myself wince as she squeezed tight before releasing.
“Not too many young people here. It’s good to see another one of us.” She managed to make “good” sound like the apocalypse had happened.
“Mhm.” I took another bite of burger to avoid having to reply.
“So, are you really strong with magic?”
Fael gave a small cough and covered it with a drink of punch.
“Not really,” I said.
“Oh. That’s too bad,” said Lauren. “Most of my enchantments work, and I’m working on flashier stuff. Soon I should be recruited into the special training program. Are you going for that, too?”
My senses went on alert. “What special training?”
“It’s a new thing. A subdivision of the Mediators.” She casually rolled up her sleeve to expose a white wristband on her arm. It was made of leather and stitched with red thread. I’d seen them before on the arms of Geralt’s patrols in the city. “Those with particularly strong magic get special training in enchanting. I’m surprised I haven’t been invited yet, but it should happen any day now. But don’t worry. If you’re not up to that level, they’ll keep you doing things more suited to your limits.”
“How many people are in special training?”
Her eyes flashed competitively. “I don’t know, exactly. That big guy with the thick glasses was recruited two weeks ago.”
“Lyle,” Fael commented.
“Yeah, him. The last person before him was like a month earlier. But not too many. Maybe five. Or less. It’s a very exclusive and prestigious honor.”
“Nobody knows where they train, either,” said Fael. “Probably some fancy hotel or a cool resort in the woods.”
“This is a cool resort in the woods,” I said.
“I don’t think so,” said Lauren. “I bet they’re still near the city, in case they’re needed in battle.”
“Who does the training?” I asked.
Lauren’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you weren’t interested in it.”
I caught myself leaning forward, and forced my posture to relax. “I’m not. Just curious. This whole world is new to me, and I want to learn everything I can.”
“Hmm.” Lauren’s hands planted on her hips. “Well, I’m sure they’ll tell you what you need to know when you’re ready for it. Got to go now. Lots of practice and studying to do to prepare.” She flounced off, not stopping to talk to anyone else on her way back to the dormitory.
“Don’t worry,” said Fael. “I’m sure you can apply for a new roommate.”
I whirled on him. “What?”
He burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. That was mean. She’s not your roommate. There are no roommates. But your face when you thought you’d have to deal with her every day ...” He continued chuckling as he gulped another mouthful of punch. “I may have had too much of this. It’s making me immature.”
As my racing heart subsided, I sipped my own punch. “I’m getting you back for that.”
“Best of luck. I’m hard to surprise.”
Meg returned a moment before Greg came back with a plate piled with nothing but chicken and hamburger patties. “Did Fael cheat?” Meg asked me.
I grinned. “Yup. Looked at both your hands and rearranged the draw deck.”
“I did not.” Fael shook his head at me. “I see you take revenge quickly.”
“Oh, this wasn’t payback. You’ll know when that hits.”
“I look forward to your ...” Fael trailed off as something over my shoulder caught his attention.
Smiling, I turned.
Geralt stood right behind me.
I looked up into his gold-brown eyes and had a heart attack. He looked a bit thinner than the last time I’d seen him, but his strong jaw and confident posture still gave the impression of filling up space. His light brown hair was carefully styled, his button-up shirt and slacks tailored to fit him perfectly. An expensive watch adorned his wrist, just below the ring of enchantment tattoos circling his tanned arm. A second set of tattoos twined around his other wrist, a dozen imprints of magic reminding all who saw them that this man had impeccable control of his powers. Cologne tantalized the breeze around him, scenting of woods and crisp fall. The smell reminded me of something Desmond would wear.
He smiled down at me. “Marcela, is that right? I like to meet every new member of my Family. I’m Geralt. Most everyone here calls me the Mentor.” He offered a handshake.
Someone else controlled my body as I accepted his hand and smiled up at him. The real me had shriveled into a dark recess in my gut and curled up to scream.
“Good to see you out and about,” said Meg. “We’ve been worried about you.”
“The headaches come and go,” said Geralt, not letting go of my hand. “But tonight is a good night.”
“Glad to hear it,” said Meg. I glanced at her. Something akin to hero worship sparkled in her eyes. “Would you like to join us? We’re just about to start a new game.”
Oh no.
“In a bit, maybe,” said Geralt, smiling graciously. “I want to make sure to talk with everyone, since I’m well today.”
“Of course,” said Meg. “We don’t want to hog you.”
“Well, we might,” said Fael. “But we won’t.”
“Do you mind if I borrow Marcela for a moment?” Geralt asked. “I haven’t properly met her yet, and I’d be a terrible leader if I didn’t know each of my people personally.”
I’d known this would be coming, but not this soon, given how Geralt had been conspicuously absent from the city recently. What was he doing back? Had he been here all along and just avoided showing his face? Or if he had left the city, where had he gone?
The others were already inviting Geralt back once we were done talking, and smiling at me as if I’d just been awarded a medal. Geralt closed his other palm over the back of my hand and guided my grip to his arm. All very gentlemanly, if his touch hadn’t driven needles into my bones.
As he led me away, I cast about for something to say. “You’re in charge here?”
“In charge makes it sound so authoritarian,” Geralt chuckled. “Better to say I’m the first among equals. We make decisions as a Family. I provide guidance and direction.”
“Guidance?”
“I have been an enchanter since I was three years old, longer than most of the others. My powers are also particularly strong, giving–some would say forcing–an innate understanding of magic. I help shepherd others in the use of their powers and the exploration of their potential. It’s very rewarding work.” His voice lilted merrily as he spoke.
What about when you kill those you once shepherded? What about when you send assassins and kidnappers against those who oppose you? My thoughts were screaming in rage. I said instead, “I’m sure it is. But if you’re not feeling well, you don’t have to waste time with me. Meg made it sound like you’re sick.”
“Only with magic. You may not have had your powers long enough to notice, Marcela, but the world’s magic is behaving erratically. Strong bursts of it one moment, then shortages the next. Clusters in one place and emptiness in another. When the magic is particularly strong near me, my senses get a bit ... taxed. But I have a plan in place to resolve this problem. Hopefully soon we will be able to smooth things out.”
Oh my god. He made it sound so benign while talking about murdering me. My shivering inner self squeezed her knees to her chest. I realized I’d missed the next thing he said, so I made a noncommittal noise and hoped he’d overlook it.
He stopped under a palm tree shadowing the koi pond, near Lauren’s abandoned table. The closest people to us were ten feet away, giving us a shade of privacy. What would happen, I wondered idly, if I stabbed Geralt right now? It was a nice fantasy, but of course it wouldn’t work. I’d known that before I decided to infiltrate the cult. With Geralt’s magic, I had no doubt he was keeping some sort of defensive enchantment in place around his body. I knew for a fact one of his wrist enchantments made him resistant to punches. He probably had doctors on standby in case someone should surprise him. Besides that, the only weapons nearby were the butter knives on the buffet table. Those, and my magic. At one time I might have balked at using magic to kill. Those days were gone. But the magic here had been surprisingly light for how many enchanters were around. Something else to think about later.
Shit. I’d missed more of Geralt’s talking. He was looking down at me, smiling in a fatherly way, his eyebrows raised in a question. “I’m sorry, what?” I said.
“I realize this can all be overwhelming,” he said. “I hope I’m not straining you. I asked about your interest in the Mediation force. From what Fael said, you may not have technical skills, but you’re observant. And from the easy way you’ve made friends here, I’d say you’re good at interacting with others, too. I think you’d do well with the Mediators. We always need more friendly faces in the city, informing others about the Family and the benefits we offer.”
“Yes, I thought so too.” That other person in control of my body kept her voice calm and even a bit cheerful. “It seemed like a good way to help out. You’re doing so much for me. I just want to give something back.”
“I like to see such initiative in new Family members. This isn’t volunteer work, of course. We’d pay you, minus your expenses. You’d also be paired with experienced Family members for support. In such violent times, it isn’t safe for any one enchanter to be out alone.”
It also made it harder for anyone to defect, I thought. “That makes sense.”
He smiled. “I’m so glad you found us, Marcela. Without the Family, the Voids might have hunted you down and ... well, I hate to think what would have happened. It seems this is a sanctuary city for you in more ways than one.”
Suspicion kindled within me. “What do you mean?”
“Fael mentioned your ... documentation problem.”
“I thought that didn’t matter here.”
“It doesn’t. But it’s good be cautious.”
He was going somewhere with this, somewhere meant to bring me more fully under his sway. I stood before his gaze like a squirrel transfixed by a viper. The jaws were closing around me. I could feel the teeth hovering over my flesh, the poison waiting to enter my veins. I gave him the reaction he sought, folding my arms across my chest and looking uncomfortable. “What do you mean?”
His viper smile never faded. He patted my arm gently. “The talent inside you makes you special. You’re one of a very few people in the world with this sort of power. We need all of us, if we’re going to make this city, this nation, this world into a better place to live. You’ve found where you belong, Marcela. Rest assured, so long as you’re with us, no one outside the city ever need know your immigration status.”
With that, he walked away and promptly started mingling with a group of enchanters by the buffet.
A shiver ran down my spine, this time unrelated to the night breeze. That had been a threat, I was sure of it. Marcela would have felt sure of it, too.
But then she’d go back to her new friends, eat homemade food and play games and laugh, and go to sleep in a comfortable bed.
Then she’d start to wonder. Was it really a threat? Was she overreacting? Surely she’d just misinterpreted his meaning. Everyone here was so kind, and they all trusted the Mentor. He was just warning her, that had to be it, watching out for her best interests. He didn’t mean anything by it. Anyway, he was right. She had to be wary of threats from outside the Family, people who would jeopardize her new life. And so she’d gaslight herself into false security. Then another conversation would raise more doubts, but she’d reason her way out of them again. Soon she’d become comfortable being manipulated until, little by little, she stopped realizing it was happening.
With another shiver, I returned to the table. Everyone glanced up at me curiously, but I just smiled. “Your Mentor is very welcoming.” To forestall questions, I gestured to the board game set in the middle of the table. “You didn’t start the new game yet, right? Why don’t you teach me to play?”
Fael glanced at my plate of food. “You done already?”
“I can pick at it. I want to get to know you guys better. Since I’m one of you now.”
“Ah, yes. This is supposed to be Family bonding time. Let us bond!” Fael reshuffled the cards while Meg set up the figurines on the game board. “So the idea of the game is we’re pretending we’re all wizards ...”
“We are wizards,” Greg said.
“Yes, but these wizards are pretend wizards, so they’re more exciting. It’s like when sports stars play video games of themselves, playing sports.” Fael dealt me a hand of cards. “The object of the game is to blow up your enemy’s strongholds. At the beginning of the game you write down which other players you want as your allies and which are your enemies. You win if you eliminate all your enemies, but sometimes people you consider allies have declared you an enemy. It’s this big game of cat and mouse as you try to figure out who’s on your side and who’s not.”
My veins were thrumming, and it wasn’t with magic. “Sounds fun,” I said. “Let’s play.”
Chapter 7
THAT EVENING I ATTENDED AN IMPROMPTU CLASS taught by Meg on how to put multiple enchantments on a person without driving them insane. We tested these lessons on ourselves. A group of twenty or so fleshwriters meticulously copied Meg’s enchantments, one to muffle footsteps and another to improve grip strength. Nobody went insane or burst into flames, so that said something for Meg’s teaching.
During the class, Lauren performed both enchantments perfectly, wearing a smug smile. She also watched me closely, so I made a show of struggling to draw in enough magic to craft the second bit of magic. That seemed to satisfy her.
Zashawn attended the class as well. I avoided looking at him. I didn’t see anyone else from my childhood, but I did spot an enchanter named Andrew whom I’d intimidated on Lombard Street several months ago. He’d struck me as easily swayable, so I made a point of meeting him, adding him to my mental list of possible recruits. I also spotted several others I’d encountered in various skirmishes throughout the city, but saw no sign of the white woman who’d been with Sydney when the Voids ambushed us.
At the end of the class, Meg pulled me aside and said Geralt had approved my assignment to the Mediation force.
So, the following morning, I went down to the lobby of the conference building, where I’d been told to meet my team. They hadn’t told me who I’d be meeting, only that somebody would show up and tell me where to go and what to do.
Sure enough, Meg was pacing the carpet, ignoring the cushy chairs situated in small groups. The big clock over the entry to the auditorium said I was ten minutes early. Meg was punctual. I filed that note away.
She nodded to me as I let the glass doors swing silently shut. “Glad you made it.”
“Am I too early?”
“No such thing. The others should be here in a few minutes. We make a point of starting things on time.” She stopped in front of me and pulled something from her pocket. “Hold out your arm.”
I obeyed. She slipped something over my wrist. I looked down to see a white leather band circling my arm, stitched in red thread.
“You’re a Mediator now,” she said, smiling. “Welcome to the team.”
“Thank you.” I tore my gaze from the band marking me as one of the oppressors of the city’s paranormals. “Fael briefed me on what we’re doing. Searching for Adrienne Morales–”
“La Espectra.”
“Right, and her friends.”
“Correct. We also need to track down any rogue paranormals using their powers to hurt others or support La Espectra. Shifters, vampires, elementals. Most of the merfolk chose to side with us, but there’s a chance some of them might betray our cause as well. If you see any paranormal doing anything suspicious, let me know and we’ll investigate.”
“Then what?”
“As I’ve said, we’ll do what’s necessary.” She softened her tone. “Don’t worry, Marcela. I know you’re skittish after hearing about the Void mobs, but we’re not some totalitarian regime. Our laws are pretty basic. Don’t use magic in obvious ways. Don’t hurt other paranormals. Be responsible with the gifts you’ve been given. People who violate those laws don’t deserve their freedom.”
You mean their lives, I corrected in my mind. But I sensed this wasn’t a time to push further.
The glass doors opened, and Lauren stomped in. She froze for an instant when she saw me, her eyes narrowing in dislike. Then she put on a wide, fake smile and said, “Meg! So good to see you! I’m more than ready for our mission today. I’ve been practicing every enchantment you showed me last time, and I’m ready to keep learning.”
“That’s great, Lauren,” said Meg in a tired voice. “But we’re not training today. Just patrolling.”
Lauren’s face fell, but she forced it right back into its pasted-on grin. “Well, I’ll just keep an eye on you, then. I wouldn’t want to miss any educational moments!”
She shot a squinty-eyed appraisal my way, and I winced. Why did the obnoxious diva have to be on my team?
The door opened again behind me. “Good,” said Meg, “our last member is here. Let’s get going, dawdlers.”
I turned and felt my own smile turn to ash.
