Magic Girls of Multiverse Inn 4: A Reverse Portal Fantasy, page 7
“Sam,” Greggin said. “Why don’t I show you and your lovely companions to your seats so my daughter can have a moment?”
“Of course,” I said, and then I smiled at Astrea. “You’ll do great, but good luck anyway.”
“Thank you,” Astrea sighed, and she swallowed hard.
Kaz and Prinna rushed forward to hug Astrea before anyone could stop them, and they both wished the auburn-haired woman good luck. Then the four of us followed Greggin outside.
He led us over to a roped-off area that was slightly elevated above the standing-room area. There were seats here, and Greggin pointed at the front row of chairs.
“You may sit here,” Greggin said. “We have a bit more time before the other spectators will be allowed in. Then I will welcome everyone and announce Astrea for the presentation to begin.”
“Is Astrea doing the presentation herself?” I asked with surprise.
“Yes.” Greggin’s smile was filled with fatherly pride and just a hint of nervous energy. “She insisted.”
“Won’t that confirm her sorcen blood to the whole of Bioniin?” Kaz asked.
“It will,” Greggin breathed deeply. “Astrea and I spoke about it at great length. She has decided to embrace the source of her abilities and skills. She said it is time to stop hiding who she is and the truth of her heritage from the world.”
Greggin’s face was consumed with amazement and pride in his daughter’s choice, and a brief look at Prinna’s soft smile confirmed she sensed it as well.
“You seem very proud of her choice,” I said in a friendly tone.
“I am,” Greggin agreed. “My wife… well…”
Greggin’s face fell, and he shook his head.
“Oh, well,” Greggin sighed.
The crowd of curious spectators had been let through the front gates, and they started to walk hurriedly around the mansion to the stage area. Seats started to fill in quickly, and a few very well-dressed citizens were shown up to our VIP section by Greggin’s staff.
“I must go prepare,” Greggin said with giddy excitement. “Enjoy the show, my friends!”
“Good luck,” I said as Greggin rushed away.
I turned around and found that Izzie, Prinna, and Kaz had all taken seats in the front row, and they’d left an empty seat for me between Prinna and Izzie.
“I bet Lady Cassapi hates the fact that Astrea wants to do the presentation herself,” Kaz said in a soft whisper.
“I think so.” Prinna nodded. “There was a wave of disappointment from Greggin when he mentioned her. He seems to have a lot of confusion and…”
Prinna’s hazel eyes went fuzzy for a moment, and I wondered if she was thinking or if she was feeling something new.
“Prin?” Kaz asked softly.
“I think there is much more to it all than we’ve been able to deduce,” Prinna said, and her eyes came back into focus.
“I think you’re right,” I said.
From the first real conversation I’d had with Greggin’s wife, I hadn’t really liked her. People like that, the ones who were more worried about what other people thought of them than the well-being or wishes of their family, never sat well with me.
“Astrea’s mother doesn’t approve of her?” Izzie asked with confusion.
“No, I think she wishes Astrea was very different than the way she is,” I said. “We got the strong impression that she wants her daughter to get married and live the quiet life of a wife and mother. The truth of Astrea’s sorcen blood seems to be an embarrassment to Lady Cassapi.”
“But Greggin doesn’t see it that way?” Izzie summarized.
“No,” Prinna confirmed. “He exudes pride every time he speaks about his daughter.”
The crowd around us filled in, and there were local citizens in the chairs right behind us now, so I signaled for my ladies to drop the topic for the time being.
“The show will begin soon,” I said in a voice that was just a bit louder than normal.
My lovers and I sat quietly while we waited for Greggin’s appearance, and I tried to tune into some of the conversations around us. It was impossible though, with so many conversations all happening at the same time and overlapping one another.
Instead, I focused on the curtains that had been pulled across the front of the stage, and I tried to listen for the auto-varrin’s engine when it was driven onto the stage. I never heard it, though, and I was surprised when Greggin stepped out from the center of the closed curtains with all the presence of Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman.
“Welcome!” Greggin announced in a clear and confident voice.
The crowd’s rumbling multitude of conversations quieted slowly, and I could hear the sound of a few hundred bodies shifting to turn toward the stage.
“This should be interesting,” a grumpy voice came from right behind me.
I turned my head slightly to try and catch a glimpse of the person from the side of my eye.
He was a very well-dressed man in a black suit with a heavy metallic collar around his shoulders. Bright sapphires and emeralds were set into the decorative jewelry, and he had the largest handlebar mustache I’d ever seen in my life.
My eyes went wide as I realized the curled tips would have extended past the sides of his face if they weren’t looped in such tight circles over the corners of his mouth.
His nostrils flared as he glared down his nose at me, and he scowled openly at the fact that I was seated in front of him. I had to guess this was Javreen’s long-term rival, Master Theedin Grinliin, and I instantly disliked his sour face and attitude.
“Welcome, friends and fellow citizens of our great city of Bioniin,” Greggin continued. “It is my pleasure to welcome you all here today for the presentation of the newest Javreen invention.”
Javreen spoke about the long history of life-changing and revolutionary inventions his family had produced through the years. There was obvious pride in his tone as he spoke about that history, but the emotion rose up into his blue eyes only when he shifted to introducing his beloved daughter.
“Our invention today has been aptly named the auto-varrin,” Greggin announced. “And I am ecstatic to present it to you all now, along with its inventor, Lady Astrea Javreen, to answer all your many questions.”
Chapter 5
The crowd erupted with shock and curious exclamations as the curtains opened to reveal Atrea standing nervously beside the auto-varrin.
She’d removed her leather work apron and let her hair down so the auburn curls hung beautifully around her shoulders. Her oval-shaped glasses were perched on her freckled nose, and her fingers were clenched tightly together before her.
A single sharp burst of disgusted laughter sounded from directly behind me, and I turned around to give Master Theedin Grinliin an equally disgusted look. My expression managed to hit close to communicating a feeling of disdain for the utter disrespect for the pomp and circumstance happening around us, though, and Grinliin cleared his throat and sat up straighter in his seat. I gave him my best withering look, and he scowled darkly at me as I turned around.
“W-welcome,” Astrea said in a meek voice.
I stared at her supportively, and she caught my eyes. I mimed a deep breath and gave her an encouraging smile.
“Welcome honored citizens of Bioniin,” Astrea began again with more confidence this time. “I am pleased to present to you all today the auto-varrin. It is a steam-powered vehicle that will revolutionize the way we travel.”
Astrea continued with her well-practiced speech, and I could almost see her reading through her notes as she gestured at the vehicle behind her. Her confidence rose as she went on, and with each perfectly pronounced sentence, she looked more comfortable.
I was impressed with her presentation, especially after how nervous and awkward she’d been around me the last time I’d seen her. Astrea had been about as calm as a burlap sack full of feral kittens high on catnip, but now she was self-possessed and ready. Her speech was prepared, and she spoke it with confidence, not only in her invention, but in herself, too.
“Preposterous,” someone in the crowd said loud enough for everyone to hear.
I blinked as I realized I had no idea what the member of the crowd was commenting on because I’d been too busy watching Astrea to listen to what she was saying.
“Actually, it’s entirely possible,” Astrea said, and she was as cool as a cucumber as she began to explain the process with which she’d developed the engine.
I was wildly proud of how calm and confident she was during the explanation, and I wanted to rush up to the stage and spin her around as I kissed her. For a moment, I was deaf and blind to anything that was said as I reeled internally at the sudden fantasy of having Astrea in my arms.
That was never going to happen, and I needed to get this crush under control before it got out of hand. Even if Lady Astrea had those kinds of feelings for me, Lady Cassapi would tear me limb from limb with her words before ever letting it happen. I smashed all the fluttering feelings of desire for the scholarly woman down into a tiny ball as dense as a black hole, and I shoved it deep into the recesses of my mind.
Then I forced myself to pay attention to the questions coming in from the audience.
“How long has this project been in production?” The question came from an anonymous raised hand in the middle of the standing crowd.
“Two annuals,” Astrea said with emphasis and a touch of humor. “There were many bumps along the way, and more than once I expected we would be forced to abandon the project.”
“In fact,” Greggin stepped in suddenly, and he silently asked permission to continue from his daughter with a sly look. When she nodded her consent, Greggin grinned and gestured to me. “The venturer, Sam Woods, was a critical player in the completion of this project. Take a bow, my friend, please.”
My heart raced as the entire crowd of several hundred people turned in unison to look at me and my three lovers. I waved awkwardly as I stood from the chair, and there was a polite smattering of applause in response. A few more enthusiastic cheers and even one whooping holler of excitement were mixed in, and I felt a little more like I deserved the credit the Javreens had given me.
The crowd rumbled with more excited and curious comments as I sank back into my seat, and Grinliin gave a sharp scoff behind me that I pointedly ignored. I didn’t know if he had a problem with me or with the fact that Javreen had used my services to complete the auto-varrin, and frankly, I didn’t give a shit.
I’d disliked the man long before I ever laid eyes on him, and his disrespectful attitude now only confirmed that was the right choice.
“I’m sure you all have many questions about the auto-varrin,” Astrea said. “So I will be opening the presentation for your questions now.”
She raised her hands in a welcoming gesture, and dozens of arms flew into the air. Several people didn’t wait to be acknowledged, and they started to shout questions at Astrea. The effect was a thunderous cacophony of voices, none of which could be understood.
“I’m sorry, please!” Astrea said in an indulgent tone. “One at a time, or I simply won’t be able to understand you.”
“Lady Astrea, please, over here!” a voice called from the front of the crowd.
“Yes, you.” Astrea pointed at the person attached to the waving arm.
“Excluding problems,” the man asked. “How long do you think the production of one will take once the process is perfected?”
I wondered if he was a reporter or something. I knew Bioniin had a local newspaper, and there had to be journalists present today. The auto-varrin would surely be front-page news tomorrow.
“As I stated earlier,” Astrea said confidently. “It took nearly two annuals from the first inspiration of the invention to its final completion. But, there were obviously a lot of problems to resolve, and that time frame included the design process. I believe we could work the production of one auto-varrin down to forty days.”
“Thank you, Lady Astrea,” the man said.
Astrea nodded politely, and she moved on through the crowd’s many questions. Most of them were about the auto-varrin itself. How did it function? How fast would it drive? Would new safety laws need to be created?
Astrea did her best to answer all the questions, and when she didn’t know an answer, she was straightforward about that.
“I do not have an answer about new safety laws,” Astrea said. “That is not my job, but I trust our great Constabulary to handle the situation. We have a private showing for them very soon so they can come and see the auto-varrin up close. I expect some new regulations will need to be put into place, but I will have to wait for those answers just as the rest of you.”
The questioner seemed satisfied by that answer, and Astrea moved on to the next question.
“Only sorcen work on inventions such as these,” the next person said. “All of Bioniin knows this. Have you sorcen blood, Lady Astrea?”
Astrea was silent for a moment, and I could see the panic try to consume her. But she was strong and clearly certain of her decision.
“I do,” Astrea said simply, and then she called on another person in the crowd.
The person asked something innocuous about the braking abilities of the auto-varrin, but about two dozen more arms flew into the air at the confirmation of her sorcen blood. It was her choice to reveal that knowledge to the realm, but I knew Astrea had opened a variable can of worms on herself.
“Lady Astrea!” a voice shouted as the auburn-haired inventor tried to select another person. “Why have you hidden the truth of your bloodline from us all?”
Astrea’s blue eyes flicked in the direction of the rude question for just a split second before she called on someone else.
“What do your parents think of the state of your blood?” the person asked.
“How do they feel about revealing this information to the public?” someone else demanded before Astrea could even breathe.
Several more voices shouted all at once, and I thought they asked similarly rude and invasive questions. I fought the urge to stand up and yell at them all to shut the fuck up and mind their own damn business. Astrea’s lineage was not the topic of today’s presentation.
But Astrea stood tall and proud as she waited for the crowd to realize she wasn’t going to entertain a single one of those questions. She reminded me of a seasoned kindergarten teacher waiting for her students to wear themselves out after one too many fart jokes.
“Are there any more questions about the auto-varrin?” Astrea asked once the crowd quieted down a bit more.
There was a rumble of dissent to Astrea’s question, and my heart ached to see the look of nervousness return to her freckled face. It seemed now that she had no more questions about the auto-varrin to answer, her confidence leaked out of her like water from a sieve. As my teeth clenched with secondhand discomfort, her father swooped in casually to take over for his frazzled daughter.
“We hope to have the auto-varrin available to the public by next annual,” Greggin announced.
I had to assume that meant next year, and I was impressed by that time frame. I wondered if Greggin had plans for a big factory production of the auto-varrin.
The crowd seemed equally pleased and impressed with this timeline, and a few more questions were posed for Master Javreen to answer. But my eyes were on Astrea.
She was breathing harshly, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead that screamed of anxiety.
“She’s very uncomfortable,” Prinna whispered to me.
I turned quickly to catch Prinna’s hazel eyes, and I knew there was worry clear on my face.
“There is conflict in her,” Prinna whispered, and her eyes went hazy as she tilted her white-blonde head toward the stage. “Hopelessness is rising, but she desires… joy.”
I didn’t have the chance to ask Prinna more because the crowd suddenly erupted in applause, and everyone rose to their feet. My ladies and I joined in as the curtains closed between us and Astrea and her invention.
The standing crowd devolved into a mass of bodies with excited chatter about everything that had happened. I caught snippets of conversation ranging from where people wanted to have their lunch, to excitement about the auto-varrin, to wildfire rumors about Astrea and Lady Cassapi. It seemed that the idea that Greggin wasn’t Astrea’s biological father was going to whip through the city at warp speed.
“Greggin is a liar and a deceiver,” Grinliin’s voice drew my attention. “It surprises me not in the least to learn Lady Cassapi is an adulterer.”
I ground my teeth together, and I got the feeling the bastard was trying to get a rise out of me. I refused to give him the satisfaction, and I remained facing toward the stage.
“It’s entirely possible the sorcen blood came into the bloodline generations ago, Theedin,” another man said in a more complacent tone. “We shouldn’t speculate on such things, it is beneath us…”
The other man’s voice faded along with the sound of footsteps, and I knew Grinliin and his companion had finally walked away. I was wildly curious who the other man had been, and I was glad at least someone was trying to keep things peaceful.
Greggin poked his head around the corner of the curtains, and he smiled brightly when he saw we were still standing on the little platform. He gestured that he wanted us to stay, and I gave him a brief nod.
The crowd dispersed slowly, and about twenty minutes later, my lovers and I were the only ones left besides Greggin’s staff. They’d begun to clear away the seats and velvet ropes, and I bet they would have the stage completely deconstructed before dinner tonight.
“Well?” Greggin asked as he appeared beside us. “What did you think?”
“I think it went really well,” I said.
“It was marvelous,” Kaz said.
“Astrea did very well,” Prinna added.
“She commanded the crowd’s attention,” Izzie chimed in. “And she stayed on topic. I was very impressed.”
