Michael Manning - The Archmage unbound

Penny frowned, “No, and that’s why I’m not objecting too much. I feel certain that something as important as your impending doom would trigger my foresight. Since my ‘intuition’ has remained silent thus far I’m willing to let you take more risk than is probably wise.”

I decided not to argue that point, her ‘intuition’ and I had already butted heads once before in the past. The result had been her near death. Still I doubted I would back down if I were forced into a corner like that again. I can be notoriously stubborn when I choose to be. Rather than remind her of my penchant for mule-headedness I agreed with her, “I’m glad of that. If things go well I should be back late tonight, or tomorrow at the latest. I may stay and have dinner at the house with Marc. I haven’t had many opportunities to explore the library lately.”

I finished my good-byes and an hour later I was standing in the hallway of my house in Albamarl. Teleportation was one of the nicer things about being a wizard, although I had very few places I could use it to reach. It required a pre-made circle at both the point of origination and the destination, and the two had to match.

Currently the only places I had available were my home in Cameron Castle, Castle Lancaster, and my house in Albamarl. I intended to expand on that number a bit during my stay in the capital though. Once I had reminded the king of my traveling abilities he might decide to try and cut down on my options by having my house watched.

I glanced down the hallway and let my senses expand until I had located Marc. True to his word he was sitting at one of the reading tables in the library. My first impulse was to walk in and say hello but after a moment’s thought I decided to test out my plan for infiltrating the palace. I had several spells in mind but I hadn’t actually tried them out in a practical situation. I spoke a few words and ran my hand over my boots, which should silence any sound my footsteps might make, while leaving me free to speak as need be.

I walked silently until I stood near the door to the library. Marc had thoughtfully closed it after he entered, which made entering the room unseen and unheard more difficult. Perfect. Watching him mentally I made sure he wasn’t facing the door, and then I quietly whispered a few words. They were similar to the ones I had used to silence my boots, and their effect on the door was the same. Putting my hand on the handle I opened the door and stepped inside.

So far I remained unnoticed, Marc was still reading intently but I knew he might look in my direction at any moment and I was far from invisible. I needed to cast another spell but realized that standing in the same room there was a strong chance he would hear me, even if I spoke very softly. I needed a distraction. Glancing toward the opposite end of the room I chanced a whispered word and focused my will. The sound of a book falling to the floor and claws skittering across wooden boards came from that end of the room immediately; drawing Marc’s startled attention in that direction. I spoke quietly again and settled what I thought would be the perfect disguise across myself. This last spell was something new entirely, a way of creating a false appearance. I had chosen the likeness of his sister Ariadne in advance.

I had discovered the art of illusion in one of my father’s books only a few weeks before and I had been experimenting with them in odd moments ever since. This was my first time attempting to fool another person with a complete disguise however, so I had no idea how well it might work. Walking forward I stood by the table and waited for Marc to turn back around. At the moment he was still tensely watching the corner, wondering at the noise I had created. When at last he turned back around his expression was priceless.

“What?!” he exclaimed, scrambling backward. Or at least he tried to scramble backward, still being seated in the chair he wound up half standing before falling on his ass. It took all my self-control to stifle a laugh, instead I feigned concern.

“Marcus are you alright? I didn’t mean to startle you!” I said quickly. If my spell was working properly he should be seeing his sister leaning over him wearing a lovely blue dress that I had once seen her in. Call me a pervert if you will but I always remembered her wearing that dress when I thought of his sister.

“Ariadne?” he said tentatively, a suspicious stare on his features. “Is that you? How did you get here?” He rose from the floor and dusted himself off; although the floor was spotless.

I hadn’t considered the conversation beyond surprising him. Now that it was clear my disguise was working I thought I might keep it up a bit longer. My mind raced as I considered my words. “Mordecai sent me. I went to Cameron looking for you and he said you had come to study here. How have you been? Rose told me you have been acting odd lately.” That should keep his suspicions at bay, I thought to myself with a self-indulgent chuckle. I refrained from hugging him, my illusion lacked any substance and my distinctly masculine frame would be a dead giveaway.

Marc looked around, “Is Mort with you?” he asked suddenly.

“No he said he would return to take me home in an hour or so,” I temporized.

“Clever girl,” he said with a sly grin. “We haven’t had any time to ourselves in ages have we?”

The look he gave me was faintly unsettling. I really had no idea what his conversations with his siblings were like when they were alone but something about his tone was odd. “No, we haven’t,” I agreed. “I’ve been worried about you.”

He took a step closer and I instinctively stepped back to avoid contact. “Do you still love your brother?” he asked in a wistful tone, “Even after my disgrace?”

I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation but I didn’t want to spoil my joke just yet. “Of course Marcus, you’ve always been my favorite.”

His eyes had a dangerous glint in them, “Your favorite?” he asked. “Don’t you mean your only? Or have you found someone else?” His voice had developed a distinctly husky sound.

Things had gotten out of hand. “What?!” I shouted in surprise, but before I could say more he leapt forward and kissed me. Shock and outrage were my sudden companions as I tried to throw him off. He clung to me instead and we wound up wrestling on the floor while I attempted to disentangle myself from the sister-loving monster my friend had become.

“Ariadne, I don’t remember you being so hairy but I like it!” he growled. I had finally gotten control of our struggle and I was working to get him into an arm lock. He was laughing now and puckering his lips at me as I twisted his arm. At last I realized I had been had. In disgust I let go of him and with a shove stepped back.

Marc was laughing so hard now he could hardly stand and he collapsed onto the floor again. “Mort you should have seen your face!” he guffawed at me.

His humor was infectious and I found myself chuckling a bit in spite of my indignation. “You’re a sick bastard, I hope you realize that! How did you figure it out?” I asked.

Marc’s laughter slowed and finally he was able to answer more soberly, “Do you really think my sister’s voice sounds like that? That was the worst falsetto I’ve ever heard!”

Of course, I should have known. I did have a better solution for the voice problem but I couldn’t use it without having direct contact with the person I was imitating first. That was academic though, I had thought my generic ‘female’ voice would be enough. Clearly I was wrong. I frowned.

“And that dress, what was that about? She’s only worn that dress to formal balls. Why would she wear that here?” he snickered, but then his eyes went wide. “Oh damn! You have a thing for my sister! Why else would you remember her at her loveliest? Oh that’s low Mort! Wait till I tell Penny!”