“And lastly Miss Lucchesi has kindly provided us with a list of people she says can renovate this place.”
“Lucchesi?” Mei’s report went cold in Dwayne’s hands. “The Wind Sage came here?”
“Miss Lucchesi, not Sage Lucchesi, my lord.”
Oh, Magdala’s roommate. Dwayne returned his attention to Mei’s surprisingly well penned report. “Why was she here?”
“To have lunch with Miss Ma. Before she left, she gave me this.” Rodion placed a long list of names next to Dwayne’s box of matches.
Dwayne blinked at it. “Are these recommendations?”
“I believe so, my lord.”
“Must have been a long lunch. We should send her a gift as thanks.” Dwayne sighed. “Then we’ll see if any of these people will work with us.”
“Perhaps you could mention Miss Lucchesi?”
“Perhaps, but…” Dwayne squirmed in his seat. “I’m not comfortable with name-dropping.”
“Considering how new you are to the city,” Rodion refilled Dwayne’s tea, “they will need to know how you learned about them.”
“That makes sense. I’ll try it.”
“Very good, my lord.”
Dwayne hid a wince at the form address then lay back on the sofa and rubbed his temples. Even though he had more time with the Tower was locked up and Magdala working on the Resonance Theory proof, his headache seemed to be getting worse and worse. It was possible that his remaining work – preparing for practicals, attending that loathsome man’s etiquette class, and managing the correspondence among the people he’d interviewed about the robberies – was too much for him.
That last one had been Nicole’s fault. The earthhoist had returned to Sanford three days ago with questions about the fire spell, but because Dwayne was meeting with another robbery victim, she’d ended up demonstrating the spell to the victim, who had gotten very excited about the possibilities and told half of Bradford about it. Now, Dwayne was receiving and replying to regular letters, which was a very satisfying, and very time-consuming task.
At least, he had a full list of what the thieves had stolen.
“Perhaps you should take a break?”
Dwayne shot Rodion a glance. “No ‘my lord?’”
The steward kept tidying up. “I don’t know what you mean, my lord.”
Dwayne pushed past the familiar flash of annoyance and asked, “Are you manipulating me for my health?”
“My lord,” Rodion gave Dwayne a hurt look, “I am only here to take care of you and your house. Surely, that doesn’t require any manipulation on my part.”
“Good.” Dwayne sat back and closed his eyes. “I’d hate to think you believe it’s that easy.”
“Perish the thought.”
“Glad that’s clear.” Dwayne chuckled. “That said, I think I’ll take a break. My head is killing me.” His stomach grumbled. “And I’m starving.”
“I shall prepare dinner, my lord.”
Someone pounded on the front door.
“It’s late. Who is that?”
Dwayne moved to get up, but Rodion gently pushed him back down onto the sofa. “I’ll get it.”
When the steward returned, he was right on the heels of Thadden.
“Young Kalan,” the baron’s face was redder than Magdala’s hair, “what in Markosia do you think you are doing?”
“Good evening, Baron.” Dwayne made a show of collecting his matches to hide covering his bracer under his sleeve. “You’ll need to be more specific. I’ve been a busy.”
“Who gave you permission to peddle those flame talismans all over Bradford?”
“I did? They’re my and Ma- young Gallus’s work. I’ve been sharing them with the robbery victims in exchange for information. Turns out the thieve are after Gold-”
“You what?” Thadden stared at Dwayne. “You’re just giving them away?”
“Well, not exactly. Nicole won’t let me.”
“Who’s Nicole?”
Dwayne winced at the baron’s volume. “She was the first victim. Don’t you read the reports I send you?”
“My lord,” Rodion interrupted the baron’s next sonic explosion, “will the baron be joining us?”
Please no. “Of course, he’s invited,” said Dwayne.
“We’re not done here.” Thadden took a seat in the upholstered chair. “I shall take you up on that offer.”
As the steward left, Dwayne eyed the baron. “I don’t see what the problem is.”
Thadden’s nostrils flared. “The problem is that you didn’t consult me.”
“Why would I?”
“Because when I become Her Majesty’s Royal Sorcerer, it will be my duty to oversee all magical developments in the Queendom, and those talismans are profanities that should be kept under lock and key, not handed out like, like, Dunklenacht gifts!”
Before Dwayne could reply, a sharp crack and a crash tabled the discussion. The crack was Mei’s rifle and the crash had come from… The cellar. Na’cch was in the cellar.
Dwayne was already running.
“Where are you going?” shouted Thadden.
Dwayne made it to the locked cellar door, where an aproned Rodion was already fretting.
“My lord, what do you want me to do?”
“Help Huan.” Dwayne unlocked the door. “I’ll deal with whatever’s downstairs.”
“Perhaps-”
“I’ve faced down Revenants. I can handle a thief.”
As Dwayne raced down the steps, it occurred to Dwayne that while it was possible that it was a coincidence that the thief had gone straight to the cellar where Rodion had just moved the books, that wasn’t where he’d have started his search for books. Most cellars weren’t nearly as dry as Sanford’s.
Then something else crashed and there was only time for run, not though.
Admaeus Speaks 