Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

S ettling down at the table in Julian’s massive redwood home, Solomon fiddled with the devices. He wanted to figure out a few things about the trackers before sending them off with his minor adjustments.

Emrys created a copy to send to his family to check out and see what they could do to help.

“Time to send these trackers on their way to confuse the Carmine a bit more. Plus, my extra surprise.” Solomon wrapped each device in a bird form. He spun up three small portals and send them through each one.

“What’s the surprise?” Emrys asked.

“Oh, a little something to mark them later. Nothing too much.”

“What about this thing?” Emrys picked up another odd-looking device.

“The taller mage used that device to follow the trackers. Looks like it pinpoints the location somehow. Perhaps we can use it to follow the Carmine members.”

“Would the Carmine have each member tracked?”

“Possibly. I wouldn’t put it past them to want to know everything about each member, especially those outside the central realms.”

“How about I look into this one? I’ll send a copy to my family along with the trackers.” Emrys tapped it. “You can track them with your magic. The rest of us can’t.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“What else do you have to show us?”

“Oh, yes, back to the real reason we’re here.” Solomon reached into a magic pocket and pulled out a large, expansive pouch. “This is where I keep the information regarding the Carmine.”

“What’s in it?”

“All kinds of things, mostly notes. Then there is this one…” Solomon pulled out rolled up papers. He unfurled them across the table. “This is a list of the facilities where each child was discovered and removed. I created a close-up detail of the five central realms to mark off the facilities. Most of them come out of central. There are a few from the west and south. The north is protected, but that could change. I wanted to discover some kind of pattern. Perhaps alter it to make it more difficult for the Carmine to locate the children. Now this list is only for the children who came here.”

“How many other academies are safe?”

“There used to be ten. We’re down to seven.”

“Dinner is served.” Julian set down a large bowl of a smoked apricot and honey spring vegetarian stew. Then he added a platter of warm flat bread and a bowl of a delicious grain. He returned to pour them glasses of hibernation flower tea.

“This looks delicious, my darling. Thank you,” Emrys said with a kiss to Julian’s cheek.

“One of your family’s recipes. I had to adjust the vegetables and legumes to match what we have available,” Julian said. “Add the grain first to your bowl, top it with the stew, and mop up the delicious stuff with the bread.”

“Sounds like my kind of meal.” Solomon moved the maps and papers away. Then he dished up his meal. He settled down to eat.

“Give us the basics of what is happening between the Guild and the Carmine. I know about the Carmine and their claims and threats. My family has dealt with them many times,” Emrys said.

“I only know what is reported in the news or rumors,” Julian said.

“I’ll give you both a bit of history.” In between bites, Solomon explained almost everything about what was happening between the arcane, the Carmine, and the Guild.

By the time he finished, he devoured three full bowls of the delicious meal and several pieces of bread. Feeling stronger from the food, he sat back with the glass of tea.

“Therefore, you can’t leave Nucira,” Emrys said.

“Not that I can’t, but it would be dangerous for me. Especially since they altered the border crossings. And they added extra security and magic tests. If the borders are weak, I would have to cross to the central and back up north.”

“The portals are weakened around those northern borders. Mishaps in destinations. Some damage reports to mag-trains. The officials closed it as a prevention. You might get an airship to cross. They’re constantly flipping the portals depending on the border’s stability,” Emrys said.

“Truly?”

“Grayson mentioned it to me. They have several powerful portal creators, so in emergencies, they can have a direct portal to cross the borders. Even private portals are a little wonky.”

“How has Mac been traveling?” Julian asked.

“If he’s on his own, he’ll take the long way east and portal to Nucira. With the lab, their portal creators send everything across the border and another travels with them to continue the journey,” Emrys said.

Solomon set the glass down and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. Now he truly felt horrible for all the traveling Mac did to visit him.

“Not that he cared since he got to see you, Sol,” Emrys said.

“Until I closed down for the last time,” Solomon admitted.

“Is that what happened?”

“Part of it. He wanted me to travel back with him to spend time in Gledinium before the autumn semester began. I… I shut down, gave him my usual excuse, and backed off. The thought of traveling near central makes me physically nauseous. It was drilled into me since I was a child to never return.”

“And you could never tell Cormac the true reason because it was wrapped up in the secret of the Guild and Carmine,” Julian said.

Solomon glanced at Emrys. Tears rimmed his eyes. “I hurt him. I know I did. Doubt he’ll want to see me.”

“He’ll want to hear the truth about why you couldn’t go to him. He’ll give you that chance to be honest with him,” Emrys said.

“And then?”

“That’ll be up to Mac.”

Solomon groaned. “I screwed up.”

“It wasn’t all your fault. Not with all those secrets and what you must protect here,” Emrys said.

“Cormac is a good man with a strong, gentle heart. He’ll listen,” Julian said.

“I hope he will. I might have to travel that stretch soon.” Solomon pressed a fist against his rolling stomach. “And that’s scaring me, but after all that happened here.” He shook his head. “This can’t keep happening. It’s time to shut them down. There’s only one fella we know that is trained to investigate and bring justice. And one we can trust with our secrets.”

“Before we even bother making plans, we better see if he’s available.” Emrys pulled out his phone and set it on the table. He dialed a familiar number and put it on speaker.

“It’ll be wonderful to see him again.” Julian collected the dishes to clean up.

“Want me—” Solomon half rose before Julian waved him back.

“No, stay with Emrys and talk with our favorite RASI investigator.”

Solomon sipped from his tea.

“Andre Montgomery, RASI Chief Investigator of the Eastern Alliance Realms. How can I help you?” a warm voice asked when the phone connected.

“Andre, it’s Emrys Cadogan.”

“Druid! How are you doing?”

“Doing well. How about yourself?”

“You know RASI. Always busy. How’s that handsome dryad of yours?” Andre asked.

“Doing fine and not causing any trouble this time,” Julian called out from the sink.

“And you have me on speaker. Thanks,” Andre said with a droll note.

“I’m actually the one you need to talk to,” Solomon said.

“Solomon?”

“Greetings, Andre. I hope we’re not interfering with anything. Do you have a moment to speak with us?” Solomon asked.

“Of course. I always have time for my Nucira friends,” Andre said.

“Something is happening and I believe that we’ll need you to figure out everything and how to stop it.”

“That’s an enormous statement to say to a RASI investigator, Solomon.”

“What would happen if I say one word?”

“What’s the word?”

“Carmine.”

There was complete silence on the other end.

“Andre?” Emrys asked.

“Here. I’m here.” Andre lowered his voice. “Society of the Carmine Knot?”

“Yes,” Solomon said.

“How do you know them?”

“They hunt down anyone who uses arcane. You know my secret.”

“Did you encounter them?”

“Yes.”

“Did they escape?”

“No. Gloriosa assisted.”

There was more silence.

Solomon looked at Emrys, who shrugged. Even Julian wandered over.

There was a soft noise that told them Andre didn’t hang up on them.

“Give me two days,” Andre said.

“Two days?” Emrys asked.

“Yes. Give me two days. Then I’ll be there to speak with you. I’ll be bringing along my new partner,” Andre said.

“Can you portal to the meadow next to the grove? We’re not bringing this onto the academy lands.”

“I can set that up,” Andre said. “Give me two days.”

“You have them,” Solomon said.

“Will see you soon,” Andre said and hung up on his end.

“Now what?” Emrys asked.

“Send those items to your family so they can start picking them apart and maybe create replications of that one sniffer device,” Solomon said.

“Do you want to initiate contact?”

Solomon shook his head while he internally debated whether that was the right decision or not to reach out to Mac.

“What are you afraid of?” Julian asked.

“Rejection.” Remaining quiet after that statement, Solomon returned to organizing his papers and jotting down notes to how to explain everything when Andre arrives. He tried not to let the desperate desire and need to reach out to Mac invade his mind.