true of several of the others.
“You’re more up on the gossip than your
reputation would suggest,” said Pembroke, looking intrigued.
“I trust my senses,” said Alex,
stepping away from him to slip into the circle of admirers around Julian once
more.
“And then he opened his hands, and there
was a small glowing bubble that popped in a shower of sparks,” one suitor
was saying, his voice and face full of a joy that seemed entirely genuine.
Lucas Chudleigh was one of those original hail-fellow-well-met sorts, full of
the mead of life and happy to share, and a part of Alex thought he might make a
good match for the moody Julian.
Of course, Alex had no real idea what Julian
was like when he wasn’t beset with tragedy on all sides.
“Were the boys impressed?” asked
Julian, sharing in Chudleigh’s delight the same way he’d shared in everyone’s
stories, putting all of himself into the interaction with only a small part
held back for grief.
Chudleigh chuckled. “I was, of course, but
no, the rest of them had been seeing magic all their lives and were too busy
showing each other how very jaded they were to enjoy the wonder of it.”
Alex whistled a soft little tune, and the air
filled with butterflies, made of soft green and gold light, which came to
settle on Chudleigh, though one did wander its way to Julian’s knee and turn a
soft, sad blue.
Chudleigh grinned. “You see? There’s
always something to wonder at, if you let yourself,” he said, as if Alex’s
little show was making his point for him. Having missed the start of the
conversation, Alex thought perhaps it was.
He brought the music up in a little trill and
the butterflies flew up and away, even the blue one, not showering sparks or
turning to flowers but just flying up and up and up, further than the room
could possibly hold until they were lost from sight.
It wasn’t until they were gone that the others
began to look for the culprit, though a sly look from Julian showed that he, at
least, had noticed Alex’s whistling.
“An excellent show,” said Pembroke
behind him, clapping in a way that was just barely not mocking, edging on the
side of good sportsmanship. “Illusion’s harder than it looks.”
“It depends on where your talents
lie,” said Alex, who had always found that it took a highly creative and
focused mind to create illusions, not to mention a sense of whimsy that seemed
out of keeping with Pembroke’s personality.
Julian clapped as well, his hands moving
considerably faster, which started all the men clapping as they clued in that
Alex was the mage in question.
Alex made a courtly bow to Julian and then to
Chudleigh, saying, “I didn’t mean to steal your spotlight, merely
illustrate your point.”
“I don’t mind one bit, it was a lovely
show, wasn’t it, John?” Chudleigh was looking at Pembroke with a puppyish
familiarity.
“Quite,” said Pembroke, though there
was a smile in his eyes as he looked at Chudleigh that spoke to Alex of
friendship.
The conversation might have drifted off again,
but Godfrey arrived to announce dinner, and off they went to the grand dining
room for the next set of tests.
~ ~ ~
Place cards had already been laid; Julian of
course took the head of the table, and his sister Emmeline Fitzhugh was just
seating herself at the foot when Godfrey brought the men in. She was just as
small and slight as her brother, but her complexion was sun-kissed and her hair
a much lighter strawberry blonde. Her dress was black with the whole household
in mourning for its lost member, and the fashionable frock was decorated with
jet beads that sparkled under the chandeliers.
“Welcome to our home, gentlemen,” she
said, gesturing for them to find their places.
Many of them seemed to have a sense of where
they belonged already, so Alex hung back, surprised when the last empty spot
was at Julian’s left hand — he’d put Pembroke on the right, in the most
favoured position, but closer to
“You’re more up on the gossip than your
reputation would suggest,” said Pembroke, looking intrigued.
“I trust my senses,” said Alex,
stepping away from him to slip into the circle of admirers around Julian once
more.
“And then he opened his hands, and there
was a small glowing bubble that popped in a shower of sparks,” one suitor
was saying, his voice and face full of a joy that seemed entirely genuine.
Lucas Chudleigh was one of those original hail-fellow-well-met sorts, full of
the mead of life and happy to share, and a part of Alex thought he might make a
good match for the moody Julian.
Of course, Alex had no real idea what Julian
was like when he wasn’t beset with tragedy on all sides.
“Were the boys impressed?” asked
Julian, sharing in Chudleigh’s delight the same way he’d shared in everyone’s
stories, putting all of himself into the interaction with only a small part
held back for grief.
Chudleigh chuckled. “I was, of course, but
no, the rest of them had been seeing magic all their lives and were too busy
showing each other how very jaded they were to enjoy the wonder of it.”
Alex whistled a soft little tune, and the air
filled with butterflies, made of soft green and gold light, which came to
settle on Chudleigh, though one did wander its way to Julian’s knee and turn a
soft, sad blue.
Chudleigh grinned. “You see? There’s
always something to wonder at, if you let yourself,” he said, as if Alex’s
little show was making his point for him. Having missed the start of the
conversation, Alex thought perhaps it was.
He brought the music up in a little trill and
the butterflies flew up and away, even the blue one, not showering sparks or
turning to flowers but just flying up and up and up, further than the room
could possibly hold until they were lost from sight.
It wasn’t until they were gone that the others
began to look for the culprit, though a sly look from Julian showed that he, at
least, had noticed Alex’s whistling.
“An excellent show,” said Pembroke
behind him, clapping in a way that was just barely not mocking, edging on the
side of good sportsmanship. “Illusion’s harder than it looks.”
“It depends on where your talents
lie,” said Alex, who had always found that it took a highly creative and
focused mind to create illusions, not to mention a sense of whimsy that seemed
out of keeping with Pembroke’s personality.
Julian clapped as well, his hands moving
considerably faster, which started all the men clapping as they clued in that
Alex was the mage in question.
Alex made a courtly bow to Julian and then to
Chudleigh, saying, “I didn’t mean to steal your spotlight, merely
illustrate your point.”
“I don’t mind one bit, it was a lovely
show, wasn’t it, John?” Chudleigh was looking at Pembroke with a puppyish
familiarity.
“Quite,” said Pembroke, though there
was a smile in his eyes as he looked at Chudleigh that spoke to Alex of
friendship.
The conversation might have drifted off again,
but Godfrey arrived to announce dinner, and off they went to the grand dining
room for the next set of tests.
~ ~ ~
Place cards had already been laid; Julian of
course took the head of the table, and his sister Emmeline Fitzhugh was just
seating herself at the foot when Godfrey brought the men in. She was just as
small and slight as her brother, but her complexion was sun-kissed and her hair
a much lighter strawberry blonde. Her dress was black with the whole household
in mourning for its lost member, and the fashionable frock was decorated with
jet beads that sparkled under the chandeliers.
“Welcome to our home, gentlemen,” she
said, gesturing for them to find their places.
Many of them seemed to have a sense of where
they belonged already, so Alex hung back, surprised when the last empty spot
was at Julian’s left hand — he’d put Pembroke on the right, in the most
favoured position, but closer to
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