Pax was glad he had Mage Incedis leading the way through the maze of busy hallways in the administration building. Mages and clerks bustled everywhere with scowls and attitudes that collided with each other, insisting everyone make way. The occasional smile and nod were exchanged between equals, but mostly, the place gave off an urgent, stressful feeling.
Yucky place, Talpa sent, doing a good job of keeping up with Pax and avoiding being stepped on by inattentive passersby. Too many people.
I agree, Talpa. I agree. Pax worked on activating his Meditation to center himself and be prepared for anything. Despite Incedis’ reassurance that everything was handled, Pax knew better than to take anything for granted.
If there was even a slim chance that an Inquisitor would get involved in the issue, he wanted to be ready. He ran over the mental practice sessions he’d managed during the last week while doing his best to keep his heartbeat slow and calm. It was harder than he expected.
He kept flashing back to the two other times he’d faced powerful people questioning his actions and magic. There had been the academy council trying to blame his crew for the hydra’s attack and Nexia’s death after their first major battle. Though they’d escaped mostly unscathed, Headmaster Ravalar and Master Wynrel had focused on him personally as a troublemaker.
Then the Purge council, orchestrated by Graybrew, had taken an even closer interest in the details of his magic. Despite the efforts of his allies, they’d still sent an official missive back to the capital.
Even on the precipice of civil war, his vindictive spells instructor was still causing him trouble. At least he could visualize Graybrew locked in a cage at one of the rebel bases. A rebel with the Interrogate skill would be spending lots of quality time with him to pull out everything he knew about the Amberborn family and their activities.
The idea lifted Pax’s spirits. What he was about to face couldn’t be as bad as what was currently happening to Graybrew. His shoulders straightened, and he let a grim smile spread across his face. It was time to get into his persona, just in case.
I’m Pax, a street rat student, determined to help the empire that made me a mage and gave me a chance to do something with my life. The rules only apply to those too weak and scared to give their lives for the empire. No one with real intelligence will fault me for packing my skill list to speed up my leveling. Even if it’s a bunch of useless mana skills, they still count. He fell into the mental patterns a lot easier after his practice during the last week.
When they finally arrived, the Office of Student Compliance and Enforcement was just another innocuous door with a pane of glass at the top, the name of the department etched in blocky, bold letters.
Pax expected Incedis to stop at the door to prepare or at least give him some last words of advice. Instead, he only broke his stride long enough to turn the knob and push the door open. With a gulp, Pax let worry into his expression as he followed him into the reception area.
For an office stashed down a busy hallway, the entrance foyer was much more lavish than Pax expected. Rows of cushioned chairs spread out to either side, their polished wooden legs and backs carved with ornate patterns.
Fresh flowers arranged in a glass vase sat on matching side tables and gave the air a hint of sweetness. There were two students waiting, one giving them a curious look while the other just looked irritated. Pax could empathize.
Seated behind a long reception counter topped with polished marble, a woman looked up at their entrance with a perky smile. “Welcome to the Office of Student Compliance and Enforcement. Do you have an appointment?”
“Yes. Mage Incedis and Student Mage Vipersworn for a 10:20 appointment.” Incedis stopped a respectful distance from the counter, but radiated an imperious attitude that encouraged the woman to hurry.
“Of course. Right this way.”
She didn’t even glance down at a schedule, though Pax caught her gaze flick to a distinguished grandfather clock standing against one wall as she stood and moved out from behind the counter. “Your review will be in one of our bigger rooms at the end of the hall on the right.”
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Pax didn’t like the sound of that, but kept his mouth clamped shut as he followed. Her steps were quiet on the decorative carpet runner softening their footfalls on the polished floor of the elegant hallway.
Ornate sconces held mage lights, while the occasional fancy stand along the edge of the hall held small sculptures or more vases with flowers. It all looked expensive enough that Pax kept Talpa close, so they didn’t break anything.
When they reached the end of the hallway, the woman pushed two double doors open and motioned toward them. “Please go on in. The others are waiting inside and ready to start.”
Pax walked in behind Incedis and sucked in a surprised breath when he saw what and who awaited them. It was very different from the small office with a single clerk behind a desk that he expected.
Instead, the room was a small hall with two long wooden tables sitting end to end. Six high-backed chairs sat behind the tables, along with a row of less elaborate chairs facing them. Pax didn’t recognize the two women seated in the center, but the stark black-and-white markings on the younger one told him she was an Inquisitor.
Don’t panic. You can be worried, but not panicked. He kept up his self talk, doing his best to exhibit the appropriate reactions under the careful gazes.
The familiar figures that sat on either side of the women helped distract him. To his surprise, one was Victoria Windhelm who scrutinized him with a less than friendly expression that immediately put him on his guard.
The only man seated behind the tables looked out of place in the fancy room. Warrior Aurelius Rowan, wearing his usual serviceable armor, had a deeper and more impatient scowl than Mistress Windhelm did.
“It’s about time,” the older woman in the center snapped. “Sit down so we can get this done.”
Pax hurried toward a chair, but Incedis stiffened, giving the woman a narrowed look. “Was our appointment not at 10:20?”
She pursed her lips, giving him a frown but not arguing. “You could have come a little early, like the rest of us.”
He took a slow look from one end of the table to the others, making Pax glad he wasn’t the object of his attention. Mage Incedis had transformed into the high-leveled flame mage who’d honed his skills during years as an officer on the battlefield, no longer Pax’s friendly and personable mentor.
“As you know, we have a civil war breaking out.” Incedis’ voice was icy when his gaze returned to the older woman. “I find this type of activity a complete waste for everyone here. I will answer the required questions and not give you a minute more.”
She drew up with an indrawn breath, looking indignant.
He continued, before she could speak. “Now, tell me who you are and what this is about, or I’m leaving and sending both my solicitor and my good friend Councilwoman Viessa Eldan, to look into this farce.”
At the mention of Eldan, the woman clamped down on whatever she’d been about to say. She cleared her throat and seemed to regroup.
Mistress Windhelm looked glad she wasn’t the object of Incedis’ ire, while Rowan seemed happy to watch the woman being taken down a peg.
“I assume you know Warrior Aurelius Rowan who headed up the council of the 7th Northern Purge camp and presided over the meeting that generated the missive to our department about your student here.” She made impatient motions with one hand. “On my other side is Mistress Victoria Windhelm, who runs one of their family offices here in the capital and has inserted herself into this proceeding because of some debt she insists her family owes Student Mage Vipersworn.”
Incedis gave the two of them a nod with much more respect than he showed to the older woman.
“I am Senior Administrator Vivian Hawthorne, one of the key personnel who helps keep our student mages focused on the correct path to power so they can be of the most use to our empire.” She motioned to the younger woman to her right, who had stayed completely silent and mostly unmoving so far. “This is Inquisitor Cecily Evergreen. She has been assigned to our office and joins in on cases she takes an interest in. Something about your student caught her interest.”
Both women turned their gazes toward Pax. He let some of his nerves show, glancing over to Mistress Windhelm and Warrior Rowan before throwing a pleading look at Incedis.
Inquisitor Evergreen gave him a quick glance, a flicker of disgust crossing her face as her gaze moved over Talpa. She sniffed in disdain and shook her head in dismissal before turning to Hawthorne.
Pax thought he’d pulled off the perfect nervous student act until she spoke.
“This is a waste of everyone’s time. Let’s get this done and send the VIPs home.” She tipped her head toward Incedis. “Tell the mentor to show us the details of Vipersworn’s menu. Then if there’s anything suspicious, I’ll do a quick Interrogation to get at the truth.”
There was a long moment of surprise and shock and then everyone else spoke up at once.
Incedis, who still hadn’t sat down, had a finger up, pointing it at the Inquisitor and angrily insisting he would do no such thing. A stream of objections about legalities came from Mistress Windhelm and overlapped Warrior Rowan’s listing all the reasons an Interrogation could go bad and ruin a young mage’s value to the empire’s war effort.
Pax’s eyes bounced from one to the other, doing his best to unravel the intersecting conversations and who was saying what. He didn’t have any trouble playing the anxious student with powerful people fighting over him on every side. He felt like a helpless bone in the middle of starving dogs battling for possession. And the worst part was, he didn’t know who would come out on top.