I checked the mirror for the dozenth time. Nothing short of perfection would do, and so far as my eyes could see, I had achieved it.

“Would you get out of the bathroom, Aera?” Lou said from outside the door. “How long could it possibly take to get your hair ready?”

“It’s more than my hair, Lou,” I said, frowning at what I thought might be a microscopic wrinkle. It was just a shadow.

“Just come downstairs already and get some tea,” she said. “He’ll be here any minute.”

With that, she walked off.

The color of my skin didn’t look quite right under the lighting. I frowned again. Maybe I should adjust the downstairs lights to give off sunlight, or as close as made no difference. But I probably didn’t have enough time for that.

I sighed. Lou was right. Best to head downstairs and be ready, else I’d risk looking rushed, and that simply would not do.

After one last look over, I made my way to the living area. The others were there already, chatting and waiting. Liam gave me an extremely amused look as I walked in.

“What is it?” I asked. “Is something wrong?”

“I’ve kind of been thinking of you like royalty for some time,” he said. “I never thought I’d actually see you dress the part.”

“This is how your royalty dresses?” I asked, surprised.

“They wish,” Lou said with a laugh. “Even before the war, I doubt Queen Elizabeth herself could get something that fancy.”

“I’m with Lou on this one,” Slick said. “If we were out in the sunlight, I think I might go blind.”

“You’re making fun of my clothing?” I said, gaping.

“You look beautiful, Aera,” Liam said, trying not to laugh. “I just don’t think they could have imagined you could make something that looks as otherworldly as you do.”

“Well, this sort of style is from my world,” I said, glancing down at the scintillating hues of my dress.

“What’s with all the jewelry, though?” Lou asked. “You don’t normally wear half as much as that.”

“It’s a sign of power, among spellcasters,” I said, and dipped my head sheepishly. “It’s sort of a bluff, though, because normally, all of these pieces should be enchanted, whereas these aren’t. But he can’t tell the difference, anyway.”

“Why are you even making yourself a peacock?” Slick asked. “It’s not like Pash don’t already know what you are.”

“I’m being honest with who I am and where I’m from,” I said, shrugging. “I’m wearing normal, formal attire for meetings between figures of power. Why should I dress as though I’m from here?”

“As good of a point as that may be,” Liam said, eyes bright with amusement, “I just can’t wait to see Pash’s expression when he sees you.”

“Speak of the devil,” Lou said, looking out the window. “I think he just pulled up.”

As though a plug were pulled, the mirth drained from the room. Their reactions bothered me - yes, Pash was a bit unnerving, but his arrival was not some harbinger of doom. Was it?

“I’ll let him in,” Liam said, getting to his feet.

Lou looked pale and Slick was twitchy as Liam walked over to the door.

“I don’t think I can help in this conversation,” Slick said. “I’m gonna go sit in the kitchen. I’ll listen in, see if I can give some thoughts later.”

“You read like a book,” Lou said, smiling at her brother. “Get out of here, and don’t drink anything.”

Slick gave her a tolerant look as he got up and headed to the kitchen.

I tried to remember the etiquette lessons my parents had taught me. But it had never been a priority, because we’d assumed I wouldn’t be a significant figure in any major negotiations for decades, at least, and so I’d have plenty of time to learn.

One thing I did know, though. I wanted to make a clear impression that I was the one with power, not Pash, and that I was graciously accepting his assistance in my plans, not surrendering.

Liam waited until Pash knocked on the door before opening it.

“Greetings again, Detective O’Brien,” the voice came from past the door.

Liam simply nodded, and stepped back, gesturing for Pash to come inside. I noticed that he positioned himself to easily watch Pash’s face.

Pash stepped in and a half second later his eyes met mine. He froze, blinking rapidly, for a long second.

“Never in my life have I seen such splendor,” he said. “Aera Koryn, I am honored to meet you properly, at last.”

“Your admiration is appreciated, Lieutenant,” I said crisply. “Come, sit, and let us speak.”

Lou gave me an odd look, as though I was making her uncomfortable. Pash stepped in with his usual aura of authority, and sat down on the sofa. I stood next to a chair opposite him, and once Liam sat down, I finally took my seat.

That encompassed pretty much all I remembered from the ettiquete lessons - first impressions, and the most powerful people sit last.

Everyone was unnerving me. Pash looked at me as though he were consuming every last scrap of information attainable, from my expression, to body language, to clothing. Lou analyzed him with equal intensity. Liam was obviously honed in on Pash with mage sense, delicately applied to avoid detection.

I supposed I could look at Pash’s soul, but… it felt wrong. Besides, I didn’t need to, since Liam was on it. I’d just focus on my own presentation, rather than trying to read the investigator.

“It is good for us to be able to speak openly,” Pash said, graciously accepting a cup of tea from Liam. “May I ask what prompted you to decide to come forward?”

“I am not coming forward as of yet, Investigator,” I said. “I have simply decided that it is time to make use of your knowledge and resources, to prepare the most advantageous plan for the future.”

“Advantageous to whom?” Pash asked.

“This world’s future,” I said. “I had intended to wait until the matter of Germany’s advance was resolved, but it would appear that my influence may be required, for the benefit of mankind.”

Pash couldn’t see Lou’s face from where she was sitting, and she pointedly rolled her eyes at me. I didn’t know if she was laughing at me, or trying to tell me that my posturing was too obvious. Possibly both. Maybe best to tone it down a little.

“I’m sure mankind will thank you,” Pash said, his tone a little dry. “What is your vision for mankind’s future?”

“I… don’t really know,” I admitted, and Pash raised an eyebrow. “To be honest, that is a significant reason why I haven’t come forward sooner. There are many forces at play in the world, and finding a fair and moral approach has proven challenging.”

“You have reason to believe that allying with America would not be the best course to that end?” he asked, striking me as incredibly cautious.

Liam spoke up.

“There are reasons to be concerned about what the government might want to do with Aera, if they find her under their control,” he said.

“That would depend in great part on what it is she is capable of,” Pash said smoothly. “Additionally, it would depend on what she intends to do.”

I sighed.

“Lieutenant Pash, here is the simple truth,” I said. “I am an artist - a sculptor of flowers.”

He raised an eyebrow again.

“The truth is, I am not interested in combat, or in ruling the world,” I said dryly. “I am not especially interested in politics at all, for that matter. I do understand that the uniqueness of my position gives me little choice in that.”

“You speak of the uniqueness of your position,” Pash said. “Are you the only one with your ability?”

“I imagine so,” I said, sighing. “I’ve been in your world for five years, now. So far as I can tell, your people cannot use magic, without my help.”

“We can, with your help?” he asked, and Lou gave me a sharp look.

“Yes,” I said. “I can create things, called enchantments, that store magic and can be used by others.”

His eyes narrowed.

“If I may, was that how Officer Williams avoided injury, after Councilor Harrison’s trial?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Lou said. “Look, Lieutenant, you’re asking a lot of questions here. We didn’t call on you just to tell you everything she can do.”

“I meant no offense,” Pash said, with a charming smile. Liam’s eye twitched. “My curiosity got the better of me. I simply wish to establish what the aim of this conversation is, before I know what knowledge and assistance you require.”

“In the spirit of honest communication,” Liam said. “What was your role in the Irish Mob’s attack on Aera’s home?”

“It was an unfortunate and hateful attack, which I do not condone in the least,” Pash said. “Though I cannot deny that my role as an ‘investigator’ still applied, in that I took advantage of their hate to learn more about Ms. Koryn.”

Liam frowned.

“Just a heads up, Pash,” Lou said. “Don’t try lying - we can see through any bullshit.”

“Perhaps so,” Pash said, and smiled at me. “I am led to understand that one’s intention plays a pivotal role in such things.”

“Wait,” I said, taken aback. “How do you know that?”

He looked amused, and said, “Let us move on.”

“No, not moving on,” I said, leaning forward. “I must know this, Investigator.”

“In time, perhaps,” he said.

I frowned. Yet… I couldn’t. I just couldn’t willingly use mage sense on him, without his permission, no matter what Liam said.

“Investigator,” I said. “In my homeland, we can perceive the souls of others. It is considered standard to do so in negotiations, and it is considered rude to look without first asking. May I have your leave to perceive you?”

Liam suppressed a sigh.

“Considering that I lack such an ability, it seems rather one sided,” Pash said.

“You imply that you know of how to block such perceptions,” I said. “I could let you know if you do indeed have such ability.”

“Beyond the concern of it still being quite one sided,” he said, “there is a further concern that you may possess the capability to break through what defenses I may have gained.”

“With respect, Investigator,” I said. “Granting permission does not grant me additional power. Were I inclined to simply take what I wished from you, you have no means by which to stop me. You needn’t worry about me breaking your defenses - I merely wish to look, not violate you. As far as it being one sided, perhaps I could offer some knowledge in exchange.”

“I am not presently interested in making trades of knowledge, Ms. Koryn,” he said. “I believe it is in the best interest of all parties to make our intentions and positions clear, so that we can have a better understanding, moving forward.”

The temptation to simply take what I wanted gnawed at me. I could hear Liam’s justification and my father’s beliefs in my mind. My jaw tensed, but I backed down. Lou’s fear hurt me more than curiosity tempted me. I couldn’t go bad. I wouldn’t. To me, it felt wrong, even though my mind was unsure, and that was something which mattered.

After a brief silence, Pash spoke again.

“To that end, if I may inquire what your intended position is,” he said with a questioning tone.

I sighed.

“America has been kind to me,” I said. “Despite the concerns of others with whom I have spoken, and personal displeasure at certain aspects of society, I am generally pleased with this country and its aims. Further, from what I have heard of Hitler’s aims, it would seem that to favor life is to oppose him. I am not entirely loyal to America, nor am I convinced that the reports we hear about Germany are necessarily correct. As such, I am open to improved education. But if my knowledge is correct, then providing for Germany’s defeat would appear to be the best course.”

“My position in the military grants me more information on the subject than is available to the American public,” Pash said. “Allow me to assure you that the Fuhrer’s regime is, in fact, worse than it appears.”

“Considering that I cannot see your soul, I see no reason to trust you,” I said.

“In this society, gaining trust is a key component of negotiations such as this,” he said.

“In my society, trust is established first, before all else,” I said.

“May I remind you, Ms. Koryn, that you are not in your world,” he said.

“May I remind you, Lieutenant Pash, that you have pursued this exchange with someone of my world,” I said.

“Do recall who called whom to set up this particular meeting,” he said.

I frowned.

“I will permit this point to be dismissed for now,” I said, and his eyes glinted. “The fundamental issue, however, remains. I know of no reason to trust you.”

“The standard approach of our world is to judge a man by his actions,” Pash said. “You may note that I have respected the choices you have made, and have placed no undue pressure on you whatsoever.”

“Except for the Mob’s assault on me,” I said, glaring at him.

“Why do you believe I was behind that attack?” he asked.

“It benefited you too much,” I said.

“The animosity of someone with as much power as you possess is hardly a benefit, Ms. Koryn,” he said dryly.

“Buddy said someone from the government paid them off,” I said.

“Someone from the government?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Did he say what part of the government? Or why he believed they were from the government?”

I frowned.

“And really, Ms. Koryn,” he went on, “Those in my position would generally be both described, and recognized, as being from the military. Boot camp seems to have that effect on people.”

“So maybe you, personally, didn’t set it up,” I said.

“Now you claim that I indirectly arranged for the Irish Mob, with whom you have had a previous, serious altercation, to attack the single most valuable resource ever found in America, based on a vague claim by the leader of said Mob, made under duress,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “If I understand correctly. Did you examine his soul, to know if you could trust him?”

“No,” I admitted.

“Then why do you believe him?” he asked.

I frowned.

“So who did pay them off?” I asked.

“That, I’m afraid, is not part of my investigation,” he said dryly.

“Someone murdered Buddy and that teenaged girl,” I said.

“Not you?” he asked, looking faintly relieved. “That is encouraging.”

I scowled at him.

“I haven’t killed anyone,” I said.

“What of the thugs in the butcher shop?” he asked.

“The bullets reflected off of my defenses,” I said. “I was too unprepared for the situation, and failed to prevent their deaths, but I did not kill them.”

“Interesting,” he said.

Both Lou and Liam gave me an uncertain look.

“We’ve gotten sidetracked,” I said, and he had a faint smile. “The issue stands of why I should trust you.”

“I am not asking you to swear your loyalty to me, Ms. Koryn,” Pash said. “We are simply exploring the possibility of cooperation. It is not asking for much trust to tentatively go along with what I am able to share, considering the care and respect I have shown towards you until now.”

“She had to get a restraining order on you,” Liam said.

“Was that her idea?” Pash asked. “Or yours?”

“She didn’t know what her options were,” Liam said.

“Perhaps more to the point,” Pash said. “She never requested that I stop my investigation.”

“She obviously didn’t want your investigation to continue,” Liam said. “There’s no point in playing ignorant.”

“Actually, Detective, she did not particularly make her interests clear,” Pash said, giving me a curious look. “She did not flee, upon being discovered. She did not hide, and merely covered her tracks, while otherwise remaining in plain sight. She did not contact me to discuss, nor rejected me in any fashion, until the restraining order - which I heeded without hesitation.”

“They wouldn’t let me do anything,” I said, and Lou gave me a sharp glare.

“They wouldn’t let you?” Pash asked, giving me an intent look.

“She’s got a funny way of looking at things sometimes,” Lou said.

I sighed.

“I find myself reliant upon the expertise of others, when my knowledge is lacking,” I said.

“Curious,” Pash said. “If I may, what would you have done upon noticing my investigation, had it not been for the input of others?”

“It is impossible to answer,” I said with a shrug. “I would have openly revealed myself five years ago, and you would have never been involved in the first place.”

“You did not wish to hide?” he asked.

“Never,” I said. “I despise it as I despise little else.”

“I’m afraid I must add to their expertise,” Pash said. “Revealing yourself is an extremely risky course of action, especially considering current events.”

I felt like sagging into my seat. Lou’s expression looked twisted, like she wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about the fact that Pash was agreeing with her. Liam’s face was stony and entirely unreadable.

“That isn’t to say your talents must remain unused,” Pash said. “While keeping you a secret from the Axis is of paramount importance, there are nonetheless ways by which you can change the course of this war.”

“What would you suggest?” I asked, feeling uneasily certain that I was somehow falling into a trap.

“My suggestion would be to make a careful, slow, cautious plan by which you are introduced to the US military, making your abilities and knowledge available with the aim of assisting America, and bringing down Germany and the Soviets,” he said.

“Via your direct influence, naturally,” I said.

“Of those you know, I am the most knowledgeable in regards to matters of military,” he said.

This wasn’t just familiar - this was one of the key lessons my parents had taught me about watching for influence. Making himself a critical feature of my future activity?

“I suspect I would be able to present my abilities in a convincing fashion to other members of the US government, if necessary,” I said, my tone cool. “For instance, I could simply approach President Roosevelt himself, personally.”

“Do keep in mind that the US government has no policies in place to deal with someone of your skill set, nor do any of them have any experience with the matter,” he said. “The odds are, anyone that you approached would feel overwhelmed and out of their element, leading to a high likelihood of regarding you as a threat. This could severely delay your plans, and otherwise cause undesirable complications.”

“I find it very concerning that you feel the need to insert yourself, personally, into my future affairs,” I said, giving up on subtlety.

“A side effect, rather than my intention,” he said. “The simple truth is, even with my connections, persuading others of your abilities in a non threatening way would take a great deal of work. Attempting to ensure that this knowledge doesn’t cause inadvertent disaster, from someone misjudging the situation out of naivete or fear, requires a great deal of subtlety. I would imagine that the best suited of those you know, aside from myself, would be Lieutenant Detective O’Brien.”

Liam frowned at that.

“I also would imagine,” Pash went on, “that the good detective would rather not get tangled up in the military, especially considering recent problems with the police department.”

I couldn’t tell if he wanted to be involved, or if it really was the natural, obvious choice. My parents hadn’t given me any insight into how to know the difference, without looking at his soul.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“I don’t think Aera should be pressured into making any decisions at this particular moment,” Liam said. “We have time to consider our options.”

“Time is an interesting resource,” Pash said, giving me a small smile. “With it, decisions are made, people are killed, and nations are changed.”

He’s threatening me with guilt over the deaths in Europe if I delay, I thought to myself. Only… he’s kind of right. Isn’t he?

“Don’t even go there,” Lou said, giving Pash a dark look. “Hitler’s murdering spree is not Aera’s fault - not now or ever. If she’s willing to help out, that’s her generosity, not her obligation.”

“Are we not all expected to do our part, for humanity?” Pash asked. “The intelligent, to create. The hard working, to build. The wise, to lead.”

“The snakes, to shove it up their asses and stop manipulating good people,” Lou said.

Liam desperately tried not to laugh, and while he successfully kept his face straight, he did turn a little red from the effort.

“Your dedication to protecting your liege is charming,” Pash said.

“She’s not my liege,” Lou said, bristling.

“If you say so,” Pash said, then gave me a small smile again. “I commend you for your acquisition of such a remarkable degree of dedication.”

“They are not dedicated to me,” I said.

“An interesting statement, considering what I’ve uncovered,” he said. “Unyielding, unbreakable loyalty is an unusual thing to gain, by conventional means.”

“Just because you’re a snake who can’t figure out how to make friends without bribing them doesn’t mean decent people don’t exist,” Lou said.

Pash simply smiled.

“Since we are on the topic of unusual connections,” Pash said. “Perhaps you might be able to help me understand an interesting bit of intelligence the military has gained from German communications networks.”

I blinked in confusion, and Lou looked uneasy.

“What would that be?” I asked.

“Might you know why it is they are looking for someone by the name of Aera Koryn, who precisely matches your description?” he asked.

“They are?” I asked.

“It is unclear what they know about you,” he said. “But from what we can gather, they’ve been looking for you for at least a year.”

“Did they find out about magic, and are seeking me out that way?” I asked, uneasy.

“According to the intelligence reports, they don’t know what country they will find you in,” he said. “If they had discovered you via spying on America, one would expect they could narrow their search.”

“Other than my name and appearance, what are they looking for?” I asked.

“The communications simply indicate your name, your appearance, and to not attempt to capture you, or reveal themselves to you by any means,” he said. “They are simply to pass along the message of your location with utmost haste.”

I just stared at him in utter confusion. He patiently waited for my brain to attempt to catch up with what he was saying.

“When did you find out about this?” I asked.

“Late April,” he said. “It’s the reason I came back to Boston, and was willing to risk pushing the investigation with you again.”

“If you’d mentioned this detail then, we’d have talked sooner,” Liam said, giving Pash a dangerous look.

“If Ms. Koryn had given any indication of being willing to discuss such matters, I would have been more than willing to provide relevant intelligence,” Pash said.

“This is maddening,” I said, rubbing at my forehead, half tempted to pull out my own hair. “I am tired of these games! From the start, I have wanted simple, straightforward, honest communication, with nothing held back, and for reasons of ‘caution’ and ‘fear,’ some exceedingly interesting information has been denied to me.”

“If that has been your desire, Ms. Koryn, you may wish to rethink your assessment of the expertise of those you have worked with to date,” Pash said.

Both Liam and Lou were not happy with this line of discussion.

“What’s done is done,” Liam said. “Right now, figuring out what Germany knows about Aera is our biggest concern.”

“Indeed,” Pash said, his gaze meeting mine again. “Of all the global concerns, the Jewish Witch’s involvement is clearly the biggest.”

“I am not Jewish,” I said, giving Pash a dark look. “Nor do I like the term ‘witch.’”

“I see,” Pash said. “What term do you favor?”

“I like ‘sorcerer,’” I said.

“Sorcerer, then,” he said. “Again, it is interesting, the degree of loyalty the sorcerer has attained, even from one who has otherwise demonstrated more concern for the welfare of others, such as the nations actively being razed by the Axis forces.”

“You are implying an accusation that I have used mind altering magic on my companions to bind them in loyalty to me,” I said.

“Is that possible?” he asked.

“Yes, but I would never do that!” I said.

Lou actually flinched and I gave her a confused look.

“Nice reveal, Aera,” Lou said darkly, and Pash actually chuckled.

“The revelation of the existence of mind magic?” I said, still confused.

“It is useful information,” Pash said.

“I wouldn’t have hesitated to reveal that, even if you’d asked directly,” I said. “I don’t understand the problem.”

“He’s worried about you using mind control, Aera, obviously,” Lou said.

“His worry is irrelevant,” I said, rolling my eyes. “If I wanted to, I would do so, and no one could stop me. I don’t intend to.”

“But you might be persuaded, under unfortunate circumstances,” Pash said. “Knowing you have the capability is significant.”

I shrugged.

“In any applicable sense, I don’t,” I said. “I am quite unskilled at mind magic. It’s theoretically possible, but it would take a great deal of practice before I could be considered a threat in that specific regard.”

“Would you stop doing that, Aera?” Lou asked.

“Doing what?” I asked.

“In a game like this,” she said, her jaw tense, “the person who gives the least information wins.”

“I don’t want to play any stupid games,” I said. “I am tired of caution. I am ready to do something.”

“I can assist you with this, Ms. Koryn,” Pash said.

“Oh, no,” Lou said. “You are not dragging her into something without it being damned clear what she’s getting into.”

“Her choices are her own, are they not?” Pash said.

“He has a point, Lou,” I said.

“Don’t you even get into this,” Lou said to me, and then looked at Pash. “Back on the topic of Germany looking for Aera. What is going on with that?”

“The information we have is limited,” Pash said. “It would be easier to find more, if we knew what we were looking for.”

“You’re asking what possible categories of people might be searching for me,” I said.

“That would be useful, yes,” he said.

“No,” Lou said, giving me a dark look again. “Aera, for god’s sake, at least get him to agree to give you something if you’re going to answer that.”

I sighed.

“Lieutenant Pash,” I said. “I do understand that your position is challenging. You are dealing with someone of previously undiscovered capabilities, with exceedingly limited means beyond the most paltry imaginable - my words - to understand my abilities, motivations, and limits. To whatever ends you have, I understand that knowledge must be one of the few holds you have over me, and you intend to protect that resource.”

He simply smiled.

“That being said,” I went on, “I should ask, even if in nothing else, that you be willing to speak openly and freely on the matter of Germany’s pursuit of me, and I would agree to do the same, so that we may have some degree of cooperation.”

“I will agree to that,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said. “As far as who would be looking for me, there are a few ideas that come to mind.”

He looked very interested, and Lou looked very uncomfortable.

“The most obvious, and unfortunately most unlikely, is my family,” I said.

“Your family?” he said.

I nodded.

“I came here by way of an accidental discharge with a device my parents were constructing, in hopes of learning how to bridge between worlds,” I said. “In a sense, my arrival here, alive, is proof of their brilliance and success, however problematic the results. I imagine that they would have attempted to find me.”

“So you believe the ones looking for you might be your family?” he asked.

“Unfortunately, while they’re the only ones that I know want to find me, I cannot imagine how it could be them,” I said. “My parents are powerful enough that if either of them were here, the world would be ruled by them in short order. If either of my brothers were here, they would be less powerful than I am, but I can’t imagine why they’d be working in cooperation with any nation at all, let alone Germany. If they sought me, they’d do so on their own.”

“I see,” he said. “And your other speculations?”

“I don’t know the full details of the explosion,” I said. “Another possibility is that a random spellcaster or bit of magical equipment came through the portal, and arrived in or near Germany.”

“What would your expected results of that be?” he asked.

“A spellcaster…” I shook my head. “The possibilities are too varied by far to predict. How one would be capable of finding out my name and description, but not able to even narrow down which continent I’m on, is presumably possible, but staggering. I suppose a theoretical way is if one made a spell specifically designed to provide visions of another spellcaster, they found me, but don’t know how to track me down more conventionally.”

“Such a spell is possible?” Pash asked.

“I imagine so,” I said dubiously. “It is firmly within areas of magic that I am unskilled in, but I guess it’s possible. I don’t see how someone could have such a thing and not be able to figure out what continent I’m on, though.”

“And the idea of magical equipment?” he asked.

“When I arrived here, I arrived absolutely naked,” I said. “All of my clothing and enchantments were gone. If they’d simply arrived elsewhere - such as on the opposite side of the Earth - that could be a possibility, I suppose, though it likewise seems a stretch.”

“What could people do with what you had on you, at the time?” he asked.

“A great deal,” I said. “I had numerous protections that my father had crafted. Perhaps, by exposure to enchantments, they managed to gain magic themselves, or reverse engineer it, or something…”

“Enchantments can provide people the ability to use magic themselves?” he asked.

“Not to my knowledge,” I said. “But I’ve not tested it, so who knows? I can say that it has the same flaw as the lone spellcaster - by what madness have they managed to know my name and description, but have no idea even what direction I’m in?”

“Do you believe there may be some means by which the Germans know of you, that does not involve magic directly?” Pash asked.

“Not that I can imagine,” I said. “I’ve been incredibly passive for these five years - you know all there is to know of my actions, I imagine, so if I’ve done something to draw their attention personally, you would know best of us all. If something nonmagical came through, like a book, that doesn’t really answer it either. We spoke a different language, so texts would be challenging to translate, and even if they were, they’d seem gibberish, talking about magic or beasts - and what would even have my name and description, but not the name and description of anyone else in the family? Why would they look for me, specifically, based on some random book?”

He nodded.

“I just don’t understand it,” I said, shaking my head. “It must be magic, somehow… but how? Who?”

“If it is magic, do you believe you might be able to trace it?” he asked.

My face tightened.

“That’s… a long distance away from here,” I said.

“It is,” he said dryly.

“If I went there…” I said.

“That is not happening,” Lou said. “Flat out.”

“I believe your knight is correct,” Pash said, making Lou scowl again. “Going into an enemy country at war is dangerous under the best of circumstances, and if they have some unknown access to magic, that complicates the matter. Is it possible to search from here?”

“I…” I hesitated. “P-probably? Maybe? I… look, I haven’t any idea how to do that, other than the vague theory. I’d need to invent the spell from scratch… and then have it function clear across the planet. Even from London, that would be challenging, but from here?”

“How long would such a process take?” Pash asked.

“At… least a month,” I said. “If I’m being quite optimistic.”

He nodded again.

“If the Germans do have the ability to use magic, how dangerous would you estimate that to be, with and without your aid?” he asked.

I sighed and fiddled with the end of my braid.

“Spellcasters have such a range of ability,” I said. “We can rule out the extremely powerful - there’s no way that a powerful spellcaster would ever need the cooperation of a nation of mundanes. The most power they could possibly have is someone middling, like myself.”

He nodded.

“If they have a single person of mediocre power, or several weak ones, they could do exceedingly useful things, but of limited effect,” I said. “For instance, I could destroy an entire city, but not all at once. I’d need to either gather and store power for perhaps a month or two, and release it all at once. Or slowly destroy it myself over the same stretch of time. A team of ten spellcasters of my strength could wipe out a city each week. But if they did that, they could do absolutely nothing else.”

“I see,” he said. “The power you have is extremely versatile, but cannot be replicated or expanded.”

“Correct,” I said.

“And could you oppose such spellcasters?” he asked.

“Again, with the same limited constraints,” I said. “I could create offensive enchantments, pouring in all of my strength to do so, and those offensive enchantments could break their defenses. That, of course, leaves us undefended. I could instead create defensive enchantments, but conversely, it leaves us unable to properly penetrate whatever they’ve developed. I could do both, but each side could be insufficient for the task. It tends to boil down to a match of raw power, leveraged by efficiency of application.”

“As well as tactics in the use of that power, I imagine,” Pash said.

“I suppose,” I said. “I know nothing about that sort of thing, though.”

“What about direct confrontation - you against them?” he asked.

“I have been trained in combat, but primarily as a means of surviving the monsters that inhabit our world,” I said. “My general approach to opposing other spellcasters is to openly reveal the power I have - if I’m significantly more powerful than they are, most likely, they’ll surrender immediately. If they don’t falter, but don’t reveal themselves, I am to push to know their strength. If I see that they are more powerful than I am, I should immediately surrender.”

“That is all there is to it?” he asked, surprised.

I shrugged.

“Again, I’m not focused on combat,” I said. “The only conflict I would have with another spellcaster is if they intend to kill me for some reason, or capture me for political or enslavement purposes. If I am overpowered, it’s best to let myself be captured, since I cannot fight someone who is stronger than I am. Were I trained in combat against other spellcasters, it would be different. I do know there are ways to best casters who wield more power. I, for instance, could be defeated by a skilled combat mage that is weaker than I am.”

“Congratulations on a shit ton of information, Pash,” Lou said. “Your turn.”

“I’m afraid that I do not presently have much more information on the topic,” he said. “However, the information that Ms. Koryn has provided will be useful in further surveillance of Germany. If I can persuade military officials of the existence of magic - a task for which Ms. Koryn would be invaluable - then America can focus its search.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lou said. “All that, and you’ve got nothing to give us?”

“Not quite nothing,” Pash said. “Further details include that there are no pictures of Ms. Koryn - merely a drawing. I have examined one such piece of paper acquired from a fallen German soldier.”

“Can we have it?” I asked.

“That would be challenging to do, without revealing your ability to the military,” Pash said. “Should you be willing to do so, I imagine it would be easy to arrange, within a few weeks at most.”

“Is it exactly like her?” Lou asked. “Or is something different?”

“It appears hand drawn by pen, then copied by some means, such as by a press,” he said. “Lacking color or complexity of shading, it cannot capture full detail. However, as a sketch, it is nearly perfect, suggesting both perfect clarity of vision and an excellent artist.”

“Are there other signs of magic use in the German forces?” I asked.

“That is unclear,” he said. “None of the Allied forces would have any idea what they’re looking for, or how to report it. The Germans do have superior technology on a variety of fronts, but our intelligence does not have the ability to distinguish between ordinary technological developments and magical influence, without your assistance.”

“That makes sense,” I said, nodding slowly.

“You are likely the only person in the world who can prepare the Allied forces for dealing with such a threat,” Pash said.

“Hold it right there,” Lou said. “You’re doing that ‘persuading Aera to join you’ thing again.”

“Lou, he’s right,” I said. “I cannot simply stand by, if they are up against magic.”

“Yes, you can,” Lou said. “Forever? No. But for a little while, to figure out what you want to do, with time to think? You can do that.”

“They are dying now,” I said. “He can bring me to the military. We can find a way to use my abilities.”

“Not that I’m all into selfishness,” Lou said. “But you gotta remember your own life in this, plus what comes after. The military will want to suck you dry, and use you to make all sorts of things. You don’t want our world to become like yours, remember?”

“But…” I said.

“No buts,” Lou said. “You’re not agreeing to anything right now.”

“With all due respect, Ms. Williams,” Pash started to say.

“Ain’t going to work on me,” Lou said.

His smile tightened.

“The extent of effect that I can have, without proof of Ms. Koryn’s ability, is limited,” he said. “I am a Lieutenant and an investigator, not a General. I can speak to virtually anyone in the US government, if needed, but that does not mean I can quickly and decisively arm this country against a type of foe that it is not ready to acknowledge even exists.”

“That makes sense, Lou,” I said.

“Persuading you to serve the military however he wants does make sense, I agree,” Lou said. “For his aims. Which are what, exactly?”

“I am loyal to the United States of America,” he said. “I would not see Hitler as ruler of the Earth.”

“Right,” she said. “Your accent is decidedly Russian.”

“You may recall the numerous immigrants of which this good country is composed,” he said dryly. “Might I also point out that there are many exceptionally good reasons for those who have lived in Russia to be disinterested in Russia’s ultimate victory.”

“You do too good of a job giving good answers,” she said. “I don’t trust that.”

“The trust issues displayed are understandable, under the circumstances,” Pash said, and Lou scowled again.

“That solid of an answer, that quickly?” she asked. “You’re very fast to respond to what should have been offensive.”

“I’m afraid, Ms. Williams, that you are not the first person to question my loyalties,” he said.

“He’s doing it again,” Lou said to me. “See what I mean?”

“He’s intelligent,” I said. “I don’t see the issue.”

“Right,” Lou said with a sigh, and then looked at Pash. “Thanks for coming over, this conversation is done.”

“I do believe that Ms. Kor -” Pash began.

“Nope,” Lou said. “Out. We’ll be in touch.”

“But -” I said.

“Ms. Williams,” Pash said, turning his smile on her.

“My name is on the house’s title,” Lou said. “And I have a badge. You want to play this game?”

“Very well, Ms. Williams,” he said, getting to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Do you see it now, Aera?” she asked.

“No?” I said.

“For fuck’s sake,” she said.

Pash gave her a vaguely tolerant smile, then returned his attention to me.

“I hope to see a good future for all the world, Ms. Koryn,” he said. “I do hope that the suspicions of your compatriots do not dissuade you from doing what you know to be the correct course of action.”

“I should not have let you talk again,” Lou said, starting to use her physical presence to coerce Pash’s movement. “Out. Now. Bye, Lieutenant.”

With that, Lieutenant Pash was unceremoniously herded out of the house.

“That was interesting,” I said cautiously, as soon as the door closed.

“We got almost nothing from him,” Lou said, glaring at me.

“We found out that he wasn’t behind the mob attack,” I said. “That’s helpful.”

“Actually, Aera,” Liam said. “I’m pretty sure he’s lying about that.”

“Really?” I said. “You saw that in his soul?”

Slick came out of the kitchen, looking uneasy, but didn’t say anything.

“Not exactly,” Liam said. “All I could see without breaking through was that he was very intent on you believing that he had nothing to do with it.”

“But that doesn’t make him guilty,” I said.

“Doesn’t make him innocent, either,” he said.

“He didn’t ever completely deny it,” Lou said.

“I’m glad you caught that, too,” Liam said, smiling at Lou.

“I figure it’s because he couldn’t tell if we could catch explicit lies,” Lou said.

“Probably,” Liam said. “It was hard to get a good read on him, especially since Aera made it problematic to try breaking through his resistance.”

“Did you get anything else?” Lou asked.

“The German intelligence was interesting,” Liam said. “I got the clear impression he only revealed it because he hoped he’d get more from Aera by doing so.”

“Fucking worked, too,” Lou grumbled. “I think that part was legit, at least.”

Liam nodded.

“I don’t know if he knows more about it than he let on,” he said. “He’s not quite airtight, but isn’t far from it.”

“Creepy bastard,” Lou said. “What do you think he wants with Aera?”

“I think she’s a useful tool to him,” he said, frowning. “Maybe for military advancement, maybe because he thinks she’d be useful for winning, and he wants to be on the winning side?”

“You think he’d turn if he realized he was on the losing side?” she asked.

“I get that impression,” Liam said.

“Same,” Lou said. “But I wasn’t too sure.”

“Me, too, and I wasn’t even in the room,” Slick chimed in. “But that’s mostly because he seems slimey.”

“Wait, please,” I said. “I don’t understand - how could you get an impression like that without looking at his soul?”

“The way he spoke,” Lou said. “The way he looked at you. The way he seemed to revolve around you, like your opinion was the only thing in the entire damned world that made any difference. I insulted him, outright, and what did he do? Exactly what you would think was most admirable.”

“But how would he know what I thought was most admirable?” I asked.

“I dunno,” Lou said sarcastically. “Maybe because he’s been investigating you, and because you’re easier to read than my damned brother?”

“Hey!” Slick protested, which Lou ignored.

“You think he can’t be trusted,” I said.

“Hell no,” Lou said, at the same time that Liam said, “I don’t believe so.”

“Is… he an enemy, then?” I asked.

“It’s not that simple,” Liam said. “The only thing I feel confident in saying is that he prioritizes his own aims, and that I believe he had something to do with the Mob attack on your house. The thing is, if his aims are compatible with ours, he could be possible to work with.”

“I think it’d be better to find someone else,” Lou said. “Can’t be that hard, especially if O’Brien gives ‘em a look over for someone with a good heart.”

“I can’t just go into a military base and start examining people,” Liam said. “As closed off as Pash is, he may be our best resource. Worse, if we try a different angle, we might alienate him and make an enemy of him.”

“You’re saying we should do what he says?” Lou said, disbelieving.

“Not at all,” Liam said. “I think the best course of action is for Aera to try to figure out a way to track down whatever’s going on in Germany. In the meantime, I’ll keep up with Pash, and put pressure on him to get us more information on that subject. Depending on how successful Aera’s efforts are, and how cooperative Pash is, we’ll be better informed for making decisions.”

“That sounds good,” Lou said, nodding.

“Um,” I said. “Did you miss the part where I have absolutely no idea how to do that?”

“I caught that,” Liam said, smirking at me. “But you might pull it off in a month?”

“If I’m very lucky!” I said. “It is Aeros magic! And the planet is very large.”

“You can try to make the spell, then,” Liam said. “And if you’re successful, but the only problem is range, then we can look at the possibility of getting you close enough, safely, to find out what’s going on, depending on what range you manage.”

“I believe you are underestimating how difficult this task is,” I said.

“Aera, we’re talking about you taking some time to make a spell, in the safety of your own home,” Liam said. “Whether or not you can succeed isn’t the biggest issue here. It gives us an excuse to take the time to get more information, if nothing else.”

“People are dying,” I said.

“They’re dying here, too,” Lou said.

“I want to save them, too,” I said, scowling at her.

“You can’t save everyone,” Liam said, giving me a knowing look, and I frowned.

“I know that,” I said. “But I am supposed to at least try to do my best. Trying to invent a nonsense spell that will likely consume all of my time, and I will probably fail at since I don’t really know the basics behind it and have no resources to draw on, and will probably provide limited use even if it does work, is not doing my best.”

“Being Pash’s pet isn’t doing your best, either,” Lou said. “He’s shown that he can play you like a god damned violin.”

“I have been trained in how to deal with things like that!” I said. “I will not be his pet!”

“Aera,” Liam said. “I think you’ve learned just enough to overestimate your ability to handle these things. Pash knows how to play power games, too, and he’s significantly more experienced at it.”

“There is a difference between being charmed by a person, and being made their pet,” I said.

“Not that big of a difference,” Lou said.

“And he’s not good enough to fool you two,” I said. “Doesn’t that mean something?”

“Nope,” Lou said. “He wasn’t ‘aiming’ at us. You scared the ever loving shit out of him. If you weren’t a spellcaster, I bet he’d have managed to play us all for fools.”

Liam coughed.

“Boss man excluded, of course,” Lou said, as though she’d planned on saying that in the first place.

Liam gave her a thoroughly amused grin, which she also ignored.

At least, mostly. I caught a little sparkle in her eye. She was having fun with him.

It warmed my heart to see. It was good to see her playing around, even if the means of doing so were strange.

“Whose pet am I to be, then?” I asked. “I feel like I get no say in what happens at all.”

“Of course you get a say,” Liam said. “What’s your suggestion?”

I scowled at him, and Slick tried not to openly snigger at me.

“These things take time!” I protested.

“Exactly the point,” Lou said. “Take your time. Invent the spell thing, or don’t. In the meantime, O’Brien can see if he can squeeze something out of Pash.”

“Fine,” I grumbled, wanting to kick something. Very violently, too. Maybe even hard enough to bruise my foot.

“One way or another, we need to find out what Germany’s up to, with Aera,” Liam said. “And no matter what, we cannot risk them finding out where she is.”

“If they have magic, and the ability to research more spells, then finding me is inevitable,” I said.

“Which simply means that we need more information, and quickly,” Liam said.

“I cannot get information from Germany quickly,” I said. “Once again, let me point out: the planet? It is very large.”

“But American spies can,” Lou said. “O’Brien will take that angle. Aera, you know magic best - if this spying across the planet thing is too much for you, then you figure out a better idea.”

“You… this… this is madness!” I said.

“What exactly are you expecting the military to do?” Lou asked. “Tell you to make them flowers? It’s going to be difficult, one way or another.”

“And they’ll be leaning on your expertise on the matter,” Liam said. “Being ready to address exactly what you can and can’t do with magic, without revealing enough to put America in danger from overzealous military men, is something you need to work on regardless.”

“Fine,” I said. “I’m going downstairs. I will work on… something.”

Liam’s smile was strained, but understanding. I did not feel especially friendly. I turned and left.

Time to try to do what I’d decided I would never do, from childhood - research new magic.