Chapter 3

Percival sat in a lace armchair. Across the room from Roxie. “Now. Shall we ameliorate this situation of yours. What do you want?”

Roxie raised her eyebrows at such a forward question. “What. Do I want?”

“What do you want.” Percival repeated “you come here seeking refuge from your, Inconveniences. Your magic you seek to hide. Maybe you- “

Percival paused, his grin going back to the horrifyingly wide stance it had taken back in the workshop. “Seek special help.”

Roxie’s eyes widened. “What do you want with me?” she inquired. A sickening feeling was building in her gut. Roxie wasn’t so much horrified at the smile so much as that Percival was completely right.

“Like I said before. Just a little deal.

Percival chuckled to himself. “As Ferdinand so kindly shared. It’s not only science that keeps this city up.”

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he put special emphasis on the word ‘science’ as if it were something particularly unpleasant, he had found in his meal.

“I will admit the complexity of the technology that holds up Veridona. It’s a lot more than just party balloons that keeps this place in the sky. But said technology is decades old and is quickly beginning to degrade beyond repair.”

Percival seemed to sit more upright, his demeanor becoming more businesslike.

“You are a wind mage.” Roxie piped in. the billowing of his coat. His hair. His glasses floating perfectly above his nose.

Percival chuckled. “Correctamundo. While the engineers fix the machinery. I hold the place up. But although I am quite powerful. I can’t hold up an entire city of dead weight. I have spoken with the mayor. He seems to have ‘great plans for the future.’ He plans to raise more cities after we get this sorted out.”

“You want to use my telekinetic powers” Roxie said quietly. Realization dawning on her.

“Bingo!” Percival said. And tossed a cookie at Roxie. Who deliberately caught it by hand, instead of using magic.

Percival pursed his lips. Forming a thin line for a second. Before his grin returned.

“if its your magic you are concerned with. That won’t be an issue of much merit. If you accept my deal you will have more magic than you need to use.”

Roxie let out a long sigh.

“ok. What are your terms.”