Month by month, more startling rollouts happened.
The Earthhouse’s Novice spells were released to the public, and twelve Adept spells were revealed in their place, at the same standard pricing.
The Voidhouse was revealed in Mackinaw City, Michigan, the Peninsula’s most northern point. As the state with the highest percentage of people Awakening the Void Element, it wasn’t totally unexpected, although there were definitely those complaining when one state now had two of the Spellhouses!
Coralost’s ability to get things done in Michigan received another massive shot in the arm after it happened, however. Even the most powerful of Michigan’s Families shut up about them after the venerated magic of the Void, often acclaimed as the most powerful and versatile Element of Magic in the world, was set up in the small town and fortress located in Mackinaw City, which received an explosion of interest overnight.
Like the Blessing Element, the Void Element was an Advanced Element, with demands on intellect and force of will. The chance for a Mage or Archmage to Awaken it was basically 100%, however, and if the cost to do so was high, there was no end of those willing to do so. Failing it would open Light, Air, Fire, or Lightning Magic, in that order, but few who could fail dared to try it.
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The Chaoshouse was opened in the outskirts of Chicago, startling the residents of Illinois completely when it was unveiled. The city was a violence-prone, rough-and-ready place on the edge of Human expansion around Lake Michigan, constantly brawling with the native Beasts of lands further west and north.
Despite that, the Chaoshouse, considered one of the most intellectual of the Elements of Magic, was raised somewhat south and east of the city. The city and state practically leapt to start building a university around it for everyone who wanted to study the magic of manipulating magic and perceptions!
At pretty much the same time, the Waterhouse in Boston saw all the Novice Water spells released, and twelve new Adept Water spells were set up in it. The city’s position as the most advanced location to learn Water Magic in the world was rapidly cemented.
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Many cities were clamoring for it, but San Francisco got the nod for the Psychichouse, and the release of the five Mental Magic spells from there once again stirred up those who had hoped to have some exclusivity for the Element, including the Acropolis.
Once again, Lady Sakura sent her people out there without delay, and the Acropolis’ other factions could only stew and do likewise after the fact.
The Airhouse in St. Louis cycled over its Novice spells to the public, and opened up with twelve new Adept Air spells.
=================
The Dow Family mansion in Birchland, Michigan...
“Cameron.” Henry Dow gave his youngest son a level stare. “Please have a seat.”
Undeterred by his father’s manner or gaze, Cameron seated himself in the comfortable leather chair. He knew that he was being called in to account for himself, especially after his seclusion for the last month, and for his many travels that were only sometimes on family business over the last six months. Family Security had no doubt investigated his expenses and activities, and made an accounting of them.
He knew this meeting was going to happen at some point, but he had expected one of his uncles or second cousins to be handling it, particularly Uncle Jacques, who was most affiliated with Family Security.
The silence was drawn out, but Cameron just waited calmly, his demeanor relaxed and unruffled. He held onto his own leather binder and waited placidly as his father pretended to reread the security report again.
Seeing nothing was forthcoming, Henry Dow sat back and sighed, pushing the papers away. “I can see by the reports that you’ve had an interesting year, and you’ve been staying quite busy with something ambitious of your own.” His keen eyes measured the gaze of his son, and found himself wondering what had changed. “Let’s start with something basic, shall we?”
“Certainly, father. Ask away,” Cameron responded lightly.
“These recent trips to the Coralost Compound, very regular, every other day, for a set period of time. What exactly are you doing there?” his father asked, brow furrowing. He knew his son had an old connection with Sama Rantha, which was why he’d been chosen to represent the Dow Family in dealing with the hag and her brute of a husband. While the results had not been positive, at the very least Cameron had not made things worse.
“I’ve been using a Meditation center they have over there, a rather experimental one that their Typeless Mages employ. The benefits are exceptional, and no, I can’t arrange anything for the rest of the family. Sama allows me to use it as compensation for some other things I’ve been doing for and with her.”
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“So, you have been working with her.” His father was intrigued, gratified, and somewhat surprised. “Why didn’t you come to the Family with this?” he asked immediately. “If it could further our relationship with Coralost, we certainly would have given you help.”
Cameron waved it off. “Anything coming from the Family would have shut our deal down completely. Our arrangement was between us. The instant she smelled Dow involvement, everything would have been cut short.”
“Can you say what those projects are at this time?” his father asked, in a tone indicating that it would be very dangerous not to do so.
“Ah, it was a small project dealing with some revenge on the DuPonts.”
“The DuPonts,” Henry Dow repeated, steepling his hands. “You are playing a dangerous game with a dangerous Family, Cameron!” he warned his son sternly.
“Indeed I am, father. Indeed I am!” Cameron replied lightly, his brown eyes flickering. “Although to be fair, they started it, and a bit of revenge is entirely to be expected.”
“I see. And does this matter have something to do with your missing lawyer, and the sudden displacement of your in-laws?” his father asked archly, neither fact surprising his son in the slightest.
“My lawyer was recruited by DuPont out of Harvard, and has been feeding them information about me and our Family ever since. One might even say that most of the difficulties I’ve had with Family projects over that time could be laid at her feet.”
Henry’s pale blue eyes became flinty-sharp with interest, a hint of Ice Magic wafting through the air and lowering the room temperature. “I see. And your in-laws?”
“Bribed to do much the same. They sent their children to university with the money.”
Henry Dow exhaled softly at his son’s unflinching stare. “Are they dead?” he asked, knowing the answer to at least one of those questions.
“Neither, as a matter of fact.”
That surprised his father, he could tell. “And what has become of Jalusa?” his father asked critically.
“She has a new name and face and appointment as an environmental lawyer for the EHA of New York, specializing in the enforcement of chemical companies. I understand she has her first lawsuit against DuPont pending now.
“As a side note, her sister is an eminent Healer of excellent reputation, and has agreed to take over directorship of the Birchland Medical Center, which built a fine new wing funded by some anonymous donors to welcome her.”
Henry Dow lifted an eyebrow at the completely blasé explanation from his youngest son, who had not a flicker of an eye while relating the news.
“I... see. And your in-laws?”
“Safe and miserable in Juneau, where I believe it is currently thirty below. I have taken over the patronage and proper education of their children, and I believe they will make satisfactory agents in the near future. They weren’t nearly as talented as their parents led us to believe, but they are making sincere efforts to address their shortcomings with a great deal of hard work.”
Henry Dow tapped the papers before him thoughtfully. “So, you are going to get your money back out of them. And your wife wouldn’t allow you to kill her sister.”
“There were ways I could have done so, but regardless of how they died early, I would have been blamed,” Cameron replied evenly. “I have cut them off from their family, their children, exiled them to a miserable place for the rest of their lives, and made sure their kin know why this happened. They have almost ceased to exist.
“On the flip side, my influence in my wife’s family seems to have increased enormously. They’ve been taking me up on some suggestions for their children’s future and possible changes in careers themselves. Quite gratifying for playing a merciful hand.” His voice held not the slightest hint of gratification at all.
“The Family may well choose to make an example of them for such behavior,” his father mentioned.
“I have already handled it to my own satisfaction, and as the primary aggrieved party, mine is the opinion with the greatest weight. If the Family chooses to act on this, I may not be able to stop them, but I will not be pleased.”
Henry was even more startled to hear those words coming out of his son’s mouth. Cameron had always been agreeable and ready to do what the Family required. This growing of a spine of his own was something of a surprise.
“I understand you accelerated the Family’s goals in Brazil almost overnight, after years of red tape. That was well done, making that alliance with Guillermo. One might almost say it was prescient.”
“Prescient. Yes, that is a good word. Almost prescient,” Cameron agreed affably, his eyes betraying nothing about the sudden retirement and wasting sickness of Governor Gilchard the unmourned.
“And these trips to India? I understand they have been taking up a considerable amount of your time, and even interfered with some of the matters the Family wanted you to handle.” He tapped the lines of flights and dates emphatically.
Cameron waved his hand dismissively as he opened his own binder. “The Family duties were busywork chaff, there to give me the appearance of doing something important and thus wasting everyone’s time. Sydney, Clarice, and Jonah handled all those assignments with aplomb and my blessing.” He had given each of them advice on how to proceed, of course, but noted that their decisions and the blame or rewards were their own, while solidifying his links with them as a trustworthy member of the Family who wasn’t about to undercut them to further his own agenda.
He lifted out a sheet of paper and passed it over to his father, who took it with furrowed brow. “This is going out right about now, so there’s no problem with letting you see it.”
Henry Dow took it, adjusted his glasses, and slowly read down the press release.
Then he read down it again, this time reading between the lines, and slowly brought his eyes up to his son, still the picture of casual boredom. “Cameron,” he asked uncertainly, “what exactly did you do there?”
“I was Coralost’s liaison to the arrangements needed to set up those ten White Mana Zones there, of course. They didn’t have the time to do everything themselves, and I knew the ground and the people to contact. I expedited matters for a certain percentage, and will continue to liaise with them in the future on behalf of Sama Rantha and Commander Briggs.”