Captive Magics

35 - Employment

"Right..."

"I'll tell them you're here." He loped away down the dark twisting book-passages beyond, and Leander waited alone for several minutes.

The librarian returned suddenly, looming into the pool of greasy yellow lamplight in reception, and flicked his head tersely to indicate Leander should follow. Had Leander not been wearing his glasses he would have struggled not to bump into desks and bookshelves, for the network of rooms they navigated were horribly dark and the lamp swinging from the librarian's hand rarely threw light back towards him. What a place to work, he thought as he skirted a large pile of toppled books. Half the shelves were empty, save for a few spiders.

They went up a tight staircase at the back, bypassing the floor above and arriving at the next, where an enterprising architect had suddenly hit upon the idea of windows, making it seem a different building for all the familiarity it bore to the storeys below, yet still the dusty, ignored feeling pervaded. Halfway down a forlorn corridor, while Leander reminded himself he didn't have the luxury of being choosy, he was suddenly delivered to a door. The librarian knocked and left without ceremony. Startled at this sudden arrival, Leander looked at the man's retreating back and then at the door.

"Come in," a voice called from within. Straightening his spine, he entered.

Leander didn't know who Teckirrion and Gorstanley were but thought little of their workplace, until the door opened fully and he saw an unused clerk's office which had been adopted for the purpose of interviewing him. There was no suggestion of what they had been doing before Nutte alerted them, but it must have been elsewhere in the building. The desk, small and spindly, was too dusty for recent use, and behind it sat two men with their backs to the window. The older man wore a gentleman scholar's tweeds, and he confirmed Leander's suspicion that he was in charge by rising to shake his hand first. The second was younger, tall and sharp-featured with an uncombed head of dark hair, terrible posture, glasses, and a storm-cloud blue set of robes which he had unbuttoned and folded back over his shoulders like a cloak. He stared in unblinking assessment until Leander began to sweat.

"Now, Mister Nutte tells me you walked in and asked about the librarian position," said the older man affably. "I'm Edward Gorstanley, this is Teckirrion, and we're quite happy to interview you immediately if it's convenient."

"Thank you. Yes, if it's quite alright: the advert was in a window as I was passing, I don't know if I should have applied by letter...?"

"Not at all, no need to worry. The library of runology has become a centre of great importance but it's understaffed. We're eager to find an assistant librarian as quickly as possible." He proceeded to ask about Leander, who had prepared himself with the short version of his false personal history and gave it fluidly. That over, he felt slightly more comfortable.

"So you're from Montedion?" Gorstanley asked, peering keenly at Leander.

"I am."

"And you're a registered magician?" said Teckirrion. Like Gorstanley he had an air of intellectualism about him but he was very tall and thin, closer to Leander's age, and without the crows-feet which spread around Gorstanley's eyes. Where Gorstanley's face naturally inclined to a paternal smile, something in Teckirrion's put Leander on edge.

"I am not, no."

"Oh-"

"I lack the talent."

"So you do not personally use runes?" A crease appeared in Gorstanley's forehead.

"No, however much I should wish to..."

"Do you actually know anything about them?" the younger man asked, and then let out a braying laugh.