Alkimiya - A Fantasy Mystery Series

NINE - Guild Square

The foyer to the Noire Manor House was a rectangular entryway. Dark wood floors juxtaposed rose-blush walls. A centuries-old coat rack hung along the wall with a matching shoe cabinet underneath. The chaise lounge pushed against the opposite wall was wrapped in a fabric with an intricate pattern of curved, feather-shaped designs in calming shades of taupe, dusty gold, and cream. Its cushions were extra plump.

Zenetra sat down on the couch, took off her boots, and slipped her feet into a pair of black slippers. The sound of shuffling came from the next room and then Mr. Tedman appeared in a warm looking teal sweater. A cup of steaming mint tea was in his hand.

"Afternoon, Mr. Tedman."

Charlie Tedman was a man of seventy-nine, who had a thick white mustache and a full head of matching hair that made men half his age envious. His glasses were small, round, and gold-rimmed, with lenses as thick as his teacup saucer. He was a studious man, gentle and considerate, and the embodiment of proper etiquette.

"You are home early, Miss Zenetra. Is something the matter?"

"I've been assigned to a team." Zenetra hung her winter coat on a peg and pulled out the scrolls of blueprints that bulked the blue fabric. "I leave tomorrow."

Mr. Tedman's bristled mustache moved as he spoke. "Best go tell your father in person. Shall I pack some items for you?"

"No, no. I'll do it myself. Have you noticed anyone loitering in the park? Father reported something about a man in a red mask, and I may have just seen him as well."

Mr. Tedman peered at the door. "There have been no persons of interest, but I shall keep an eye out for such a man."

"Best that we both do." Arms laden with the tubes of blueprints and filled with a newfound determination because of them, Zenetra rushed for the stairs only to pause a second later. It didn't feel right leaving Mr. Tedman alone in Guild Square. "Why not consider taking some time off? Use the roamer and visit the countryside or something. Lavender Cottage hasn't had a visitor since...well since...since Xuxa last took us there."

Lavender Cottage was nestled in a quaint farming village hours outside of the capital, but all Zenetra could remember about the place were the cream-colored walls, running through purple fields, and hot days spent drinking honeyed goat's milk with Xuxa, Mr. Tedman, and the groundskeeper.

Mr. Tedman's eyes became misty behind his glasses. "What a splendid idea. I haven't seen Raddard Cliff in years. Shall I make the cottage ready for a summer visit? The lavender fields will be in full bloom."

Unsure if it was because enough time had passed since Xuxa vanished or because the trip to the Cold Room was anticlimactic, but Zenetra found she held no more aversion to going to places engraved with memories of her sister. It had been years since Xuxa disappeared and the summer cottage had been boarded up ever since. The place needed a good airing out.

"That sounds lovely, Mr. Tedman. Cadets get a week off during their year of field training. I imagine I would welcome a vacation by summer."

"Very well. I shall henceforth make the preparations." Mr. Tedman took a sip of tea and shuffled his way out of the foyer.

Zenetra took another step up and nearly dropped a tube as a thought struck her. "Would you drive me to the docks at dawn? No sense in leaving Obsidian parked there when you'll need it to get to Lavender Cottage."

Mr. Tedman raised his teacup. "Ah," he said, mustache wiggling. "That would be most agreeable for both of us."

After giving the genial butler an affectionate smile, Zenetra made her way up the polished staircase. The dark wood of the entryway greeted her on every floor, but the rose-blush walls ended at the top of the stairwell.