Modern Magick

The Wonders of Vale: 3

Unthinkable.

Jay stepped into the breach. 'So, you are a... I'm sorry, I don't know the term for what Ves's mother does.'

'It is an uncommon art,' said... Em. 'And not much regarded, its uses being considered few. As such, I am unsure a term has ever been coined for it. But yes, I am able to detect traces of past magicks performed.'

'You'd think such a talent would be more useful,' I said, interested out of my paralysis.

'It is vague,' said... Em. 'That is its primary drawback. I can determine that some manner of magick was once conducted in this hall, for instance. But what of that? There are traces of many kinds of magick done here, as well there might be. It is difficult to say for certain what kinds of magick they were; impossible to say what they were intended to achieve, when they were performed, or by whom. Therefore, it is of little relevance. I am hoping, however, that your lyre may be able to assist me there.'

'It's on its way down,' said Jay. 'Orlando thinks it absorbs magick, too.'

Emellana Rogan appeared highly interested in this nugget of possibility. 'Absorbs?' she said sharply. 'I understood it to amplify — certain things, at least.'

'Both, perhaps?' said Jay.

'And that would make some sense,' I put in. 'The lyre amplifies some arts because it's full of absorbed magick.'

'Which arts?' said Emellana.

'We have not yet had much opportunity to test it,' said Jay.

'Field tests are always so much more amusing,' said Emellana, with the trace of a smile, and I liked her excessively all over again. 'Are we, otherwise, ready for departure?'

'Yes, ma'am,' I said. Jay and I had been packed and ready to go for days. Our various goods and supplies would have been delivered to Millie's parlour by now, Mauf included; we awaited only Emellana, and the lyre.

I heard the click of small claws on marble as my pup came trotting in. She gave that little, triumphant yip that says: 'Found you!', and galloped past me in favour of acquainting herself with Emellana.

Emellana bent down at once, her face wreathed in delight. 'I'd heard of your little companion,' she said. 'To think! A goldnose, alive again in England!' She and the pup declared themselves delighted with one another, through a series of ear-rubs, belly-barings and yips. 'Are there more?' she added, looking up at me.

'No... well, not in this Britain, anymore. There are hundreds of them on the fifth.'

'I have scarcely felt a greater anticipation than when I heard of this fifth Britain,' said Emellana, her faded blue eyes alight. 'Is it as wondrous as I imagine?'

'We have seen little of it, yet, but still I'd say yes,' I answered.

'Now's our chance to see a lot more,' put in Jay.

Emellana straightened with alacrity, and smiled. 'Very well, let us not delay any longer. Can this lyre be retrieved? I shall await you in the house.'

We separated three ways: Em to Millie's parlour, Jay to enquire after the lyre, and me to find Val and the promised article of Miranda's.

I found her still in Miranda's room, or what used to be Miranda's. Was it significant that the room had not yet been reassigned? Was Milady hoping Miranda could be persuaded to come back?

If her expertise was as rare as Milady suggested, then the most likely answer to that was "yes." Good luck with that. The Society could hardly be in a hurry to welcome her Home.

'There isn't much here,' Val said as I walked in. 'I'm having trouble finding anything useful.'

I saw her point. Miranda had a suite of three rooms: a living room and kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. The kitchen still contained its complement of utensils and pans and such, but besides that, the place was mostly cleaned out. Miranda hadn't planned to come back; that much was clear.

I did recall, though, that Miranda often had a somewhat messy appearance. Her hair was coming out of its tail; her jumpers had holes in; she'd often forgotten something and had to go running back for it.

'Checked under the bed?' I asked.

Val just gave me a withering look from her magickal equivalent of a wheelchair.

'Right.' I crossed back to the bedroom and dropped to the floor. A few minutes' crawling about on my belly might have been dusty and undignified, but I did procure one, potentially useful item. I jumped up, waving it triumphantly.

'A stocking?' Val said. 'Really?'

'I would've much preferred an old jumper or something, too, but this'll do.' Given the quantity of dust coating the flimsy thing, I wasn't sure how much of Miranda's scent might still be discernible from it. But I trusted the pup's enormous nose.

'Rather you than me.' Val floated away towards the door. 'Call me when you get back. And be careful out there, hm?'

People kept saying that to me lately. 'Will do,' I called after her, and stuffed the stocking into my pocket. Next stop, Mellicent Makepeace.