Modern Magick

Alchemy and Argent: 8

Curse it.

Mum's only recently installed upon the throne of Ygranyllon, and having required some days to recover from serious injury incurred during her inauguration as the queen (sort of), I hadn't expected she would have matters so well in hand already as to have sent envoys to neighbouring kingdoms.

Way to go, Mum!

If only it didn't leave us in hot water.

'Erm,' I said, and cast a frantic glance at Jay.

No help there; he was as stymied as I.

Ah well. Talking us out of (and into) various messes was sort of my specialty.

'You aren't wrong,' I said. 'I, er, didn't know about the other envoys.'

The queen glanced behind us. I refused to be so weak as to turn around, but if I had, I'd bet you anything you like I'd have seen the door quietly opening again, and those two guards coming in.

'I'm sorry,' I said quickly. 'We did not mean to lie our way in. Only Flow seemed inclined to evict us, and we really needed to visit.'

I waited, ready any moment to be seized and ripped to bits. But nothing happened. Hopefully she did not imagine we were here to harm her. What manner of inept infiltrators would brazenly show up at her front door, and gab their way inside?

'You are Delia's daughter,' said the queen. 'The account I received of your arrival coincides with what I have heard. Why, then, are you here, if your mother did not send you?'

'You've heard of me?!'

Faint amusement twinkled in her amber eyes. 'The events that led to your mother's installation as queen were... noteworthy. Such tales spread.'

I wondered what part in that Jay and I were said to have played, and decided not to ask. I could not tell if Queen Llirriallon approved of my mother's ascension to royalty and authority, or whether she shared the opinions of those of her people who despised the prospect of a human ruler. Her composure was too good, her serenity untouched. I hoped, though, that the welcoming manner she had shown indicated the former. She'd already known, then, that we were no official envoy.

I realised, too late, that I had not answered her question.

Jay pre-empted me.

'We, er, came out of no idle curiosity,' said Jay. 'If you know of us, you must know that we work for The Society for the Preservation of Magickal Heritage. We're here because we are looking for something.'

Right. Honesty is the best policy, etc. I formed my signature sign to back up Jay's words: the Society's three crossed wands, and my own unicorn symbol superimposed over them (how very fitting that choice now seemed). 'We were actually hoping to consult your archivist,' I put in. I debated throwing the word "alchemy" straight in, but dismissed the notion. For one thing, running around asking about alchemy in any serious fashion tends to get a person labelled an eccentric, and I really didn't need any extra help in that department. For another, I wasn't sure what to make of her majesty of Aylligranir. If her people knew something to our benefit, would she be minded to share it, or hide it? I always prefer to speak to fellow scholars, when I can. They're intrigued by tricky questions, and often as desirous of finding answers to an interesting puzzle as I am.

'And any alchemists you may have at the court,' said Jay, reaching totally different conclusions to mine.

Curse it.

'Alchemists?' echoed the queen, her brows going up. 'A discredited art, no?'

'Yes,' I said. 'But nonetheless we have questions for anyone who might have kept it up—'