Victoria stood in front of her father's desk. Her heart raced and her palms were sweaty. She silently cursed the fact she was twenty-three and her father could still make her feel this way.
Abel was sitting behind his desk, tapping his pen against the desk. He wore his usual attire – a smartly pressed suit.
"I was quite enjoying my trip until I got a telegraph telling me there has been a fire and the sanctuary has collapsed. A sanctuary that wasn't supposed to be open until December. Please tell me why you thought it was a good idea to open it two months early?" he said.
"The longer we waited the more Enchanters were put at risk. I didn't want to wait any longer" Victoria said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"So you thought it was your place to authorise that decision? It's my understanding the steel frames weren't arriving for another three weeks".
"They used Xenocidus" Victoria murmured.
"Speak up Victoria. I told you I hate mumbling" Abel said.
"They used Xenocidus" Victoria raised her voice. "I bought Xenocidus"
Abel stared at her, silent. His eye twitched and his face turned red.
"Xenocidus? The metal that cost 3000 sterlings an ounce?"
"Father I was only thinking about-"
"I don't want to hear it. Our yearly budget is 2 million sterlings. You have single-handily bankrupted the AIA"
Victoria shook.
"I'm sorry"
"You do realise it will take months to rebuild the sanctuary. We'll be lucky if it's open by next year. That's if we find any more money for the project. I'm disappointed, Victoria. I thought you were ready to handle responsibility. Clearly I was wrong" Abel said before dismissing her with a wave of his hand.
Victoria barged in her house that night with a vile feeling her in stomach. Her father had yelled at her as if she were a misbehaving child. All she wanted was to protect the Enchanters. This was the thanks she got?
Her father didn't think she was ready for responsibility? He chastised her like he'd never made a mistake.
Victoria stared a portrait of her graduating to a level 6 agent. Her father stood by her, with such pride in his eyes. He'd probably never look at her with pride again. The thought filled Victoria with such a rage. She ripped the photo off the wall and smashed it against the cabinet. The glass window of the cabinet cracked. She put her fist through it and took the ornaments out one by one she smashed them on the floor. It was only she looked down at her bloodied palms she stopped.
What have I done?
Nicholas did not question her bandaged hands. Victoria was glad. She didn't know how would explain her sudden rage – not when she didn't have an explanation herself.
"I take it your father didn't take the collapse of the Sanctuary well?" he said as they walked down the street.
It felt strange to be out in ordinary clothes – a petticoat skirt and a cardigan. No places to put her weapons. What if they came upon trouble? They'd be completely unprepared.
"I don't want to talk about it" Victoria said.
"Ouch. That bad?"
Victoria just gave him a look.
"Look maybe it wasn't the best decision you've ever made but you did it with good intentions. You just wanted to protect people that's all you ever do. You've been stressed this year what with Erebus, the camp, Adelaide's trial, the Camicazi, now this sanctuary. A normal person would've collapsed under that amount of pressure"
Maybe that is what's happening to me?
"Perhaps you should take some time off?" Nicholas added.
"No" Victoria cried. "Concordia needs me. I'm capable of my job, I'm still me"
Nicholas stared right passed her, into a shop window.
"Nicholas" she said.
"You know that reporter who interviewed you – wasn't her name Lorna Davis?" he said.
Victoria looked to where he was pointing. On the front on the newspaper was the headline: From Royals to the Camicazi – here's why David Avercrome converted. Under the headline there was Lorna Davis' name. Victoria felt a lump in her throat.
"Well, let's not judge an article by its headline" Victoria said.
Victoria and Nicholas went the corner shop and bought one newspaper. They sat down on a park bench and read Lorna's article.
"I believe we should have the right to free expression, don't you? It even says we were all created equal in the book of the angels. No one is better than the other and everyone says their part. Even if you're not a follower of the angels, surely you still believe in human rights? I believe we should hear everyone's story, everyone side. That's why I decided to interview former royal adviser David Avercrome. He's been a part of the vigilante group, The Camicazi for years and now wants to go public in the hopes other people will do the same. As a reporter, I am not on anyone's side. I simply provide information for the public. To prove how unbiased I am, I will not be asking Avercrome questions. I just let him say his piece. Here is his speech, completely unfiltered and unedited.
Avercrome: Thank you all for you for this opportunity Lorna. I'm not here to get new recruits for the Camicazi – nor am I trying to convert anybody. I just want you to think about this. Years ago, we had something called peace. People were happy. Then someone abused their gift the angels gave them. They killed with magic. People were unsure how to react, some people said it was their right to use magic and others said that magic never should've been toyed with. The people were split. The Enchanters began using magic as a way to hurt people. They thought they were above the law, they became egocentric.
Do you think it was right the Calm was broken just because one Enchanter couldn't control himself? Even 520 years later, they still have more privileges. Not only can they manipulate forces beyond their understanding, but can kill within a matter of seconds. And frequently do. They create beasts that terrorize a nation. More than 90% of people in the medical professions are Enchanters. Do you want to put your life in their hands? The most respected people in our society are members of The Temple of The Angels. You can't even become a member of the temple unless you're an Enchanter. They are a disgrace. In the book of the Angels, it states the angels do not wish to be worshipped. I quote: Love thy mother, love thy father, love thy sister, love thy brother. Love ye who giveth bread to the poor, love ye who share wealth and love ye who show integrity in the face of darkness. Do not waste love on the Guardians of the world. For one cannot love what one does not understand"
The wife of David Avercrome, Jeanette Avercrome wanted me to add her comment: If you are not yet convinced Enchanters abuse the power they've been given, I'd like to remind you that hundreds of Deacons have groomed, molested and killed children. I was abused by my head deacon as a child...it's not something you recover from"
David had one more thing to say: "Are you going to stand by and let these demons kill us all? I say we purify the human race. The world would be a better place without magic"
Interpret that however you please, just don't let yourself be ignorant.
Victoria felt a lump in her throat. Her fists clenched, her nails digging into the skin of her palm.
"She's writing this? And it's allowed to be printed. This Camicazi propaganda?"
Despite the book of angels stating anyone had freedom of expression, propaganda was banned in 506. It had been a while since Victoria had read The Sancti, but she remembered that chapter well. The book of the Angels was easily the most quoted chapter of the Sancti.
"She must've got through a loop hole because she was a neutral member and she was the only writer stated" Nicholas said.
"This was allowed because of a technicality? What if people start believing this bullshit?"
Nicholas's eyebrows rose.
"We are in public, Miss Elderwen" he said. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but his wife might be telling the truth"
"Nicholas" Victoria cried.
"What I mean is there have been well documented cases of sexual abuse committed by deacons. It is something that happens. She could've very well been a victim"
"While that's unfortunate, it doesn't give you the right to have some vendetta against all Enchanters. You can't shove people in the same neat little box because of one thing in common. What they're talking about is genocide"
"Yes but Avercrome is convincing. He, like many before him, uses The Faith to manipulate"
Victoria scoffed.
"Surely people will see through him. I mean, the Book of the Angels is easily the most quoted chapter of The Sancti. It's almost cliché to quote it now"
"Never underestimate the words of The Sancti combined with charisma. Avercrome could very well get more people on his side. He might even convince civilians to begin pillaging their neighbours".
"I have more faith in my country than that" Victoria said.
PH(