Murder Among Mages: Episode 2
Choices
Episode 1 can be found here
Previously…
Elara set her cup down, tore the end off the envelope, and removed a piece of paper, folded once in half.
Elara,
If you’re reading this, I’m dead. I know that’s hard to read, but stay strong.
The woman who has given you this note is indeed who she says she is.
Agatha. Morrigan. Very old, very skilled.
She has agreed to teach you all the things I couldn’t. She has also agreed to find my killer. I ask that you be patient with her. Be curious. Be yourself. Work with her.
You have talents and skills as yet untapped. Agatha can help you with that.
She can be short-tempered. Blunt. Rough around the edges. But she can also be a good sounding board, a staunch ally, and a good friend. You can trust her.
I know you will grieve my passing. Do not lose yourself in your grief. Use it to find out who has been hunting me.
Make me proud,
Hallan
Elara sighed and returned the note to its envelope. “Alright, what happens now?”
And now, the continuation…
“You’ll retrieve your things from Hallan’s house and return here. I have a suite of rooms set aside for you. I will continue your training in potions and divinations, and together, we will work to unearth who killed Hallan, as she requested,” Agatha drained her cup and stood. “I’ll give you a brief tour.”
She led the way through a door set into the back wall of the sitting room. “This is not the room I entertain in. Think of it more as an …interview room. Very rarely have I brought anyone through this door. Hallan was one of the few, and now you.”
Elara made no comment as she followed Agatha down a long, wooden-paneled hallway. Finally, they stepped out into a large, bright room.
“This is the foyer. That exit will take you to a walled garden with a gate out to the street,” Agatha gestured to the wooden door with stained glass panels to either side. “There are only three ways into or out of this building. The door in the alleyway, the garden, and the roof. We use this door. The roof exit is only to be used in times of extreme danger. We avoid using the red door as much as possible to avoid bringing attention to it.”
High above, there was a skylight that allowed the sun to illuminate the foyer. Across from where they stood was another doorway hung with a swinging door. Agatha crossed the large entryway, her sensible shoes silent as they crossed the pale grey marble floor beneath them.
“This is the kitchen. You may use it as you wish. I ask only that you clean up after yourself. I have a chef come 3 times a week. Sheridan will cook for you as well. Just let her know your preferences and food sensitivities.”
Elara was impressed by the large, bright kitchen whose walls had been painted a pale dove grey. The cabinets were white, and the stainless steel appliances were polished to a reflective shine.
“That door,” Agatha pointed to a nondescript door off to the right. “Is the wine room. That one is the walk-in freezer,” She indicated another door off to the left. “And the one beside it is the pantry. Feel free to use them, just let Sheridan know what needs to be replaced. She keeps everything organized and stocked. I’ll show you your suite.” She turned abruptly and left the kitchen, Elara trailing in her wake up an impressive staircase. “You may have the run of the house and library except for my rooms in the east wing. I ask that you allow me my privacy as I will do for you. The dining room can be accessed off the foyer next to the kitchen. There is a small gym and indoor pool in the basement that you may use at any hour you wish.”
“A gym?”
“You needn’t sound so surprised, Miss Emerson. I may be old, but I do enjoy a good midnight swim now and then. You’ll find I am full of surprises.”
“Apparently,” Elara muttered as they reached the top of the staircase and turned left.
“This is the west wing,” Agatha turned and indicated a door to their immediate left. “Your rooms include a bedroom, of course, a fully stocked bathroom, and down the hall, a study.”
Elara studied the hallway and noted a lack of doors on the right side. “All over the kitchen and dining room, I see.”
“Behind that wall are the upper reaches of the library. You’ll see that in a few minutes.” She turned the knob and pushed the nearest door open. “Your bedroom,” she gestured for Elara to precede her.
Even at first glance, the room was luxurious. The walls had been papered with velvet brocade, and heavy burgundy drapes covered a large window. Off to the left was a cozy nook of two overstuffed chairs that matched the drapery flanking a small table and lamp, which had been switched on. Elara stepped fully into the room and turned to her right to find a four-poster bed hung with white curtains pulled back and waiting.
“It’s massive,” she said quietly. “It looks like something Scrooge might have slept in.”
Agatha laughed briefly. “I suppose so. The bathroom is through there,” she pointed to a nearby closed door. “I’ll let you explore that on your own. Come, I’ll show you the library and work room before I retire for my nap.”
Once again, Elara followed Agatha downstairs, but at the bottom of the main staircase, Agatha took a few steps toward the back of the foyer and pushed open another closed wooden door. “I prefer to keep all the doors closed. Down here you’ll find the gym, indoor pool, and work room. We’ll be continuing your potions education there. It has been blast-proofed…”
“Are you expecting me to blow it up?”
“Hallan certainly did on more than one occasion.”
Elara didn’t bother hiding her amusement.
After briefly showing her the basement, Agatha returned to the foyer and indicated a heavy-looking set of wooden doors tucked into the wall behind the hallway they’d first traversed. “The library.”
It too, was cavernous. Lit by wall sconces and lamps, any sound was muffled by a thick carpet the color of old bone beneath their feet. Near the door was a large wooden desk stacked with a variety of hardbound books. Behind the desk stretched rows of cabinets full of books, and along the walls were shelves too numerous to count, also full.
“The oldest manuscripts and scrolls are kept in a humidity-controlled safe. Throughout the library, you’ll find various books under glass. I’ll ask that you leave them as such.”
“This is all boggling. I’ve never lived anywhere so…grand,” Elara said as she tried to take in the space that stretched up and away. “But what am I supposed to do here?”
Agatha nodded and clasped her hands in front of her. “I will teach you everything I know about potions and divination, which is quite extensive. You have free use of the house and library, except for my rooms in the east wing. In exchange, you will aid me in my search for Hallan’s killer. When that goal has been achieved, as far as the outside world will know, you are here to help curate and maintain the library, as well as accompany me when I need to venture out. Which will not be often, I hope. I prefer the privacy of my home. You would be on call of course, and required to answer a mobile phone I will provide. I would pay you quite well for these responsibilities, of course. A non-disclosure agreement would have to be signed no matter what you decide.”
“I have a choice?” Elara was shocked into tearing her gaze from the stacks to regard Agatha.
“There are always choices, Miss Emerson.”
“Other than someone to help in here,” Elara glanced around the library, “What do you get out of all this? Why would a goddess want to live as an introverted old woman?”
Agatha studied her silently for a long minute before replying. “Perhaps I grew bored as mankind’s attention shifted.”
“So why take me on, instead of someone else?”
“Hallan always spoke very highly of you. She said you were the most promising young mage she’d met. She did not hand out compliments such as that lightly.”
Elara swallowed a lump in her throat. “No, she didn’t, that’s true.”
Agatha nodded. “So, are you brave enough to accept my offer?”
Chapter 3 can be found HERE