This is episode 4 of a serial fantasy fiction tale. “Murder Among Mages”
In a city where magic is both a gift and a burden, there exists a library tucked away in an opulent, ancient manor. Zimmerman House. Our protagonist, a mage named Elara, stumbles upon this manor after losing her mentor in a tragic magical accident. She is given the opportunity of a lifetime in exchange for silence and dedication to a woman claiming to be an ancient goddess.
Their magical world is a combination of England’s aristocracy & manners, and our world. Dangerous, dirty, and full of secrets. Bridgerton meets modernity -- a murder mystery mixed with magic.
Elara is tasked with unearthing her former mentor’s killer while making sense of the Zimmerman Library. As she delves deeper into the library, she uncovers the stories of those who came before her, mages who wielded power for purposes both noble and nefarious. The library challenges her understanding of right and wrong, forcing her to question the nature of sacrifice and the true meaning of loss.
In the end, Elara must confront the ultimate question as she faces her mentor’s murderer: Is the power to rewrite fate worth the price of losing one's humanity?
Previous episodes can be found here
Previously…
Elara closed the book and gazed thoughtfully at the leather cover. “Why did you never tell me about this book, Hallan?”
There was, of course, no answer.
And now the continuation…
After returning to Hallan’s house, and packing her few clothes and books in her carpetbag, Elara made her way to the study. Not many of Hallan’s belongings remained. Elara stood beside the desk, peering down at the dark wood, lost in her memories until she heard Garnet clear his throat at the door.
“I’ve taken the liberty of putting her things away, I knew you would likely find it difficult.”
“Thank you. I’m not sure I would have been able to.”
“In accordance with her wishes, all of her magical tools have been wrapped and put into storage until her will is read.”
Elara nodded, unable to speak at first. Then she said, “I’m relocating to Zimmerman House. Hallan left a letter expressing her desire to see me continue my studies there.”
“Madam Zimmerman is quite skilled,” Garnet nodded but not a gray hair moved.
“And apparently quite old,” Elara added. After a number of heartbeats passed in silence, she continued in a slightly strangled voice. “It’s been three days since she was cut down, Garnet, and I still see her crumpled on the stoop every time I close my eyes. Did Hallan ever mention anything to you? About her work? I know she was involved in something..."
"She was always a private individual, Miss Elara. She did not discuss her research with me. However..." Garnet clasped his hands behind his back.
Elara turned to face the butler. "Anything you know could help me understand what happened."
"Miss Shepherd was not one to divulge more than necessary. But in the months leading up to her untimely departure, there were... occurrences that left me quite perturbed. Visitors, Miss. The sort that wouldn't normally associate with someone of Miss Hallan’s stature. They came at odd hours, always arriving at the back of the house as if avoiding prying eyes. Some brought packages, others left with them. There was a tension in her, a wariness after these visits. It was all highly irregular," Garnet squirmed a little inside his clothes.
Elara frowned in thought. "Did she ever say what it was about? What she was researching?"
"Madam Hallan was not one to share the depths of her work."
Elara stepped toward Garnet, hopeful she could come away with a starting point. "Did you ever see any of these people? Could you describe them?"
"Only in passing, Miss. There was one, a man, tall, with a limp in his right leg. He appeared more frequently than the others. "
"It’s somewhere to start, I suppose. Thank you."
Garnet retrieved a box from a chair. "She left her notebooks for you. Perhaps they hold the answers you seek. I believe she trusted you more than anyone.”
"Thank you, I'll look through them. Maybe they'll shed some light on the darkness surrounding her death."
"I served this house and Miss Hallan for many years. It pains me to see her legacy clouded by such darkness. If there is anything more I can do to assist you, Miss Elara, you need only ask. She was very…important to me," Garnet watched her for a moment longer before silently exiting the room, leaving Elara to her thoughts.
Garnet had arranged for a carriage to take Elara, her bag, and the box of journals back to Zimmerman House. Once the door of the carriage had closed, and the driver back in his seat, Elara breathed a sigh of relief. Walking back would have been challenging and obvious, and she hadn’t been looking forward to that. She would have felt like a conspicuous target. The carriage was faster, private, and far easier on her feet.
She checked her pocket watch and was pleased to see there would be time to study Hallan’s journals before dinner. As she watched the city slip past outside, Elara wondered why she hadn’t known about Hallan’s book. Was there only one, or had she written more? She would have to ask Agatha at dinner. She hoped the book and journals provide some insight into Hallan’s murder.
Back at Zimmerman House, Elara stroked the noses of the horses who had saved her so many steps, as the driver unloaded her things. She far preferred horses to the newer automobiles that backfired and spewed stink into the air. Horses had personality and intelligence. She paid the driver, he tipped his hat to her and climbed back into his seat. She smiled briefly at him and watched as he clucked his horses into motion. An examination of the street showed no one watching her from any obvious vantage points, so she struggled to pick up her bag, the box and open the door with some grace. With minimal difficulty, she managed to get inside the house and close the door quietly.
Upstairs, she set her parcels on her bed and sat for a moment beside them. She’d never slept in a bed this soft at any point in her life. Elara flopped backwards and felt her body sink a little into the mattress. This level of comfort was new.
After a minute of indulgence, Elara sat up, plucked her carpetbag up, and went into the too-large closet to hang her clothes. Even though she’d packed carefully, and the bag had been full, the closet was nowhere near even capacity. Elara shook her head as she relocated the box of Hallan’s journals to her reading nook and settled it on one of the chairs. She sifted through them until she found the oldest and sat down to read.
‘I’ve decided to keep a record of everything in case I should disappear. I want the truth to be known…’ It seemed that even then, Hallan had been cautious.
On to Chapter 5!