This is episode 6 of a serial fantasy fiction tale. “Murder Among Mages”
In a city where magic is both a gift and a burden, 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, she 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?
Chapters 1-5 can be found at The Fiction Forge here
Previously;
“There’s a detective here to see you. She says she has some questions for you.”
Agatha nodded, unsurprised. “Show her in here, please Sheridan.”
And now, the continuation!
As the detective was shown into the dining room, and offered a chair, Elara admitted to herself that she was surprised. The detective was not at all who she’d been expecting. A woman near her own age, with striking red hair pulled back into a French twist. She wore a long leather coat over a grey pinstriped waistcoat and black trousers tucked into black leather boots. Under the grey waistcoat could be seen the high collar of a white shirt.
“Detective Morrow, Ms. Zimmerman,” Sheridan introduced them. “And her assistant, Miss Emerson.”
“Sorry for intruding like this, Ms. Zimmerman, I’ll try not to take up too much of your time. I just have a few questions. I understand, it was you, Miss Emerson, that found Miss Hallan Shepherd? What condition was she in when you found her?” The Detective turned intelligent green eyes on Elara.
“She was collapsed on her step, leaning against her door. She had a long, deep gash that went from one shoulder to her opposite hip. She was covered in blood.”
“Was she still alive?” Detective Morrow asked as she removed a notepad and pencil from an inner pocket.
“Barely. She was very pale, and weak.”
“You’re welcome to sit if you’d like. Do you have any idea who might have killed her, Detective?” Agatha asked.
“I’m following a number of possible leads, but it would be helpful if either of you could tell me if she had any enemies,” Detective Morrow replied as she pulled out a chair and sat at the table. “I’m told you were her student, Miss Emerson. Surely you must have seen a great deal, living at her house as you did?”
“I wish I could say I had,” Elara answered. “But Hallan was a very private individual. I saw nothing that can help you.”
The detective turned her gaze to Agatha then. “You were her mentor many years ago, can you tell me what she was like?”
“Hallan was driven, dedicated to her studies…”
“And what exactly was she studying?”
“Potion making, magical portals…”
“Can you explain that, please?” Detective Morrow interrupted.
“An opening that would allow one to go from point A,” Agatha picked up the salt shaker and set it in front of the detective. “To point B,” now Agatha placed the pepper shaker a few inches to the right of the salt shaker. “Using magic.”
Detective Morrow was scribbling in her notebook. “Was she successful?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Agatha replied.
Elara was taking notes as well in her own notebook, and she paused to look at the detective, who seemed engrossed in the salt shaker.
“Are magical portals well known?” The Detective was well-spoken, her words betrayed no accent. Not a child of the streets then. Educated.
“Not from a magical family then, I take it?” Agatha said, not unkindly. “Magical portals, if possible, would be a remarkable innovation. To my knowledge, no one has perfected such portals and lived.”
“So it’s possible that her interest in these portals might have made her a target?”
Elara found it interesting that a non-magical investigator was seeking Hallan’s murderer.
“I would suggest that you begin your investigation there, Detective,” Agatha said. “Perhaps if you familiarize yourself with Miss Shepherd’s work…”
An odd expression flickered across the detective’s face. She frowned and Elara could almost see a wall settle behind those green eyes. She rose, closed her notebook, and reached into her pocket.
“I may have more questions for you both, being non-magical, I tend to need such things explained. But if either of you can think of anything you think might be helpful, here’s where I can be reached,” she casually flicked her card, and it came to rest at the foot of the salt shaker. “Thank you for your time.” Then she turned and left, following Sheridan back to the door.
Once they heard the front door close, Agatha turned to Elara. “Your impressions?”
“She’s an odd choice to investigate Hallan’s murder. Non-magical, uninformed, and with a bit of attitude.”
“I agree,” Agatha rose from her chair. “I’ll be retiring to my rooms for the night.”
“Goodnight then, Miss Zimmerman.”
“Goodnight, Miss Emerson. Sheridan.”
Before Sheridan could disappear back into the kitchen, Elara asked her what time breakfast was normally served.
“Seven bells, on the dot. Miss Zimmerman likes her schedules, she does,” Sheridan nodded to herself as she cleared away the cups.
“What does she do?”
“I couldn’t say. You’ll have to ask her that yourself, Miss.”
‘Can’t say, or won’t?’ Elara pondered as she made her way to the library.
To be continued!