Alli caught up as well. “She’s in really good shape,” Alli puffed.
“All Mages are like that,” Mari said, most of her attention focused on thinking of Alain. “Their training as acolytes is extremely physically punishing.”
“Keep your thoughts centered on Mage Alain,” Asha told Mari.
“I am!”
They were walking up a broad avenue leading into the city, a detachment of cavalry riding a little ways ahead and contriving to clear the road without revealing who they were clearing it for. Citizens of Julesport were pausing to look, puzzled by the sight of Mechanics jackets and Mage robes together. Mari tried to block out awareness of the growing buzz of conversation, keeping her mind centered on Alain.
The sun set off to the west, plunging the city streets into gloom that was partially dispelled as lamplighters began their work.
Asha came to a stop, then turned herself slowly, as if, Mari thought, she was an antenna trying to pick up a faint signal. She pointed to the right. “They are trying to block his presence, but he lies this way.” She turned abruptly onto a side street, leaving the cavalry racing to get ahead again. The small group of Mechanics and Mages moved through the crowds of common folk who would have made way for members of the Great Guilds anyway but were particularly eager to avoid the grim-faced Mechanics carrying rifles as well as the impassive menace of the Mages walking with them.
As Mari checked her rifle again, she heard amidst the crowds the words she had been fearing to hear.
“… daughter…”
“… must be…”
“… it’s true…”
But then Asha turned quickly once more. The street they were on now was much narrower, barely wide enough for two carts to pass each other. People were lined up along the sides, staring at Mari’s group, further reducing the space available.
“The elders at the Mage Guild Hall will hear of this,” Mage Dav said.
“The Senior Mechanics will, too,” Mechanic Bev added.
Mari just nodded, keeping her focus tightly on thoughts of Alain.
“If I know my Senior Mechanics,” Alli said, “they’ll hold a meeting to decide what to do, and then likely call to Guild Headquarters in Palandur for guidance before acting. That should give us a few hours.”
Asha came to a sudden halt before a three-story structure that stood slightly apart from a similar building on one side, a narrow alley separating them. A vacant lot with only an old foundation overgrown with weeds was on the other side.
Colonel Faron rode up next to Mari. “It’s a former hotel. Now a place of ill-repute. You! Over here!”
The police officer summoned by Faron came running over, holding his helmet on with one hand and a hardwood club in the other. Like most police, he wore only a lacquered leather chest plate as armor over his uniform. “Yes, sir?”
“What can you tell me of this place?”
“We make arrests outside of it nearly every night but haven’t been able to prove anything against the owner.”
“The owner is paying off the police,” Mage Dav said, the coldly emotionless voice of a Mage even more intimidating than usual. “This shadow reveals it.”
“I… I…” Terrified to be the focus of a Mage’s attention, the police officer backed away.
Faron looked at Mari. “There are laws in Julesport. We would need a warrant to get that door open.”
“I don’t need a warrant,” Mari said. “I’ve got Mechanic Alli.”
“But—”
“You don’t see me, right? Aren’t those your orders?”
Colonel Faron paused, then smiled. “And I must follow my orders.”
“Alli, we need a door down,” Mari said, looking at the door barring entry to the building. It was made of heavy planks reinforced with metal straps, the sort of barrier that could require some time to force.
“Right here,” Alli announced, sounding cheerful. She had a small lump of something in one hand and was poking what looked like a large stick into it. “Stand back.”
Everyone pushed away from the door as Alli pressed the explosives against the lock, did something to the fuse, and then ran back to rejoin the others. “How did you know I’d have some explosives with me?” she asked Mari.
“Seriously?” Mari said. “Mage Asha, are you sure that Mage Alain is inside there?”
Asha nodded.
“Four, three, two…” Alli counted down.
The explosion wasn’t large, but it was enough to leave the heavy door sagging on its hinges. Mechanics Dav and Bev hit the door with their shoulders, knocking it open. Mari found herself pushed aside by Mages Dav and Asha as they followed the Mechanics, long knives out.
She rushed after them to find a tall, thin man standing in the center of the room, his mouth agape. “How— How dare you!”
Asha was turning, her gaze sweeping the room. She stopped, eyes intent, then stepped forward, her long knife swinging in a fast, vicious arc. It rebounded from something unseen with a clang of metal on metal, but Asha whipped her knife around in a reverse circle that ended when the knife stopped in mid-air.
A man appeared, his mouth open as he grunted with pain from a deep cut in his side. A knife fell from his own hand as he staggered back.
Mage Asha pulled back her knife for another slash, but before she could strike again Mechanic Dav stepped forward and swung his rifle butt against the man’s head.
“This is no Dark Mage,” Mage Dav said as the injured man collapsed. “It is Mage Niaro. But there is another here.”
Both Mages swung to face another corner of the room. “Another hides there.”
Bev took two steps, leveling her rifle at the apparently vacant corner. “Should I just kill him?”
An older man appeared where nothing had been, his face a strange mix of Mage impassivity and terror, dropping to his knees with hands upheld in supplication. “No! I will not resist! I have money! You can have it all!”
“See if you can buy off Colonel Faron after you killed his soldiers!” Mari snarled. “Asha! Where is Alain?”
Asha swung slowly again, then pointed up a flight of stairs on one side of the room. Mari took the stairs two at a time until she reached the top and a locked door there.
She swung the butt of the rifle against the lock with all of her strength, shattering the wood around it. The door slammed open, Mari dashing inside so fast she barely stayed clear of it.
The sparsely furnished room was dominated by a bed. Mari faltered for a moment as she saw Alain lying on it face up, apparently unrestrained and wearing almost nothing. Standing next to him was a woman much older than Mari, who had obviously been startled in the act of undressing Alain. “Get away from my husband, you witch!” Mari yelled, her mind flaring red with rage at the unexpected scene.
“Dark Mage!” Asha warned as she entered after Mari, but Mari didn’t hesitate, rushing forward and slamming the barrel of her rifle against the Dark Mage’s head.
The force of the blow hurled the Dark Mage against the wall, where she fell to lie unconscious. Mari, all of her fears and angers of this day concentrated on the Dark Mage before her, brought her rifle up and centered it on the woman.
A strong hand grasped the barrel and pushed it to one side, holding it there while Mari tried to bring the weapon to bear again. “Alli! Let go!”
Alli shook her head, maintaining her grip. “Mari. You don’t want to do this.”
“Yes, I do! Let go!” Mari struggled, but couldn’t shake Alli’s hold.
“Mari,” Alli said in a voice strong enough to penetrate through Mari’s anger. “Remember what you said to me? About how you were afraid you’d change? That you would become someone else because of everything that was happening?”
Mari stopped struggling, gazing back at Alli. “Yes,” she panted, suddenly short of breath.