Chapter 8 #2
“I should say there weren’t a lot of high-profile female mages,” she amended.
“In the Guild there still aren’t. Much like the Dick world, where there aren’t nearly as many female CEOs and VPs and all that, the Guild tends to elevate men.
There is a lot of misogyny.” She chewed her lip again and put a couple more items into the cart.
“The females that do get elevated tend to be tough and great at their trade.”
“Their trade?”
“Yeah. If a mage is lower powered, they still have options. They can excel in certain types of magic. If Sebastian was a lower powered mage, for example, he could still get placement in engineering new spells and potions. He’s a genius at it.
I could get placement at the admin level, organizing teams for extractions or attacks or whatever else. ”
“What does that have to do with high profile female mages?”
She glanced around. “Let’s finish up.”
He nodded without comment and did just that, grabbing enough for a few meals, including something for breakfast tomorrow.
If they needed more, someone could be sent to grab it.
He did not sense any danger in this place, not at all.
Despite the mage attack, this felt like a sleepy town.
A forgotten town. The residents seemed fragile, almost, like they’d had a hard time of it and could finally take a peaceful breath.
It was in the way they carried themselves before and after they spotted strangers in their midst.
O’Briens had felt like this in the beginning of his time there, right after he’d made his stand and backed up his claims to provide safety for those who needed it. Drex had created a force of fighters to secure this place, and he was doing so ruthlessly, like Austin had.
“Alpha Ashvale would be happy to pick up the tab,” the store clerk said after scanning all the items.
“Give him my thanks,” Austin replied.
“And I’m sure someone could deliver food from the restaurants in town, if you like. The fried chicken here is the best you’ll have.”
“I thank you.” Austin inclined his head and wheeled the cart out.
It wasn’t until they were underway that Nessa continued. “The Guild still doesn’t make a habit of elevating female mages, but Momar does. He used a lot of them at Kingsley’s, and he did so marvelously. Did you notice she said she wouldn’t work for him or them?”
“Momar or the Guild,” he surmised.
“Who else. Momar tries to poach only the most valuable players, and she doesn’t have enough magic to be desired by the big dogs in the Guild, so she must have some other trait that makes her valuable.
Very valuable if she’s this worried about it.
She seemed afraid she’d be dragged back and forced to work. ”
Austin didn’t bother asking if they really did that. From what he knew of each of those organizations, they’d do that and worse. Much worse.
“And she knows Elliot Graves,” he said, driving through downtown and finding two bars. Both were welcoming, but one was a little rougher than the other, with a lone smoker outside. That’s where they’d find Niamh.
He looked for a parking spot.
“She does,” Nessa drew out, her eyes far away.
She wasn’t just good at organizing; she was incredibly intelligent and great at problem solving.
“She knows him even though I’d hardly know him when he’s looking like this.
He is only ever Sebastian when he’s with family.
In a professional setting, he is always Elliot Graves.
Always. That includes dress, hair, posture, everything. ”
“She didn’t know him at first. She suspected, but she wasn’t sure. She was trying to figure it out.”
“She suspected. That’s more than anyone else in the mage world would have, not in this setting.” She shook her head and looked out at nothing, back to chewing her lip.
“Momar found you guys, and he has people in the Guild. He must know your connection to us. Niamh is sure he does, even if he doesn’t advertise it. Is she still working for them? Or maybe was until a month or so ago?”
She shook her head slowly. “With her hair like that? Her clothes? No watch? Nah. She’s been away from that long enough to shake off the training.” She switched, chewing her nail this time.
A car was leaving a spot. He waited and then took it, two spaces down from the bar. He turned off the Jeep and sat for a moment.
“I’m going to have a quick chat with Niamh,” he said.
“She’s good at information gathering. I honestly don’t think anything will happen to you if you stay in the car, nor do I think people will steal our groceries, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.
I’d rather leave you here to guard the groceries than have to guard you inside. ”
She spit out a laugh.
“I’m really hungry,” he said, allowing a grin. “I figure they’ll take you and forget about our groceries. I can then just send Edgar or Tristan or someone to get you.”
She laughed harder. “Send the basajaunak. They’d be delighted.”
“Yeah, true.” He sobered. “Do you want to come in with me?”
Her smile was soft this time and her eyes grateful.
“Jessie is a lucky woman to have a guy like you around. People probably don’t tell you that enough since they’re intimidated by you.
Thank you, but no, I’m sure I’ll be fine.
If anything happens, I’ll yell, and gargoyles will pop out from the walls and basajaunak will fill the street and Edgar will spring out of a bush… I’m covered.”
He nodded and opened the door, leaving the keys in the ignition. “There is a gargoyle right in front of the Jeep, against the wall.”
She huffed. “Figures. Blending into stone and walls—that must be handy.”
“It is, especially when the magical world at large doesn’t seem to know they can.”
She quickly turned pensive again and he made his way into the bar. Niamh sat at the far side where she could see most of the inhabitants. Brochan sat behind her at a low table in the corner, his presence and power warning everyone away.
He’d always taken a similar position in Austin’s bar in the early days.
Now, it was rare he didn’t sit with one of Jessie’s crew, or a gargoyle, or Niamh herself.
He was starting to find his footing in a new life.
Maybe it was time to adopt the name Sue and leave that wayward, lost, broken persona behind.
He stood as Austin made his way down. The patrons stiffened as Austin passed.
“Well, how ‘r ya now?” Niamh asked in greeting. “Get everything sorted?”
He paused, narrowing his eyes at her slightly. “What’d you hear?”
“Ah, sure, same ol’ pandemonium with our crew, so it is. We show up, scare the holy trinity out of everyone, and people start jumping at shadows. Can’t hardly blame them. Especially when some pasts don’t want to stay in the past.”
She paused to get her point across but was incredibly blasé. If he didn’t know her better, he’d miss the subtexts. She knew about the mousy mage attacking, and either already knew the woman’s past, or planned to get it.
“Sure, this place is a safe haven,” she continued.
“Ye know something about that, so ya do. I told them all about the anxious wee sorts we had back in the day. Still do. I ignore their bellyaching—ye have’ta or it’ll drive ya mad—but I know what it’s like.
Anyway, sounds like you’ve got it all sorted.
I didn’t bother me arse to help. They have a strong setup here, sure they do, but nothing like we have. There was no point in me rushin’.”
“Jessie communicated through our link,” Brochan murmured. “I checked it out, but I wasn’t needed so I returned here. I assume you guys calmed down the basajaunak.”
Austin couldn’t help himself. “Without getting dragged behind one of them, yeah.”
Niamh spit out a laugh.
Brochan’s eyes glittered. “Don’t expect I’ll live that one down.”
“Probably not, no. Why are they so riled up, did they say?”
Niamh’s eyes turned sharp, and her body tensed. Shut up!
“Ye know them, like,” Niamh drawled, picking up her glass. “They thought yis were battlin’ without them earlier today, and now they are chomping at the bit. Once they wander around the woods a bit and relax, they’ll be grand.”
He nodded, reading Brochan’s body language, a movement so subtle he barely caught the meaning. He doubted anyone here, or many at all, could pick it up. She’s got it under control.
“I’m telling everyone to lay low,” he told them.
“We’ll postpone the dinner until tomorrow night and eat in tonight.
I’m going to keep the mages secure, but you’re welcome to stay out.
I’d like to remind you that you are a guest here.
Be on your best behavior. That said, I have warned the beta that you will not hesitate to defend yourself should you need to. And you’ll do so violently.”
“It’ll be grand,” Niamh said. “I’ll probably have a wee bite downtown and see yis for dinner.”
In other words, she’d gather more intel and meet everyone later to tell them what she learned.