Chapter Six We Meet Again #3
This makeup had to come off. Saeldian lathered up their hands and apologized to their complexion before massaging all their creams and powders away. “This is really bad. The room is a trap.”
Jubilee unfastened her skirt, fished under the stiff petticoats, and pulled a short jacket free of its basting stitches. “Of course the room’s trapped. They’d hardly need a thief if it wasn’t.”
Saeldian wiped the coin-scale bodice away, dropping the illusion until they stood in a set of light undyed armor, drab as a conscripted peasant’s. A gesture pulled all the pins from their hair. They shoved them into a pocket and stared at their reflection.
Their disguise as Helarel hadn’t really changed their appearance much, but it had to go.
The tidy, illusory beard faded to angular cheekbones and the delicate creases of age.
Black hair, smoky night-dark eyes, and full red lips softened to white-streaked barley blond, summer blue, and smiling sweetheart rose.
“I mean the room is a trap. The whole room.”
“The whole room? The floors have pressure sensors in some of the squares. They didn’t spring right in places.”
“Map?”
Jubilee unfolded a paper and sketched on the floor plan while Saeldian worked on the quick change.
Drab armor bloomed into an azure gown with coins dangling from a wide neckline.
They laid a delicate, wrinkled hand on Jubilee’s shoulder and muttered, “Change-oh, none will know, set a disguise and off you go.”
Rhyming verbal components hardly ever failed to bring out the spirit of doggerel, but Jubilee barely faltered as her hands became an aged lady’s mid-sketch.
“There. I marked the squares that felt wrong. You know when I started dashing to and fro, quite overcome by the art? I had to check them all.” Jubilee shoved the paper toward Saeldian and paused, horrified at Saeldian’s altered visage, before whirling to look at herself in the mirror. “You didn’t.”
“We’ll apologize later. If they find out.”
“I look like Saer Madenhal. And you—Aunt Teve will kill you.”
“Aunt Teve doesn’t need to know,” Saeldian said. “Hold on, let me add to this map.”
Saeldian ringed the floor with little symbols, connecting them with arrows. Jubilee leaned over and made a dismayed noise.
“How many divination spells did they put on this room? What are those abjuration spells? Alarms?”
“Probably.”
“And all these marks for transmutation spells…oh Hells. It’s a Conundrum Chamber?”
“Yes.”
Jubilee’s face went chalky. “Fuck! Nobody’s ever beaten one of those.”
“They’re complicated, but—”
“Complicated? They’re impossible! We have to get out of here—”
Jubilee swayed, and her disguised face went slack with confusion.
Hells. Saeldian grabbed her hand, and the firm, youthful feel of her skin was a dead giveaway.
Saeldian could alter themself at will, but Jubilee only looked like an older human woman.
“Jubilee, listen carefully. We are not getting out of here. We wouldn’t dream of going back on the oath binding us. Say it.”
“We can’t—ow.”
“We can. Say it.”
“Wur noh genn owh uh here.” Jubilee’s words came out slack. The vowstone was clearly sensing her doubt—and punishing her for it. “Noh…goin ba—hurts.”
“I know. I know you’re scared. Listen to me. Somebody beat a Conundrum Chamber once. Do you believe me?”
“Who…”
“Nod if you believe me. I beat a Conundrum Chamber. With Kell.”
Jubilee tried to speak, but only surprise spilled out. She nodded.
Saeldian held her up and kept talking. “That’s why Briona wanted us. That’s why she forced us with the vowstones. Do you understand?”
A little more steadily, Jubilee nodded.
“She wanted me and Kell because we stole Hullhollyn’s Storm Harp ten years ago.”
Even with all her strength focused on soothing her fey oath back into quietude, Jubilee looked shocked. But even as she closed her eyes against the pain and confusion, her nod was strong and sure.
Saeldian heaved a sigh of relief and hugged Jubilee tight. “We can do it. You and me and Kell? We’re the burglary team no one even dreamed of. We can beat this. Do you believe me?”
“Yes.” Jubilee squished Saeldian right back. “We’re not going back on the deal—oh shit, that hurts!”
Jubilee swayed, and Saeldian staggered getting her onto the settee. A stack of clay cups waited by the basin. Saeldian pumped the lever until water flowed out and set the cup to her partner’s lips.
“Drink slowly.”
Jubilee took the cup and drained it. “How did you know what was happening to me?”
Saeldian filled another cup and handed it over. “I had my panicked escape plan this afternoon.”
“During the meet? No. On the walk back. You fainted. Lorzok caught you.”
“That’s when.”
“And you didn’t tell me? Even after?”
“Lorzok healed me. I was fine. Get him to spruce you up. We have to find them and tell them the new plan.”
“But they’re dancing.”
“Not a problem.” Saeldian swept one elegant hand to indicate the two of them. “We’re two retired, fabulously wealthy, successful ex-adventurers, and we can brief them while they partner us.”