Chapter 4 Plans and Plots
Plans and Plots
The tavern is bustling, packed for the afternoon meal, with Diamond, Ruby, and Amethyst Guild members making up most of the patrons.
The mix isn’t surprising given the tavern’s location in the Government District, which is the hub of power not only for Amal, but for all of Amagi.
With the tavern’s close proximity to the Assembly, and its reputation for good food and service, it’s a popular lunch destination for the Representatives who often have to return to the Assembly for afternoon or evening sessions.
This midday meeting between Onyx Guild Master Cosimo Vitorio, Senior House Representative Lorenzo Medina, and three other high-ranking individuals, is still in the pleasantries stage.
Who would have anticipated that following Cosimo on a whim this afternoon would lead me to a private meeting between Lorenzo Medina and several very important people in Amagi politics?
A server sweeps past me into the pantry, and I activate the onyx in and on my body, locking down my cloaking spell as I tuck myself into the small alcove between the private dining room and the kitchen.
Lorenzo Medina, a dark olive-skinned man with blond, curly hair cut short on the sides, smiles charmingly at the group.
He’s right-handed and wearing several weapons, none visible.
Highly dangerous. “Josefa, thank you again for the invitation to your son’s handfasting.
I am honored and look forward to attending. ”
“House Silva is honored by your acceptance, Senior Representative Medina.” The person responding, obviously Josefa, is a female-presenting person with olive skin and salt-and-pepper hair pulled to the nape of her neck in a severe twist. She’s mid- to late-forties, left-handed, no weapons.
No physical threat. She’s wearing the deep Amethyst robes of a senior lawyer.
The man to her left, with closely cropped silver hair and a pinched expression on his sallow features, is mid-sixties, right-handed, and has no weapons.
A minimal threat. He’s dressed in a Diamond Guild silver overcoat similar to Lorenzo’s, but while Lorenzo wears a long jacket that hits mid-thigh, this man’s coat reaches the floor, indicating that he’s Guild Master Alexey Rostova.
“Should we get to business? I hate to rush us, but this afternoon I have an appointment with the current chancellor”—he smirks and inclines his head to Lorenzo—“and I need to tie up a few details first.”
Lorenzo inclines his head in return. “Of course, Alexey. With any luck, we’ll have our own representative in the chancellorship after the next elections.”
Alexey nods solemnly. “With any luck, that will be you.”
They all take seats at the large round table.
A dark-haired, male-presenting person in his mid-fifties, with almost translucently pale skin in the ruby red silk tunic of the Merchant Guild, raises his drink—left-handed—and salutes Lorenzo.
So this is Master Hans Keller. He makes sure to flash the very large, very impressive ruby on his right third finger in a not-so-subtle reminder of his own Guild Master status.
“May the Founder make it so.” He sets down his wine, almost knocking it over in the process, indicating that the dagger at his hip is purely decorative. Not a threat.
Lorenzo inclines his head again. “That is very kind, Hans. Founder willing, I will do my best to ensure our prosperity and safety for many decades to come.”
The door between this and the main dining room swings open, and the server brings in a large tray of food, setting bowls and platters of cold and hot items on the table before sweeping out the way she came.
As everyone fills their plates, Josefa addresses Lorenzo again.
“I have considered your suggestion to send the nulls to Earth, and I agree that it makes sense. Non-magical people do not contribute anything meaningful to our society.”
Cosimo nods in agreement, making his pudgy cheeks wobble. “It would be easy. The Amethyst Guild would post the notices, and my Protectors would round up anyone who does not self-deport. We can give them a limited amount of time to comply first, of course.”
Hans swallows his mouthful of food. “Not too long. They are a drain on our resources.”
Lorenzo steeples his long fingers and taps them against his bearded chin. “What about my suggestion to require a sponsorship fee to gain entry into the guilds?”
Hans agrees without hesitation, almost obsequious in his rush to support the idea. “I am all for it.”
Josefa nods but slowly. “What about the less wealthy but talented families?”
Lorenzo snorts. “If they were that talented, they would be wealthy.” He glances at Cosimo. “What about the retrievals?”
Cosimo leans back, placing a hand on his formerly flat belly.
It was a shock to see how this once physically imposing man has changed.
He’s put on quite a bit of weight and his light olive skin has a decidedly unhealthy appearance.
“Despite the pressure from the bleeding hearts, we will not start them again. We cannot afford to fill our cities with Earth witches of who-knows-what level of magical talent or competence. Most are not that strong, and it is not our responsibility to give them sanctuary when they are not even aware that we exist prior to their extraction. I believe the Founder would have understood that, with limited amounts of resources, the rescues would need to slow or stop altogether at some point. We are not under any obligation to save people from a different world.”
I blink, stunned by the statement because, in fact, those very ideals are set out in our charter.
Amagi came into being to provide sanctuary to a coven of witches who had been trapped in a cave.
It had been set on fire by non-magical Earthers, and out of desperate need, the Founder pulled the coven’s magic, somehow creating the first portal to Amagi and saving them all.
From that moment, our fundamental purpose has been to survive, but also to save Earth’s witches from persecution by the non-magical.
For Cosimo to say that our founding mandate is optional leaves me speechless.
“Agreed.” Lorenzo nods solemnly. “That should be one of the very first things we reinforce. We have already shut down most of the traffic through the portals now that we have control over the Key. We will further limit who can travel between Amagi and Earth.” He turns to Josefa.
“Legally we will be able to do that, correct?”
She smiles at him as if he were the Founder herself. “Of course. Laws are open to interpretation. And people do not like to think too hard. That is why there are elected officials. To do the thinking for them.” She winks. “It will be quite easy.”
Alexey leans in, resting his palms on the table. “We must control the information. Assist the population in understanding why we are undertaking these actions. That it is for their own good.”
Lorenzo looks at each of them in turn. “It will be our responsibility to carefully plant the seed of doubt and discontent. Then we will sweep in and rescue our population once again. At that point, they will allow us to undertake whatever solutions we see as necessary.”
A knot of unease settles in my gut. Even as a Specter in the Shabah, I was never part of meetings like this.
And while backroom deals happen all the time, hearing the laws of our world brushed aside by such powerful people, as if they were inconveniences and not the fundamental tenets of our existence, shakes me to my core.
Lorenzo smiles beguilingly, and it’s easy to see how he’s charmed everyone into believing he’s interested in the welfare of Amagi and its people.
“Let us enjoy our lunch before sending Alexey to his meeting with the chancellor.” As they eat, I quietly slip into the kitchen, avoiding the bustling people, and exit through the back door into the alley.
My mind is whirling, struggling to truly comprehend what I’ve heard.
I’m no idealist. I’m cynical, never fully believing anything anyone tells me, and I don’t accept things at face value.
But there’s no doubt in my mind that the powerful people attending that lunch are utterly serious about bringing major change to Amagi, and my gut tells me it’s not the good kind.
I turn the corner and stop as I catch sight of a singularly tall, incredibly handsome, dark-haired man in a ruby red tunic of the Merchant Guild.
Nicolas. My already hammering heart skips a few beats as his handsome face breaks into a grin.
I frown, noticing that he’s laughing with an equally beautiful man in a dark green kaftan of the Emerald Guild.
Marek. I glare at him, though he can’t see me with my cloaking spell in place.
There’s something about him that I don’t like.
Nicolas scans the crowd until his gaze settles on me, and I would swear he can see me and is about to call out.
Marek grabs his arm and tugs him further along the street.
I watch them until they disappear into the bustling crowd, then turn down the first alleyway I come to and speed through the city to my nondescript inn.
It’s time to lie low and plan my next move.
The past hour has given me one shock after another, and I have a lot to consider.
Like the benefit of moving Cosimo to the top of my target list, whether Nicolas has Clear Sight, why I keep running into him, and why he has such an effect on me.