Chapter 27
“So where exactly are we going again?” Rylan asked in my head as we raced through the Mages Quarter on my steambike. “And why couldn’t we have grabbed some food first?”
I rolled my eyes, even though nobody would be able to see them behind my bike helmet. “I already told you—we’re going to Jonias Ballos’s house to see if he can tell me more about my father.”
“I would have thought you’d want to draw as little attention to your relationship with your father as possible, after what Janta told you,” Rylan said, tightening his grip around my waist as I whipped around a corner faster than strictly necessary.
I could feel the disapproving glares of the residential mages on my back, and I grinned a little.
I knew they hated the sight of my rebellious steambike racing through their genteel streets, and I made a point of doing it as often as possible to let them know I wasn’t going anywhere, and they were just going to have to deal.
“That’s true, but since Ballos is a hermit, he isn’t going to run around and tell everyone.
And since Iannis cancelled our lesson, I don’t have anything better to do.
” Some dignitary had unexpectedly popped in for a visit, leaving me with a bit of free time.
Rylan and I could have sparred or something, but my need to learn more about my father had been gnawing away at my thoughts until I could think of nothing else.
Better to get this over with now, so I could move on to more important things.
“I hope this doesn’t backfire on you somehow,” Rylan said, uncharacteristically serious. “After all that you’ve been through, I just want you to be safe.”
“I know.” My heart warmed, and I found myself once more grateful for the fact that I had a family member who loved me. “I just think you might be being a little optimistic, considering my track record.”
Rylan laughed. “I guess you’re right.”
We arrived at Jonias’s house in short order.
It was on the outskirts of the Mages Quarter, close to Maintown, and sat on an acre of land that looked like it was in serious need of a gardener.
The grass was several feet high and had swallowed up the footpath leading from the gate to the house.
Ivy grew up the walls with reckless abandon.
The house itself was large and stately looking beneath said ivy, though the pale yellow siding was chipped in places, and many of the white roof tiles were cracked.
The wrought-iron gate that surrounded the place was showing signs of rust, and made a loud screeching noise as I pulled it open.
“Nice digs,” Rylan remarked as we waded through the grass. He sneezed as the scent of magic grew stronger. “If not for my nose, I wouldn’t have guessed this was a mage’s residence.”
“I told you he was a hermit,” I said, shrugging. I didn’t understand why Ballos’s house looked like crap either. I mean, yeah, maybe he didn’t go outside much, but surely he had the funds to hire a gardener and repaint the walls every once in a while. Or did he just not care?
I grabbed the heavy brass doorknocker and pounded on the door once, twice, three times. My nose caught the faint, but fairly recent, whiff of an elderly human male, so I assumed there was at least one servant around to answer the door. When no one came, I knocked again.
Eventually, I heard the shuffle of footsteps in the hall, and the scent of elderly human grew stronger. The locks disengaged, and the front door slowly opened to reveal a skinny, white-haired man with rheumy eyes, dressed in an ancient-looking black suit.
“Good evening,” he said in a warbling old-man voice, and I suppose it was, since it was nearing five o’clock now. “How can I help you?”
“I’m from the Enforcer’s Guild, here to speak with Mr. Jonias Ballos.” I held up my bracelet as proof. “Is he in residence?”
“Yes,” the old man said, squinting as he eyed us up and down. “Though I don’t think he’ll see you.”
“Tell him I just need to ask him a few questions.” I held up my bracelet, and he leaned in closer so he could peer at it. “My bodyguard and I won’t take up too much of his time.”
“An enforcer with a bodyguard, eh?” he said, shaking his head. “My, how times change. I will go and see if he will speak with you. Please wait here.”
To my annoyance, he closed the door on us instead of letting us in to wait in the hall.
Sighing, I tapped my foot as I looked around, wondering where the strong magic smell was coming from.
Did Ballos keep a lot of magical artifacts in the house?
Or was there some kind of spell set upon the grounds?
I wondered if there was a spell that would magically keep a garden trimmed.
If so, this guy seriously needed to learn it.
Nearly ten minutes went by, and I was about to explode in frustration when at last I heard the butler’s footsteps shuffle back down the hall. Was he only capable of walking at a snail’s pace?
“I’m sorry, but Master Ballos is in the middle of an important research project and cannot be disturbed,” the butler said. “You may feel free to call another time when he might be more available.”
“I’m here by order of the Chief Mage of Solantha,” I said through gritted teeth, even though that wasn’t strictly true.
If I had to suffer through this yearlong engagement, I was at least going to throw around the Chief Mage’s title every once in a while.
“He will be very displeased if he has to come down here himself.”
The old man hesitated. “I will relay this information,” he said reluctantly, moving back inside again. “Please, wait here—”
“Oh, hell no,” I growled, planting my foot on the threshold. I wasn’t going to wait another ten minutes to get another bullshit answer! “I’ll just come with you—”
A loud buzzing noise sounded as the air super-heated around me, raising the hairs on my arms as a ward activated around the perimeter of the house.
Before I could get clear of the threshold, an unseen force threw me back, and I went flying.
I grunted as I hit the ground, hard, the overgrown grass cushioning my fall somewhat.
“Oh, dear,” the butler said as Rylan hurried over to help me up. “Master Ballos has set a spell on the house that bars access to all individuals he has not given express permission to enter. You cannot get inside.”
“A little warning would have been nice!” I shouted, accepting Rylan’s offer of a hand up. I dusted off my leather pants and straightened my jacket, then approached the man again. “If not for your overgrown lawn, I might have broken something!”
“I do apologize,” the old man said, bowing stiffly. “I’m afraid I am not as young as I used to be, and we are terribly understaffed here. Please wait just a little longer, and I will get the Master for you.”
“Thanks,” I said, softening my tone a little.
The butler disappeared back inside, and as I listened to him shuffle off, I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for him.
Was he seriously the only servant here? If so, no wonder the place was in such disrepair.
What was Ballos thinking, leaving it up to one elderly man to take care of this big house?
I wondered why the old butler hadn’t simply retired at this point.
Maybe he needed the money, or felt some sort of loyalty for the mage who’d employed him all these years.
Eventually, the butler came back again. This time, he seemed more relaxed. “Master Ballos will see you,” he said, opening the door wider. “Please, come in.”
I stepped over the threshold cautiously, waiting for the ward to kick in.
But, thankfully, it didn’t, and Rylan and I passed into the foyer unscathed.
The butler led us down a hall, and we passed through rooms of expensive, but dusty furniture and rugs.
My nose twitched as I fought against the desire to sneeze, and Rylan looked like he was pretty uncomfortable too.
I didn’t smell a single other person in this place aside from the butler, and another male scent that I imagined belonged to Ballos.
“Master Ballos,” the butler said, knocking on the door we stopped at. “Your visitors are here.”
“Very well,” a gruff voice barked. “Let them in.”
The butler opened the door into a large study filled with bookshelves and several desks piled high with leather-bound notebooks, stacks of paper, and what looked to be manuscripts.
The place seemed to be in some kind of organized chaos, with Ballos at his desk in the center of the storm, bent over a long piece of aged parchment as he peered at it, muttering to himself.
He was as unkempt as the rest of the house, dressed in a pair of faded brown robes.
His grey hair and beard were in urgent need of a brush—no way would a comb get through that tangled mess.
A pair of horn-rimmed glasses perched on his hooked nose, and though he had the appearance of a madman, the dark eyes behind those glasses were sharp and brimming with intelligence as he immersed himself in whatever magical research he was conducting.
“Yes, so what is it?” he asked irritably as he straightened up from his desk. His eyes widened as he caught sight of me, and he stumbled back a step. “You!” he shouted, pointing a gnarled finger at me. “No, you cannot be in my house. You must leave at once!”
“You know who I am,” I guessed, narrowing my eyes as I stepped over a stack of books to close the distance between us. “You know why I’m here.”
“I am not interested in speaking with you,” Ballos said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. “I am in the middle of some very important work.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” I pulled out a chair from in front of his desk. It was piled high with books, and I lifted them, intending to dump them somewhere so I could have a seat. “I’m parking my butt right here, and I won’t move until you tell me about my father.”