A Song of Snow and Ashes by S.J. Drew
pulled her into his arms. "You're beautiful," he said again, and leaned down and kissed her. To his delight, she returned the kiss and it was everything he'd ever hoped it could be. After a moment, he pulled away.
"Well, I had better get in," she said shyly. "It's cold out here."
"Is it? I hadn't noticed," he replied vaguely.
She laughed. "Goodnight, Donnan."
"Goodnight, Aolani."
She turned and walked up to the door.
He watched her go and then headed home feeling better than he had ever remembered feeling in his entire life.
Not a week later, an incident occurred that justified Blake and Aolani's warnings about his employer. He was heading out for the day when he was summoned to Adrie's office by one of the other secretaries. "Always when I have a date," he thought irritably but headed to her office. He knocked politely and was told to enter.
She was shuffling papers on her desk. "Sit."
He did so. "I hope she doesn't want me to go to some party tonight."
"You seem impatient."
"Er, what?" he asked. That was a strange opening. Normally she just gave him instructions and sent him away.
"You seem impatient. Am I taking up your time?"
"No, I'm fine."
"You are going out this evening?"
"I was planning on it anyway," he answered, now suspicious. He didn't like it when she started to ask about his personal life.
Still looking over papers, she managed to look at him over the top of her reading glasses. "With the mayor's daughter?"
"Yeah," he replied, wanting to add, "So what?"
"I thought I had advised you not to see her anymore."
"You did."
"Hm."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"You are also still associating with that guard."
"He is my brother," he said sharply.
"And you are still associating with that Dark acolyte."
"Yeah."
"I believe I advised you against seeing them as well."
"Alain is my brother," he snapped.
"Well, yes, I suppose we can't get out of all our family obligations." Now she set the papers down. "Did you think about why I advised you to discontinue associating with such people?"
"I figured my brother and Blake weren't high class enough."
"That is true, but that isn't the whole reason. Surely you are aware what I have you do is not entirely within the laws of Renfrew?"
"I know."
"And as such there are several factions who would dearly love to know what it is that I am planning. One of those factions is the city guard, which would be immediately problematic if they found out. One is my political rivals, such as the mayor, which would be problematic in the long-term if they found out. And one is the Order of Darkness, which would be highly problematic immediately or in the long-term depending on Dwyer's needs. I have no wish to have my operation compromised by the law, politics, or blackmail from the Order."
"I understand that."
"Do you really?"
"Yes."
"Hm."
They lapsed into silence again.
"Mistress Adrie," he said, trying not to sound as exasperated as he felt, "Please tell me why this is upsetting you."
"Now that's finally a good question. My plans are not going quite as smoothly as I had hoped. There have been some unexpected problems. Some of those factions I mentioned have gotten their hands on some information that I really would rather they not have, which is why I've had you so busy. I've been forced to wonder if there is some sort of security breach in my information network."
"You think I've been tellin' your secrets?" he asked angrily.
"It is natural to discuss one's job when one's friends. You are also young and new to the ways of politics so perhaps you haven't fully come to understand that you need to chose your words as carefully with friends as with anyone else. So you are brother to a guard, friend to a Dark acolyte, and seeing the mayor's daughter. I would not be surprised if you let a few things slip. I could forgive that, in fact. Aolani is quite a sweet and pretty girl and many a man's head has been turned by her. However, the situation is still not optimal. In time you will learn to guard your words even around friends. I'm not sure I have that time right now, so you see it would be much better for you to not associate with these people until you learn that skill. Even, unfortunately, your brother, but as he's on the night watch this shouldn't be too difficult."
"You want me to stop talkin' to my brother, stop talkin' to my best friend, and stop seein' my girl?"
"That is the situation."
He knew better than to ask because it was only going to make Adrie more upset with him, but he was angry and he wanted to know. "And if I don't?"
"Hm."
This time he did not break the silence. He forced himself to calm down and be patient as he felt the stirrings of the Dark power. The power didn't scare him like it usually did. He found it quite reassuring to know that he was the one who really had control over the situation.
"I expect a certain amount of dedication from employees. If I am not shown that dedication, I get new employees."
"You can fire me if you want," he replied, thinking, "And I'll just go to the guard and the Order and the mayor's daughter and let them know what you've been up to."
As though guessing his thoughts she said, "Clearly you think I'm too invested in you to let you go?"
"Somethin' like that."
"So you have learned something of politics. I think by the end of this conversation, however, you will learn when to better apply your leverage."
"So I'm not fired?"
"Not as such, although if you don't shape up, certain aspects of your duties may become public knowledge."
"I thought you didn't want that."
"Do you know what the Arcane Covenant is?"
This surprised him.
"But you wanted me to do magic," he snapped. "You'd get blamed too."
"If anyone believed your side of the events that have transpired, and I doubt they would, I think I could be forgiven for falling under the sway of a practiced mind mage."
"You'd lose a lot of respect."
"Not as much as you think," she said shortly.
"Right. Or else you wouldn't do it."
"Indeed." Her voice told him that he was dismissed. She started looking through her papers again.
The Dark power moved through his soul like a river. It was pushing to get out and he was angry. Now he wished he'd taken Blake's advice more seriously, but it was a little late for that. "So what makes you think you won't fall under the sway of a practiced mind mage?" he asked.
She looked up at him over her glasses. "I wouldn't have brought you on if I didn't think I had adequate protection."
"Like what? Some kind of trinket? An enchanted object you can keep on you?" he asked, and silently performed a mind-reading spell.
"Do you really think I'm going to tell you? Now get out of my office and think about what I said."
There was some resistance to his spell so he pushed harder. "No, not an object. That could get stolen. Somethin' in this room? Somethin' in all your rooms? You couldn't do that. Someone would notice."
"I said, get out of my office," she snapped, standing up and slamming her hands against the desk.
He couldn't read her thoughts clearly, but he was getting an idea. "No, no objects. No rooms with enchantments. No, it's somethin' about you. Mental trainin'? Where could you learn that kind of mental discipline? Unless you spent some time with mages before."
Her expression didn't change but her thoughts were now quite clear to him. "If you aren't out of that door in thirty seconds I will fire you."
"I don't think so. So you're a bit of a mage yourself," he said smugly.
The only sign of her surprise was a very slight widening of her eyes.
"Not much talent,
just a bit. They call it magician rank. Enough to learn some mind magic that has proven real useful in your career. That explains a lot."
Her mouth was a thin, tight line. "You will not do that again," she hissed.
"Yeah, or what? I think I just proved your talent isn't enough to keep me out." He frowned. "And the singing is annoying. It's not enough to cover your thoughts. I still know what you're thinking. You're thinking how did I do that? You're thinking lie-detection is easy but readin' someone else's mind is a lot harder. And it is. But I'm still doing it. And I bet a lot of your political rivals would be real interested in knowin' you're a magician with practice in mind magic."
She just stared at him.
"Well, Mistress Adrie, maybe you should reconsider firin' me."
She slid back down in her chair and her face assumed a smile. "You may be more useful to me than I first thought."
"Look, I know what you're thinkin'."
"You've established that," she snapped.
"I'm not interested in runnin' your organization. I don't care about your political games. You want to take over Renfrew, that's fine by me. I just want to be left alone to do what I want to do. I'm not going to stop talkin' to my brother or my best friend or my girl and you're not going to bring it up again. In return you get a full out sorcerer workin' for you. Doesn't that sound like a bargain?"
"It sounds like blackmail."
"Turnabout is fair play."
"What happens to me if you decide you want more than to be a secretary?"
"I don't think I'll want to be. This suits me fine. Low profile, easy work."
"For now."
He shrugged. "Well, it's suited me up until now and you know I could get a better job or more money or whatever if I really wanted it. Just leave me and my friends and family alone and I won't make any trouble for you."
"This is very
"Well, I had better get in," she said shyly. "It's cold out here."
"Is it? I hadn't noticed," he replied vaguely.
She laughed. "Goodnight, Donnan."
"Goodnight, Aolani."
She turned and walked up to the door.
He watched her go and then headed home feeling better than he had ever remembered feeling in his entire life.
Not a week later, an incident occurred that justified Blake and Aolani's warnings about his employer. He was heading out for the day when he was summoned to Adrie's office by one of the other secretaries. "Always when I have a date," he thought irritably but headed to her office. He knocked politely and was told to enter.
She was shuffling papers on her desk. "Sit."
He did so. "I hope she doesn't want me to go to some party tonight."
"You seem impatient."
"Er, what?" he asked. That was a strange opening. Normally she just gave him instructions and sent him away.
"You seem impatient. Am I taking up your time?"
"No, I'm fine."
"You are going out this evening?"
"I was planning on it anyway," he answered, now suspicious. He didn't like it when she started to ask about his personal life.
Still looking over papers, she managed to look at him over the top of her reading glasses. "With the mayor's daughter?"
"Yeah," he replied, wanting to add, "So what?"
"I thought I had advised you not to see her anymore."
"You did."
"Hm."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"You are also still associating with that guard."
"He is my brother," he said sharply.
"And you are still associating with that Dark acolyte."
"Yeah."
"I believe I advised you against seeing them as well."
"Alain is my brother," he snapped.
"Well, yes, I suppose we can't get out of all our family obligations." Now she set the papers down. "Did you think about why I advised you to discontinue associating with such people?"
"I figured my brother and Blake weren't high class enough."
"That is true, but that isn't the whole reason. Surely you are aware what I have you do is not entirely within the laws of Renfrew?"
"I know."
"And as such there are several factions who would dearly love to know what it is that I am planning. One of those factions is the city guard, which would be immediately problematic if they found out. One is my political rivals, such as the mayor, which would be problematic in the long-term if they found out. And one is the Order of Darkness, which would be highly problematic immediately or in the long-term depending on Dwyer's needs. I have no wish to have my operation compromised by the law, politics, or blackmail from the Order."
"I understand that."
"Do you really?"
"Yes."
"Hm."
They lapsed into silence again.
"Mistress Adrie," he said, trying not to sound as exasperated as he felt, "Please tell me why this is upsetting you."
"Now that's finally a good question. My plans are not going quite as smoothly as I had hoped. There have been some unexpected problems. Some of those factions I mentioned have gotten their hands on some information that I really would rather they not have, which is why I've had you so busy. I've been forced to wonder if there is some sort of security breach in my information network."
"You think I've been tellin' your secrets?" he asked angrily.
"It is natural to discuss one's job when one's friends. You are also young and new to the ways of politics so perhaps you haven't fully come to understand that you need to chose your words as carefully with friends as with anyone else. So you are brother to a guard, friend to a Dark acolyte, and seeing the mayor's daughter. I would not be surprised if you let a few things slip. I could forgive that, in fact. Aolani is quite a sweet and pretty girl and many a man's head has been turned by her. However, the situation is still not optimal. In time you will learn to guard your words even around friends. I'm not sure I have that time right now, so you see it would be much better for you to not associate with these people until you learn that skill. Even, unfortunately, your brother, but as he's on the night watch this shouldn't be too difficult."
"You want me to stop talkin' to my brother, stop talkin' to my best friend, and stop seein' my girl?"
"That is the situation."
He knew better than to ask because it was only going to make Adrie more upset with him, but he was angry and he wanted to know. "And if I don't?"
"Hm."
This time he did not break the silence. He forced himself to calm down and be patient as he felt the stirrings of the Dark power. The power didn't scare him like it usually did. He found it quite reassuring to know that he was the one who really had control over the situation.
"I expect a certain amount of dedication from employees. If I am not shown that dedication, I get new employees."
"You can fire me if you want," he replied, thinking, "And I'll just go to the guard and the Order and the mayor's daughter and let them know what you've been up to."
As though guessing his thoughts she said, "Clearly you think I'm too invested in you to let you go?"
"Somethin' like that."
"So you have learned something of politics. I think by the end of this conversation, however, you will learn when to better apply your leverage."
"So I'm not fired?"
"Not as such, although if you don't shape up, certain aspects of your duties may become public knowledge."
"I thought you didn't want that."
"Do you know what the Arcane Covenant is?"
This surprised him.
"But you wanted me to do magic," he snapped. "You'd get blamed too."
"If anyone believed your side of the events that have transpired, and I doubt they would, I think I could be forgiven for falling under the sway of a practiced mind mage."
"You'd lose a lot of respect."
"Not as much as you think," she said shortly.
"Right. Or else you wouldn't do it."
"Indeed." Her voice told him that he was dismissed. She started looking through her papers again.
The Dark power moved through his soul like a river. It was pushing to get out and he was angry. Now he wished he'd taken Blake's advice more seriously, but it was a little late for that. "So what makes you think you won't fall under the sway of a practiced mind mage?" he asked.
She looked up at him over her glasses. "I wouldn't have brought you on if I didn't think I had adequate protection."
"Like what? Some kind of trinket? An enchanted object you can keep on you?" he asked, and silently performed a mind-reading spell.
"Do you really think I'm going to tell you? Now get out of my office and think about what I said."
There was some resistance to his spell so he pushed harder. "No, not an object. That could get stolen. Somethin' in this room? Somethin' in all your rooms? You couldn't do that. Someone would notice."
"I said, get out of my office," she snapped, standing up and slamming her hands against the desk.
He couldn't read her thoughts clearly, but he was getting an idea. "No, no objects. No rooms with enchantments. No, it's somethin' about you. Mental trainin'? Where could you learn that kind of mental discipline? Unless you spent some time with mages before."
Her expression didn't change but her thoughts were now quite clear to him. "If you aren't out of that door in thirty seconds I will fire you."
"I don't think so. So you're a bit of a mage yourself," he said smugly.
The only sign of her surprise was a very slight widening of her eyes.
"Not much talent,
Her mouth was a thin, tight line. "You will not do that again," she hissed.
"Yeah, or what? I think I just proved your talent isn't enough to keep me out." He frowned. "And the singing is annoying. It's not enough to cover your thoughts. I still know what you're thinking. You're thinking how did I do that? You're thinking lie-detection is easy but readin' someone else's mind is a lot harder. And it is. But I'm still doing it. And I bet a lot of your political rivals would be real interested in knowin' you're a magician with practice in mind magic."
She just stared at him.
"Well, Mistress Adrie, maybe you should reconsider firin' me."
She slid back down in her chair and her face assumed a smile. "You may be more useful to me than I first thought."
"Look, I know what you're thinkin'."
"You've established that," she snapped.
"I'm not interested in runnin' your organization. I don't care about your political games. You want to take over Renfrew, that's fine by me. I just want to be left alone to do what I want to do. I'm not going to stop talkin' to my brother or my best friend or my girl and you're not going to bring it up again. In return you get a full out sorcerer workin' for you. Doesn't that sound like a bargain?"
"It sounds like blackmail."
"Turnabout is fair play."
"What happens to me if you decide you want more than to be a secretary?"
"I don't think I'll want to be. This suits me fine. Low profile, easy work."
"For now."
He shrugged. "Well, it's suited me up until now and you know I could get a better job or more money or whatever if I really wanted it. Just leave me and my friends and family alone and I won't make any trouble for you."
"This is very