Chapter 1
It was a slow day, so I was reading a book at my desk and seeing into the future.
There were only two customers in the shop. One was a student with scraggly hair and a nervous way of glancing over his shoulder. He was standing by the herb and powder rack and had decided what to buy ten minutes ago but was still working up the nerve to ask me about it. The other customer was a kid wearing a Linkin Park Tshirt whod picked out a crystal ball but wasnt going to bring it to the counter until the other guy had left.
The kid had come on a bicycle, and in fifteen minutes a traffic warden was going to come by and ticket him for locking his bike to the railings. After that I was going to get a call I didnt want to be disturbed for, so I set my paperback down on my desk and looked at the student. Anything I can help you with?”
He started and came over, glancing back at the kid and dropping his voice slightly. Um, hey. Do you”
No. I dont sell spellbooks.”
Not even?”
No.”
Is there, um, any way I could check?”
The spell youre thinking of isnt going to do any harm. Just try it and then go talk to the girl and see what happens.”
The student stared at me. You knew that just from these?”
I hadnt even been paying attention to the herbs in his hand, but that was as good an explanation as any. Want a bag?”
He put verbena, myrrh, and incense into the bag I gave him and paid for it while still giving me an awestruck look, then left. As soon as the door swung shut, the other kid came over and asked me the price for the secondbiggest crystal ball, trying to sound casual. I didnt bother checking to see what he was going to use it forabout the only way you can hurt yourself with a crystal ball is by hitting yourself over the head with it, which is more than I can say for some of the things I sell. Once the kid had let himself out, hefting his paper bag, I got up, walked over, and flipped the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED. Through the window, I saw the kid unlock his bike and ride off. About thirty seconds later a traffic warden walked by.
My shops in a district in the north centre of London called Camden Town. Theres a spot where the canal, three bridges, and two railway lines all meet and tangle together in a kind of urban reef knot, and my street is right in the middle. The bridges and the canal do a good job of fencing the area in, making it into a kind of oasis in the middle of the city. Apart from the trains, its surprisingly quiet. I like to go up onto the roof sometimes and look around over the canal and the funnyshaped rooftops. Sometimes in the evenings and early mornings, when the traffics muted and the lights faded, it feels almost like a gateway to another world.
The sign above my door says Arcana Emporium. Underneath is a smaller sign with some of the things I sellimplements, reagents, focus items, that sort of thing. Youd think it would be easier to just say magic shop, but I got sick of the endless stream of people asking for breakaway hoops and marked cards. Finally I worked out a deal with a stage magic store a half a mile away, and now I keep a box of their business cards on the counter to hand out to anyone who comes in asking for the latest book by David Blaine. The kids go away happy, and I get some peace and quiet.
My names Alex Verus. Its not the name I was born with, but thats another story. Im a mage; a diviner. Some people call mages like me oracles, or seers, or probability mages if they want to be really wordy, and thats fine too, just as long as they dont call me a fortuneteller.” Im not the only mage in the country, but as far as I know Im the only one who runs a shop.
Mages like me arent common, but we arent as rare as you might think either. We look the same as anyone else, and if you passed one of us on the street, odds are youd never know it. Only if you were very observant would you notice something a little off, a little strange, and by the time you took another look, wed be gone. Its another world, hidden within your own, and most of those who live in it dont like visitors.
Those of us who do like visitors have to advertise, and its tricky to find a way of doing it that doesnt make you sound crazy. The majority rely on word of mouth, though younger mages use the Internet. Ive even heard of one guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under Wizard,” though thats probably an urban legend. Me, I have my shop. Wiccans and pagans and New Agers are common enough nowadays that people accept the idea of a magic shop, or at least they understand that the weirdos have to buy their stuff from somewhere. Of course, they take for granted that its all a con and that the stuff in my shop is no more magical than an old pair of socks, and for the most part theyre right. But the stuff in my shop that isnt magical is good camouflage for the stuff that is, like the thing sitting upstairs in a little blue lacquered cylinder that can grant any five wishes you ask. If that ever got out, Id have much worse problems than the occasional snigger.
The futures had settled and the phone was going to ring in about thirty seconds. I settled down comfortably and, when the phone rang, let it go twice before picking up. Hey.”
Hi, Alex,” Lunas voice said into my ear. Are you busy?”
Not even a little. Hows it going?”
Can I ask a favour? I was going through a place in Clapham and found something. Can I bring it over?”
Right now?”
Thats not a problem, is it?”
Not really. Is there a rush?”
No. Well . . .” Luna hesitated. This thing makes me a bit nervous. Id feel better if it was with you.”
I didnt even have to think about it. Like I said, it was a slow day. You remember the way to the park?”
The one near your shop?”
Ill meet you there. Where are you?”
Still in Clapham. Im just about to get on my bike.”
So one and a half hours. You can make it before sunset if you hurry.”
I think I am going to hurry. Im not sure . . .” Lunas voice trailed off, then firmed. Okay. See you soon.”
She broke the connection. I held the phone in my hand, looking at the display. Luna works for me on a parttime basis, finding items for me to sell, though I dont think she does it for the money. Either way, I couldnt remember her being this nervous about one. It made me wonder exactly what she was carrying.
You can think of magical talent as a pyramid. Making up the lowest and biggest layer are the normals. If magic is colours, these are the people born colourblind: they dont know anything about magic and they dont want to, thank you very much. Theyve got plenty of things to deal with already, and if they do see anything that might shake the way they look at things, they convince themselves they didnt see it double quick. This is maybe ninety percent of the adult civilised world.
Next up on the pyramid are the sensitives, the ones who arent colourblind. Sensitives are blessed (or cursed, depending how you look at it) with a wider spectrum of vision than normals. They can feel the presence of magic, the distant power in the sun and the earth and the stars, the warmth and stability of an old family home, the lingering wisps of death and horror at a Dark ritual site. Most often they dont have the words to describe what they feel, but two sensitives can recognise each other by a kind of empathy, and it makes a powerful bond. Have you ever felt a connection to someone, as though you shared something even though you didnt know what it was? Its like that.
Above the sensitives on the magical pecking order are the adepts. These guys are only one percent or so, but unlike sensitives they can actually channel magic in a subtle way. Often its so subtle they dont even know theyre doing it; they might be lucky” at cards, or very good at guessing” whats on another persons mind, but its mild enough that they just think theyre born lucky or perceptive. But sometimes they figure out what theyre doing and start developing it, and some of these guys can get pretty impressive within their specific field.
And then there are the mages.
Lunas somewhere between sensitive and adept. Its hard even for me to know which, as she has some . . . unique characteristics that make her difficult to categorise, not to mention dangerous. But shes also one of my very few friends, and I was looking forward to seeing her. Her tone of voice had left me concerned so I looked into the future and was glad to see she was going to arrive in an hour and a half, right on time.
In the process, though, I noticed something that annoyed me: someone else was going to come through the door in a couple of minutes, despite the fact Id just flipped my sign to say CLOSED. Camden gets a lot of tourists, and theres always the one guy who figures opening hours dont apply to him. I didnt want to walk all the way over and lock the door, so I just sat watching the street grumpily until a figure appeared outside the door and pushed it open. It was a man wearing pressed trousers and a shirt with a tie. The bell above the door rang musically as he stepped inside and raised his eyebrows. Hello, Alex.”
As soon as he spoke I recognised who it was. A rush of adrenaline went through me as I spread my senses out to cover the shop and the street outside. My right hand shifted down a few inches to rest on the shelf under my desk. I couldnt sense any attack, but that didnt necessarily mean anything.
Lyle just stood there, looking at me. Well?” he said. Arent you going to invite me in?”
It had been more than four years since Id seen Lyle, but he looked the same as I remembered. He was about as old as me, with a slim build, short black hair, and a slight olive tint to his skin that hinted at a Mediterranean ancestor somewhere in his family tree. His clothes were expensive and he wore them with a sort of casual elegance I knew Id never be able to match. Lyle had always known how to look good.
Who else is here?” I said.
Lyle sighed. No one. Good grief, Alex, have you really gotten this paranoid?”
I checked and rechecked and confirmed what he was saying. As far as I could tell, Lyle was the only other mage nearby. Besides, as my heartbeat began to slow, I realised that if the Council was planning an attack, Lyle was the last person theyd send. Suddenly I did feel paranoid.
Of course, that didnt mean I was happy to see him or anything. Lyle began walking forward, and I spoke sharply. Stay there.”
Lyle stopped and looked quizzically at me. So?” he said, when I didnt react. He was standing in the middle of my shop, in between the reagents and the shelves full of candles and bells. Are we going to stand and stare at each other?”
How about you tell me why youre here?”
I was hoping for a more comfortable place to talk.” Lyle tilted his head. What about upstairs?”
No.”
Were you about to eat?”
I pushed my chair back and rose to my feet. Lets go for a walk.”
Once we were outside I breathed a little easier. Theres a ropedoff section to one side of my shop that contains actual magic items: focuses, residuals, and oneshots. Theyd been out of sight from where Lyle had been standing, but a few more steps and he couldnt have missed them. None were powerful enough to make him think twice, but it wouldnt take him long to put two and two together and figure out that if I had that many minor items, then I ought to have some major ones too. And Id just as soon that particular bit of information didnt get back to the Council.
It was late spring and the London weather was mild enough to make walking a pleasure rather than a chore. Camdens always busy, even when the markets closed, but the buildings and bridges here have a dampening effect on stray sounds. I led Lyle down an alley to the canalside walk, and then stopped, leaning against the balustrade. As I walked I scanned the area thoroughly, both present and future, but came up empty. As far as I could tell, Lyle was on his own.
Ive known Lyle for more than ten years. He was an apprentice when we first met, awkward and eager, hurrying along in the footsteps of his Council master. Even then there was never any question but that hed try for the Council, but we were friends, if not close. At least for a little while. Then I had my fallingout with Richard Drakh.
I dont really like to think about what happened in the year after that. There are some things so horrible you never really get over them; they make a kind of burntout wasteland in your memory, and all you can do is try to move on. Lyle wasnt directly responsible for the things that happened to me and the others in Richards mansion, but hed had a pretty good idea of what was going on, just like the rest of the Council. At least, they would have had a good idea if theyd allowed themselves to think about it. Instead they avoided the subject and waited for me to do the convenient thing and vanish.
Lyles not my friend anymore.
Now he was standing next to me, brushing off the balustrade before leaning on it, making sure none of the dirt got on his jacket. The walkway ran alongside the canal, following the curve of the canal out of sight. The water was dark and broken by choppy waves. It was an overcast day, the sunlight shining only dimly through the grey cloud.
Well,” Lyle said eventually, if you dont want to chat, shall we get down to business?”
I dont think weve got much to chat about, do you?”
The Council would like to employ your services.”
I blinked at that. Youre here officially?”
Not exactly. There was some . . . disagreement on how best to proceed. The Council couldnt come to a full agreement”
The Council cant come to a full agreement on when to have dinner.”
on the best course of action,” Lyle finished smoothly. Consulting a diviner was considered as an interim measure.”
Consulting a diviner?” I asked, suddenly suspicious. The Council and I arent exactly on the best of terms. Me specifically?”
As you know, the Council rarely requests”
What about Alaundo? I thought he was their goto guy when they wanted a seer.”
Im afraid I cant discuss closed Council proceedings.”
Once you start going door to door, it isnt closed proceedings anymore, is it? Come on, Lyle. Im sure as hell not going to agree to anything unless I know why youre here.”
Lyle blew out an irritated breath. Master Alaundo is currently on extended research.”
So he turned you down? What about Helikaon?”
Hes otherwise occupied.”
And that guy from the Netherlands? Dutch Jake or whatever he was called. Im pretty sure he did divination work for”
Alex,” Lyle said. Dont run through every diviner in the British Isles. I know the list as well as you do.”
I grinned. Im the only one you can find, arent I? Thats why youre coming here.” My eyes narrowed. And the Council doesnt even know. They wouldnt have agreed to trust me with official business.”
I dont appreciate threats,” Lyle said stiffly. And Id appreciate it if you didnt use your abilities for these matters.”
You think I needed magic to figure that out?” Annoying Lyle was satisfying, but I knew it was risky to push him too far. Okay. So what does the Council want so badly youre willing to risk coming to me?”
Lyle took a moment to straighten his tie. I assume youre aware of the Arrancar ruling?”
I looked at him blankly.
Its been common knowledge for months.”
Common knowledge to whom?”
Lyle let out an irritated breath. As a consequence of the Arrancar conclave, mages are required to report all significant archaeological discoveries of arcana to the Council. Recently, a new discovery was reported”
Reported?”
and subjected to a preliminary investigation. The investigation team have concluded quite definitely that its a Precursor relic.”
I looked up at that. Functional?”
Yes.”
What kind?”
They werent able to determine.”
Its sealed? Im surprised they didnt just force it.”
Lyle hesitated.
Oh,” I said, catching on. They did try to force it. What happened?”
Im afraid thats confidential.”
A ward? Guardian?”
In any case, a new investigation team is being formed. It was . . . considered necessary for them to have access to the abilities of a diviner.”
And you want me on the team?”
Not exactly.” Lyle paused. Youll be an independent agent, reporting to me. Ill pass on your recommendations to the investigators.”
I frowned. What?”
Lyle cleared his throat. Unfortunately it wouldnt be feasible for you to join the team directly. The Council wouldnt be able to clear you. But if you accept, I can promise Ill tell you everything you need to know.”
I turned away from Lyle, looking out over the canal. The rumble of an engine echoed around the brick walls from downstream, and a barge came into view, chugging along. It was painted yellow and red. The man at the tiller didnt give us a glance as he passed. Lyle stayed quiet as the barge went by and disappeared around the bend of the canal. A breeze blew along the pathway, ruffling my hair.
I still didnt speak. Lyle coughed. A pair of seagulls flew overhead, after the barge, calling with loud, discordant voices: arrrh, arrrh. Alex?” Lyle asked.
Sorry,” I said. Not interested.”
If its a question of money . . .”
No, I just dont like the deal.”
Why?”
Because it stinks.”
Look, you have to be realistic. Theres no way the Council would give you clearance to”
If the Council doesnt want to give me clearance, you shouldnt be coming to me in the first place.” I turned to look at Lyle. Whats your idea, they need the information badly enough that they wont care about where youre getting it? I think sooner or later theyd start asking questions, and youd cut me loose to avoid the flak. Im not interested in being your fall guy.”
Lyle blew out a breath. Why are you being so irrational about this? Im giving you a chance to get back in the Councils favour.” He glanced around at the concrete and grey skies. Given the alternative . . .”
Well, since you bring it up, it just so happens that Im not especially interested in getting back in the Councils favour.”
Thats ridiculous. The Council represents all of the mages in the country.”
Yeah, all the mages. Thats the problem.”
This is about that business with Drakh, isnt it?” Lyle said. He rolled his eyes. Jesus, Alex, it was ten years ago. Get over it.”
It doesnt matter when it was,” I said tightly. The Council havent gotten better. Theyve gotten worse.”
Weve had ten years of peace. Thats your idea of worse?”
The reason youve had peace is because you and the Council let the Dark mages do whatever they want.” I glared at Lyle. You know what they do to the people in their power. Why dont you ask them how good a deal they think it is?”
Were not starting another war, Alex. The Council isnt going anywhere, and neither are the mages that are a part of it, Light or Dark. Youre just going to have to accept that.”
I took a breath and looked out over the canal, listening to the distant cries of the seagulls. When I spoke again my voice was steady. The answers no. Find someone else.”
Lyle made a disgusted noise. I should have known.” He stepped away and gave me a look. Youre living in the past. Grow up.”
I watched Lyle walk off. He didnt look back. Once hed disappeared around the corner I turned back to the canal.