Page 7

Chapter seven

O delle took a bite of her perfectly crisp toast and scowled. Ever since Antony had taken her toaster apart, her breakfast came out perfect every time. It was a far cry from the burned on the outside but still somehow cold fare she was used to from the cheap appliance. Now even eating breakfast at home made her think of the sorcerer. She’d have to pick up cereal on the way home tonight so she wouldn’t have to eat toast for breakfast.

For now, she bolted down her meal as she ran out the door to catch the bus to the office. Odelle had a lot of work to do if she was going to help the Eteria steal the crown in a few days. She slid into her desk chair earlier than usual, waking up her computer as she settled in. As she opened her email, a shadow fell across her keyboard.

Ernie stood behind her wearing a smile that already rubbed Odelle the wrong way. She had too much on her plate for him to add any complications.

“You’re certainly hitting the ground running today,” Ernie observed.

“I have a few calls to make before we broadcast,” Odelle explained. “I need to set up a few more meetings for this feature piece on the archeology team I’m doing.”

It was true; the feature piece that had started to flatter Dr. Darwish had turned into a reality. It was such a convenient excuse for her sudden interest in Classical Greek antiquities— or one antique in particular. Besides, showing off incredible accomplishments to contrast the negative news that pervaded most reports was a bright spot in her job.

“I’m glad you’re so excited about this piece,” Ernie said. “You know, you could do more special interest pieces like this on a talk show. Maybe it could give you a high-society spin, focusing on art and history. Not just celebrity gossip.”

Odelle exhaled forcefully through her nose and made sure her polite smile didn’t slip. Of course, Ernie would take this as a sign that she was considering his offer. She couldn’t afford to disagree though, not until she had everything they needed to get their hands on the crown.

“That’s a good thought,” she said noncommittally, turning back to her computer and hoping he would drop the conversation. Ernie seemed to take the hint, but he still sauntered away smiling as if he had scored a victory. Odelle tried to brush the annoyance from her mind so she could focus on the issues at hand. Her efforts were thwarted as another figure stopped behind her desk chair.

This time when Odelle looked up, she didn’t bother to put on a smile. Mallorie leaned a hip against her desk, heavily powdered skin from being on camera making her face look even more like a mask. Odelle was surprised that Mallorie’s face didn’t crack when she offered a smug smile.

“I hear rumors that you’re getting your own talk show. That’ll be such a cushy job, no more chasing down statements. Just talking about the best quiche recipes for springtime or interviewing the bird who learned how to dial a phone.” Mallorie’s tone made it clear that she knew exactly how Odelle felt about the matter.

“And where did you hear this rumor?”

“Straight from Ernie, considering I’m the one who gave him the idea.” Mallorie folded her arms over her chest with supreme satisfaction .

At that, Odelle turned in her desk chair to face her directly. “And why would you do that? What did I do to make you want to undercut me at every turn?”

“You really don’t know?” Mallorie’s perfectly penciled eyebrows rose. “You don’t remember that story about the string of robberies we covered right before you got moved from the weekend anchor to the weekdays?”

“Yeah, we worked on it together,” Odelle reflected with a frown.

“Oh, so you do remember that we were a team on it. Something you didn’t consider when you fact-checked me and then went to Ernie with my error before even giving me a chance to fix it,” Mallorie spat.

Odelle opened her mouth to retort but paused when her heart dropped. She had gone to Ernie with an addendum before the story aired, wanting to ensure the facts were accurate. After all, she prided herself on triple-checking her facts. She hadn’t even thought to run it by Mallorie.

Mallorie snorted. “Well, I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed that you weren’t trying to throw me under the bus by exposing my mistake. Either way, your need to do everything yourself really screws other people over sometimes.”

Mallorie shook her head and slunk away, leaving Odelle reeling. She shook the feeling off, telling herself she’d deal with work disagreements later. Save the city from the physical incarnation of evil first. Priorities. She picked up her desk phone and dialed.

“Hello, Mr. Whitehall speaking.”

“Hello Mr. Whitehall, it’s Odelle Zvezda from channel three. Listen, I was so sorry about what happened when I came to interview you the other day, I wanted to make it up to you,” Odelle gushed.

“These things happen,” Mr. Whitehall assured, “Although it’s a shame you didn’t get to see more of our collection. ”

“It was very impressive. That actually brings me to why I called. As part of this story I’m doing, I interviewed Thaddeus Pagonis, the antiquities dealer. He’s recently come into possession of several incredible pieces, and I mentioned to him that you might be interested in them. I was wondering if you would like me to set up a meeting,” Odelle explained.

“Who did you say this was?” Mr. Whitehall asked.

“ The Thaddeus Pagonis,” Odelle insisted. “You’re so lucky he said he’d be willing to meet with you. He rarely sells in the U.S.”

“Oh yes, Thaddeus Pagonis. Of course, I didn’t hear you the first time.”

Odelle almost chuckled as she pictured Mr. Whitehall frantically searching the name and finding a myriad of websites, blog postings, and news articles mentioning the fictitious antiquities dealer. His ego was certainly too fragile to allow him to admit that he didn’t know of somebody so important. Not to mention, Odelle was getting better at building false identities for ancient sorcerers, not that she was hoping to make a habit out of it.

“Fantastic,” Odelle said. “Would the day after tomorrow work? He’s not in Chicago very long. I also mentioned your collection to him, and he would love to see it.”

“Oh—well that’s very soon. But, I suppose…” Mr. Whitehall blustered.

“I just wouldn’t want you to miss such a rare opportunity,” Odelle explained.

“Yes, I suppose that would be wonderful then.”

Odelle smiled in victory as they ironed out the details. A bit of basic web design, a few well written blog posts, and Thad would now be able to act as their Trojan horse.

Thad clapped his hands in delight at the news.

“Oh, an eccentric and enigmatic antiquities dealer. Sounds right up my alley. You’ll have to help me pick my outfit.”

He threw open his wardrobe to reveal a riot of colors and fabrics. Thad pushed aside the world’s fluffiest lace cravat and pulled out a mink stole, draping it across his shoulders.

“Thoughts?” Thad turned towards where Odelle perched on the foot of his bed to give her a better look.

Odelle shook her head.

“Too movie star,”“You’re right.” Thad turned back to his wardrobe and hung up the stole once more. “I need to exude more business-like vibes. Maybe this.”

Thad held up a suit jacket crafted from a shimmering sapphire brocade for Odelle to consider. She nodded, impressed.

“Speaking of, we will need to come up with some antiquities for you to deal for this to work. Honestly though, you could probably bring your watering can and convince them it’s worth millions of dollars,” Odelle reasoned.

“I have something a little flashier in mind,” Thad said, “A little more razzle dazzle to go with the persona. Besides, actually having artifacts to show the Whitehalls will help me distract them more, and I don’t feel like lugging around pottery.”

“What were we thinking?” Odelle looked around Thad’s room for something more portable .

“Come on, let’s go on a field trip.” Thad laid the coat across the bed and beckoned to Odelle. She followed him out into the hallway.

As he led her through the quiet corridor, the clack of Odelle’s heels echoed off the white stone walls, shattering the stillness of the air. Thad, on the other hand, padded quietly in his soft leather sandals. It did nothing to assuage the feeling of intruding that always overtook Odelle every time she visited the Sanctuary. Nora was a member of the Eteria in a way, but Odelle was just a guest.

“Sorry for bothering you guys, but I do appreciate your help,” Odelle commented as they walked. “I know Nora probably could have handled this herself, but she’s on vacation.”

“Are you apologizing for making us do our jobs?” Thad asked, glancing at her sideways with one eyebrow raised.

“Well.” Odelle shrugged. “I know I’m not a member of the Eteria like Nora. I don’t want to barge in.”

Thad cut Odelle off with a hand on her shoulder.

“Since the crown is an Eteria artifact, this is technically our problem, and you’re being incredibly helpful. And second, we all technically knew Nora in a past life, but she’s her own person now, and we had to get to know her fresh. Hell, we enjoyed getting to know her, just like I’m enjoying having you around. For one, you’re obviously the more fashionable sister.” Thad pointedly looked Odelle up and down, indicating the fuchsia pencil dress she had worn to work that day. “And it’s about time this place was livened up, and you bring plenty of life.”

Some of the weight in Odelle’s heart lifted at Thad’s words. Still, he was just one member of the Eteria, and a certain other man’s words still echoed in her head, all the more persistent because of his otherwise kind demeanor.

Women like you don’t end up with men like me .

Not all the Eteria welcomed her presence. Regardless, Odelle managed to push Antony from her mind enough to enjoy Thad’s company as he led her through the Sanctuary.

After a brief walk, Thad stopped and knocked on an open doorframe. A woman appeared, also robed in a green peplos , and smiled when she caught sight of Thad. Her hair twisted around her head in a silky braid like a golden crown. Odelle might not have cut her hair into its current sharply angled bob if she had learned how to wrangle her locks like that.

“Seraphina,” Thad greeted the woman with a peck on the cheek. “We’re going on a bit of an adventure, and we need to ask you for a favor.”

At his words, Seraphina looked over Thad’s shoulder. She caught sight of Odelle and raised her sharply arched brows.

“This is Odelle, Nora’s sister,” Thad introduced her.

“I’ll try not to hold it against you,” Seraphina said as she gestured them inside.

Nora had made it clear that Seraphina was far from her favorite member of the Eteria—something about a rivalry in a past life. Still, Seraphina had helped Nora save Odelle from the clutches of the Shadow last November. Lifesaving earned instant brownie points in Odelle’s book.

Thad filled Seraphina in on the plan to recover the crown while Odelle glanced around her room. Like Thad, Seraphina had an impressive green thumb, although she showed more restraint. Instead of a veritable jungle of plants, Seraphina’s room had enough greenery to look homey but still well curated.

“So we were hoping you had some old jewelry you might be willing to part with. Some things that you wouldn’t mind ending up in some display case being fawned over instead of gathering dust in your jewelry box?” Thad prompted .

“I’ll help with your plan,” Seraphina replied. “But I’m honestly more worried about Antony Smithing a new crown in three days. Have you checked on him recently?”

“He was holding up yesterday. Insisted it wasn’t going to be a big task since he wasn’t trying to imbue the replica with enough Light to give it magical properties,” said Thad.

Seraphina put a hand on her hip and cocked her head at Thad. He held up his hands.

“You have a point though. I’ll go check on him and leave you ladies to have fun looking at jewels.” Thad disappeared out the door with a waggle of his fingers.

In his absence, Seraphina inclined her head towards a set of low cushioned stools.

“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll grab my collection so we can see what I might be willing to part with for your ruse.”

As Odelle perched herself on the stool, she asked, “If making the new crown is so difficult, why doesn’t Antony get one of the other Eteria members to help him?”

Seraphina picked up a small wooden chest off a vanity and brought it over to the sitting area.

“For one thing, Antony knows the best what the original looks like, considering he made that one,” Seraphina explained.

Odelle’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t mentioned that particular detail during their investigation.

“I’d guess it’s part of why he’s so set on fixing this situation himself. He probably feels responsible, especially considering that he takes a lot of problems personally even when he didn’t have anything to do with them. It gives him a tendency to throw himself at problems without thinking of asking for help, as if he has to do everything by himself to prove a point. ”

Odelle digested this information silently, uncomfortable with the way Seraphina’s words smacked of a familiar sentiment. Antony wasn’t somebody she would necessarily have considered herself similar to, her naturally loud and unapologetic ways seemingly at odds with his gentle demeanor. The overwhelming need to demonstrate that she could pull her weight was something she understood though, even if she couldn’t imagine why a powerful immortal sorcerer would have the same inclination.

Seraphina continued on, setting a chest on the table as if she didn’t sense Odelle’s internal turmoil. “Besides, only another Smith would really be able to help Antony with the crown.”

As Odelle leaned in to take in the tangle of emerald and bronze jewelry in the chest, she frowned.

“A Smith?”

“How much has Nora told you about the Eteria?” Seraphina asked.

Odelle’s frown deepened.

“Oh, the basics I think.” Odelle paused, and Seraphina looked at her expectantly,

“You’re warriors who use a magical power called the Light to fight the evil Shadow. The Eteria went into hiding after your numbers were decimated by a battle against the Shadow in ancient Greece, and your ability to use the Light has been diminished ever since—and now the Shadow is gaining power again.”

Seraphina exhaled sharply through her nose in what might have been sarcastic humor.

“Of course Nora would focus on the battles and the fighting. She always did charge in spear first. ”

Odelle bristled at Seraphina’s derisive tone but held her tongue. As a reporter, she knew better than to interrupt somebody who was giving her information.

“Nora, in her prior life with the Eteria, was a Warrior,” Seraphina elaborated, “But not all Eteria members are Warriors.”

“Oh yeah,” Odelle said, remembering something she had heard in passing. “Like Thad, he’s a Healer, isn’t he?”

Seraphina nodded. “Yes, and so am I. That’s why we both wear green. Adam is a Defender. And Antony, he’s a Smith. He uses the Light to make things. Magical weapons mostly, although Antony has a knack for other things as well.”

Odelle pictured the shimmering legs, shoved in the back of her closet where she wouldn’t have to look at them and be reminded of Antony every time she got dressed. They did fit like magic.

“The point is,” Seraphina continued, “None of us are Smiths. We’d be less than helpful.”

Odelle plucked a ring out of the jewelry box and held it up to inspect. The gold band was shaped like a snake, its tail curled around to hold a cat’s-eye emerald that showed a myriad of iridescent colors.

“This is beautiful,” Odelle admired.

Seraphina glanced at the piece in Odelle’s grasp and pursed her lips. “That was a seventy-fifth anniversary gift from my husband,” she commented.

Odelle hastily placed it back in the box. “I wouldn’t want to make you part with something so important.”

Seraphina shook her head, an odd expression on her face as she gazed into the pile of jewelry.

“He gave me all of this actually,” she explained .

“Well, I suppose when you live forever, there are a lot of birthdays and anniversaries,” Odelle joked, but the smile that Seraphina responded with held no humor.

“Not for him. He died in the Defeat, along with our child.”

Odelle made a mental note to visit the doctor for her horrible case of foot-in-mouth disease. Now that she thought about it, Nora had said something about Seraphina only being bitter because of so much loss.

“That’s honestly why I don’t wear most of this,” Seraphina explained, pawing through a tangle of bracelets.

“I’m…so sorry,” murmured Odelle.

Seraphina squared her shoulders as if shrugging off the nostalgic moment.

“Every member of the Eteria is living with losses from the Defeat. I don’t need to hold on to all this jewelry I can’t even bring myself to wear. Let it do some good.”

Odelle felt an odd sort of kinship with the woman as she turned her attention back to the tangle of gold on the table before her. Seraphina seemed to be making an effort to not let the tragedies of her past define her, something Odelle understood well. Odelle was all too familiar with the expression of well-meaning pity that crossed strangers’ faces when they saw her prosthetic legs or heard that she had once been a foster child. In response, Odelle donned her shining confidence like armor, showing the world in no uncertain terms that she was not a victim. How could she be when she couldn’t even remember the incident that took her legs, and she had been adopted by the most loving woman the world had ever known before she could know loneliness? Seraphina’s refusal to wallow in the tragedy of her past earned her Odelle’s respect .

“This will certainly get some ohs and ahs from Mrs. Whitehall,” Odelle remarked as she picked up a golden cuff that looked like it should fit around the upper arm.

“Well, as long as it keeps the collectors distracted enough for you to switch out the crown for the replica,” Seraphina agreed. “Besides putting the owners in danger, it would put the whole city in danger if the Shadow got a hold of it. If I remember correctly, it’s quite powerful.”“What can it do?” Odelle asked, curious what kind of powers a Smith could give an object—especially now that she knew Antony had crafted this particular one.

“It accentuates the wearer’s best quality.”

Odelle scrunched up her face.

“What, so it would make my butt look even perkier?”

That earned her a chuckle from Seraphina.

“I can see why Thad likes you, but not quite. More your personal traits. It can make an intelligent person near genius, or a charismatic person positively magnetic. A person could use it to gain a lot of influence.”

“Seems pretty subtle to me,” Odelle observed with a shrug.

“And subtle influences can be hard to fight against,” Seraphina said, “Because most of the time, you don’t even notice them until it’s too late.”

“We’ve noticed this one.” Odelle’s voice was firm. “Now, we’re going to take it out of the equation before it can cause any more trouble.”