Page 25 of Elemental Truth (Mysterious Fields #3)

25

JANUARY 17TH AT brYN GLAS

A week later, they had their chance. That was how Thessaly saw it. Now she had to convince Vitus of it. “They’ll all be away tomorrow. From mid-afternoon until late evening.”

Vitus was leaning against the arm of the sofa. He looked exhausted, like he had slept little that week. “How do you know that?”

“It’s Bradamante Nevill’s birthday. There’s a gathering, family only, but all the family, at the Nevill estate. The Fortiers are all going, but Sigbert made a point of apologising for the fact I wasn’t invited.”

Vitus lifted his head, peered at her, and then leaned it on the back of the sofa again. “So at least someone is being slightly informative.”

It made her smile. “Yes. And I think we can trust the information.”

“There was reason not to?” This time, he lifted his head and kept peering at her.

“This is how we are certain that I was in Fox House and you were not. Or that I learned something from Mother and Father. Probably both.” She gestured at the book open on the desk. “That’s the Gold Book.”

“Which lists.... oh.” Vitus looked bemused now. “It lists the births and marriages and deaths and education and such of everyone in the Great Families. Which includes Bradamante.”

“Exactly. So I can confirm that yes, her birthday is tomorrow. And she’s turning fifty, so a good year for a bit more fuss, even if the family is still in mourning. Hence the family only. And not being currently betrothed to Sigbert, I do not count as family for these purposes.”

Vitus grimaced, pushing himself upright, standing to go pour himself some more tea. “Not for any purposes, I hope.” There was a note in his voice she wasn’t sure of. Thessaly could manage that sort of basic strategy, so she waited until he came back, patting the sofa beside her.

He blinked, stopping a foot away. “Unless you’d rather the bedroom?” She arched one eyebrow, hoping for something more provocative than ridiculous.

“You’re distracting me. Deliberately.” Vitus didn’t move, though, just peered at her.

“Illusionist,” Thessaly pointed out. “Not distracting, not exactly, this time. But I’d like to understand, and if you’d find it easier to talk about whatever— whatever that was?” She gestured a little incoherently at the other end of the sofa. “Or whatever else we should discuss. We could then have something to look forward to after we finished the discussion.”

“For someone who was assiduously careful with her person less than a month ago, you have taken to the idea of bed play rather thoroughly.” Vitus smiled, though, the slow smile that was him unbending a bit.

“I had something I’d like to try, if you’re inclined.” She did, too. She’d bookmarked three possibilities in one of Aunt Metaia’s books, though she suspected it might be the second. That would let her take on more of the physical effort. Besides, they hadn’t tried it yet. “Bedroom?”

He let out a little sigh, amused, and held out his free hand. It took a couple of minutes for her to change into a nightgown and wrapper. Vitus put on a dressing gown and loose pyjamas rather than the suit he’d been wearing. It made Thessaly pleased, in a satisfied way she didn’t have words for, that he left things in the wardrobe now. There was a spare shirt, a different set of cufflinks, a tie, handkerchiefs. She hoped soon, he’d leave a little more, the things she could look at on the long nights when he wasn’t there.

Now, he moved to sit on the bed, one foot pulled up under his other knee. She settled with her back against the pillows at the head, upright, but comfortably relaxed. “What do you have in mind, Thessaly?”

“That depends. I need more information to have a plan.” Thessaly gathered her wits. “Can you tell me the overview of the warding, what you have access to?”

“They added me to the warding on the building yesterday, but I have not yet been inside. Nor has Florent— the family obligations, today. I said I might go have a look in the next few days.”

“And you think you can get into the building.” Thessaly said, probing for that.

“Yes. Whether I can do anything inside the building beyond observe and take measurements, I don’t know. I don’t know if there are charms against interfering with what’s in there.” Vitus swallowed abruptly. “The oaths mean I can’t pass along what they told me. On the other hand, that was precious little that’s specific. I assume there’s more of that coming later.”

“And if I already know it, you’re not the one telling me, are you?” Thessaly pointed out.

It made him look at least a little amused. “You needn’t apply all your rhetoric to me. The oaths were thorough enough, but they didn’t go so far as that. The Scali disapproved. Not without additional financial considerations to compensate for the additional bindings.”

“Ah, so the Fortiers have some other motivations. They thought it safe enough, without spending— what, rather a lot?”

Vitus nodded. “The same over again, was what was suggested.”

She let out an indistinct sound, because that was indeed rather pointed. “All right. So you can open the door. I can possibly get in. Are there talismans that might help? Illusions? How do we do this sensibly?”

“They usually have a footman at the portal, don’t they? Or at least, they have all the times I’ve been there.”

“If there’s any expectation of strangers arriving, yes. It’s outside the warding. Someone has to let guests into the estate wards.” Thessaly shrugged. “But I can get to the estate on my own, and you can now, too. Though I don’t know if they’d know. Better to go around.”

“In that case, I can make the excuse of coming out to investigate when I can take my time. Can you— can you hide yourself well enough? We’d come through the portal together, so it would only open once.”

Thessaly considered. “I can’t manage anything like invisibility. It’s an interesting technical challenge, but not a solved one.” She considered. “But there’s no snow on the ground. It’s hard enough not to show footprints unless there’s frost or something of the kind overnight. Do you have a nice billowing cloak? You look like the sort of person who should, if you don’t.”

That broke the tension in the room nicely. Vitus shifted to kiss her - first on the lips, then on the tip of her nose - before he leaned back to answer. “I do. You think just blending in with the cloak, then, and then keeping to the other side of me?”

“That should do, yes.” Thessaly knew it was a risk; Emeline would be upset, but Emeline couldn’t come. For one thing, it was outside the terms of the contract, even if this were arguably Council business. Second, Thessaly could likely hide herself, but not two people. And third, well, it was something she wanted to do with Vitus, and just with Vitus.

It was and wasn’t the same as being in bed. A plot was, perhaps, another and similar kind of intimacy. Vitus took a breath. “And when we get there?”

“You have tools for investigating, yes? Lingering magic, effects that don’t just start and stop?”

Cautiously, he nodded.

“Bring what you need for that. I’ll look for illusions. And not just the ordinary sort, but there’s a number of charms that might make something easier to use, like a light shining on it. And we’ll see what else we figure out.”

“And we’re not going anywhere near the manor or the other buildings.” Vitus’s chin came up. “That’s a much bigger risk. I can probably talk myself out of trouble, if you can hide, but not anywhere else.”

“I won’t risk that. Besides, just being pragmatic, if they have things in the manor, it’s almost certainly well hidden, the kind of hidden that would take hours and hours to search. They’ve a wine cellar, an extensive materia storage, the library— two libraries, I’ve never even been in the family one, dozens of rooms.”

Vitus let out a sigh. “And you’re sure this is a good idea.”

“I’m certain someone needs to do it, we have the correct position for it, and I think we can do it.” Thessaly could feel the threads of it, like preparing to begin a duel. “It’s possible. I can’t swear we’ll be successful, but it feels, it feels right to try.” She glanced up to one side, to where Aunt Metaia’s portrait stood on the shelves right outside the bedroom. “And I need to know what, what to worry about. With Sigbert.”

“Sigbert.” Vitus grunted. “Has he, this week, I mean, has he pressured you more?”

“He insisted on taking me to lunch on Wednesday. It was a tad awkward. I’ve bruises up my arm from duelling.” She held up her arm. “Or I did then. The salve’s done wonders.”

“Lucas recommends that one, and he should know. He ends up bruised all the time. Horses being as they are, and cavalry officers, even more so, I gather.” Something in that made Vitus smile. She’d noticed that, in how fondly he spoke about his brother.

“Please tell him thank you, then, when you get a chance. If you would.” Thessaly let out a slow breath. “You bring what you need for your work. I’ll be prepared to explore and see what I can figure out. At least we might make some notes? Bring some information back?”

“I’m not going to talk you out of this, am I?” Vitus asked.

“No.” Thessaly felt it was essential to be clear on this.

“And if I don’t go with you, you’ll lurk around the outside, even if you can’t get in.”

“Yes.” She tilted her head. “I might try talking Sigbert into showing me. I’d really rather not, though. I’m not at all sure what that would involve.”

“Perish the thought.” He stretched, and Thessaly was very much distracted in the arch of his body. He was not a physically impressive sort, not like some duellists she knew were. But there was something elegant about him, and especially when he relaxed like this, letting her see things no one else got to watch. “I’ve a talisman for light, one for privacy that will mute sound. I’ll see what else I can gather.”

“I’ll bring what seems sensible from the household stocks of potions. And I did find Aunt Metaia’s kit. There are some useful things in there. I even know how to use most of them.”

Something in her comment made Vitus smile suddenly. “Well. If it’s most of them.” He reached for her hand. “I’m still nervous. I’m not going to tell you to run if it’s dangerous. After all, I know you’re more capable in a duel than I am by far, and I assume that goes for a other dangers as well. But don’t take unnecessary risks, please?”

“You either. If you don’t, I don’t. That’s fair, isn’t it?” Thessaly met his eyes, hoping it was.

“Fair.” Then he took a breath, deliberately, and let it out. “You had some ideas about distracting me, yes?”

“Oh, I did!” Her voice went up, almost to the edge of shrill. She twisted, her robe falling open more than a little, as she reached for the book on the bedside table. “The bookmarks.”

She didn’t bother pulling the wrapper closed as she turned back, handing him the book. He, now, he was watching her, rather focused on her chest, before he looked up at her face and blushed. Then he thumbed through. “Did you have— my.” Vitus stopped on the first. “I’m fairly sure you’re flexible enough for that one, but I’m not certain I am.” It involved her legs bent back to her ears, her hips raised.

“We can try it?” she said. “But I thought not tonight, especially if you’re tired. Try the second.” That had her straddling him, though this time facing away from him.

The pages turned, and he looked at her again. “I rather like watching you. But we could start that way, you in my lap, my hands all over you. I like that idea, actually.”

“There.” Thessaly grinned at him. “This was the much simpler discussion. And we can change our minds and do something else if we prefer. Here, you get settled.” She rolled off the bed to remove the wrapper and then consider how to remove her nightgown. She turned over her shoulder to find that he’d stripped nearly as quickly, his back against the head of the bed and the propped up pillows. He was not yet fully hard, but she was entirely certain that would not be a problem for long.

Laughing, she pulled her nightgown over her head in a billow of white cloth, before she circled the bed to perch next to him. Kissing first, then touching, and then they would certainly find something glorious together. She had every faith in that. Tomorrow would come in due course, and they would see it through together as well.