Someone knocked at the door.
13
A Guest in the Night
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers marched through my door, shaking snow from the shoulders of his coat. I took his hat and cane, shut and locked the door behind him. While he looked around, I kindled a spell on the door to drive off any other callers.
“Quite the flat you have,” Mathers said without inflection.
“Thank you. What brings you out so late?” I asked, as cheerful as possible.
“My apologies for calling so late, Aleister. I wished to check on you and Miss Simpson. You whisked her away in such a hurry, after all.” He turned and smiled. “It worried me.”
“Thank you for your concern,” Elaine said from the doorway of the guest bedroom. She held the tray in her hands. “Tea, sir?”
“Good evening, Miss Simpson. Good to see you well again,” Mathers said and bowed his head. “No tea for me, it keeps me up this late at night. I’ll take something to warm my bones if you don’t mind, though.”
“I can do that.” I led them to my parlor. The fire had burned low in the hearth and I placed a few more logs on, coaxing them to life with a whispered spell. They settled on the couch while I lit the lamps about the room. The gloom and chill dispatched, I went to my little bar and poured my favorite brandy for the three of us.
Elaine seemed surprised but I said, “I thought we could all do with a little bone warming.”
As I settled into my favorite armchair, Mathers raised his glass. “To Miss Simpson’s good health.”
“To her good health,” I said, and the three of us drank.
Mathers licked his lips after, holding his glass up to the light. “That’s quite good.” He leaned back into the couch. “Now, tell me everything.”
Elaine glanced at me, her eyebrows raised.
I shook my head slightly.
She nodded just as imperceptibly, smiled at Mathers, and said, “What do you mean?”
“Let’s not dance around the issue. I know you both stole into my office several nights ago. You saw the drawings presented to me and know something of them.” Mathers took a drink and pointed at me, “And I know the Knight Mages of the Crown sent you to investigate me and the Golden Dawn. With all that out of the way, tell me everything.”
Rarely does anything render me speechless, but Mathers managed it.
Elaine caught my eye, a question in hers. I nodded slightly and she replied in kind, content to let me handle things. Perceptive. The ease with which we wordlessly communicated amazed me. Perhaps I should—
I shook my head and dismissed the thought. I. Don’t. Take. Pupils.
Vex observed, but chose to remain silent.
“What do you know of the Knight Mages?” I asked.
“They’re a secret organization of magicians and magical individuals under the direct command of the Crown handling mystical goings on in the British Empire,” Mathers said, matter of fact.
“How do you know so much about us?” I said, harsher than I intended. We prided ourselves on our secrecy and hearing him speak so openly jarred me to the core.
“I wish to keep my sources private, Mr. Crowley,” he said with a wry smile I didn’t appreciate. “With the number of Parliament members in my Order, I expected a visit sooner or later. I’ve an idea how your investigation, last night’s events, and the proposal accompanying the drawings all fit together, but I came so you can confirm everything for me.”
Elaine and I shared yet another glance. I don’t know what I expected when Mathers appeared on my doorstep, but it certainly wasn’t this. For his part, Mathers sat stock still on my couch, appraising us and waiting for me.
Tell him, Vex said, taking me by surprise. He rushed to Elaine’s side while the rogue assaulted her, so we can rule him out as our quarry. And his control of the Golden Dawn may prove useful.
“Fine,” I said, both to my guests and to Vex, and recounted all that occurred the night before.
Mathers sat stoic, never hinting at what went on in his mind. When I finished, he set his glass on the table next to the couch and put his hands behind his head, thinking. “What does it take to cast this Crimson Thread of Fate spell?” he asked at last.
“Considerable power and skill,” I said. “Not to mention enough time to weave the web.”
“And do you believe last night’s fire bearer the rogue mage?”
“I didn’t feel the spell until after the consecration of flame.” I nodded toward Elaine. “And I saw nothing on Miss Simpson until then either. Though, it’s possible your drugged wine kept me from perceiving it earlier.”
“A necessary evil to ensure the members’ belief in me.” His grin revealed his lack of remorse or guilt. He glanced at one of the candles on the table nearest me. I felt a tiny kindling of will, and the candle went out. “I possess a modicum of skill, but nothing impressive enough to keep the Order together, so I use the wine as,” he made a vague gesture, “a sensory enhancer.”
“Did you create the Golden Dawn to ply your parlor tricks to London’s high society?” Elaine asked with a sneer.
Mathers gave her a hard look, but Elaine matched his intensity. After a moment, his eyes softened and he chuckled. “I suppose it might seem that way. In truth, I created the Order to become a haven for the blooded and magically inclined. I thought my efforts a complete failure until last night. I know you’ve made quite a few inquiries, Miss Simpson. So, tell me why this mage seeks to undo everything I built. What does he want?”
“He wants to bring an Egyptian artifact to London,” she said, draining her glass.
Mathers raised an eyebrow. “All this for an artifact?”
“Indeed,” I said. “This artifact lies deep within those ruins in the drawings. The Knight Mages protect it for now, but if our rogue makes Parliament broker a deal with the
