“Then he ties your hands.” Mathers finished my sentence for me. He stroked his beard, and I could almost see his thoughts churning. “That certainly answers what this mage works toward, but not why.”
“A blooded mage of sufficient skill could use this artifact to bring the world under their sway. Or utterly destroy it.” My father’s face swam before my eyes and I shook my head to rid myself of the image. “I saw it used. It terrified me. No one in this world should possess such power. Evil like that cannot leave the ruins and must not come to London.”
Mathers and Elaine regarded me in silence. I didn’t know Mathers well enough to know his mind, and he kept his face passive as he studied me.
“I want to help you,” he said at last. “This man seeks to take my Order. It may not seem much, but it means quite a bit to me.” He paused. “Of course, the possible destruction of the world is problematic as well.”
Loath as I was to accept his aid, without it, I may not find my rogue in time. And I could not allow that to happen.
“Does my ledger remain in your possession?” Mathers asked, taking up his drink again.
I reached into a pocket and produced the tiny black book.
He took it, opened it, flipped through the pages to one near the middle, then hesitated before handing it back. “What of the other book you took?” All trace of his levity disappeared. “I require its return.”
“The Red Dragon will not remain unattended while in London,” I replied just as serious. “If the Vatican wishes it returned, they can petition the Knight Mages.”
I expected Mathers to argue, but he nodded, handed me the book, and said, “Dover Thompson performed the consecration of fire last night.”
Several names were listed under the header Rosae Rubae et Aureae Crucis, but Dover’s leapt out as if the paper screamed it at me. I said, “What is the Ruby Rose and Golden Circle?”
“A separate sect within the Golden Dawn. Only those who rise high enough in the ranks are granted entrance. I trust them above all others.” He grimaced. “At least, I did.”
“Your inner circle then,” I said, and he nodded. “I imagine you know where Dover lives.”
“Unfortunately, I know very little about his personal life. He only recently ascended into the Ruby Rose. I attempted to research him, but he always seemed to disappear whenever followed. I suppose this explains why.”
I expected as much. To keep a spell of this magnitude hidden from the entire Order, Dover must possess considerable skill. Staying anywhere long increased risk of discovery and the ruination of his plans.
I leaned back in my chair, thinking.
“Could we not remove the spell from the members of the Order?” Elaine asked. “If you disrupted the spell from even a few, it might give us time to stop him.”
I shook my head. “Like casting, removing such a spell takes time. If he sees his work undone, Dover may flee. A man this dangerous must be stopped. Permanently. Mr. Mathers, when will the Order gather next?”
“In just a few days for the Winter Solstice rite.”
“And when is this matter to be brought before Parliament?” I asked.
“The very next day,” he said, gravely. “Dover means to complete his spell at the Solstice, I have no doubt.”
“That doesn’t leave much time,” Elaine said, her tone hard.
Mathers shook his head. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Do you think he’ll still go through with his plans?” she asked.
I stood, the need to move overwhelming. “He’s invested too much to abandon everything now,” I said as I paced in front of them. “And he bested me. He doesn’t fear me.”
“Can you stop him?” Mathers’s words stung, and I turned, a barb on the tip of my tongue. He held up his hands in pacification. “I meant no offense, but as you said, he bested you. Can it happen again?”
Calm yourself, Aleister. You cannot blame the man for his concern, Vex scolded.
I took a deep breath, my mind whirring through the possibilities. He’d bested me, but before Elaine’s distraction, I’d had him. I could do this. I blew out the breath, letting my anger go with it.
Good, Vex said, you need a clear head to face what is to come. If you do not, Dover will defeat you again.
It reminded me of father’s favorite mantra.
Doubt leads to hesitation. Hesitation leads to death.
“No offense taken,” I said, calm now despite a twinge of sadness. “To answer your question, no. Last night he caught me unprepared. That shall not happen again.”
“Good,” Mathers said, rising and crossing the room to stand before me. “The rite will begin at eight on the day of the solstice. I will expect you early.”
Elaine and I followed Mathers to the door. He collected his hat and gloves as I opened it for him. He lingered a moment on my doorstep, looked at us both in turn, and said, “I will do everything possible to ensure your victory if you do the same.”
“I will,” I promised, earning a tip of his hat before he trudged into the snow.
“What now?” Elaine asked.
“Now, you will collect your things, and I will make sure your get home safely,” I said as I closed the door. “Your part in this concludes tonight.”
14
Take up Arms
You can’t just send me away,” Elaine said, close on my heels as I made my way to my study.
“I can, in fact. You’re going home, Miss Simpson. Before you get hurt again.” I stopped, turned, and my heart skipped a beat.
Elaine stood nearly against me, the blade of a long knife hovering over my throat. “If you don’t watch out, you might find yourself the one hurt,” she snarled.
With a thought, I gathered will into my palms.
She smiled and pressed the blade against my skin. “Go on, use your magic on me.”
We stood like that a moment, my will crackling.
At last, she stepped back, taking her blade away from my throat.
I let my
