For someone tasked with locating the missing Codex and translating its mysteries, the Astrologer Royal had a surprising number of duties that left him precious little time to actually find the book. According to Sir Thomas, he would be expected to:
- Be present at the king’s morning toilette until formally dismissed (which shocked him, until Sir Thomas explained that it was a French custom meaning a public gathering while the king was still in his bedchambers; not the other chambers)
- Attend the morning meeting of the Council
- Attend the post-morning meeting of the junior executive Council
- Attend the pre-lunch meeting of the Astrologers Royal Committee
- Attend the lunch meeting with the ad hoc committee on executive committees
- Once a week, lecture to students in advanced courses at the Academy on the subject of his choice (to be determined by the Astrologers Royal Committee)
- Annotate and sign official documents relating to matters of astrological significance (he was warned these could be in excess of two dozen individual documents)
- Attend the King’s Supper, the Astrologers’ Buffet, and the Magicians’ Pot-Luck every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and second Tuesdays
- Drinks at the Astrologer’s Club (he winced when he heard it; just as the young woman predicted!)
- Free time for research and spell-crafting (assuming he didn’t need any sleep!)
When Turold protested that he would need at least a few hours a day to work on his other duties, the tea-drinkers smiled indulgently. In time, he would learn how to balance his official duties with his leisure pursuits. In fact, the more one worked, the more one enjoyed finding a little time for one’s self, Sir Thomas insisted. If anything, they were doing him a favor. Unstructured time was anathema to serious astrologers and magicians. Surely Hildigrim would say the same.
Surely not, he thought to himself. Hildigrim dodged whatever duties came his way, which is why he steadfastly refused to accept official appointments and at times, even the simple demands of friendship. For that reason, the knowledge that he lobbied for Turold’s advancement, even to the extent of writing letters and begging favors, astonished him. This was the same mentor who once refused to wait five minutes for Turold to say goodbye to his mother, which left him to walk ten miles to the nearest inn, where Hildigrim grudgingly decided to wait (mostly because he enjoyed the ale). All that was forgotten now; Hildigrim had finally taken the time to burden himself with an utterly selfless act.
Unfortunately, he could never see the look of chagrin–or more likely, distaste–on Hildigrim’s face when he thanked him. Not even a painting would do it justice! Turold would have to take comfort in the fact that wherever he was, he knew, and would have eternity to choke down his pupil’s appreciation.
Turold left the meeting as soon as he possibly could, though the gentlemen continued to ply him with flattery and toasts. Part of him wanted to find Giacinta before Lord Gramsteed figured out who she was, and where she had come from. However, he knew she could get away from him just as easily as she had escaped Turold in the apartment. He also knew she wouldn’t make an appearance until nightfall, no matter where he looked.
That left a more pressing matter: Sonya Vasilyevna. The safer option would be to let her alone, hoping against hope they would exile her from the country (and then, problem solved). Yet the nature of her crimes gave him pause. To defy the Council and take the position by force? Naturally, she wanted it, and more importantly, deserved it, but she always worked quietly, with a minimum of fireworks. A coup would be seen for miles around, and there was no going back. A crude move for such a cunning strategist.
More selfishly, he wanted to apologize. She had to know that he didn’t want the position and would gladly abdicate in her favor, if the Council would accept such an unusual request (not a chance). Besides, she wouldn’t remain imprisoned for long, and she had a reputation for being vindictive. He had enough enemies without appointing Sonya Vasilyevna as ringleader.
Asking around confirmed his suspicions: Sonya Vasilyevna had been placed under house arrest pending a trial in the Inner Chambers. People also disagreed on the nature of her crime, some insisting on an outright coup, while others chalked it up to little more than a ‘serious disagreement.’ At any rate, it made things easier for him, since calling at her house didn’t require special permission or chaperones, and he wanted to talk in private.
A servant answered the door and seemed to recognize or expect him. He gave a nod of entrance and led him through a vast reception hall where a few astrologers stood in silence, consulting their astrolabes (indoors?). They approached a second set of doors, but the servant asked him to wait quietly while he listened, his head cocked slightly towards the keyhole. Eventually, he heard the chattering of voices and he gave a nod of affirmation.
“You may enter now,” he said, gesturing to (but not opening) the door.
Turold gently opened the door and peeked inside, expecting to find a grand assembly staring back at him in disapproval. Instead, he found Sonya Vasilyevna kneeling on the floor with three other women, a large map spread out beneath them, marked with colored stones in various locations. Her head shot up, but then returned to the map, unimpressed.
“Turold, please come in,” she said, moving a stone across the map.
“There, my lady?” one of the women asked.
“For now, yes. We’ll see how it takes in the morning,” she shrugged.
Turold waited awkwardly as they shifted the stones like a bizarre game of backgammon, though there were too many players and no discernable strategy. The map looked like Belladonna and the surrounding provinces, but it was very old, and contained landmarks that no longer existed. He did note that the largest stone, a completely smooth, periwinkle oval, had been placed over the Archives and never moved. The rest moved back and forth as they bit their lips and tugged their hair and argued.
“Keep working, maybe you’ll have a breakthrough,” Sonya finally said, standing up. “I need to speak with the newly appointed Astrologer Royal.”
The women groaned, and he suddenly recognized her again, the sharp-tongued astrologer. Clearly one of Sonya Vasilyevna inner circle (no wonder).
“Sonya Vasilyevna, I’ve come to express my deepest regrets—”
“Don’t worry about me, I’m quite comfortable here. Getting more done than I might have outside, in fact,” she said, taking his hand.
“They told me you attempted a coup? Over the position?”
“Hardly,” she smirked, trading glances with her students. “I merely said I would withdraw my support from Lord Gramsteed and his peers without a viable female candidate. They took exception to my open-mindedness…they often do.”
He cleared his throat. How to begin?
“This took me completely by surprise, not only your imprisonment, but my candidacy. I assure you, if I had any idea my name was being considered, I would have—”
“That goes without saying. Come, let’s talk by the window, so we don’t disturb them,” she said, pushing him along.
As they glanced outside on the streets full of people and coaches, Sonya whispered,
“You know who’s behind it, of course? Lord Gramsteed. He wanted you to have it.”
“Lord Gramsteed? But he doesn’t—that is, he sent me to confront Sir Otrygg like a house servant. Why would he pick me?”
“It’s simple: he feared you would find the Codex before he could. It’s the easiest way to keep track of you, and keep you out of his way.”
Turold let this sink in, balancing it with what Sir Thomas told him about Hildigrim. He almost chalked it up to sour grapes, her petty attempt to diminish his accomplishments. It would naturally gall her to be passed over for someone like Turold, simply because he was a man (or “half a man,” as someone joked). Still, it carried the sting of familiarity, particularly as it proved that his master didn’t single him out for advancement. More likely, he had never written a letter or said a word to anyone. Not when he could have saved time and ink for himself.
“Sir Thomas told me Hildigrim was behind it, a letter on my behalf,” he said, hesitantly. “He placed it on the table.”
“Did you read it?”
“No…it would have been awkward.”
“Precisely. Forgive me, I don’t mean to cast stones at Hildigrim, or make you feel unworthy,” she said, her eyes growing kindly. “I’m sure he would have written you such a letter, had he believed you had any interest—which, as you told me just now, you did not.”
“No,” he muttered, “it never occurred to me.”
“Lord Gramsteed knew any mention of Hildigrim would catch you off-guard. It would also weigh more strongly with the Council. And you are a worthy candidate, given the talent pool.”
“The talent pool?” he laughed. “What about you?”
“Turold, I’m not a fool,” she said, crossing her arms impatiently. “A woman as Astrologer Royal? Not this century. You were the best choice. Best for him, especially, since he fears you. I saw it in Sir Otrygg’s apartment.”
“Lord Gramsteed fears me? For what reason?”
“I can give you three,” she said, flashing three fingers. “One, you’re Hildigrim’s apprentice, and therefore dangerous. Two, you’ve shown remarkable abilities during your years in the Council. And three, you’ve found the Codex. Or know where it is.”
Turold locked eyes with her and saw his secrets reflected back. She knew more than he realized, and more than he hoped to tell her today. No use for it now; he would have to come clean.
“I haven’t found it yet…but yes, I might know where it is. Do you think he knows?”
“Hard to tell with Lord Gramsteed,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “He’s a fool, but he pays attention; he has eyes all over the city. Even a blind man can be told what to look for.”
“Say I do find the Codex, what then? Is it safe to bring it here?”
“No, no, not here,” she said, whispering softer now. “You see those girls over there? My students. At least one of them is spying on me. Maybe two—all three, I can’t be sure. If you find it, keep it someplace safe. Assume you’re being watched.”
“But how can I look for it while I’m being paraded about as the Astrologer Royal?” he muttered, watching the three women (one of whom cut glances at them).
“Yes, you must be seen in public, at the meetings and suppers,” she nodded, thoughtfully. “He can’t know that you know…or better still, he can only know you know if he knows you’ve given up.”
“I can’t be in two places at once, can I? If I’m to look for the Codex, I need entire days and nights at my disposal. Besides, wearing the official wig and pantaloons of office…they’ll write lampoons about me. The pocket court jester—I can see it now.”
“My lady, we might have a solution!” one of the women said, waving anxiously.
“Wonderful, just a moment,” she said; then, in a whisper, “of course you can. Your master did it more than once. Peruse his spell book.”
“A spell for wearing wigs?”
“Don’t be foolish. I mean for being seen in one place and dashing off to another. It’s dangerous magic, but so is the Codex. Don’t tread lightly.”
Abruptly, she changed her demeanor and kissed him formally on each cheek.
“I wish you the greatest luck in your new career, Astrologer Royal! We place ourselves in your most capable hands. If I can assist you in any way–once I’m released, of course–don’t hesitate to ask.”
She then marched over to her students and inspected the map, shaking her head and correcting the placement of a cerulean stone. The woman he spoke to earlier, after giving him a nasty grimace, argued that the stone had to be placed there, because otherwise another stone would have to be moved, which upset the orbit of a third…
In the midst of this argument he stole out of the room and soon found himself on the street, wondering what in the world she meant about spells to be in two places? Hildigrim had experimented with various forms of black magic, but nothing he could remember relating to teleportation or mirroring selves—By all the gods! So that’s what she meant. The blackest spell of them all. The one he had written and practiced and then torn out the book, never to be used again. Hidden, but not destroyed. And he knew exactly where to find it.
