The Age of Mages: Book I of the Mage Tales (22 page)

“Yes, how do you keep doing that?” Titus pressed his lips together.

“We weren’t
sneaking
,” Ashdown said. “We simply arrived before you and remained here.
We
haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Lurking in the dark, lying in wait for your enemies,” Titus said. “Sounds sneaky enough to me.” I could tell Titus wasn’t attempting to read any of their minds, probably recalling what happened when I tried to do so. The Council wisely wasn’t trying to read ours either, probably anticipating Titus’s response if they did. Blackline still looked like hell after our fight; I guess he hadn’t had time to clean up. It was pleasing to know this likely embarrassed him as he stood next to the perfectly coiffed Council.

“We were afraid of this,” said Cronin, ignoring Titus’s remark and shaking her head. “So you discovered the entrance to Ferox’s tomb after all.”

“Oh, it was easy,” Titus said. “All we had to do was look for a church where this little blighter thought we wouldn’t be welcome.” He jutted his chin at Blackline. “And wouldn’t you know, we walked right in.”

“Yes, we’re more than a bit put out about that.” Cronin gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes at Blackline.

“I told you, I didn’t
tell
them anything,” Blackline protested.

“Silence!” Ashdown snapped at him, and I couldn’t help but smile.
A bit put out indeed
. “We will deal with you later, incompetent fool.” He looked again to Titus and me. “It’s not as if we wanted to force a confrontation.”

“Really?” I folded my arms. “You could’ve fooled me. You seemed all too eager for a confrontation earlier. Several times, in fact.”

“We don’t want things to get any uglier than necessary,” Cronin said.

“And by that you mean ‘don’t want to fight my father if you don’t have to,’ ” I said.

“Since you and Titus refuse to do as we ask,” Ashdown said, “and leave this whole matter alone, you give us no other choice. All you have to do is stop looking for the crystal and Callix Ferox.”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, it’s like I said before: I don’t worship the vampire race so much that I would—”

“Perhaps
you
are not so astute as to see the possibilities,” Ashdown interrupted. “But you must follow your father’s lead, I imagine.”

Oh really? Since when?
They obviously didn’t know us very well. Except for this quest to find Abigail, I couldn’t think of another time I’d followed Titus in anything.

“And your father here is a different story, I’m sure.” Ashdown fixed his gaze on Titus.

My father raised one eyebrow with an air of amusement. “Who, me?” he asked.

“Of course,” Ashdown said. “Even if you and Ferox had your differences in the past—”

“Differences that involved trying to behead one another,” Titus said.

“Nevertheless,” Ashdown continued, “surely you can see the potential in bringing Rome back to its former glory. Perhaps with two ancient vampires at the forefront, mmm?”

“What? I . . . I . . .” Titus stuttered in disbelief.

“And after Rome, who knows where else?” Cronin interjected. “Possibly the world—all kowtowing to vampires. And what would that mean for the Council? For witches everywhere?”

“What about the carnage?” I said, unfolding my arms and clenching my fists. “Or do you think all vampires will suddenly become vegetarian and democratic? Forget your precious Council for a moment, or even all witches and mages. What about the fate of humanity?”

“Shut up, all of you,” boomed my father. The sound that rang throughout the room was what I’d come to recognize as his general’s voice. It was even more intimidating than his vampire voice. Everyone got quiet, and Blackline took a tiny step back.

“First of all,” Titus said, “I wouldn’t undertake any enterprise with Callix Ferox if you paid me ten swimming pools filled with virgin blood. Second, I don’t need his help to ‘bring Rome back,’ as you put it.” He glanced at me. “From what I’ve seen, it has come along quite nicely in the time I’ve been away. And third, I’m quite content with the way things are.”

“You are?” Ashdown and I said in unison.

“Of course I am,” Titus replied smoothly. “In case you haven’t noticed, I live the life of a king—much better than I ever could have imagined in ancient Rome. I run a successful business, with a bevy of servants at my disposal.”

“Employees, father,” I said. “They’re called employees now.”

Titus gave me an exasperated look, then continued addressing the Council. “I have everything I want, and anything I do not have is brought to me all but instantaneously. Now, why would I jeopardize all that by colluding with Callix Ferox?”

I had my doubts about what Titus said. Not about getting involved with Ferox—I knew he’d never want to do that. But about being satisfied with the way things were. For someone who felt his life was complete, he sighed an awful lot over lost glories. But if it was enough to convince the Council and get us out of this predicament, it was good enough for me—at least for now.

“So you’re just on this mission out of the goodness of your heart, to rescue your long-lost love?” Cronin scoffed. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Yes, that doesn’t sound like the Titus Aurelius we know,” Ashdown said.

“What you know or believe is of no concern to me,” said Titus in his voice of steel. Again, this was the voice he used to denote his will was absolute. I was sure he had it even before he became a vampire. It was easy to see why thousands of Roman soldiers had marched into battle with him. “I have reasons of my own for what I do. So, if you dare challenge me—or my son—do it now. I have no more time to waste on your petty games.”

I held my breath, but kept looking at the Council. If there was one thing my father taught me, it was to never show fear before an enemy. If Titus was ready to fight, then so was I; my mother’s life might be at stake. I had no idea if this was a fight we could win, but I would die trying. Ashdown’s and Titus’s eyes were locked together, the Council waiting for Ashdown to do something, and me waiting for my father. For several agonizing seconds, you could have heard a pin drop. Then a cell phone rang.

It was bizarre to hear a modern device in such ancient surroundings. Nevertheless, the high-pitched noise was coming from Ashdown’s pocket. He removed the phone and put it to his ear, nodding in our direction. “Excuse me,” he said.

I looked at my father in disbelief.

“They’re making us wait so they can take a phone call?” he said. Titus’s face was sheer fury—even paler than usual.

“I know. It’s unbelievable,” I said. “What on earth could be so important?”
And how are they getting reception down here?

Titus was just about to say something when Ashdown turned to the others, still on the phone.

“Yes. Yes, I see.” He nodded. “Very well. Thank you—we’ll be there shortly.” He put the cell phone back in his pocket. “She’s here,” he told them.

There were a few seconds of silence, and then the Council members started murmuring and whispering among themselves. My father and I looked above and around us. Finally, I had to say something.

“Excuse me,” I said, raising my hand, “but
who
is here?” Other than Titus, myself, and seven powerful witches, we were alone in the cavern. Was this “she” the problem Blackline and the rest had referred to so cryptically before?

“That is none of your concern,” replied Ashdown firmly. “However, it does mean we must conclude our dealings with you. For now.”

“You’re leaving? From one phone call?” Titus asked. Then he snorted. “Hell, I could’ve done that. If I’d have known that’s all it took, I’d have rung you ages ago.”

“There’s no need to be impertinent,” said Ashdown, and my father clenched his teeth. I placed a hand on his shoulder—partly to calm him, but partly to hold him back if necessary. “If you say you have no plans to be in league with Callix Ferox, we will take you at your word. We will
hold
you to your word, Aurelius. I’m sure you can imagine the consequences if we discover you’ve been less than truthful.”

“Consequences?” My father’s voice tightened. “I have some consequences I’d like to discuss with you—”

“Father . . .” I dug my fingers into his shoulder.

“Anyway, it seems a matter of greater importance has arisen,” Cronin said.

“More important than the vampire takeover you thought my father was plotting only minutes ago?” I asked. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or insulted. Mostly relieved, I supposed.

“Young man, there are some things in this world you cannot possibly understand,” Cronin said sternly. “Some things
beyond
this world.”

“Beyond this world? What in blazes does
that
mean?” demanded Titus.

“That is for us to know and remedy,” Ashdown said with an air of finality. “And we’d best do it as soon as possible. Come, all.” He started walking away.

“Wait,” I called. “Don’t you have to leave the way you came?” The only way back that I knew of was behind Titus and me, but that wasn’t the direction the Council was going.

Ashdown stopped long enough to roll his eyes. “Boy, there are numerous entrances and exits to these chambers,” he said. “Don’t think that because you found one, it’s the
only
one.”

I let out an indignant grunt. Titus folded his arms and raised his chin. One by one, the Council members filed into an archway across from us. Blackline was the last one out; he kept looking back and glaring at me.

“Tootle-loo!” I called to him, wiggling my fingers in the air. He gave one final scowl and left.

“Should we follow them?” I prompted Titus. But he just glanced at me and gave a slight shake of his head, and we stood staring at the spot where the Council had gone.

“What in Fate’s name was that?” I asked.

“No bloody idea,” he replied. “We’ll figure it out later if we have to; we’ve wasted enough time as it is. If they were here to stop us, we must be getting close. We have to keep going.”

I sighed. “Out of the frying pan, at least. Let’s just hope it’s not into the fire.”

Chapter 20

A few feet away from the archway where the Council disappeared was another archway, and we continued through it under Titus’s direction. Although we’d been walking for a long time, I was heartened that Titus felt Ferox was close. Finally, I would find what I’d been seeking for so long.

Suddenly, Titus stopped and held up one hand. “Did you hear that?” he asked.

Without my father’s keen vampire senses, I hadn’t noticed anything. “No,” I replied. “What was it?”

My father inhaled deeply, then waited. After a moment, he shook his head. “Nothing.” But his eyes flickered to the darkened corridor we’d just left. A few minutes later, he stopped again.

“Dammit,” he said, “I
know
I heard something. And smelled something.”

“Smelled something?” I asked. “Like what?”

Titus inhaled again. “I don’t know. Old books and tea and some kind of metal.”

Books
. . .
tea
. . . There was a distinctive crunch
behind us, like someone’s boot over broken pottery. Then a familiar voice: “Oh, bloody hell.” Titus and I whirled around.

“
Arthur
?” I cried.

The old man was wearing a miner’s helmet, the kind with a lamp on it. Slung across his body was a leather satchel, full of some manner of supplies, I presumed. When he realized the jig was up, his eyebrows knit in determination and he pointed his weapon straight at us.

“Arthur, what in God’s name are you doing here?” I demanded. “And why do you have a crossbow?”

That must have been the metal Titus caught the scent of. Arthur had certainly come prepared; I could even see a quiver of bolts mounted on the bow. I wondered if it was the same one I’d seen in his office in London, or if the Roman PIA possessed some sort of arsenal. If it was the latter, I decided I didn’t want to know.

Titus raised his eyebrows at Arthur, then at the old-time firearm. “Is that for me?”

Arthur stiffened and raised the crossbow so that it was pointing more towards my father. “If necessary, yes,” he replied, his voice a little shaky.

“Careful,” Titus said. “If you irritate me, I’ll not only kill you, I’ll come after your friends and family.”

“Joke’s on you,” Arthur retorted. “Most of them are dead.” Titus took a step forward, and Arthur tightened his grip on the crossbow.

I held my hands up between them. “Gentlemen! Can we call a cease-fire for just a moment? For Fate’s sake, Arthur,” I said, “why didn’t you just bring a shotgun?”

“I don’t own one,” he replied.

“Yet you own a crossbow?”

“Not that either can kill vampires,” said Titus, “but such weapons might wound them badly enough to slow them down.” My father looked more closely at the crossbow. “Are you prepared to use that thing?”

“I wouldn’t have brought it if I weren’t,” replied Arthur. I had to confess, the old man seemed tougher than I’d given him credit for. “But the truth is, it wasn’t primarily for you,” he told Titus. Then he turned to me. “On the phone with your father, you mentioned other vampires—ones who might want to protect Ferox. I figured if we ran into them, it would help to have the proper equipment.”