The President's Wizard Page 4

  Lincoln looked up from some maps that he had strewn out on a table. He was making some notations in a notebook. William got the impression that the president thought he was indeed the Commander-In-Chief. Technically he could issue orders, and they would be expected to be obeyed. William knew a few officers that would call a President’s orders meddling in his affairs. Most Presidents have been civilians. They left the professionals the order of battle. Something was wrong if Lincoln was beginning to see a need for himself to issue orders.

  Lincoln stood up and extended a hand to Thomas and William. “Thank you both for coming. I would like to say that this was for a well-done handshake and packing you off with a little bit of money. I have a feeling that I have to deal with both physical warfare as well as eldritch warfare. You two work so well together that I thought it would be to my advantage to Shanghai you both into a little idea I have.”

  “Speaking as one that has been shanghaied by you before, your tasks have never been anything that we could not accomplish.”

  “Tell me if I am correct. The mage that is in charge of a metropolitan area has the authority of the area, is that not so?”

  “Yes, the archmage of Washington DC has a lot of power.”

  “Can an enemy mage set up bases here?”

  “Not unless the archmage lets them continue their actions.”

  “Are you familiar with the archmage of Washington DC?”

  “Josiah Glenn. It is said that he is a rather elderly person. If he is indeed losing his grip on the power, then it would be possible to set up a second power system under.”

  “I had a dream about that particular gentleman. I need a new archmage of Washington DC. I am making you that person. I also want you to take and use Capt. Hazard here. I know how much he helped you before.”

  Lincoln went to his desk, and from his desk, he took out two gold-toned badges. He handed the badge one each to Thomas and William. When they looked at the badge, it said US Secret Service.”

  “The attempt on my life made the Congress pass this new federal police force whose main job is to protect my person. Well, you may not be directly protecting my person, but what you do will make it safer for me to be in Washington DC.”

  “You do realize what it takes for an archmage to move cities.”

  “The White Council has approved of your impending takeover of Washington DC. Just move the evil out at your earliest convenience.”

  “It’s not going to be my convenience. Josiah’s has a lot of pride in being the archmage of Washington DC. He will not go quietly or easily. He may even require a spell dire.”

  “Spell dire,” asked Lincoln.

  “When two mages can’t get along, and one of them has to die a spell dire is called for. The two mages stand in front of each other and cast spells at one another. The first to die loses.”

  “Is there not a less than a mortal solution?”

  “Josiah is a mage of the old school. He was one of the mages that assisted the nascent United States in its war of the revolution. Josiah has a little bit of an ownership problem. He believes that he owns the United States because of the assistance he gave. He does not observe that he is causing a problem in the United States. The Archmage of the Washington DC is also Archmage of Virginia. That is why we have the problem we have now. He opened the barn door to the Fox. And now you and I William have got to go and deal with it.”

  “You are working yourself up into a real mad so that you can call him out.”

  “I think I told you that power also comes from within. If you need an extra burst of energy, you can use the emotions. The biggest emotion that can be easily accessed is anger. So, yes, I am working myself up to a bit of anger.”

  The two rode the preposterous carriage with nine mismatched horses. William told Thomas that he would organize the more mundane travel from now on. Thomas looked relieved. They walked into the hotel’s dining room. They found a table by a wall.

  “What is the first thing we do,” asked William.

  “I really can’t challenge him until I have a sanctum,” said Thomas.

  “This would be a house or building of some sort where you can set up all of your ritual circles, boiling cauldrons, and other stuff.”

  “All my beakers, books, my notebooks. A place that can be saved and will be safe once I have taken it over. You know that the Sanctum will be for you as well. An Armory and a gymnasium.”

  “Then we are going to go house shopping.”

  “Yes, house shopping, but not the kind you are accustomed. We are looking for a house that is unsettled. Some tragic loss occurred there, and so spirits are roaming the house. When I take over the house, they will resist, these spirits. Once I’ve taken over the house these spirits remain and become my servants. Sometimes they are not pleased to be my servants so they could be a bit surly. Sometimes you run into a situation in which one of the spirits has fallen in love with you.”

  “How do you —“

  “Don’t ask. It isn’t messy, but it is weird. And that’s saying a lot when I say something is weird.”

  “What do we do? Ride around in the brougham?”

  “No, we use the services of a diviner. I had an inkling that Mister Lincoln will be making us do some further things. So I sent for Eldura from Philadelphia. She is a number one mage, as well as a pretty good diviner.

  “A diviner sits over a map of the city. She holds some sort of trinket over the map and moves the trinket over the map. When she reaches an essential house the trinket stops. We then go and take a look at it.

  “There are few things that I will not allow in our house. I will not allow demons or spirits of humans that have been influenced by demons. Other than that I was looking for a haunted house.”

  William closed his eyes when Thomas said haunted house. Of course William did not believe in such things, but lately, his viewpoint has changed considerably. He could understand why having a set of ghostly servants could be useful in a sanctum.

  Even though Thomas had told him that Eldura was a woman who looked very young. William was of the opinion that anyone that did magic probably had to have a wart on her nose. Both of the men had taken up a table in the dining room. William contented himself with some coffee. Thomas had a glass of wine.

  Then almost as if by magic, and it probably was magic. A woman appeared at their table. Thomas looked up without any surprise at all. That told William that this had to be Eldura. And his idea what she should look like was not close to the actuality.

  Eldura was marked by an extremely white hair. She had it braided and then crowned around her head. Thomas had explained at one time that Eldura was German. So, the ultra-white hair and the braids indicated that Eldura was indeed German. She wore a black dress that went all the way to the floor as was popular in London. She did not wear the skirt hoops as was popular with the ladies of worth in Washington DC. She wore a pillbox hat with a veil that came down to her nose. She wore makeup. The most extreme makeup was on her lips. The red there was vibrant and seemed to be magical. It probably was of magical origin. He wondered what the etiquette would be to ask her about her lipstick.

  Eldura looked right at William. “Yes, I make the lipstick myself. It is magical in nature. In a way, it is a wand. I deliver the spell with a kiss.”

  William sat in his chair stunned. Thomas had a chuckle at his expense. Eldura did not.

  “Thomas you are a cad. You have not told him that some of the powers a wizard can have included the ability to read minds.”

  “William, some mages can read minds. I am not one of them. Eldura, however, is one.”

  “That would seem to me to give you a certain advantage,” said William to Eldura.

  “It would if it was everybody. I cannot read those of power. You, however, are broadcasting every thought in your head. You would not normally be able to be read because you are one of us. Your power is turned inward.”

  “Thomas calls it a physical adept.”

  “T
ruly? Is he a true physical adept.”

  “Let’s find out. That door to the kitchen, please put your fist through it.”

  William looked at Thomas as if he had lost it. The kitchen door seemed to be very light, but it would still not yield to his fist. Then Eldura came up behind him and whispered into his ear.

  “To a wizard who has internalized his power you can do things far beyond mortal men. Remember that as you punch with your fist.”

  William nodded. He went to the door. And he punched. At first, he thought that it had just pushed the door aside. Then he realized that his hand was through the door. The owner of the hotel came around and chattered about the cost of the door. Thomas simply showed him the badge, and the owner shut up.

  “What you think, Eldura?”

  “I think he will do as a physical adept for you. Do you think he would be amenable to a little sack time with me?”

  William’s ears turned bright red.

  “I told you she is a straight forward woman. I’d rather you not do anything like that right now. I need a sanctum. Then I need to deal with your master. Am I still correct in assuming that he will not lay down the burden of being the arch mage of Washington DC?”

  “I have talked with him, and he will not give up without a fight. He is a mage of the old school. He will not consent to lay down the burdens of being the archmage without a spell dire.”

  “He knows who is coming after him, does he not?”

  “Yes. I think My Master called you Mister fancy pants.”

  “Okay. We will wait until I get a sanctum. Are you ready to divine my next sanctum’s location?”

  “Of course. I did a preliminary figure, and there are approximately six mansions that are haunted. I can now tune down to determine if there’s a specific configuration that you want.”

  “I need something at least four stories tall. I need at least a basement preferably two if it can be managed. I would like for the basement to be along the entire bottom first floor.”

  “You want a true tower.”

  “If you can manage, I would like the one with a cupola.”

  Eldura gave William a meaningful look. Then she rolled her eyes as Thomas gave her the last item. William nearly laughed. The thing that kept him from doing so was the simple fact that both of these people could probably kill him with a mere gesture.

  Thomas made to remove everything from the table, but William held up his hand. He looked around with the sight. He did not know who it was, but there was a general miasma in the room. It was something that normals were used to the feeling, and so it colored the psychic background of the room.

  The two mages knew that when the adept starts to look around, they had better do so as well. Whatever it was it was no longer here. William made a gesture for them to follow him into one of the private dining rooms. They took the table furthest away from the curtained-off entranceway. William knew that he would know there was someone on the other side of the curtain. He did not know how we would know. He just knew that he would know.

  Eldura reached into a huge handbag and pulled out a map of Washington DC. She unfolded it and placed it on the table after Thomas had removed all of the plates silverware and cups. Eldura reached around her neck and unclasped a necklace with a silver chain. She clasped the chain together and then she held it over the map of Washington DC.

  In a demonstration of Eldura’s power, the talisman tried to drag her hand to the northeast to the south, to the southwest, and to the west. Then she closed her eyes and appeared to be whispering to herself. This had to be her recitation of what he wanted in the sanctum house. This time there were three houses it pointed out the one to the northeast, the one to the South, and the one to the west.

  As the trinket stopped at each of the houses, Thomas wrote down the address of each location.

  Eldura put her fingers to her temples. Apparently whatever she did took a lot out of her.

  “You have a place to stay?” asked William.

  She turned and faced William giving him a wan smile. “That is a generous offer, William. I may have to be my Masters second tomorrow. Just as you will have to be your masters second. A spell Dire is a fearsome thing to behold. I don’t think you need to worry about an attack on you. Thomas is pretty much protected you with that wonderful suit you’re wearing.”

  William preened a little bit. “Thank you. I think it’s actually quite good.”

  “You are the height of fashion, My master I was just told me that he wishes to conduct so dire tomorrow. I do beg your pardon this is not the usual we have doing things.” said Eldura.

  “Then until tomorrow.”

  William watched Eldura walk away. Not knowing if he would ever see her again.”

  “Thomas?”

  “Yes.”

  “I am a physical adept. Does that mean that I am immortal?”

  “The reason that wizards are immortal is that they are regularly using the power. The power repairs us. No one knows why the creator made this happen. To keep us under check, the creator made it so that we cannot reproduce. If you expect your upcoming tryst with Eldura to produce a child, it will not.

  “The reason why your abilities are not considered to be the use of the power is that it is natural. I know punching your fist through a door is not natural. But for all intents and purposes, it is natural for you.”

  “Thomas, What does it mean to be a second at a spell dire?”

  “During the spell dire only the two combatants are allowed to cast spells. If someone wishes to intervene in a spell dire, it is the job of the second to end that person’s life. Those bullets that Dr. Colt gave you will kill just about any wizard’s life. As my second, you will be the Marshall of the spell dire. That will make you the arbiter of any dispute within the spell dire.

  “I’m going to insist that we raise an anti-magic shell to prevent the power from getting out of hand. Also, it will be something he has to do with me. If the old man cannot manage to raise an anti-magic shield on his part he loses by default. If that happens, you may have to put a bullet through his head. If Eldura intervenes when you perform your required task, you may have to put a bullet through her head.”

  “That will be a waste of a wonderful woman.”

  Thomas turned on William sharply. “If it comes to it you will put a bullet through her head you have no choice in the spell dire. You have to do this without consideration. You will be executing justice. Part of what that badge means is justice.”

  “Oh, I can take care of that. This is going to be a waste of a woman.”

  “Very good. Tomorrow’s going to be a very long day. Eldura will arrive in the morning to inform us of what time the spell Dire will be conducted. We will take our brougham to the designated spot. We will then form our circle and cast spells at each other until one of us dies. Everything is supposed to be done by the other combatant. Watch Eldura and see if she is helping her master. If she does, she is in violation of the spell dire.

  “If it is the preparation phase, you do not kill her. You simply point out the fact that she’s in violation. At that point, she has to leave the area forthwith. Now let’s get some sleep and rest.”

  Spell Dire

  William awoke early the next day. There’s something about having a duel that made him want to take a bath. He had one drawn. Into the bathroom, he also brought his pistol in its holster. Maybe there is honor amongst wizards, but William was not taking any chances. A lot was riding on this duel.

  In the bathroom, he shaved, dried his hair, and put on his underwear. He belted his pistol around his waist and walked the rest away to his room. He unlocked the door and entered. William is not usually this conscious of security. He just did not know what the current arch mage of Washington DC would do to retain that title.

  He finished dressing in his silk suit. He tied a bit of black ribbon around his neck. He then finished off his dressing by putting all of the weapons that he carried in their sheaths. In all, he added two
throwing knives in individual sheaths on either side if the frock coat opening, a fighting knife in a sheath behind his neck, and a couple of small knives in his that. Now adequately dressed he walked down to the dining room.

  Already waiting in the dining room was Thomas. Thomas was reading a newspaper. His usual breakfast of biscuits and gravy was nowhere to be found. It appeared that all he was having for breakfast was coffee. William sat down. He noticed that Thomas looked up from his paper and then look back down.

  “Well it looks like my spell dire is open news,” said Thomas

  Thomas folded the newspaper around the article in question. He then tossed the newspaper towards his friend. William picked up the paper as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He put in his usual two spoonfuls of sugar. He stirred the sugar in his coffee making sure that the spoon clanked against the ceramic mug precisely four times.

  The article indicated that there was to be a spell dire for control of Washington DC. It suggested that the archmage of Washington DC was going to have to defend his title against what the paper indicated was a whippersnapper. William doubted that you could call somebody over a hundred and fifty years old a whippersnapper.

  “So, you’re going to have some witnesses to the spell dire.”

  “Don’t you remember me telling you that the current Archmage is decrepit. I doubt very sincerely that he’ll be able to raise a barrier in response to mine. People will come and may get hurt.”

  “Well if it bothers you I could keep them away. A badge and a gun must mean something.”

  “I don’t want you wasting your energy keeping the common clay away from the spell dire.”

  “Who has a choice of location?”

  “I do as the challenger.”

  “Can you not set up for some known location nearby?”

  Thomas tried manfully not to smile. “Why did I not think of that. I could make the location Danton’s garden. That’s a place where wildlife and old plants grew in such a way that it looks like a fairy garden. It’s well known, and he cannot refuse, because it is twenty minutes away by buggy. As my second you must deliver the location. Let me write down the house number for you. Do not enter the house. All you are to do is give the location to the Archmage, or his second.”