City of Air (Lost Cities Saga 1)

The dress was black and dark gold taffeta with a wrap skirt, elaborate bustle and small train. The neckline was low, the sleeves were capped on her shoulders and it was a bit heavy but all that Leona noticed was that the hem swept the ground at her feet. Finally, she had a proper ladies' dress!

She had no idea where the djinniyeh had procured this, or any of the other dresses that she had brought for Leona to wear thus far, but this was by far the prettiest. Leona turned left and right looking at her reflection and then someone said, "My word, Miss Ruby, you do clean up well."

Leona scowled and turned to look at the speaker. Cedric, the dandy, stood in the doorway in a maroon suit with a bright red silk tie. His hair had been slicked back, his suit pressed sharp and his Aries-cufflinks glinted gold at his wrists. He had added an earring though so he looked a little like a fancy pirate at a masque. There was no sign of Generous, who despite being an air magician, supposedly, was not invited to the party. Cedric was actually going along as her escort but Leona suspected that it was really because Lord Aries needed someone less conspicuous than the djinniyeh to keep an eye on her.

"Do you want something? Powder for your nose?" asked Leona with a smile.

Cedric's smile fell away to be replaced by a sneer and he said, "For how long do you think that His Lordship will stand for you? Do you think this is some kind of adventure that we're on? That you have any real importance to his quest?"

Leona, knowing better, said nothing but folded her arms and settled her weight onto one leg. He watched the movement and his lip curled even more. "You were nothing before that John Opal, that misguided fool found you in the slums and you continued to be nothing even after. You have no special talent, no great power, and no skill with magic that would make anyone take particular notice of you. Did you think he was impressed with your powers? No, what John Opal felt for you that day was pity. How could he let this poor dirty little creature die?"

She tried not to let his petty insults get to her but she could feel her hackles rising. She unfolded her arms and clenched her hands into fists at her sides. He continued, oblivious, unconcerned, "I don't know what you expect of this arrangement between yourself and His Lordship but it will not turn out the way you think. When we are done with this venture, I will see you dropped back into the mud-hole we took you from, where you belong."

Leona wanted to hit him, she really did. And he deserved to be hit. Did he forget that he was the one who started that fire that brought her to Master Opal? Did he really think that a man like Lord Aries would kill another person for some little girl he was going to "drop back into the mud-hole where she belonged"? Clearly he was more naïve than she thought. Still, she could not resist saying something so she said, "Why don't you just drop me off now? I have no problem going home. Do you think I want to be here with you and 'His Lordship'?"

Cedric's eyes narrowed and he marched into the room towards her. Leona refused to step back but she squeezed her fists tighter and braced herself for whatever he had planned. She was not afraid of him and never would be. He stopped mere inches away, glowering down at her, nostrils flaring and bringing to mind a bull about to charge. Leona matched his glare with one of her own and said, "Go on, I dare you."

His eyes narrowed further and his shoulder twitched as if he was about to raise his arm to hit her. Leona resisted the instinct to flee, straightened her spine and stuck out her chin. For a moment they stood like this, glaring at each other, and then Cedric dropped his gaze and stepped away from her. Surprised, Leona blinked and he muttered, "You are not worth it."

Leona scoffed, turned and stomped away. But she could not resist a parting shot, calling over her shoulder as she went, "I should have let him toss you over the side like he wanted."

She never made it to the door. Halfway there he seized her by the arm and jerked her back. She cried out, surprised, "Let me go, you pig!"

He swung her round, grabbed the other arm and forced her to look at him as he snarled, "How about I toss you off the ship?"

Leona struggled in his grip, trying to wrench herself free but he tightened his hold, squeezing until she cried out again and said, "What do you know of anything that Lord Aries has planned? You foolish little girl, do you know what you are to him? Do you think that one can simply walk up to one of the Great Spirits and request their aid? No, you have to pay a price and that price is you."

She froze, stunned, gaping up at him. He was still glaring down at her, breathing hard and fast but then he squeezed his eyes shut, released her and stepped away. Leona straightened but did not move away from him. He continued, "That is why Lord Aries is bringing you along on this little expedition, he told me. He's going to offer you to the White Tiger in exchange for that book and that will be the end of it. If you had any sense, Miss Ruby, you would run as far away as you could. You are far safer out there among the Unionists than in here with us."

Leona, still stunned, barely heard him, still going over in her head what he had told her. Lord Aries intended to sacrifice her to the White Tiger? But that made no sense; she was a water magician, not air, what would be the point?

She looked up at Cedric to find him standing before her mirror, straightening his tie and hair. With a few passes of his hand his hair was slicked back and neat again. No one would ever be the wiser. Her arms were still smarting from the pressure of his hand, the friction on her skin from his gloves. She wanted to kick him, to make him hurt as much as her, but before she could act on it, someone said, "Miss Ruby, Mr Miller, what's keeping you two? We're going to be late and Mr Garnet will not be pleased that the star attraction missed her cue."

They both turned to find Lord Aries in the doorway, dressed in a fine black and red suit with black top hat, cane and, to complete the look, Aries mask in one gloved hand. The last time Leona had seen him like this was at the dinner party days earlier, hours before he would kill John Opal. She looked away from him again, folded her arms and clutched at her elbows. The shiver that went down her spine then had nothing to do with the coolness of the room.

Cedric stepped forward and said, "Ah, yes, we're ready to go. I was just reminding Miss Ruby that she needs to be on her best behaviour. It would be unfortunate if she were to cause you any embarrassment."

Lord Aries glanced at him a moment before he extended his hand to Leona and said, "Come along, Miss Ruby, we shall walk in together."

Leona hesitated only a moment before walking to him and taking his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the room. But before they were through the door, Lord Aries said, "And Mr Miller, I assure you, Miss Ruby is always well-behaved. Do take care to stay close. I would hate to lose you in the crowd."

Lord Aries did not wait around for Cedric's response and as soon as he and Leona were out of the room they were greeted by sounds of the party below. They had been given rooms at the Garnet family's mansion, near the grand ballroom in which the party was held. Leona had caught a glimpse of it through an open door earlier. There was a highly-polished white marble floor with crystal chandeliers on the ceiling and long, silk drapes along the walls. When they passed there had been servants carting in massive metal structures which Leona took to be decorations of some sort but that was odd because at the last ball she had been too, the hostess had decorated with flowers. Perhaps it was a Union thing.

Now there was music and the low murmur of many voices talking and laughing—the other guests, Leona supposed—and something smelled delicious. They were arriving in time for dinner then. Leona felt her stomach rumble and Lord Aries laughed and said, "I've always said that ladies take entirely too long to dress. Well, don't worry my dear; you shall be fed soon enough."

The djinniyeh was waiting for them outside the doors to the ballroom and Lord Aries asked as he saw her, "Is everything prepared?"

"Yes," she said, looking at Leona.

Leona stared back, thinking, almost against her will, of what Cedric had told her. But of course he was wrong and just trying to scare her because he did not understand the exact nature of her "arrangement" with Lord Aries.

"Wonderful," said Lord Aries, then turning to Leona, "Shall we, my dear?"

Leona tried not to scowl, hating that he called her "my dear" as if he was some kindly uncle, and said, "Yes."

The djinniyeh nodded to the two attendants at the double doors, who pulled them open to reveal a carnival of fabric and light. Leona blinked and looked again but then Lord Aries had pulled on her arm and a moment later they were standing before a parade of waltzing couples, twirling each other around in a circle amidst groups of quietly chattering, finely-dressed people. Leona had never seen clothing so beautiful, nor people so neatly groomed, nor so much jewellery and other accessories until the people glittered, sparkled and shone where they stood or moved under the lights. And now that they were assembled the decorations made sense. The hall had been decorated to mimic the plans for the West City in miniature, so that the guests looked as if they were walking through the sky.

And then before Leona could gather her bearings, the three sisters were with them, each dressed in white and some silvery material that looked like metal. They also had headbands of the same material and thick, silver bracelets. It took Leona a moment to realise that they were dressed a little like Kara, though this era's version of the Viking dress anyway.

"Miss Ruby, you're here at last!" said Rose.

"Good evening, Your Lordship," said Lavender and Orchid.

Lord Aries chuckled and replied, "I know that everyone has been waiting for Miss Ruby. Unfortunately, your father must present her to your guests before we can release her to your care."

Rose pouted but stepped back and Lord Aries swept Leona past them to where Mr Garnet stood with three men and two women, middle-aged, rotund, and swathed in silk and diamonds. If any were magicians Leona could not tell though for they had dressed no differently. Mr Garnet spotted the new arrivals first, leaned over to whisper to the lady beside him and then the others all turned to look at her. Once again, Leona got the impression that she was being appraised and she did not like it. Then Lord Aries leaned over to her and whispered, "You are going to conduct a séance for the guests."

Leona looked up at him wide-eyed. He continued, "Think of it as an ordinary summoning. All the materials have been prepared."

Leona shook her head at him, insistent, and said, "I don't know how to summon a soul. I don't have the runes or the incantation. You didn't teach me that."

"Do not trouble yourself, Miss Ruby. You can do it," he said, and then they were standing with Mr Garnet and his guests and Leona had to swallow her response. Lord Aries stepped away to present her to the group with a flourish, drawing his arm back and saying with a smile, "I present to you the young lady you have all been waiting for, Miss Leona Ruby."

They all stared at her for a moment, then one of the men, tall and white-haired with gold round-rimmed spectacles turned to one of the other men and said, "A freewoman? Goodness, what has become of these Creoles?"

Leona bit the inside of her cheek to stop the words that bubbled at the back of her throat, curtsied instead and said, "Good evening, Mr Garnet, Mr Garnet's guests."

Her host nodded at her but one of the women, younger, slimmer, though she still kept her nose turned up at Leona said, "Surely you jest, Your Lordship."

Leona looked at Lord Aries too, to find him smiling back at the woman before saying, "No, no, not at all, Mrs Howard. This is, as promised, Miss Leona Ruby, surviving descendant of House Ruby and first aether magician in the Empire in centuries. I have brought her tonight to perform a summoning, I hope you will enjoy."

At this, Mr Garnet signalled to someone off to the side and the lights brightened then dimmed. The music stopped and with it the dancing couples, though some later than others, prompting giggles, and then Mr Garnet stepped forward and said as loudly as he could, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight to my little dinner party."

More giggles, Leona turned to look at the assembled guests and noticed then that quite a number were staring back at her. She looked at Mr Garnet instead. Her host continued, "Now, I lured you all here on a promise, a promise that I am happy to say I can fulfil." He stepped closer to her, lifted an arm and said, "All the way from the Caribbees, as promised, is an Imperial magician. This is Miss Leona Ruby." A light came on over her and Leona blinked away the sudden glare. Unaffected, Mr Garnet continued, "This young lady is no ordinary magician, no, but she is a rare treat, a real aether magician." Leona's eyes adjusted enough that it did not hurt to open them and when she dared to look it was to find that all eyes were now on her. She looked up at Mr Garnet to avoid the unrelenting gazes, the unnerving habit they had of looking her directly in the eyes.

Mr Garnet glanced at her, then back to his audience and continued, "Now some of you may be wondering just what an aether magician is. The magicians among us need no such enlightenment but for those of us that do, an aether magician has the ability to summon elementals of that much-theorised fifth element: the spirit. Magician scholars of the East and West and all over the world have quibbled over the details, whether fifth or sixth, whether this is energy or the soul, but they have all agreed that this is a rare gift and any who possess it are closer to the Otherworld than this one. Miss Ruby here is one such magician."

There was more laughter, some disbelieving looks, and murmurs. Leona refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her offended expression and instead focussed on a massive spire opposite where she stood with Mr Garnet. It was a miniature replica of the spire from the plans. Mr Garnet said, "I know that some of you don't believe me. Well, that is unfortunate. Perhaps you would prefer the word of her master (more snickering) James, Lord Aries."

He stepped away to let Lord Aries take his place and the magician wasted no time in establishing just what he was. As soon as he stood in the centre of the room he put his hands together in a clap that made his hands burst into flame. There were shocked gasps, and even Leona took a step back but he merely lifted his arms, still aflame, the fire spreading up to his elbows, and whispered an incantation. A moment later the flames on his arms went out with nary a wisp of smoke. The room was deathly silent now; even Leona had held her breath, waiting. A moment later with a roar a rotating pillar of flame surged to life in the middle of the dance floor. Someone screamed and a woman swooned but Leona released the breath she had been holding as the djinniyeh took form in the fire and knelt at Lord Aries' feet, dressed in a red, bejewelled floor-length gown that covered her to the throat and wrists and a gauzy, glittering veil over her curling dark hair.

Lord Aries smiled gently down at her and said, "Noor."

She looked up at him, bowed and said, "Master." He nodded his acknowledgment and then she turned to the crowd. They stared back at her, still deathly silent. The djinniyeh did not smile but she bowed for them too and went to stand with Lord Aries, then both turned their attention to Leona. She stared back and when this went on for nearly a minute, said, "What?"

Lord Aries' smile became momentarily strained and he turned to the audience and lifted his eyes to the ceiling in the manner of the long-suffering. The silence was broken by giggles and light laughter. His smile widened and he looked back to Leona and said, "Whenever you are ready, Miss Ruby."

Leona was still confused. She asked, "Ready to do what?"

More laughter, and then someone called out, "I want to see my old Uncle Arthur!"

Leona turned to look at who it was but she could not identify the speaker in the sea of faces. Lord Aries said, "Now you know, that is not such a bad idea. I think I should like to meet your Uncle Arthur too."

"No, no," called another. "I think we should call for one of her ancestors!"

"House Ruby!" was the next cry, which was quickly chorused by others until all over the room they were calling for Leona to summon someone from the fallen house. Leona could not hide her astonishment and horror at the very idea. Did they not know what had happened to House Ruby? Clearly they had never seen a ghost before, wearing the appearance of their death for all eternity. Would they even care?

She looked to Lord Aries for aid, but he was looking at Mr Garnet, who shrugged and then Lord Aries said, "I'm afraid that's not possible. In order to summon the soul of a deceased individual, the magician must possess something that belonged to that person. Does anyone have anything, besides a name?"

There was no doubt in Leona's mind that Lord Aries did possess such a thing but considering that he was presenting her to these people as a descendant of the fallen house it would not do him any good to offer it. His question had the desired effect, of identifying anyone else present who did, no one, and putting an end to requests along that vein. And when he was satisfied that no one could potentially disrupt his plans, he said, "I have a suggestion of my own."

He walked over to Leona then, took one of her hands and placed something into it. He smiled at her, staring her directly in the eyes, which she held though her brow was furrowed in confusion. He released her hand and she opened it to look at what he had given her, and then looked back up at him even more confused. It was a man's monocle.

He stepped away from her and said for the audience, "My dear friend, Mrs Howard, might recognise this object, since it belonged to her late husband."

Leona glanced back at the woman, wide-eyed, to find that Mrs Howard was staring at Lord Aries' back, lips pursed. He continued, apparently oblivious, "I am sure that most of you remember Mr Howard, he certainly made an impression on me in the brief time that I knew him. He was a war hero, champion of the Union cause, and in later years an esteemed member of society, patron of magicians and the arts, which is how I'm told that he and Mr Garnet became acquaintances. Unfortunately he left us rather early. Miss Ruby, if you please…."

Leona looked at the monocle in her hands again then back to Lord Aries. He waited, and then as if remembering, exclaimed, "Ah! I forgot…." He walked back over to her, leaned close and whispered, "His name was Samuel Arthur Wellington Howard, and the summoning goes,

'The Golden Dragon emerges from the Centre,

He who stands between the worlds above and below,

He who binds all elements together and severs the tie,

He who is the force behind all things, I call your name: Aether.'

You will follow by calling out Mr Howard, do you understand?"

Leona nodded at him, tightening her fist around the monocle. Lord Aries smiled at her and then turned back to the guests and said, "Forgive me. Details, details…and now, without further ado: Miss Ruby."

He stepped away from her. Leona watched him go and then turned to the guests. They stared back, silent, waiting, and Leona dropped her gaze to her hand. She did not know this Samuel Howard and Lord Aries thought that it was enough to give her the incantation and tell her to summon him? And how had Lord Aries gotten this man's monocle anyway? Or did he kill him like he had killed Master Opal?

Someone coughed, breaking through Leona's thoughts and she looked up. What would these people say if she summoned this man's soul, somehow, and he accused Lord Aries of his murder? Master Opal certainly would and what would Lord Aries do then? Surely they would arrest him.

"Miss Ruby…" said Lord Aries, his tone suggesting a command.

Leona straightened her spine, then bowed, straightened again and said, "Um."

Laughter followed and Leona felt her cheeks and neck warm in her embarrassment, but then she took a deep breath, cleared her throat and repeated aloud the incantation Lord Aries had whispered to her.

Having never summoned a soul before, after all those years trying to banish them, Leona imagined that all she had to do was the opposite of what she had done before. Instead of concentrating her power towards creating a wall or a shield that would push the spirit back to wherever it had come from, she pictured instead a gate in the middle of a bridge that linked this world and the other. And when she could see it in her mind she opened her eyes again, threw away the monocle and said, "I call your name: John Michael Christopher Potts!"

Too late did Lord Aries realise what she had said. She turned to find him advancing on her, eyes narrowed, practically growling, "Miss Ruby, what have you—"

He halted abruptly when the lights in the room suddenly went out. There were shocked gasps all around, and then Leona felt that familiar tug on her energy, a strain she had not felt in years, not since she was a child and the ghosts haunting her family's shack had first begun to appear. There were more than a few astonished cries, though no one moved, and then Leona noticed a flickering light in her peripheral vision. She turned to it, a candle on a stand by the door just as its flame bent towards her and went out.

Another round of gasps, though this time the room was completely dark so that drape-covered windows were illuminated dark blue. And then the ball of light formed in the middle of the room.

Leona took a step back, feeling the tug on her energy grow stronger, and a presence formed in her mind, familiar, rough and steely. A moment later the ball of light illuminated the swirling smoke of the extinguished candles as they flowed to the centre of the room and took the form of a tall, broad-shouldered man with a hook-nose and hawkish gaze. If the guests realised that this was indeed not Mr Howard, they did not say a word. Even Lord Aries had been rendered speechless.

The smoke had mixed with the ball of light so that the entire wispy form of the man had an electric blue glow that, as they looked on, became blazing white. Leona stood staring at it with her mouth open, not quite believing that she had managed it on the first try, not quite believing that it was Master Opal. Then he opened black eyes that somehow stood out in the darkness and said, "Miss Ruby…what's going on?"

Leona started at the sound of her own name in that familiar voice, as strong and clear as it had been less than a week earlier, before Lord Aries murdered him, then blinked, remembering herself and asked, "Are you alright?"

Master Opal was looking around the room instead and his gaze seizing upon a familiar face, he cried, "You!"

He had addressed Lord Aries, who met his gaze and replied to Leona, "You are a wicked, disobedient little girl, Miss Ruby."

Master Opal looked between the two of them and said, "So you've got her."

Lord Aries wrinkled his nose at the spectre and said, "You would have preferred the boy?"

"Did you take my son as well?" asked Master Opal.

Lord Aries' mouth twisted in a wry smile and he replied, "Why? He knows even less than you did."

"And Miss Ruby knows nothing at all," said Master Opal, looking over to her.

Leona was beginning to feel light-headed. When Master Opal turned to her though, she felt her heart skip a beat and her breathing speed up. She tried to speak, "Master Opal, I—"

"What she does or does not know is irrelevant," Lord Aries snapped, cutting her off. "I am her teacher now and you agree that I am far better suited to that role than you ever were." He lifted his chin at Master Opal in challenge.

Leona made to speak again but Master Opal replied, brow furrowed slightly but eyes sharp, "Better suited…how?"

Then someone said, "John Opal?"

All eyes turned to find Cedric emerging from the crowd, walking towards the apparition with an unhealthily pale complexion and wide eyes. Master Opal turned to him and said, "And what do we have here?"

Cedric ignored him, saying instead, his voice high in pitch, "But…but you're dead. I saw you die…."

This prompted a flurry of whispers from the rest of the guests and then someone cried out, "It's a ghost!"

Leona turned to look at the speaker before she remembered that she could not see them in the dim light but Lord Aries replied, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Master John Opal. He is, or rather was, Miss Ruby's instructor."

The applause that greeted this statement began slowly at first, one or two of the guests first, but once the others heard them it spread to fill the room. Master Opal turned to look around the room, as if noticing for the first time where they were and as he went, Leona felt her vision blur. Someone put a steadying hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Lord Aries beside her and he squeezed until she gasped out a cry of pain. No one else noticed, and he said to someone, perhaps Mr Garnet or Mrs Howard, "Do you see? She is powerful, very powerful; she is the key to everything!"

Cedric was with them now, still in shock, saying, "How is she doing this…what—"

"Get a hold of yourself, boy!" snapped Lord Aries. "Have you forgotten your place?"

Leona felt herself sway and Lord Aries' grip switched from her shoulder to her arm. It was too late. Master Opal's soul vanished and Leona fainted.

"…arrangements have been made. We leave in the morning."

"I suspect that after last night's performance there will be no further trouble from your associates?"

Leona opened her eyes. Her mouth felt full of cotton and her head ached slightly, the slightest movement making her wince but she had to see where she was. She was lying on her side across the backseat of a steamcar. She had been wrapped in a blanket with a coat for a pillow and her skirt wrapped uncomfortably around her legs but if she shifted just so she found that she could sit up.

"On the contrary, there are concerns about a freewoman having that much power. Such things cannot be encouraged lest some of them get ideas. Even in the Free states of the Union one must be careful of that kind of power in the hands of those people."

"I will remind you that Miss Ruby is still a subject of the Empire, a ward of the Zodiac Society and a very powerful magician."

"Do not trouble yourself, my friend; no one would be foolish enough to attack her as long as she is in your custody. But I must ask, will she be ready in time?"

Lord Aries and Mr Garnet were talking. She spied them through the windows and quickly ducked her head again to listen. It was still dark out so she guessed she might not have been out for long. She had been left alone in the car, perhaps because she had been unconscious. She reached for the door on the other side of the car and gave the handle an experimental shake. The door gave a barely audible squeak as it creaked open. Then someone leant against it, forcing it closed again.

"Rest assured that I will hold up my end of the bargain as long as you hold up yours."

"Then it is settled. The girls send their regards to Miss Ruby whenever she wakes."

Leona looked up through the window to find Cedric there, glaring down at her. She backed away from the door and he opened it and climbed in, pushing her skirts aside as he did so to give himself room. Leona backed as much as she could into the opposite door and waited. He said nothing, just stared at her.

A moment later, someone opened the door behind her and Leona turned to see Lord Aries there. She shifted aside to give him room to sit on the opposite seat, followed by the djinniyeh, facing her and Cedric, while the driver climbed in the front. Leona sat back and took a deep breath.

Lord Aries waited until they had pulled away the Garnet mansion and heading to the main street to seize her by the arm and drag her half out of her seat closer to him and snap, "You stupid, insolent little girl! What a foolish thing that was! Do you have any idea of where you are? Do you know what you could have done?"

Heart racing, pulling away from him, one hand on the door handle, Leona replied, "I was going to expose you."

He shoved her back towards her seat, breaking her grip on the door and slapped her twice, hard. She gasped, stunned, cheeks stinging, eyes watering but he roared, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Are you trying to get us all killed? You said it yourself, from the moment we entered this country we became traitors to the Empire and the only hope we have of getting out of this with our necks intact is to succeed!"

He made to smack her again but Leona screamed, startling the driver and forcing the steamcar into a dance along the road. This prompted a chorus of horns from the other cars and threw them about in the backseat. But Leona, hand on the door again, snapped through gritted teeth, "If I help you I'm dead anyway!"

Then, without pausing to think about it, she threw open the door and jumped.