Jade nodded, then stood and proffered, “Yes, I am. I assume you’re Countess D’Ard?” The lady nodded, so Jade continued, “Then I’m going to need your help. While all this…” and here she waved her arms to indicate the pile of goop, “is well and good, it’s not the reason I visited the camp today.” The countess looked intrigued, at least. She nodded, then led Jade over to the private room next door, where two people followed behind her like aides and then shut the door after she and Christopher entered.
Jade walked over to a table, pulling out the jar of blood as she explained, “This is the blood that contains the mesmer taint. They should be drawn to it. I could have removed and killed the virus completely, and burning it should do the trick. However, I came up with a different use for it. If you know where the mesmer are going to go, then you can prepare.” She paused, collecting her thoughts before continuing.
“I think we could set up a trap. Put the blood in a secluded building. If the mesmer are drawn to it, just keep the building unlocked, unguarded, and unused. If we put the blood in an inner room, we could rig the door to that room so that bars come out to block the exits when it’s opened. Each bar could be reinforced with light magic to deter them further, and it should set off some type of alarm so you know they’re there and can go shoot them full of arrows. I would recommend the hallway to get to the inner room with the blood be rather long or that there are several doors between that and the exit. That way, if there are multiple mesmer, you’ll hopefully catch them running in a pack.”
“Alternatively, we could have more than one building set up this way so that they’re like little beacons that lower the potential of your people getting hurt because they’ll be drawn by the blood to the trapped areas. Honestly, we can probably divide this blood up quite a bit if necessary, because even a little bit of it seems to attract them. I just ask that you be very, very careful when divvying it up, because should a person get it on them and become infected, you will have just made a new target.”
She took in a deep breath, surveying the countess, aides, and Christopher to gauge how her idea was being received. Christopher was staring at her in shock again, while the other three were contemplating her. Finally, Countess D’Ard nodded. “That sounds like a well thought out plan, if it’s viable. The only problem is the glowing bars you mentioned, but we could probably include some glass that becomes visible instead.”
Jade frowned. “Why are the glowing bars not an option?”
The countess laughed at her like she was a silly child. “Light magic doesn’t stick to metal.”
Jade sighed in exasperation, then reached up and pulled out one of the bobby pins in her hair. Holding it in front of her, she met the countess’s eyes squarely before pouring her magic into the bobby pin. Like everything else, at first it resisted, but she stubbornly shoved her magic in until it began to glow, then shine brightly. She set the pin on the table and stated confidently, “If your mages can’t do it, I can.”
She glanced at her hands, then back at the countess as she finished, “Perhaps your people have been told it was impossible for so long that the mages believed it and stopped trying.” She thought of something else and shrugged. “Either that or because I’m also a metal mage, I can do it. I don’t know for sure. Whatever the case is, have them try, and if they can’t light them, send me a message and I’ll come over and do it. Just try to have the bars ready so that I can do it all at once because I don’t ever seem to have a whole lot of spare time.”
Really, the only breather she’d had since she got here was her reading time, and even that was a mad race for information. Did her bath this morning count?
What was that saying again—there’s no rest for the wicked?
Chapter Thirty-Five – Creation
Countess Marcelle was giving her a considering stare, but she nodded. “We’ll try it. I will inform you if we require further help.” She looked to be choosing her next words deliberately. “It’s a good idea, thank you. If this works, it will be a great boon for the kingdom.” There was something in her voice that Jade couldn’t quite place. It was the sadness and regret when her aides peeked at their leader that clued Jade in.
“You lost someone too, didn’t you?” More statement than question, Countess Marcelle looked surprised that she’d made the connection, then laughed a little grimly.
“It would be more surprising to find someone here who hasn’t lost a loved one. It’s a dangerous world, but yes, I lost my son three years ago.” She was staring at the blood in the jar. “I couldn’t save him, but I will at least try to avenge him.”
Jade nodded a little sadly. She mentally cataloged all the new people she’d quickly come to care for. What if something happened to them? Would her conviction falter? She didn’t know. She did know she didn’t want to live in fear of being taken. She shook that thought off, then smiled at Marcelle again. “Then may the odds be ever in your favor.” It was all she could do to stop herself from dwelling on the fact that it was a kill or be killed situation. She stood up, nodding to the jar. “Be careful with that until you’ve got the trap set. It’s like a giant target painted on your back.” Marcelle nodded, still pondering what she’d said.
“It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Lady Jade.” It was the first real smile she’d seen the countess have. To Jade’s surprise, Marcelle, who hadn’t given her the typical greeting, now brushed her cheek as she was leaving. She was even more surprised by Marcelle’s whisper, “Be wary. The heavens have a habit of retaliating against those who change the natural order.”
Well, that wasn’t ominous at all... Jade met her gaze briefly, then nodded and walked out with Christopher on her heels. Absently, she began singing under her breath, “I’m shaping up, I feel it in my bones. Enough to make the magic glow… Welcome to a new world, to a new world… I’m radioactive, radioactive.”
“What’s radioactive?” Christopher reminded her of his presence with his question as they walked among the curious gazes of the guards they passed.
She glanced at him, shaking her head. “Something I hope this world never has to deal with. By the way, what are your orders? How long are you planning to escort me?” He looked a little uncomfortable with her question, and she raised a brow. “Spit it out. I want the exact orders.” Since he didn’t want to tell her, she now conversely really wanted to know.
He sighed, then offered, “I was to pick you up from The Green Dragon, escort you to the gate and accompany you until you left. I’m only to leave you when you’ve reached either The Green Dragon, the library, or Dracona.”
She pondered this new information. It potentially told her a few things. One, they still thought she was in danger. Two, they wanted to know where she was at all times. Three, the safe spots were the ones controlled by the king where there were already monitors in place. Four, they really did think she needed a keeper. She frowned. She didn’t want to be followed everywhere she went.
She smiled sweetly at Christopher, then said innocently, “As much as I enjoy your company, I hereby relieve you of my guard duty.” He looked startled, and she continued, “If there’s a problem with that, tell whoever gave you the order to talk to me themselves.”
Christopher glanced around, then challenged, “You do realize it’s generally considered an honor to have a guard? It’s like announcing your worth to the people.”
She nodded, considering him. “I figured. But that comes with its own consequences, and not all of them good, in my opinion. It’s my life to live, and I don’t want to do it with someone following me around, as nice and helpful as they may be. It’s nothing against you personally, just on principle. I don’t need a keeper, despite what people may think.” She scowled a little bit. This felt like something Stephen had arranged, and while she appreciated it, she was also annoyed. “You can tell them that too.” She figured it might keep him out of trouble when she ditched him. He had been helpful, and she felt a tiny amount of remorse for what she was about to do, but she needed space to think.