Isaac handed me the gems he wanted to use in his circlet.

  And so, with his direction, I carefully inserted fifteen, 42pt faceted magical gems into the artifact. And like my staff, with that kind of power, the circlet gained a sense of awakening identity. I hoped it would be a pleasant one for him.

  We spent another ten minutes on his gems of choice. He pretty much knew what he wanted out of each, and my discussion of other options was mostly unnecessary.

  “I never asked, what base enchantment did you install?” I said as I handed him back his final, 42pt gemstone.

  He looked surprised, “I would have thought you might try it on after completing it and would therefore know what I used.”

  “No, given the power of this artifact, I thought it best that you be the first to imprint it. There’s no need to confuse the enchantment.”

  He nodded in agreement. “I know there is a lot of debate about that very topic. Do you know for certain that an imprint happens?”

  “No. It is more a feeling than a certainty.” I explained.

  “That is good enough for me, and I thank you. Then I will share, in confidence, that I used one of the Archmage’s own spell creations, one of his most powerful defensive spells known as Legendary Shield. It provides all the protection of the greater versions of Force Shield, Magic Shield, Mind Shield, and Spirit Shield in a single spell.”

  I whistled slowly. “That is powerful.”

  “Yes, it was something I had worked several years to understand, and this was my first use of it in an enchantment. That is why I did not want to risk using platinum, which theoretically would have been the metal of choice for a Seventh Spellbook spell. I did not have easy access to Elven Silver, and since you were so conveniently pronounced a Dwarven Master, Dwarven Copper seemed ideal.”

  “This is a general mage spell, not a specialist spell?” I asked, noting that he said Seventh Spellbook rather than a summoner’s Seventh Attunement or an Enchanter’s Seventh Arcana spell.

  “The archmage creates and identifies nearly all his spells as generalist in nature. I think it is because he has been a grandmaster of all the guilds for so many centuries, and because his magic predates most of the guilds, he just ensures they are usable by anyone. Although, in truth, he rarely shares his creations.”

  I closed the box’s lid, slid the latch home, and tapped the top of the lid happily. “Well, these will go well with their new robes.”

  “What is serving as their robes’ base enchantment and who is doing it?” He asked, curious as he examined his own circlet admiringly with all the gems in place.

  He had not placed it on his head yet.

  “I reached out to Master Habberjaz, whom I had for one of my last electives this year. I’m afraid that the enchanted boots for my final project ended up only as a Single Use Spell, but they did allow me to outrun all the other apprentices. I used a Sprint Skill from one of Simon’s brothers at the monastery. We got to have a lesson outdoors, and mine and another enchanter who used a Spider Climb effect were the most popular.”

  He nodded. “Eli is a good man and very talented with cloth and leather. Excellent choice. But he is known as being expensive.”

  “True, but I wanted the best, and as these are in defense of the city, I have a deep well to pull from if I deem it worthwhile,” I said.

  “And the base enchantment?” He asked again.

  “Oh, sorry. Knowing that your enchantment would grant them silence and invisibility, and the special bonuses of movement effects combined with it, I decided to give them a once-a-day fly spell for four hours.”

  It was his turn to whistle. “Flying, invisible, silent journeyman mages. I won’t sleep deeply in my bed at night, any longer.”

  I laughed. “Yes, I think they will be delighted as well.”

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  We made eye contact, and a long pause came between us.

  He cleared his throat and said, “It appears that the time has come to try this on.”

  “Do you want some privacy?” I asked.

  “Are you kidding?” He blurted. “If this goes horribly, horribly wrong, I want someone nearby to pull my bacon out of the fire.”

  “Maybe one of the guild masters would be a better choice-” I began.

  He waved me off again. “No, I trust you and your instincts, and I would like this to be kept in as tight a circle of people as possible. Besides,” he said, “it’s going to be fine.”

  “Of course it is.” I agreed. “Do you mind if I stand over there by the bookcase?” I asked.

  He laughed. “I needed that. Thanks. Okay, here it goes.”

  And without any more hesitation, he placed the circlet on his head so that it was parallel to the ground and went around his forehead.

  In that moment of tension, nothing happened.

  “Well, that was far easier than I thought.” He said. “I have access to all the powers, some amazing magical storage options for elemental spells, and no crazy voice in my head like the Imperial Robe.”

  I recalled that artifact with a shiver. That voice forever in my head would drive me insane. I understood why the Gray Master was happy to trade for it.

  “So, no voices at all?” I asked.

  “No. Did you hear voices with your staff?” He asked in return.

  “Actually, I have never heard voices with it. I have felt its presence a few times, but maybe it takes a while.”

  “Or maybe they have nothing yet to say,” Bella remarked beside us.

  We both jumped.

  “I will never get over that reaction.” She said with a glint in her eyes.

  “At least you admit it,” I said, catching my breath. “I always knew you did, but you played it off so casually.”

  “It unnerves people more when I act like nothing happened than if I acknowledge it.” She admitted.

  “And why share it now?” Isaac asked.

  “I like you. You like Gwydion and are more fond of him than you admit.”

  He cleared his throat. “Well, if I were ever to have a son-” He began and then left it hanging out there.

  I was touched, but couldn’t let it stop there. “He would be a hundred years younger than you?” I kept a straight face until his eyes got big, and then I couldn’t help it. I laughed deeply.

  “You young-” He began. “Here I am, bearing my soul-” He said before I interrupted.

  “Your clearly advanced and not inconsiderable soul,” I added.

  He laughed. “You are never going to let me live that down, are you?” He asked.

  “Not until better material comes along,” I admitted.

  Bella rolled her eyes. “The journeymen are gathering. If you boys could hurry up and enchant the circlets with sockets, we can have the presentation ceremony and get back to work saving the city.”

  “Yes, mother,” Isaac replied.

  I thought that teasing Bella might be pushing his luck, but she only tsked and disappeared again.

  “You are braver than I am,” I said.

  “She said she liked me. What could she do to me after that?” He said.

  I just looked at him. “Think about it hard enough and I’d guess you could come up with some ideas.”

  His smile slowly drained away. “Oh. I see what you mean. I may owe her an apology.”

  “You think?”

  We worked together to enchant the journeyman circlets with sockets. He prepped and sealed, and I cast the Five Sockets spell on each. I had to drink potions to cover all the casting points required. It left me winded but very pleased.

  “The windfall of potions from the alchemists seems to be getting good use.” He commented as I drained my third Lesser Magical Restoration potion.

  “True. And thanks for removing the potions you felt would be dangerous temptations.”

  “I think we should err on the side of caution. You have plausible deniability, and those who are beginning to fear your power will rest easier because The Tower confiscated the ‘bad’ potions before they could be used.”

  I was surprised. “I thought that people were finally warming to me.”

  “Some. Not all. People of power will always create enemies and even fear among some allies. Your youth adds to this uneasiness.”

  I sighed. “Well, I guess I can only be who I am and go with that.”

  “Spoken with not inconsiderable wisdom.”

  “It won’t work. I’m still using the line as I feel necessary.” I remarked as I added yet another five sockets to a circlet.

  By the time we were done enchanting the circlets, the entire available staff from all three floors had gathered at the front of the main level. The last couple of times we had gathered like this, it was to announce disasters or to mourn the loss of Ears. It was fitting that we held the ceremony here as well, creating a positive memory of our gathering for a change.

  Room was made for me and the Majordomo of The Tower to pass through from the back stairs to the front, where Ears’s sling shooter still hovered on its pillow above the pillar.

  They are ready for you. Irregulars, first? Bella asked me.

  Yes, just as we had discussed. I answered.

  There was a hushed silence as we took our places at the front. Biff barred the door loudly, its echo sounding throughout the room thanks to Bella.

  I nodded to him and then looked out at the gathered men, women, young men, and young women before me. I occasionally skipped and referred to the apprentices and irregulars as kids, but with the work they are doing and the threat we all faced, they were better and more respectfully recognized as young women and young men.

  “Thank you all for gathering. We won’t be long, as some of you are in the middle of potions and forging. Each and every one of you deserves praise and the gratitude of the city. And as we near the coming conflict, I am able, from time to time, to express that gratitude.”

  Looking around the room, I said in a raised voice, “Junior, would you and your irregulars please come forward?”

  There was jostling all over the hall as some of the more energetic irregulars pushed their way forward, while others came more shyly and reluctantly.

  Junior was in the middle of the group. He had no idea what was coming.

  “First, I would like to give a round of applause for the long hours, crazy destinations, and crazier missions carried out by these young women and men of the Special Services.”

  The entire room called out, “The Patron’s Services!”

  It was a custom that I gave up on trying to change. So I just accepted it and tried to keep humble about it. I did not want to turn into one of those old, ego-driven mages I had experienced off and on across my years in the guild academy. Someone like Master Ichabod Drammult in the capital, for instance.