Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen – Serving the Council

“Put this on and then we’ll head to the study.” Harriette smiled, holding out a small bundle of clothing for me to take.

“What is this?”

“A servant’s uniform in Lady Otrea’s black and green colors. Only servants and guards are allowed in the room once their meeting begins.”

“Who exactly are the people visiting?” I asked taking the clothing from Harriette. “Lady Otrea said she wanted me to serve her guests but never said anything else about them.”

Harriette smiled sardonically. “I’m sure she believed you’d try to flee if you knew.”

“Well, now you’re scaring me. Who are these people?”

“The Council of Sorcery. Together they are the six most powerful mages in the entirety of the Kingdom of Ciriczar. They directly advise the royal family on matters related to magic, though Lady Otrea is technically no longer a member.”

“If she’s no longer a member, then why are they coming here?” I asked as a chill ran down my spine. Suddenly I wasn’t feeling so confident that my orange peel tea was going to go over well.

“Lady Otrea is the most powerful archmage to have ever been considered a member of the council. Out of respect to her power and former position they meet with her annually.”

“So they obey whatever she says?” I was hopeful that their reverence for Otrea would be enough to guarantee my safety.

“Not exactly.” Harriette looked like she was biting her tongue to keep from saying more. “Now quickly get dressed, we’re running out of time.”

The outfit I’d been given was little more than a glorified maid uniform. With a green apron instead of white. Once I was dressed I pulled at the skirt, desperate for it to go lower than mid-thigh. “Why is this dress so short?!”

“Lady Otrea prefers it that way.” Harriette replied lifting up the pitcher of my finished tea. “Now let's go.”

“Yes ma’am.” My cheeks felt hot, and I wanted nothing more than to hide underneath my blanket. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have what I wanted. Grabbing the bowl of my candied peels I took off after Harriette.

Once we arrived at the study Harriette guided me over to a small cart in the corner of the room. Atop it were six glasses, enough for each of the council members. I sat my candied peels down beside the glasses while Harriette set about chilling my tea with her magic.

Otrea was already in the room. Standing below the six magical windows, intensely watching a circle of glowing runes. Given my knowledge of video games and fantasy novels from my world, I assumed it was some kind of teleportation gate.

My assumption was correct as after a few minutes of waiting the runes began to glow even brighter and a handful of figures began to emerge. Five individuals, three men, and two women, dressed in extremely ornate clothing appeared. After greeting Otrea they each made their way to the circular table at the center of the room. While more individuals, most dressed in some form of armor, appeared.

The second wave of individuals all took up positions behind various council-members, their eyes scanning the room for any obvious threats. Each time one of their gazes landed upon me I felt like I was going to turn to dust from sheer terror.

“Members of the Council of Sorcery and attendants, welcome to my home.” Otrea greeted everyone. Her voice artificially amplified throughout the room with magic.

“Before we begin, I’ve arranged a treat from a foreign world to be served today.  I do hope that you enjoy it.”

Guess that is our cue!

Harriette filled each of the glasses with the chilled orange peel tea while I carefully garnished each one with a candied peel. Then carefully we carried the glasses to the table. Placing one before each member of the council. 

“We’ve not seen this servant of yours before.” One of the guards growled at Otrea. “Are you certain you can trust her to serve beverages to the council? Would you be willing to drink first to prove this has not been poisoned?”

Otrea laughed. “Why test for poison when you can just nullify it with magic?” Waving her hand in the air Otrea began her chant. “[Poison Nullification]. There, if it was poisoned, it is no longer.”

“Please forgive my servant’s outburst, Otrea.” Said a young green-haired woman with two orange horns poking out of her forehead. Of all the council-members she appeared the youngest. “We trust that any servant of your house is well trained. It was wrong of him to assume your newest would be anything less than perfectly trustworthy.”

“It is fine.” Otrea waved off the woman’s words before lifting her glass. “Now please, enjoy.”

The council-members lifted their glasses and after a brief toast tilted back the fruits of my labors. A couple of the men downed the whole glass while the eldest man, as well as Otrea and the other women sipped at theirs.

“Damn, this is pretty good.” One of the male council members said, glancing at me. “How much is this one worth to you Otrea? I’d happily purchase the rights to her services from you.”

“She is no indentured servant Bartham.” Otrea grinned. “She serves me of her own accord. Isn’t that right Bernice?”

Hey… isn’t that green-haired woman looking a little pale? Should I say something? Did she not like the flavor?

“Umm… yes! I could never imagine serving anyone but Lady Otrea.”

“What a pity. Your talents are wasted on the exiled witch.”

Exiled witch?

Before I could ask what Bartham had meant, the green-haired woman clutched her throat and dropped to the floor.

“She’s been poisoned?!”

“How is that possible?”

“Otrea removed any possible poison.”

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“The rabbit-woman has done something. Kill her.”

Kill her?! Shouldn’t they try to save the dying woman first? Also I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!

Before I could run a trio of spells converged on me. Clutching my eyes shut and preparing myself for death I screamed for the only savior I could think of. “Otrea!!"

An explosion of heat washed over me as the spells erupted. Yet other than the heat, I was left unharmed. Opening my eyes slowly I found that a translucent blue barrier had been erected before me. As spiderwebs crossed the room, ensnaring those who’d attacked me.

“Yes, Bernice?” Otrea drawled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

“I didn’t hear you chant.”

“I chanted silently,” Otrea laughed. “Now before Eurycleia dies and I have to waste my last Dragon Crystal making her an undead, perhaps you could tell me what is happening to her?”

“Does it matter? Can’t you just cast a healing spell and be done with it?”

“Magic requires the caster to be able to imagine what is happening to a degree. If she were poisoned I could imagine the poisoning substance being eradicated and my spell would function. If she were stabbed I could simply imagine the damage done by the blade sealing itself together. With this, I know she was not poisoned, and I know she was not stabbed. I need you to tell me what is happening so I can save her.”

“Okay.” I rushed to Eurycelia’s side, with Otrea threatening the various guards and council members to keep them out of my way. Crouching down beside her I could just barely hear her faint desperate attempts to breathe.

“I think she’s experiencing anaphylactic shock.”

“Which is?”

“An allergic reaction to food.”

“What does my magic need to do to save her?”

“Her blood pressure. It’s probably bottomed out, we need to raise her blood pressure. In my world we used a drug called epinephrine to do it.”

“Very well.” Otrea started chanting, clutching one of Eurycelia’s hands in her own. “[Healing Vigor].”

“You should also use magic that has an antihistamine-like effect. Something to help her breathe easier.”

“Can you explain it in a way I can understand?”

“Her airways have become inflamed and narrow. We need to cut down on the inflammation to help her breathing.”

“Understood.” Otrea chanted her spell once again, and slowly color began to return to Eurycelia’s face.

“Has she been saved?” Bartham asked coming to stand behind us.

“Most likely,” I replied. “It looks like Lady Otrea’s magic has done what needed to be done. Though she’ll need to be watched for the next day at least. In some cases it is possible to have a second reaction, and she’ll need to be treated once again.”

Thank Fred for your shrimp allergy Aunt Laura. As terrible and terrifying as it was, without it I’d have had no clue what to do.

“I believe our healers have reported patients with similar symptoms to what poor Eurycelia just experienced. No matter what magic they used the patients never recovered.” The second councilwoman noted.

She was a tall charcoal-skinned woman with golden eyes and light-blue hair. Smiling she made her way over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “Would it be possible to have you come to the capital? Coach our healers through this process so that we can save lives?” 

“She’ll never step foot in the kingdom without me.” Otrea said bitterly, knocking the other woman’s hand away. “Which as you know isn’t going to happen. Not as long as the current king upholds his Great Grandfather’s decision to have me banished from Ciriczar.”

“You said before she was not indentured to you. Therefore you do not have the right to restrict her in this matter. By the authority of the Council of Sorcery, I am extending an official invite to be a guest of the state to-,” the woman’s eyes glowed. “Miss Bernice Edelberg.”

“What say you, Bernice?” Bartham chimed in. “Will you join us in the capital? Help our healers save lives? You could stay at my home, I’d treat you as an honored guest. A woman as cute as you need not waste her time working as a servant.”

What do I do?

Stunned and stressed, with the burst of adrenaline I’d felt before fading fast I suddenly felt incapable of speech. Instead, I did the only thing I could do, and I moved to hide behind Otrea. Everyone kept saying how she was one of the most powerful archmages in the world, and I was not about to ally against her.

If Otrea didn’t want me to go to the capital, I wouldn’t go to the capital. For my own wellbeing.

“I believe that answers your question.” Otrea smiled, turning to pet my head. “Now Bernice has stated that Eurycelia could have a second reaction, so I intend to keep her here with me. I ask that the rest of you please head home, we will postpone our meeting for two days. Return here then.”

“Also.” Otrea turned a cold stare upon the mages who’d attacked me. “If they step foot in my home ever again I’ll turn their bodies to ash. Do not test my patience.”