Olivia

  Olivia

  The Second Sign of Alchemy Novel

  by

  Robert W. Oliver II

  The Sign of Alchemy Series, Book 2.

  Olivia Copyright © 2019 by Robert W. Oliver II.

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotes in critical reviews.

  FIRST EDITION

  Library of Congress Cataloging Data

  ISBN:

  Edited by Carla Rossi

  Publicist: Jami Albright

  Robert W. Oliver II

  Cider Grove Media

  a division of OCS Solutions, Inc.

  PO Box 3355

  Florence, AL 35630

  To contact the author or learn more about The Sign of Alchemy, please visit his website at www.jeweledwoods.com.

  To Daniel

  Chapter 1

  She was stunning.

  Her rich, dark, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her perfectly manicured nails shone despite the poor lighting. Her blue eyes cut across the room with purpose and precision. Grace flowed effortlessly from every movement.

  She flashed the bartender a lovely smile, took a large swig of ale, then pounded her empty mug on the table. A bit of froth dribbled down her chin. Slender, delicate fingers bunched a napkin in the most particular way and cleaned the mess.

  “Another?” the barkeep asked.

  She almost answered.

  “If it’s yer tab that worries ya…”

  She put her hand over the empty mug. “It’s not that.” She stood. “I shouldn’t.”

  Another patron chuckled. “Since when has one been enough, Olivia?”

  “I’ve still got some work to do.”

  The bartender pointed at her. “Good idea. Keep the wits sharp. Don’t let the men take advantage of you.”

  “I’m going to the temple,” she replied.

  “Alright, then. Don’t let the ladies take advantage of ya!”

  “And what if I let them?”

  The establishment roared in laughter. One of them asked, “Just what goes on there, Olivia?”

  She winked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  The bartender shooed her away from the bar. “Don’t encourage these dirty old fools.”

  She paid for her drink and bade the men goodbye.

  He waited a moment, paid his tab, then followed her. He vowed, then and there, she was not getting away.

  Chapter 2

  As he trailed Olivia, he soaked in the vibrant life that filled the streets of Selandis. The citizens thrived since they were no longer under the oppressive thumb of Vorea. Children weaved around vendor carts that offered a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables. Window planters filled with herbs and flowers provided a splash of spring color to the stone buildings. Even the cobblestone beneath his feet was relatively clean—an accomplishment for a street filled with horses and wagons.

  He followed her to the upper city, climbing the marble steps into the higher levels of the capitol. She turned left at the Varesh Assembly and headed directly toward the Temple of the Ael’Shanar. The temple was a stop for him as well, so he proceeded with a grin. Always a delight to mix business and pleasure.

  Olivia opened the large wooden doors of the temple. He stayed a fair distance behind and admired the ornate woodwork on the spiraling staircases and the intricately painted ceiling filled with planets and constellations.

  Her ascent up one of the large staircases caught his eye. Such an interesting juxtaposition—a cultured, spiritual woman swilling beer in a tavern. He continued to shadow her until she reached the third floor. He lagged to prevent his boots from echoing through the hallway and giving away his position. When she turned a corner, he picked up his pace, only to be stopped by a member of the order.

  The adept scowled. “Are you lost?”

  “I must be.”

  “This wing is for residents only.”

  He smiled. “Then I am surely in the wrong place. I wish to arrange an audience with the High Priestess.”

  The adept rolled her eyes. “You and everyone else.”

  “Can you help me?”

  “There is no need. The High Priestess allows anyone an audience. An unwise idea, but we must defer to her judgement.”

  “Where may I find her?”

  “The council chambers. Second floor, head into the north wing and continue to the end of the hall.”

  He bowed his head. “Thank you.”

  He pretended to follow her directions until she could no longer see him. After a bit of searching, he found Olivia standing at the end of a larger room looking out a window. He took a seat in the corner, removed his sketchpad, and began to draw what he saw.

  He drew the window, the railing, and the floor beneath her, then detailed the intricate ruffles in her purple dress. He couldn’t see her face, but knew some distant, troubled thought consumed her. Her still contemplation made her an excellent model. The scene certainly invoked an emotion by itself, but a good artist draws beyond what their eyes see.

  She held the railing in front of the window, but in his drawing her hands reached out to either side. Her heels lay firmly on the ground, but his portrait showed a slight bend in each knee. In this reality, she was staring at the beautiful garden below. In his, she was in torment.

  He gazed into his finished work of art, soaking in the scene he had created. A distraught Olivia ducked under the railing, teetering on the edge of sanity. Tears streamed down her face, her hair was disheveled, and her hands trembled as they gripped the railing from behind.

  There was no one to tell her how much she meant to them. No one to tell her how precious life was, or how fixing a temporary problem with a permanent solution was a terrible idea. Those factual, well-meaning platitudes were nowhere to be found. She was alone.

  Her sweaty palms lost their grip on the railing. Her center of gravity wavered. She didn’t care. It was time for this life to end. Glass shattered. Screams from below.

  It was finally over.

  The click of Olivia’s boots on the marble floor startled him back to reality. She smiled politely as she walked past him. He folded the drawing into a specific pattern and held it at eye level, blocking his view. He summoned a small flame at the tip of his finger and touched it to the paper. The drawing vanished in a spray of purple sparks.

  That smug, perfect smile would be her last.

  Chapter 3

  Open books with makeshift bookmarks cluttered Niv’s desk—each open to a page containing a spell, correspondence, or other snippet of important arcane knowledge. She took note of any information she wished to commit to memory in her journal. The books were free for anyone to use, but her notebook was private. It remained tied with a simple leather binding and resting next to her tea service.

  Frasie, Olivia, Shareis, and Aiden sat in chairs circling her desk. This was their usual arrangement when they conferred as it offered privacy from the council. They were her most trusted advisors.

  “We’ve been so busy these past few months I haven’t really had a chance to thank you for all you’ve done.” She knew they were about to protest. “Before you modestly deflect my praise, consider that without every single one of your efforts, we would have all been run out of town on a vegetable cart.”

  Frasie giggled. “That’d be a fun ride.”

  “Fraise, you have expertly trained the city guard’s archers. I am astonished at how much they’ve improved.”

  “It wasn’t hard. They were pretty bad,” Frasie replied.

  “Aiden, you have single-handedly revitalized the plans for Selandis’s decaying infrastructure. The new aqueduct alone wil
l improve the lives of thousands.”

  Aiden smiled. “I love designing and building. I’d be bored otherwise.”

  “Shareis, your keen eye for truth has helped root out waste and corruption in the Ael’Shanar. Your instruction of the city guard has turned them into a real fighting force.”

  “And Olivia—your help navigating this incredible bureaucracy has been indispensable. I couldn’t have done it without you. Any of you. So, in short, I would like to say thank you.”

  “It’s what family does,” Aiden said.

  She was touched by his warm smile and their nods of agreement. “I don’t deserve any of you.”

  Frasie grinned. “But you got us anyway!”

  Someone knocked on the door. “Yes?” she asked.

  Her assistant poked her head inside. “A man is here to see you.”

  She looked around the room for objections but saw none. “Send him in, please.”

  A tall man wearing a white shirt, black pants, and a dark cloak stepped in the office. His appearance was detached and vacant, yet he had an unmistakable charm. His presence, possibly one of his own crafting, was certainly impressive.

  “Good afternoon, High Priestess.”

  “Good afternoon,” she replied. “How may I help you?”

  The man paused briefly to answer, noting the various faces now staring at him. “I have come to offer my services.”

  “You wish to aid Selandis?”

  “Yes… but specifically I wish to aid your order.”

  Aiden chuckled. “It is a matriarchal order.”

  “And yet you sit in the council chambers,” he snapped.

  “If that is how you will speak to my friends, I have no need for your services,” she said.

  He bowed his head. “My apologies, High Priestess. It… has been a long journey.” He turned to Aiden. “I am sorry, good sir. I know I can be of assistance to you.”

  “What is your name?” she asked.

  “Kytis.”

  “I’ve heard your name. You own a large estate near Masola, don’t you?”

  “Indeed. I call Shadow Grove my home. It is humble but suits my purposes.”

  “Humble? It is the largest estate in the Masola township.”

  “I see you have done your research.”

  Aiden shrugged. “You could say that. I’ve had my head buried in the Varesh archives for weeks.”

  “Well then, Kytis—”

  “Apologies, High Priestess. No need for such formalities with me. We are, after all, family.”

  She put down her pen and titled her head. “Family?”

  “Yes, Niv’leana. I am your brother.”

  Chapter 4

  Niv gave him an incredulous stare. She studied his countenance carefully, looking for any sign of resemblance. His well-trimmed beard resembled her father’s, but his dark eyes and shoulder-length dark hair seemed unfamiliar.

  “I see you were never told about me,” he said.

  “I only know of one brother, Jarris, and he’s in the Jeweled Woods.”

  “Ah, your adoptive family. I envy you having two sets of parents.”

  “You’re a Skilla,” Olivia said.

  Kytis grinned. “Indeed, ma’am.” He took a closer look at Olivia. “And you are as well, aren’t you?”

  She nodded. “Yes… but your heritage is more complex than that, isn’t it?”

  He pointed to Olivia. “A sharp one. You are smart to have her on your team. Yes, my dear, you are sensing my geomancy.”

  “You’re Narelle and Farius’s son,” Olivia said.

  “Excellent deduction,” he replied.

  “I remember your mother mentioning you to Farius.”

  His polished demeanor wavered upon mention of his mother. “When did you last see her?”

  Olivia began to fidget. “It’s been… three, four months, perhaps?”

  Kytis smiled. “Is she well?”

  Olivia hesitated.

  Niv quickly weighed responding for her. She didn’t want to speak for Olivia, but the burden of telling Kytis the fate of Narelle shouldn’t fall on a woman who helped save her life.

  Niv stood and approached Kytis. “Narelle died in the battle at the Den’tari foothills this winter.”

  His face was made of stone, except for the slightest twitch in his upper lip. “I see.”

  “I am sorry, Kytis.”

  “She loves…” he swallowed. “Loved Lahara.”

  “She died protecting the city.”

  He lowered his gaze.

  She couldn’t be certain of Kytis’s authenticity, but despite his best efforts, he appeared to be in considerable pain. She guided him to an empty chair.

  He sat down, defeat and sorrow now clear in every aspect of his demeanor. The awkwardness of the situation tightened in her chest. If Kytis was truly her brother, she would be consoling his loss. She had been deceived before—by his mother at that. Yet her empathy tugged at her. She rested her hand on his shoulder.

  “This isn’t the meeting I imagined having with my long-lost sister.”

  “I should give you a proper introduction, Kytis. This is my love Shareis, and my three dear friends and advisors Frasie, Aiden and Olivia.”

  He nodded. “Pleased to meet you all.”

  “I am surprised you hadn’t heard of the war with Vorea,” Aiden said.

  “As you may know from the land records you studied, my estate is quite rural. I don’t receive many visitors.”

  “Understandable. I apologize for my jab earlier, Kytis. Had I known, I wouldn’t have poked fun at you. I know how it is to lose a mother.”

  “Thank you,” Kytis replied. “No harm done. Niv’leana—”

  “Please, call me Niv.”

  “Very well. Niv, if you don’t mind, I’d like to rest, at least for an evening, before discussing business.”

  “I will have a room prepared for you in the temple.”

  “No need. I will get a room in the city.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  He sighed. “I am not sure of much in this world anymore. But it will be nice to be near family.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  He cut a quick glance to Olivia, then back to her. “No, thank you, sister. I will be alright. But I must confess, life will not be the same without her.”

  Before she could respond, he turned and left her office. Niv stood motionless as the door slowly closed behind him.

  Olivia approached. “Thank you for telling him.”

  “The news should have come from family.”

  Olivia stared at the door and fretted. “His Skilla magic is evident, but something is off.”

  “He’s a Druid, too, right?” Aiden asked.

  “Yes, but it’s more than that,” Shareis said.

  Olivia pointed to Shareis. “Exactly.”

  She waved her hands as though to shoo the suggestions away. “It could be the shock of the news.”

  “Could be,” Olivia replied.

  She looked to Shareis, but she remained silent. “He’s family,” she said. “It’s only fair I give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  Aiden stood. “I feel bad for giving him a hard time. I will check in to make sure he’s settled before I go.”

  “Go?” she asked.

  He took Frasie’s hand. “We have a date this evening.”

  She smiled. “Oh, fantastic! I’m glad you’re finally going to be able to spend time together.”

  Frasie sprung up and put her arm around Aiden. “Let’s go.”

  “Have fun, both of you.”

  After Aiden and Frasie left, she turned to Olivia. “Any plans?”

  “It may not be as much fun as they’re having, but I plan to take a long soak in my tub with a new book.” Olivia paused, then turned to leave.

  “I am grateful you saved my life,” she replied.

  “Have a good night, Niv.”

  She sat in Shareis’s lap. “You were quiet.”

>   “I agreed with Olivia.”

  She turned to face her. “You should know by now you don’t have to keep your thoughts from me.”

  “I don’t want to cast aspersions on a family member.”

  “I’ve known him for five minutes. I’ll live.”

  Shareis lowered her voice even though no one else was in the room. “He’s being… less than genuine.”

  “You mean he’s lying?”

  Shareis shushed her. “Yes, but—”

  “Why are we whispering?” She looked around the empty room.

  “He’s has a powerful mix of magic. Skilla have good hearing, and magic that could be used to overhear others.”

  “That seems awful paranoid of you, Shareis.”

  “Until we cast a ward against it, I think it wise to remain cautious.”

  “Can’t hurt.” She stood in the middle of the room and closed her eyes.

  Shareis stopped her. “Not here. A ward is detectable to those with magic. He’ll know something has changed. A protection spell on our bedroom should suffice and is easily explainable.”

  “Alright. If you think it best.”

  “I admit I could be overcautious.”

  She flashed Shareis a coy smile and pulled her closer. “I know I shouldn’t, but I love it when you fret over me.”

  Shareis brushed a lock of hair from her face. “My abundance of worry comes from an abundance of love.”

  She kissed her. “I adore you. You know, I have plans this evening, too. Just made them up, in fact.”

  “No vespers?” Shareis asked.

  “I’ll have Emira do it. She’s been begging me for a week to lead the evening meditation. I’ll have the entire evening off.” She put her hand on Shareis’s chest. “Let’s combine Frasie and Olivia’s plans. A date with you, me, and our tub. No book.”

  Shareis grinned. “Mmm.” Her smile faded to a serious expression. “I’ll go tell her while you put a ward on our room.”

  Shareis’s worry concerned her. “If it will put your mind at ease.”

  “It will help.”

  Chapter 5

  Frasie insisted on taking a moment to change, so Aiden took advantage of the time to get into his better clothes. Every muscle in his body was tense, not from anxiety, but from sheer exhilaration. They had little time to spend together since arriving in Selandis, and tonight marked a shift in that trend.