Fated

Luna didn’t look up and I rolled my eyes heavenwards, just barely stopping myself from saying something that I knew would make things worse. First I had to drag her here, now she was refusing to leave. I can see the freaking future and women still don’t make sense. ‘All right,’ I said at last, once I’d gotten myself under control. ‘You’re going into a place where knowledge is power. Don’t reveal anything about yourself. You shouldn’t even introduce yourself as “Luna” if you don’t have to, and don’t for God’s sake tell anyone your full name. Mages put people into two groups. There are other mages, and then there are sheep. Just by showing up here you’re proving you’re not a sheep. But all that’s going to depend on how they see you, and they’re going to be judging you every second you’re there. The people in there aren’t your enemies – well, mostly – but they aren’t your friends, either. Don’t let down your guard.’

The wind returned, ruffling my hair, and this time it wasn’t cold. I looked up to see Starbreeze floating above me, back in her invisible form. ‘You’re staying?’

Starbreeze pointed up cheerfully at the tower. ‘Make another lightning man?’

Luna looked from me to Starbreeze. She still couldn’t see her but was getting used to guessing where the air elemental was floating. ‘Lightning man?’

‘Don’t ask.’

Starbreeze swirled around our heads and Luna glanced up at her passing. ‘She thinks you’re going to make things fun?’

Talk about backhanded compliments. ‘Given what she calls fun, I hope not.’

‘Not you!’ Starbreeze chipped in. She pointed at Luna. ‘Her. Ooh!’ Starbreeze looked upwards and her face lit up. She shot up into the night sky and out of sight before either of us could say a word. Luna and I looked at each other, then kept walking.

The ground floor lobby was huge and spacious, paved in Italian marble. A steady murmur of voices echoed around the concourse. A boy in his teens crossed the floor towards us. ‘Good evening,’ he said politely. ‘For the ball?’

I handed him my invitation and he gave it a quick glance. ‘Thank you. Far lift, top floor.’

I took the invitation back with a nod and started for the corner. Luna had been studying the boy curiously, and whispered to me once we were past. ‘Who was he?’

‘Apprentice,’ I said quietly. ‘I used to do jobs like that once.’

The buttons inside the lift went up to 45. I hit the top one and the doors hissed shut. The lift whirred upwards with a hum of powerful machinery, and I knew we’d arrive in less than a minute. ‘Some of the people inside will be mages, some will be adepts or hangers-on,’ I told Luna. ‘Don’t look surprised or shocked, no matter what you see.’ I paused. ‘Ready?’

Luna nodded. ‘Ready.’

‘Okay. Game face on.’

The doors hissed open to reveal a group of four big men in dark clothing, their eyes tracking us as we stepped out. The one at the front asked for my invitation, and this time the check was more thorough. Once he was satisfied, he nodded. ‘Thank you. Enjoy the ball.’ Up ahead, a pair of double doors stood open, and light and voices streamed through. We walked in.

The room we’d entered was enormous, the ceiling reaching far overhead with angled corners. A double balcony ran the circuit of the walls, recessed so that the people walking it were concealed behind the railings. At the centre was a square column stretching all the way to the roof. Walkways ran between the upper balcony to the higher levels, and scattered on the underside of the walkways and all around the walls were sets of chandeliers, glowing with hundreds of lights. Everything was made of steel and glass reflecting the light and throwing it back so that the entire vast hall was as bright as full daylight. It was dazzling, and both Luna and I blinked as we stood there, our eyes adjusting.

The hall was filled with noise; there were hundreds of people thronging the floor with more looking from above. Men and women were crossing the floor, talking, watching, dancing, standing, spread out across all of the vast room. The entry hall was set a little above floor level, and from our position Luna and I could see out across the whole crowd. To one side a band was playing upon a stage, and on the dance floor maybe fifty were dancing while others looked on. Another area had been set aside for games, with mages’ chess, duelling pistes and more. Near the central column was a buffet, and on the far side, partially blocked by the column, I could see the greyish glow of a sphere arena, suspended in mid-air.

We stood there for a minute, just watching. No one seemed to be paying us any heed yet. That wouldn’t last. ‘Well,’ I said, and took Luna’s arm. She flinched and started to pull away in reflex, but I gave her a smile and she hesitated. ‘Let’s go attract some attention.’