Keeper 2: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

As Jamie left the basement he realized that he had never taken the time to look up the name of the keeper the basement kept showing him.  He knew that the brownie who tended his house was named Robin, but as Robin always referred to the man as Keeper that was all he knew.

“Well that and someone named Jonathan took over for him,”  Jamie let his eyes slide to the door leading to the map room.  “The family tree only gave me problems when I tried to look into my mother’s family,” he reminded himself.  He took a deep breath.  “I can’t be scared of a wall in my own house,” he said firmly.  Before he could think too much about the possibility of renewing his headaches, Jamie forced himself to march into the map room and turn to face the family tree.

“Jonathan Fulton, please,” he said before he could lose his nerve.  As though trying to prove itself helpful, the tree blurred and the name Jonathan Fulton was placed directly in Jamie’s line of sight.  He read the dates. This Jonathan Fulton had been one of Albe’s brothers and it looked as though he had died sometime during World War II.

“I need an earlier Jonathan,” Jamie muttered.  Again the wall blurred and a different Jonathan was listed. “Still not early enough,” Jamie said.  “I need one who lived before Alexander Fulton.”  After two more tries, Jamie thought he had the right one.

“Great, thank you,” he told the wall, hoping it appreciated the nicety. “Now I just need to know who was Keeper before him.” He was surprised when the words again blurred and the name William Fulton was featured. “Very handy, thanks.”  Jamie stepped away, figuring he would not press his luck. He was satisfied that William was the Keeper that the basement enjoyed showing him. At the moment that was all he needed to know.

“Too bad there isn’t a way to find out what happened after William allowed those with human magic to stay,” Jamie said.  He was certain the basement considered the information useful for him but he couldn’t quite see the picture.  He went upstairs to the study, leaving the maps splayed out on the floor in the family parlor.

He thought about what he knew as he settled himself in the parlor. He could see the individual pieces clearly, but he couldn’t make them fit together.  “It’s like someone stole the lid to my puzzle and I’m still expected to put it together,” he grumbled.  Jamie wondered if his entire tenure as Keeper would be the same.   After a long while ruminating on the subject and getting nowhere, Jamie decided he needed to actually do something.  He looked at the notes he had taken on the visilore and decided that he had learned enough to use it to see the houses of the other Keepers even if he couldn’t directly communicate with them yet. 

“Especially if my list is accurate,” he told himself.  Jamie picked up the notebook from the living room and then went to retrieve the visilore. He took them both to the study. The visilore, which resembled a mirror but shone like obsidian instead of silvered glass, he set in the center of the room.  As he moved it around, he was surprised by how heavy it actually was.

“Perhaps it is made of stone after all,” he said as he wiped the sweat from his face.  He looked at his notes and  Leaned against the front of his desk. Carefully he followed the instructions.  His hand movements were precise, the strange words of the incantation crisply enunciated and as the last word left his mouth, Jamie felt a tingle in the air as though he were standing too close to a lightning strike.  The obsidian surface started to glow first silver and then blue.  The blue glow seemed to sink into the surface and when it was gone Jamie found himself looking into a mirror.  Albeit a mirror that reflected nothing.  He realized he had not given it a direction and read the first name off of the list he had made from the map.

At first Jamie thought it was a failure, but then he sensed some sort of movement, as if the mirror was searching for the destination and slowly zooming in on it’s target.

“Like a spy plane coming in for a landing,” he thought, afraid to speak out loud.  “Not that I’m spying, exactly.” He shifted, slightly uncomfortable with the thought of spying on the other Keepers.  Colors whirled across the surface of the mirror and Jamie found his excitement growing.  He pushed away his unease. The image solidified and Jamie frowned as he found himself looking at a house.

“Or rather the ruins of a house,” Jamie corrected.  He could tell that the house had once been large and constructed of brick and stone.  At least the parts that remained had been. Gray foundation stones peeked up above the dark earth and half tumbled down walls of what appeared to be fire blackened brick, formed supports for creeping vines sporting small white flowers.  Three chimneys still stood, their columns pointing to the sky like accusing fingers. Jamie swallowed hard. A shiver of foreboding ran up his spine.

“Maybe it isn’t the right place,” Jamie said softly to himself.  “I don’t see any runes on the foundation stones.” He realized that he was just trying to convince himself, but the visilore took his words as command and he was soon studying the stones closely as the visilore panned over them. Jamie sagged as he saw runes on several of the visible stones.

“That’s enough,” he told the visilore.  It paused and seemed to be waiting.  Jamie took a look at his list and sent the visilore to scan the next name on it, eager to leave the desolation.

The next location was no better.  This time the visilore let him see the general ruin before scanning the rubble remains for the foundation runes.  Jamie took a deep breath and sent the visilore to the next name on the list.  It was the same.  With a growing sense of dread, Jamie pushed through all of the names on the list. The runes let him know that these had once been the houses of Keepers.  The locations were where the golden lines on the map created crossroads.  Every house except his own had been destroyed.

His insides feeling like jell-o, Jamie carefully spoke the words to end the visilore’s search and make it dormant again. When it was once more a panel of obsidian encased in a heavy wooden frame, Jamie covered it with a sheet.

“What happens when a Keeper’s House falls?” he asked as he sat heavily in his chair.  “Does it mean that the cross roads are destroyed or simply that the gate allowing the crossroads to be used is closed? Or does it mean that it is left open?”  Jamie shivered as he realized how close his house had come to falling. “If I’m the last House standing, what does that mean?” He didn’t know, but Jamie was certain it did not mean anything good.

“Everyone acts as though the other Houses at the other crossroads are still standing,” he thought.  “Perhaps it might not be the best idea to tell them this is not so.” Jamie leaned back in his chair and thought.  According to the High Talbot, all of the crossroads were closed until their internal matters were settled. 

“Meaning I have some time to figure out exactly what is going on before it re-opens,” Jamie smiled ruefully to himself.  “So at least political strife is good for something.”

“Is it?” Del said from the doorway making Jamie jump. He chuckled.  “Sorry about that. I figured you’d be about ready for some lunch.” 

Jamie noticed he was carrying a tray containing a sandwich filled plate. “Thanks, I am actually,” he said, clearing a space on his desk.  Del set the tray down and a though occurred to Jamie.

“Del,” he asked.  “Do you know anything about the other housekeepers who have served in the House of a Keeper?”

“Some, I suppose.  I never really paid much attention, but one always hears things.” Del replied with a smile.

“What about a brownie who went by the name of Robin.  He would have been here with William Fulton, in the House built here before this one.” Jamie asked as he picked up his sandwich.

Del’s face split into a wide smile. “Oh everyone knows of Robin,” Del replied.  “He’s famous. Killed in the line of duty with the Keeper he was. He died a hero’s death. Not many of us can say that as most of the tales of daring-do are for the high court folks.”

“Do you know how he felt about those with human magic?” Jamie asked.

“Human magic? Well I expect he felt about it the way most of us do,” Del told him.  He shrugged.  “That it is unpredictable and often more trouble than it is worth.”

“Is there a reason he would worry if the Keeper took on a few who were capable of human magic in the House so they could be safe and learn control?”

Del laughed.  “Well it would create quite a mess. Especially if they were still new to the learning.  I expect he’d want them sort of blocked off from the normal parts of the hose, like the kitchen and the parlor and such so they didn’t ruin the dinner or spoil the guests. But if the Keeper wanted it I’m sure Robin would have dealt with them just fine.”

“Isolated, like the east wing,” Jamie mused. He lifted an eyebrow in surprise as Del’ laughed.

“Is that what was out there?” He asked.  “I had wondered.  “My first pass at cleaning only took off the dust.  There were several rooms with unidentifiable and thus far un-removable stains.  If new trained mages were using them for practice it would explain a lot.”  He tilted his head in thought.  “And truth be told it would be safer for them to practice out here with fewer people to notice or get hurt than in town.”

“They would want to avoid notice wouldn’t they,” Jamie said half to himself, his mind drifting to a neighborhood where every house and every yard looked the same, and a little boy who thought he saw something odd was not asked to come back to play a second time.

“Except for the mess, I don’t see as how Robin would mind as long as they kept things confined,” Del continued snapping Jamie back to the present.  “It’s mostly the High Court that takes a real dislike to them.”

“Why?” Jamie asked.

Del shrugged.  “Well some claim they are dangerous.  Some claim that humans are bastardizing an art that rightly belongs to the Fae and some think that given time and practice, they would be formidable enemies making humans more dangerous.”

“Really?”

Del smiled. “It’s been centuries since most of the high court have ventured through the crossroads and most don’t get past the House of the Keeper if they do. When they warred with humans, magic was their primary weapon.  Humans had strength of numbers, High Court had magic. If humans were to truly master magic, then the High Court’s main defense would be useless.”  Del shrugged. “Of course humans have other weapons now and to be honest, I don’t think magic, on either side would make much of a difference. But I wouldn’t exactly go telling that to the High Court if I were in your shoes.”

“No,” Jamie said.  “I think that is something we will just keep to ourselves.”  Del winked and left Jamie alone with his sandwich and his uncomfortably swirling thoughts.