I strode up to the front door, keeping my stride even and unhurried—trying to further communicate that I wasn’t a threat, and I wasn’t nervous—which might make the House think I was a threat.
The familiarity of the situation—measuring out danger and watching for signs of a threat—made my work mode settle effortlessly over me, so hopefully I’d be able to speak smoothly.
I climbed the steps of the front porch, and although the wooden structure creaked under my boots, I still didn’t feel any change in magic. I made it to the front door and pressed the doorbell. A second passed before I heard the corresponding deep toll of a church bell rattle the front door.
The door flew open, and a wizard—wearing a gray jacket that was trimmed with House Tellier colors in yellow and orange and bore a patch of the House insignia on the coat’s breast pocket—emerged. She leaned against the doorframe and yawned. “Whaddayawant?” She paused when she took in first my mask, and then my uniform. “Woah. A slayer? With the Curia Cloisters?”
“Yes.” I clasped my hands behind my back—another attempt to show I was relaxed and didn’t have my hands in an ideal spot to pull any of my weapons. “I’m with the Magic Response Task Force. I—”
The door slammed shut in my face.
I blinked. I guess it’s not just House Medeis they don’t get along with. I didn’t even get a chance to screw up.
Raised voices leaked through the door, but they were muted so I couldn’t make out any specific words. They sounded frightened, which was very interesting.
I rang the doorbell again.
There were several loud thuds, and this time when the door opened a male wizard held the door. He was built like an ox—wide through the shoulders, and surprisingly muscular for a wizard—and his eyes had a sharpness I didn’t like.
I recognized him from the fire—he was Gideon Tellier.
Woah—they went and got someone high up in the pecking order, but why? I didn’t even have a chance to tell them why I’m here.
It was probably best if I pretended that I didn’t recognize him—I wanted him to underestimate me and my abilities.
“Hello. I’m with the Curia Cloister’s Magic Response Task Force. May I ask who I’m speaking with?” My slayer training that had focused on fooling and distracting vampires kicked in, and my voice came out much smoother than when I’d talked to Gail the librarian.
The wizard looked me up and down, wariness oozing off him. “I’m Gideon Tellier—Heir to House Tellier.”
Internally, I was chuffed. This was a unique opportunity to enact April’s advice and, hopefully, lower Gideon’s guard. Externally, I kept my body language bland and unconcerned.
“Heir Gideon,” I began, keeping my voice light. “I wanted to thank you for your heroic actions at the fire by the Magiford Public Library last night.”
Gideon leaned against the doorframe, scrunching his mouth shut like a drawstring bag, but I saw his eyes widen with something like greed. “Oh? Yeah, we were pretty awesome.”
April was right!
“I happened to be there with several members of my team,” I said, pitching my voice higher as I settled into my role. “It was so impressive to see how the House Tellier wizards worked together to control the fire.”
It was almost annoying that I could settle into a role so easily and how smoothly I could talk if it was for work, while in my normal life I was as good at communicating as a burnt-out lightbulb.
Gideon’s chest swelled, and he grinned—smiling so big I could see his gums. “Yeah, House Tellier wizards are just that strong and talented,” he said. “Saving the library was no big deal.”
“How did you hear about the fire?” Since I was wearing my mask, I had to put a lot of awe in my voice to make up for the lack of facial expression.
I was worried I had overdone it, but Gideon just held a hand over his heart. “We heard the firetrucks and decided to follow in case we could help. As wizards, we have domain over fire. If there was a fire, they’d need our help.”
“Oh, wow—so it was an impulse decision? How brave of you!” I paused for a second, trying to pick out the best way to phrase my second question so Gideon wouldn’t realize I was questioning him. “Where were you when you heard the trucks? You arrived so quickly, I hate to think what would have happened if you’d been far away and hadn’t arrived in time!”
“Oh, we were just a few blocks away. There’s a park near the library—I was hanging out with my friends there.”