Seers Stone (Hidden Alchemy Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright.

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  Seers Stone

  (Hidden Alchemy 1)

  By

  Holly Evans

  Copyright Holly Evans (2017) ©. All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogue are purely from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is fictionalised and coincidental.

  Licensed material is being used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted in the licensed material is a model.

  1

  I should have listened to my instincts. Something felt off when I added the ground celestial feather to the phoenix ash. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was, but there was a distinct sense of wrongness. Fortunately, I did listen to my instincts when the mixture began to fizz. I dove under the workbench and was quickly accompanied by Wispy - just in the nick of time, too. The mixture exploded with a rather impressive array of colour. The explosion itself was almost musical in the way it began with a deep thrumming boom and ended in a high-pitched shriek. Unfortunately, the mess it made of my lab was equally as impressive, and difficult to clean up. The knocking on the floor from the apartment below wrapped up the entire experience.

  “Yes, Mrs. Frank, I know, stop making things explode,” I muttered to myself as I crawled out from my safe space under the desk.

  Wispy remained under the desk, watching, waiting. I rolled my eyes at the will-o’-the-wisp. He could be so melodramatic sometimes. Just because I’d blown up the previous lab didn’t mean I was going to do it again. The powder that had coated the work benches and walls began to pop and fizzle. Maybe Wispy had the right idea, after all. I didn’t quite make it back under the desk before the entire apartment rattled and shuddered and then heaved a great sigh. Everything went deathly silent for one beautiful moment before an awful high-pitched wailing began. I covered my ears and cursed out Kal. He must have given me faulty celestial feather. It was my own fault, I should have checked it more closely. I could hear Mrs. Frank banging on the floor below me, even over the wailing. It was one of those days.

  By some miracle, the wailing only lasted fifteen minutes. It took me the rest of the day to clean the lab, though. One of the benches had a number of small holes in it, and the wall had a new crack running down it. My landlord would be glad to be rid of me. It wasn’t my fault. If the alchemical guild would stop getting in the way of my paperwork and allow me to buy my own lab without joining their stupid little club, I wouldn’t keep ruining apartments. I was absolutely exhausted and ready to watch my favourite TV show with the super sexy Elle Kyne front and centre by the end of the day.

  Elle was just about to put an end to the bad guy when my phone rang. Wispy flew around the living room at high speed, which was entirely unhelpful. He stopped dead over the red cushion with the phoenix on the front. He began spitting out small sparks and fluttering. I lifted the cushion to find my phone. I’d missed the call, though.

  “Thank you, Wispy,” I said.

  It wasn’t his fault I’d been too slow. I returned to my favourite spot on the sofa and returned the call to my uncle. I hadn’t heard from him in a month, and I hoped he wasn’t in trouble thanks to me. Again.

  “Kaitlyn, how have you been, darling?”

  “Not bad. Truth be told, I’ve been a bit bored.”

  “As it happens, I have a cure for that.”

  I perked up at that. Wispy buzzed around the phone trying to listen. I shooed him away.

  “Oh?” I enquired.

  He chuckled.

  “I have a job proposition for you. I have a friend over in Prague. He’s looking for someone to acquire artifacts for him. There will be a private lab in it for you. The only catch is you have to do a little something else for him first…”

  “When do I leave?” I asked.

  “6am. It’s not too short notice, is it?”

  “No, no, I’ll manage. Do I have a weight limit?”

  “No, you’ll be travelling with the knowledge merchants. I’ll let Fein know.”

  “I can’t wait, Uncle. Thank you!”

  “You’re welcome. Ciao.”

  “Ciao.”

  I danced around the living room with a huge grin on my face. Wispy flew around with me shooting small blue and lilac sparks out in his wake.

  “Oh, Wispy! We’re going to Prague, I’ll have my own lab!”

  Mrs. Frank banged on the floor once again. I rolled my eyes. The old bat wasn’t going to stamp on my excitement. I stopped and looked around the living room.

  “What do I pack? What time is it?” I asked Wispy, who flew over to the clock.

  It was already 11pm. I hadn’t eaten yet. I tried to collect my thoughts: lab essentials first, then clothing. I could buy more clothes in Prague, after all. Yes, that made sense. I rushed into the storage room and pulled down my cases. I’d sleep on the transport.

  Wispy tried his best to help. He carried the small things, the delicate pens and tiny vials, but he was smaller than my fist and not entirely corporeal. I tucked him away in his small copper cage to sleep for the rest of the night. I didn’t need him being tired and grumpy at the knowledge merchants. The last time he’d been in such a state, he’d set someone’s coat on fire.

  I rushed around the lab, trying to be logical about what had to come with me and what could stay. Most of the equipment could be replaced in Prague. I hadn’t asked Uncle if the lab came with equipment or not. I didn’t know what would happen to the apartment or the belongings I’d left in it. I’d been so excited at the prospect of a new country and my own lab, I didn’t know very much at all.

  Fretting and panicking wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I packed up the expensive ingredients and absolutely essential equipment before I did the same with my clothing. How I envied Wispy sleeping peacefully in his cage on his bed of reeds and leaves. My bed seemed so very far away as the sun rose, but adventure awaited and I could sleep later.

  2

  A knocking came from the front door at exactly 6am. I opened it to find a rather handsome man with chocolate-brown hair and inquisitive blue-green eyes.

  “Kaitlyn Felis?” he enquired.

  “I am indeed. Air house?” I asked.

  He bowed low with a charming smile on his face.

  “At your service. Your uncle booked your passage to Prague with us.”

  I stepped aside to allow him into the apartment. Wispy proceeded to buzz around his head at high speed. The man stood still with an eyebrow raised and a small smile on his face.

  “You have a will-o’-the-wisp?”

  “I do, he’s
called Wispy.”

  He laughed and shook his head.

  “You called your wisp Wispy?”

  Wispy puffed up to twice his usual size and took on a red hue. He shot sparks at the man’s immaculately styled hair.

  “Yes, and he’s rather fond of that name. Tell me, are you fond of your name?”

  Wispy paused in front of the man’s face where he vibrated and made chittering noises.

  The man tilted his head a little before he finally said, “Yes. I rather like being called Liam. I feel it suits me.”

  Wispy huffed and deflated before he returned to me where he hovered near my shoulder in his usual pale blue colour.

  “Now that that’s out of the way, shall we depart?” I asked.

  Liam’s easy smile returned to his face. “All of these cases?”

  He gestured to the small heap of bags and cases.

  “Think you can manage?” I said with my own smile.

  His eyes didn’t leave mine as he rolled his hand over to be palm up and slowly moved it up just an inch. All of the cases floated up off the floor.

  “In my sleep,” he said.

  I attached Wispy’s copper cage to the belt of my jeans, picked up my purse with the essentials, and left that apartment for the last time. I’d sent correspondence to my landlord, along with two months’ rent to ease the jolt of having to patch up the apartment. Liam followed behind me with the cases comfortably floating behind him. I went to start down the stairs, but he took my hand, causing me to turn and look into those beautiful blue-green eyes. His magic tickled the palm of my hands, a gentle breeze that kissed my skin. Everyone’s magic is different and unique. I adored exploring the sensations and tastes of people’s magic. Liam’s was light and delicate, a delight for my senses.

  “Allow me,” he said.

  I didn’t have a chance to question or argue. A cushion of air formed beneath my feet, and we slowly floated down to the ground floor.

  “Now you’re showing off,” I chided.

  “Why Prague?” he asked.

  I smirked. He was a knowledge merchant. Knowledge is power. The air house was split into two main factions: the knowledge merchants who gathered whispers, secrets, and any snippet of knowledge they could, which they then sold on to the highest bidder, and the other half that focused on the art of air working.

  I pursed my lips and looked Liam up and down. He was a good-looking man and no doubt had his pick of women.

  “Now, now, you don’t expect me to give information for free, do you?” I teased.

  He ran his fingers up the back of my hand. “You can’t blame me for enquiring about you, given we will be spending a number of hours together.”

  “How did you come to join the knowledge merchants?” I asked.

  His smile never faltered, but his fingers did. He didn’t say a word. We left the building together, where we were greeted by more merchants. London was grey, as usual, with a fine misty rain filling the air and coating everything. I’d be glad to leave for brighter, more colourful climes. London had provided a good education, but I wouldn’t miss it.

  “It was a comfortable fit and gives me everything I might desire,” Liam finally said, a playful note to his words.

  “Oh, I’m sure it does that,” I returned.

  “Flirting already, Liam?” the older man with auburn hair said with a grin.

  Wispy didn’t like the damp air and huddled closer to me, trying to hide under my curls. Given he came from a swamp, he was very precious about being wet. I shook my head and opened the door to his cage, which he gladly went into. I put the little cover over the top half to give him some comfort. The merchants paused to watch me, each with bemused expressions on their faces.

  “I don’t believe I’ve ever met someone with a pet wisp before,” the young blond said.

  “It’s an interesting story, if you’re willing to pay for it,” I said.

  Liam laughed.

  “Shame you’re an alchemist, I’ve no doubt you’d do well with us,” he said.

  I smiled at the compliment. Given the option, I’d jump at the chance to be a knowledge merchant. To travel the world exchanging information and knowledge, what a wonderful way to live.

  “Perhaps one day I will join you. I’ve heard that you do occasionally take non-air-elementals into your ranks.”

  “Exceptional and determined people have managed it,” the auburn-haired man said cautiously.

  I smiled as we approached the air-ship.

  “Do you not think me exceptional and determined?” I asked sweetly.

  “I suspect you’re a little too much of both,” the auburn-haired man said with a laugh.

  He led the way onto the ship, no doubt made by the local tinker’s guild. It was a truly beautiful specimen. Sleek dark grey lines bled seamlessly into pitch-black curves. Its great sails were made of the finest linen, the white shimmering faintly silver and pale blue to better blend into the skies. I reached up to run my fingers over the fabric and feel the magic woven into it, but Liam took my hand and gently pulled it away.

  “Now, now, we don’t need an alchemist running away with our secrets,” he said with that smile of his.

  I fluttered my eyelashes and pouted, which only caused him to laugh.

  “Come along, Miss Felis, we need to get you settled in so we can get moving,” the auburn-haired man called out.

  I followed behind Liam, walking over the well-worn wood and metal floors with soft dips where the merchants had walked the same paths time and time again. Liam led me through an elegant glass door, edged with pitch-black metal woven into delicate knot-work, and gestured for me to sit on a plush heather-grey sofa.

  “I’ll be accompanying you on this journey, as I was warned you like to figure things out,” he said as he allowed my cases to rest in the storeroom.

  I gave him my most innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He raised an eyebrow and gestured at the sofa. “If you’d sit down so we can take off without you falling over.”

  I took the seat closest to the window and gazed out at the city of London with its drab grey palette and looked forward to the adventures before me.

  3

  Liam sat as close as possible to me, much to Wispy’s irritation. The wisp puffed up to fill his cage and chittered grumpily at the knowledge merchant, who ignored him entirely.

  “How did you come to have Wispy as your pet?” Liam asked.

  “And what will you pay me for the story?”

  He leaned in a little closer. “What would you like?”

  I closed the space between us. His breath curled over my lips.

  “To know the secret of your sails.”

  His mouth curved into a smile before he leaned back against the sofa.

  “No deal.”

  I shrugged and looked out the window and watched London pass by below. We weren’t flying particularly high. I watched the mermaids cavorting around the smaller ships that were crossing the ocean to who-knew-where. I’d travelled quite a lot over my twenty-six years, and the view below was nothing new, but it still entranced me. Someone had jokingly said that I could make a life treasure hunting. It had quickly become a challenge, and then a bet. A bet that I won. I sighed and wondered if, perhaps, I was home in that moment, up in the skies where I was free.

  “A feather for your thoughts,” Liam said, bringing me back to the real world.

  I turned to look at him. He held a small, delicate cream feather in between his thumb and forefinger.

  “It’s an under feather from a harpy,” he said.

  “And all you desire in return is my thoughts?”

  He trailed his fingers over mine and up my inner wrist.

  “Thirty minutes of thoughts. No holding back,” he said.

  Harpy feathers were certainly useful, and that one looked to be in fine condition. It was the ‘no holding back’ part that I didn’t like. Thirty minutes was a long time to talk without restraint. I’d be t
empted to distract him, but the contract was specific. He’d take the rest of the time once we were done with less verbal distractions.

  “Deal,” I finally said.

  Liam leaned back against the back of the sofa and stretched out his arms, extending them along the top of the sofa back. His eyes flitted between my eyes and my lips. A smirk sat on his lips. I started off quite well, with a commentary on the beautiful colours of the view outside. The blues were painted in broad strokes across the horizon with flicks of grey and dashes of white. Of course, I couldn’t keep that up for thirty whole minutes, particularly when I wasn’t allowed to restrain myself.

  First, my thoughts turned to the very first time I stepped foot on an air transport ship; uncle had always preferred that method over commercial flights. Going through customs and such was a hassle that the knowledge merchants had a wonderful way of avoiding. The night had been dark and stormy. Thunder had crashed around the little ship and lightning split the sky in two. I’d been enraptured. I’d had my nose glued to the window for the entire journey. Awe filled me and never quite went away.

  Liam smiled politely as he listened, no doubt filing away any important details that I’d accidentally let slip. I watched the clock. Ten minutes left until I was free again. The bargain wasn’t seeming quite as good as I’d originally thought.

  My thoughts stepped dangerously close to my hopes and dreams, things that would be far more valuable to Liam than a single harpy feather. I focused on the feather and gave him a technical and truly boring analysis of what I could and likely would do with it. Being an under feather gave it a softness which would change the type of air magic it pulled in and worked with. The fact it was from a harpy, however, meant it would still do well with water workings. I didn’t have any set plans for it. I’d wait and see if someone ordered something and go from there. I didn’t like planning too far ahead; it felt too restrictive.

  Liam held the feather out for me. “Well played, Miss Felis. I’ll have a word with Sean about you.”

  “Sean, that’s the older auburn-haired man?”