The Veiled Diplomat Read online

  A groan erupted throughout the room along with a general chuckle. Everyone went back to their conversations.

  As the wait went on, Charla called out, "Hello? Instructor Konig? Anyone here?"

  Something the size of a firecracker exploded at the back of the class. Everyone turned to look. Zayn used his imbuement to expand his senses, catching the scuff of leather shoes on the hardwood floor near the aquarium.

  When everyone looked back, a small man in a beige shirt and brown tie with messy black hair and an unfortunate mustache that was too big for his face was standing before the aquarium. He looked like he'd expected a round of applause at his entrance, and when everyone stared back silently his excitement visibly dimmed.

  "Good morning. I'm Matt Konig." He cleared his throat. "Instructor Konig. I'll be teaching Obfusium Magic this year."

  He cleared his throat a second time, followed by a brief, forced smile. Zayn could hear the nervousness in the instructor's voice, which meant he was either a really good actor or had never taught at the Academy.

  Right at that moment, Skylar muttered under her breath, "I don't think he's ever done this before."

  Instructor Konig clapped his hands together. "Since I've never done this before, I thought I'd tell you a bit about myself. I graduated from the Academy in 2002. I've been working in various government positions, including the Federal Bureau of Supernatural Creatures, and as a liaison for the State Department."

  The instructor paused, and once again it appeared he was expecting everyone to be impressed, but no one moved a muscle.

  "It means I helped infiltrate foreign realms," said Instructor Konig.

  "You were a spy?" asked Sofia in her normal breathless tone.

  The class perked up, but he cleared his throat. "Uhm, well, no, but I provided the logistical and magical support for said operations."

  The expectant mood deflated. Zayn knew how hard it was to be a teacher since his father had been one in Varna, so he said in a loud voice, "That sounds awesome."

  Instructor Konig's face brightened. "Thank you, Zayn."

  The fact that the instructor knew his name told Zayn a lot about him. Before every school year, he would watch his father, Maceo, looking over the yearbook, memorizing the names and faces of the students in his class.

  "Today we are going to learn about obfusium magic. Can anyone tell me what it's for?" asked Instructor Konig.

  "Hiding your intentions from magical scrying," said Vin.

  "Good," said Instructor Konig, sounding less nervous. "Anyone else?"

  "Screwing with those know-it-all a-holes in Oculus Hall," said Eddie.

  Instructor Konig raised an eyebrow. While he might have memorized his name and face, this was his first experience with the New Jersey native.

  "Thank you, Eddie. Yes, that's true, sort of," said the instructor as he strolled back and forth in front of the aquarium. "Divination magic can be a powerful protection against those that might harm you. Every government employs them, and most powerful organizations, in this world and others, use them as well.

  "To understand obfusium magic, you need to understand how divination works first. Divination looks ahead to the infinite probabilities and calculates the most probable outcomes. For the best seers, their visions are often likely, but not predetermined. This is the same for prophecies, which are a form of divination."

  Instructor Konig paused, and behind him in the aquarium, Zayn caught a glimpse of shimmering scales gliding through the water on a long body. As the creature swam languidly near the visible side of the tank, the runes glowed more strongly, as if it were pushing against the magical protections.

  "But divination is purely a human magic, or if you prefer, a magic that depends on intelligence, preferably human, or human-like. It does not work on inorganic life as there is no thought, nor does it work on powerful minds like dragons'. It reads intention, rather than the physics of the universe. You can think of a seer as someone who can read the minds of everyone around them, but only about specific things. But minds are fallible and malleable. This is the flaw that obfusium seeks to exploit."

  Instructor Konig stopped pacing, and stood in front of them with his hands behind his back.

  "If you were sent on a mission to assassinate a horrible person, someone who was threatening to kill your family and friends, and anyone you'd ever known, but they were a powerful seer, how would you do it?" he asked.

  No one spoke. Zayn found himself running through the possibilities, but at each turn, he found his reasoning flawed.

  "Anyone? A theory? Even a bad one?" asked the instructor.

  Portia raised her hand, saying, "What if you just tried not to think about it? Using a mind blank spell?"

  Instructor Konig nodded. "A good thought, and it's been tried, but the mind blank too often interferes with the mission itself, and the agent either never tries to complete it, or makes a fatal mistake due to the mind blank."

  "Could you be placed in suspended animation, hidden at the right location, and then reanimated at the proper moment?" asked Marcelo with his face scrunched in indecision.

  "That's a good idea, but placing someone in suspended animation does not thwart the seer. As long as that thought exists, it can be divined."

  There was another long silence as everyone tried to think up new ideas.

  "Aren't there any spells to hide intentions?" asked Keelan.

  "There are, but the more impactful the result the harder it is to hide. Think about it this way," said Instructor Konig. "If you assassinate a leader of another country, how much will that affect that country? And the world?"

  "A lot," said Vin.

  "A crap ton," said Eddie.

  Konig chuckled, his bushy mustache quivering. "Yes, a crap ton. Which means the effects will be easy to see, because the person who's thinking about it will know how large the effect will be, and so this thought will be easier to divine. An important thought or intention becomes like a beacon in a storm, shining a light for the seer to follow. So the larger the impact, the harder it is to hide from the seers. This, of course, doesn't mean it's going to happen. In fact, Salinger's Paradox states that the more likely something is going to happen, the greater the chance that it won't, because by seeing it you can prevent it. Wrap your heads around that conundrum, though keep in mind, this only applies to situations in which divination magic is in play. This is why assassinations and wars in the modern magical age are rare. They're easy to prevent because they're easy to see."

  Zayn's thoughts went immediately to the Lady of Varna and their conversations during the summer. Keelan caught his eye. His lips were flat, his forehead hunched. They both knew what this meant. The Lady employed powerful seers, which meant any attempt to kill her would certainly fail.

  "This is why assassination attempts especially don't work when it comes to powerful people," said Instructor Konig. "As far as you should be concerned, it's impossible. The personal impact to them is too great, which means it's too easy to see."

  "Then why are we even here if it's impossible?" asked Skylar.

  A huge grin appeared on Instructor Konig's face. Zayn could tell he'd been hoping someone would ask this question. Konig held one finger up.

  "Because there are many things you can do to influence events without killing anyone. A seer must typically focus on a particular person or event. They'll only be able to see those outside forces which radically affect it. But a seer can't distinguish between those things that the target has decided and the influence around them."

  "So if you can convince someone that they want to do what you want them to do, then the seer won't see it?" asked Vin.

  "If you disguise your intentions well," said the instructor. "This is why the Academy teaches you the skills to be spies and diplomats more than assassins. Because it's the former two that work rather than the latter."

  He clapped his hands together. "Enough theory. Who wants to be the first to try some obfusium techniques?"

  M
any hands went up, but Instructor Konig picked Skylar, who looked like she was trying out for a spot in a Goth metal band. The instructor pulled out a remote and tapped on the keys, dimming the runes around the tank. Then he blew a silver whistle that made no audible noise. A long snake-like creature with glittering rainbow scales stuck its head above the edge. The face of the creature was less reptilian and more mammalian, with wide-eyes and a face almost like a sloth's.

  "This is a kwalic. They live in the ocean around coral reefs. They're not quick, but they are dangerous. They have two defenses. The first is that when spooked, they can emit a powerful electricity. The second is that they are natural seers. They can detect when other creatures mean them harm. This allows them to charge their scales. Kwalics have been known to kill a great white shark with their shocks."

  Skylar took a step back.

  "Don't worry," said the instructor. "As long as you're performing obfusium correctly, you won't get attacked."

  "How comforting," said Skylar with an eye roll.

  "Inside the tank are some white stones that look like kwalic eggs. The task is to move to the tank, reach in, and grab an egg, but to do so, you need use the spells you memorized from your tomes, and think about anything but what you're about to do. It's best to create an internal narrative that hides your intention."

  After casting a few spells, Skylar moved towards the tank, but as she did, the kwalic shifted towards her.

  "It's sensing your intentions," said Konig.

  "I'm trying not to think about it," said Skylar. "But that's like when someone mentions a horrible popular song and then it's stuck in your head for days."

  Konig chuckled. "Imagine that you dropped something in the water, and you're merely retrieving that which is already yours."

  Skylar centered herself, shaking out her hands as if she were clearing her mind. Then with a faraway look, she approached the tank again. This time the kwalic moved away as if it were distracted by something else. Skylar reached into the water and pulled out a white stone, holding it up victoriously.

  "Excellent work, Skylar," said Instructor Konig. "Who's next?"

  The class made a line and each third year approached the tank. The instructor coached them through the task when the kwalic appeared to sense the real intention.

  While he was waiting for his turn, Keelan asked Zayn a question in a hushed voice. "Is it just me or does this class feel very relative right now?"

  "The Lady?" whispered Zayn.

  "No. Where we went last night," said Keelan.

  Zayn blinked. "Yeah, that too. It explains our failure."

  "But on the other topic," said Keelan. "This is why your plan will never work."

  "Nothing's impossible," said Zayn. "Only improbable, or have you forgotten what Priyanka taught us?"

  "How about rather than improbable, foolish," said Keelan.

  "I'm not giving up," said Zayn.

  Keelan looked away. "If there was a way, I'd be right there with you, cuz."

  Their conversation was interrupted when it was Zayn's turn to approach the tank. It was hard to concentrate on the task at hand.

  "Go ahead, Zayn," said Instructor Konig eagerly.

  The obfusium spell made his skin tingle for a moment after he cast it. Before he took a step, Zayn stared at the kwalic while he thought about the Lady. The creature looked back at him hypnotically.

  "Try not to look at the kwalic," said the instructor. "You need to come up with a narrative that excludes the creature completely. It's best to act like it isn't there."

  "Easier said than done," he muttered, not really meaning the kwalic.

  The Lady was a fixture in his life. His existence depended on regular doses of her poison. His family was bound to her irrevocably. If he couldn't figure out a way to confuse her divinations, he'd never have a chance to kill her. The conversation they'd had this summer came into focus with this lesson. While it wasn't about her, it was all he could think about.

  "Zayn, you need to concentrate, the kwalic is set on you," said Konig.

  "Sorry," said Zayn. "I need to clear my thoughts."

  But as he looked the kwalic, he knew he couldn't just create an alternative narrative so he could grab an egg. He'd already proved that he could use obfusium when he'd fooled the Goon's amulet as a kid, or when he and Keelan had tricked Alex Malice's alamus. But that wasn't enough to deal with the Lady. It was clear that hiding his intention wouldn't get him near her. Zayn had an idea.

  "Zayn, you're focused on the kwalic. It senses you," said Instructor Konig, a frown tugging at his lips.

  Rather than try to create a narrative in his head, Zayn scrambled his thoughts, thinking of anything and everything at once: Neveah's food truck, the Jamaican bodega, surviving the Bastille. He created a kaleidoscope of events in his head, fracturing them into tiny moments. As he did, the kwalic grew less interested in him.

  Zayn took a step forward. Swimming in the pond behind Doc's. Another step. The time Keelan threw a spider on Mean. He was near the tank. The way thunder boomed off the Stack in a summer storm. He reached out his hand.

  "Zayn, Zayn," said the instructor, but he ignored him.

  Ms. Gardenia's ever-present cigarette smoke. Reaching further. Barkley licking his face. Almost there, his fingers touched the water. The Lady's purple eyes as she looked down at him.

  When his hand was sliding through the water towards the stone egg, a fraction of a thought slipped through. He tried to throw himself backwards as the kwalic released its energy into his arm. It hit like a freight train, launching him across the room. The last thing Zayn remembered was Instructor Konig pumping his chest.

  #

  When Zayn awoke, he was lying on a mat in the classroom. The other students were gone, except for his team, who were lounging on the hardwood floor next to him.

  "He's awake," said Portia softly.

  Zayn shifted into a sitting position and rubbed his arms. The muscles were sore, as if he'd been lifting weights all day, and the patch of skin where the kwalic had hit him was slightly blackened.

  "Why did you try and touch the kwalic?" asked Vin, shaking his head softly.

  "I...it's hard to explain," said Zayn, and when he looked up at Keelan, he could tell his cousin knew why he'd done it.

  Skylar put a hand on his arm. "We're your teammates. You need to trust us."

  "I was trying something. I thought I could scramble my thoughts, overload the kwalic with so many possibilities that it couldn't figure out my true intention." He hung his head. "But it didn't work. It was stupid. I'm sorry."

  "You don't have to say sorry. We're just glad you're okay," said Vin. "Though someday we'd like to know why you're pushing yourself so hard."

  When he didn't say anything, they helped him to his feet. His legs felt shaky.

  "Professor Konig said you should take it easy the rest of the day, tomorrow too, but we know that's not going to happen," said Portia.

  "Professor?" asked Skylar.

  Portia bit the side of her lip. "Yeah, Instructor Konig. I guess he seems more like a professor than an Academy instructor. How did he get to be in this Hall?"

  "Or survive it?" said Skylar. "He’s like the living embodiment of beige."

  Vin snorted. "He has a supernatural ability to be uninteresting."

  "Be nice, guys. I like the class. He seems like a good teacher," said Zayn.

  "I think his years of working with obfusium magic rubbed off on him though," said Skylar with a smirk.

  Keelan put his arm around Zayn's shoulder. "You guys mind if I talk to my cousin for a moment? Family matters."

  By the looks in their eyes, they knew it was more than that, but they nodded and went on ahead. Zayn knew he was going to have to explain Varna completely at some point, but he wasn't ready just yet.

  "You're going to kill yourself if you keep trying this stuff," said Keelan. "Or worse yet, get everyone else killed."

  "I can't just accept what's going to happen when we get
done with our five years," said Zayn.

  "I don't mean that," said Keelan. "The team. If you do something like this on a mission, you're going to put everyone at risk."

  "I wouldn't do that," said Zayn.

  "I have a whole litany of stories that say otherwise," said Keelan.

  "Are you sure you're not talking about Varna?" asked Zayn.

  Keelan shrugged a shoulder. "It's not like it can be avoided. It shades everything we do. Like I know you're mad at me for giving in to the Lady, getting my mom a house and stuff."

  Zayn wanted to tear at his heart. "I'm not mad. I...I just want there to be another option."

  His cousin pulled his arm off his shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. "I get it, I really do. But the situation in Varna is a lot like this team. Don't go making choices for other people that they didn't sign up for. Let's just say you figure out a way to fool her seers, get past her defenses and all that. Let's just say you think you figured out a way to solve the poison issue, and kill her. What if you're wrong? Is it right for one person to make a decision like that for so many?"

  When Zayn couldn't answer, Keelan left, leaving him in the room by himself. He knew his cousin was right. How could he make that decision for everyone else? But they hadn't been asked if they wanted to live under the Lady's control either. For most of the town, it was a no-win situation. Maybe it was, as Keelan said, impossible and foolish. Maybe it couldn't be done. But Zayn knew he couldn't give up.

  Chapter Eight

  Seventh Ward, October 2015

  A bet's a bet

  In the month after the first obfusium class, Zayn was able to lose himself in his studies. Whenever he thought about taking another trip to the Diamond Queen's building, he remembered what Keelan had said about his reckless behavior endangering the rest of the team.

  But this hesitation didn't last, especially when the news came out in the Herald of the Halls that the building was intended to be the embassy for the Diamond Court. This put the city and the world into a frenzy, speculating on why Queen Zaire had an interest in this realm.