Beauly: The Messenger Series, #11

By C Amon Trant

The Constable for Beauly resigned suddenly. The Beauly Town Council asked Dúnbarnaugh for help, so as a diplomatic gesture, they send the Messenger and Keeper of the Realm.

     Toby goes to meet the fine people of Beauly, who upon seeing the Prime amulet, point guns at Toby's face.

     Apparently, the Messenger of the Realm eats babies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C Amon Trant
• Release date: Dec 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201026745

C Amon Trant

C. Amon Trant is a retired physician, son, brother, husband, and -as his granddaughter so eloquently puts it- "GaGa." 

Book preview

Part 1

I

With a heavy sigh, the Messenger of the Realm considered his options. He had to be in Teacher’s room in an hour, so did he work on the weapons inventory for Captain Fratus or the new chapter for the Books of Amulets for Madame Strunk?

Both would look at him with disappointment, but who was he kidding? Fratus was not in Strunk’s league.

The Prime hung warm inside his tunic. He pulled it out and, were he not on the first level of the dungeon, also known as the Guard station, the warm summer sun would dance off the metallic base and green, yellow, red, and blue diamonds.

A picture containing metalware, chain Description automatically generated

The Prime buzzed, causing him to fumble the amulet, except it was still on the chain around his neck.

It was the Tester of the Realm

Hello?

You busy? Raymond said.

I’m at work.

Meet me outside Father’s room.

This better not be one of your pranks. You know he hates-

Please?

Be right there.

Toby considered shifting up there, but it’s not that far. And it’s not like he barfed anymore...

Well, not every time.

Toby jogged up the long stairs out of the Guard Station to the main hall, then east toward the Hall of Heroes.

Teacher Sklavos’s tapestry always caught his eye. The white-hot shot coming from the One’s ‘life amulet’ striking Sela, leaving Sklavos maimed and the widowed father of two.

Toby moved on and noticed several people working extremely hard to look innocent.

Near the northeast corner of the castle, he turned toward Teacher’s room.

Long before he reached the threshold, the smell announced Amulet Day, except lately, every day is amulet day.

Toby! whispered Raymond from up the hall.

What–

Shh!

Whispered, This better not be-

You like my jokes.

True, but not the point. Toby stood there. Eyebrows raised.

Samantha’s birthday is next week.

I know. I got her binoculars.

Nice. I’d like to throw her a surprise party.

Except she hates surprises more than your father.

Raymond smiled. I know.

You going to hide her throwing knives?

Ooh. Good point. I’ll... He shook his head. Think of something.

Today, gentlemen, Teacher boomed from his room.

I told you to keep it down, Raymond said.

They walked in, but the fumes drove them to the window on the far side.

You know, Toby said, heavy metal poisoning is a real thing.

Tell the Council.

And as if right on cue, Council Leader Vaiden came in, coughed, and moved to the far side of the room.

It always this bad? Vaiden said to Toby.

Yes, Teacher said. And it won’t get better until you councilors quit selling your amulets.

You implying something?

Teacher stood up, the window light making his scarred face seem more craggy, and said, No. I’m saying it outright. Someone is selling my amulets to criminals.

You can’t prove anyone is selling them.

One of Teacher’s eyebrows raised, just a touch.

Educate me, Vaiden said.

He had Toby’s undivided attention, too.

Teacher laid down three shifters.

A picture containing LEGO, toy Description automatically generated A picture containing metalware, clipart Description automatically generated A picture containing LEGO, toy Description automatically generated

Nearly identical.

Teacher flipped one over and placed it in sunlight. Here’s a little trick I just learned.

He picked up the Teacher’s amulet.

A picture containing decorated Description automatically generated

He rotated the central smokey quartz toward the ruby, the amethyst, then back to the ruby.

Cover your eyes.

He turned the central quartz stone, focusing a tight beam on the Shifter.

Brighter.

Brighter.

The heat drove Toby back.

And then it was over.

Burn your hand? Raymond said.

Teacher shook his head, then said, Well, he looked at his more scared right hand, this one can’t feel much.

Toby leaned closer, and the Shifter looked the same.

Don’t see it? Teacher said.

No.

Try this Teacher rotated from the quartz to the yellow citrine.

Toby held the smokey quartz to his eye.

Look very close.

Like he was using a jeweler’s loupe, Toby examined the Shifter.

Rotate the shifter.

Toby did and thought he saw something. Rotating the other way slowly, something came into focus.

MB

It’s like reading those manuscripts, isn’t it? Toby said.

What? Vaiden said,

The amulet brings the distant parts of the image together.

May I? Vaiden said. He held the two amulets, rotated. MB? Ah. Madame Belangia. Is this her second?

Fifth, but who’s counting.

You calling her a criminal?

That would be slander, Teacher said.

Unless it’s true. And you didn’t say no.

Toby looked at Teacher and pointed at the amulet. You know how that works?

This etches the letters into the metal.

The word laser popped into Toby’s mind, but he had no way of testing that idea, not here.

Teacher pulled down the book of Amulets and opened it to one of those odd pages with random appearing marks. I’m pretty sure they used that function to write these pages, but with much lower power for a shorter time.

Vaiden tapped the page and looked at Toby, who nodded and borrowed a quill from Teacher: something else to add to his growing list of unwritten chapters.

II

Toby sat at his desk , started working on the latest budget projections when Captain Fratus said, Ever heard of Beauly?

Toby walked across the hallway. Don’t remember it.

It’s a small village up in the mountains, part of the Northern Alliance. The last war destroyed the town twice, so they moved further up in the mountains. But the Barrier came down and cut the town in half. They had no idea what was happening until later that night.

Spiders or the One?

The story says both. For decades, they lived like hermits trapped between monsters just outside the Barrier and a lethal enemy to the south, except Dúnbarnaugh forgot they were there.

Wait. Isn’t Samantha from up there?

I think so, and I’d like our Keeper’s help, too. The town constable retired suddenly.

You said they’re part of the Northern Alliance.

Their Provost called Trevik and Lisanair. Both can’t help right now.

We still need ten Guards.

Vaiden thinks mending long-neglected fences is a good political move.

Which made sense, So, that’s not the real reason.

No. You heard about the Chinese type 56’s?

Toby nodded. Wish we had some. I’m tired of cannibalizing trashed rifles to keep bad rifles functional.

We got new reports of smugglers near Dunhil, but that didn’t pan out. Other reports pointed at Coldtown, but nothing. Now we’re hearing rumblings out of Beauly.

Samantha and I are going to be... Constable?

Temporary assistants to the Provost. They want you to keep the peace, find a replacement, and train them in procedures.

And snoop around.

Discreetly.

And still be on call for here, too.

Your job hasn’t changed, Mr. Messenger.

Yes, sir.

You going home soon?

I... He shook his head. I’ve been putting it off. When I go back, I’m starting some college classes.

Fratus shook his head.

What?

This time stuff. Ye shift to Earth, can spend seconds or years if ye want, come back here the second after ye left and spend seconds or years if ye want. How do ye keep from bumping into yourself?

I’m careful.

Usually.

Toby could only nod. He’d time-shifted twice, accidentally, and somehow didn’t meet the sticky fate described in several books.

How long did ye go between seeing yer mother?

Toby looked down. Three years.

Wow. She mad?

I’m working on it.

Can’t blame her.

I don’t, and I am getting back at least once a month.

In this time frame.

Yeah.

And ye aren’t moving to Earth?

No.

So why are ye in school?

I’m keeping options open.

Any accounting courses?

Not yet.

Vaiden’s secretary wouldn’t mind someone taking on more of that stuff.

Toby nodded, except unlike Mr. Secretary, Toby couldn’t add long columns of five-digit numbers in his head.

I’ll consider it.

Let me know when ye and Samantha can move out.

Next on the schedule: training with his Keeper.

Toby left the Guard station and turned west past the massive Council Chamber door, up the stairs, past second-floor Council offices, up past the third-floor apartments, and up to the rooftop garden.

To the south, freshly shorn sheep grazed deep green pastures that, until recently, were dense forest. Farmers were getting hay into stacks or working their crops.

But today, the north wind roared through the mountain pass (that gives this castle her name) and across the alpine glaciers.

He pulled his coat a little tighter and wished he remembered his hood.

Nippy, said Keeper Samantha.

And the winds will change to the south. It’s three degrees now, up to 29 by Friday.

Then we’ll enjoy today’s run even more.

After the second lap, How old are the kids now?

She glanced at him. Duncan is eight, Ronan four, and Gara is one.

Gara is an interesting name.

She eyed him narrowly. It was me Ma’s name. Old Scottish. Duncan says he hates school, but he’s reading everything he can find. Ronan has decided she is a chef and can’t understand why I won’t let her stand in the fireplace. And Gara is now tall enough to open the front door.

Oh. Happy birthday tomorrow.

Thank ye. Spit it out.

What?

She stopped running. Where are they sending ye?

Sending us. To Beauly.

Brows knitted, eyes squinted, and the corners of her mouth went down. Why?

He relayed what he knew.

Beauly still thinks we’re at war.

I heard. You keep in touch?

She shook her head. No family there for years. When do we leave?

They want us up there yesterday.

She turned the corner. Raymond planned a surprise party.

Did he?

Stop. Ronan could not wait to tell me all about it, so officially, I will be surprised.

And Raymond won’t have to hide your throwing knives.

What?

Nothing. I’ll go to Beauly and meet with the Provost.

No patrols on your own.

Yes, ma’am.

I’m serious.

I’ll behave.

Wait. Ye ever been there?

Oh. He pulled out the Prime. Care to drive?

The ‘squeezed through a keyhole’ was always worse when someone else controlled the shift: he didn’t know when it would-

He had to throw up, but only a little.

Snow still caked the north side of trees and buildings.

Does it ever get warm up here?

This is warm, she said.

Look the same?

She shook her head. But, she pointed to a building, that is still city hall. Can we go now?

In a hurry?

Now.

He shifted them to her new house just west of Coldtown, an area less blasted by the glacial winds.

Remember, she said. No patrols. You are visiting, not working.

Understood.

She hugged him and held it for one eternal second.

You okay? he said.

Ye will be at me party.

Of course. You good?

G’night.

Night.

Raymond came over, carrying Gara, who reached for Toby and squealed.

Toby took her, and, like always, she pointed at his chest and said, Pretty.

He pulled out the always warm pretty and let her hold it. At least she stopped putting the Prime Amulet in her mouth.

Is Samantha okay? Toby said.

She... tells her own stories.

Toby jogged to the dining hall, hoping to find something to eat.

The crew was cleaning the small private dining room, but a few patrons were still straggling in.

Mr. Messenger, said Insalaco.

Mr. Councilman, or should I say your Honor, Judge?

Uncle is fine, thank ye.

Something happened?

Fix him a plate, please, he said to the head server.

Seconds later, Toby carried a pewter plate with sauteed booz from the Eastern Steppe, vegetables from the South Coast (looked like carrots, tasted like asparagus), and something new.

Insalaco led them through the kitchen, out the back entrance into the cobblestone service tunnel, and into Insalaco’s not so secret getaway.

After lighting two candles, Insalaco pointed to the newest addition to his menu. What do you think?

Toby pushed the seeds around. What is it?

Each plant produces thousands of these little seeds, and a 10 x 10m patch can produce enough to feed a small village through the worst of winter.

Sounded a little like quinoa.

I’m trying to get some farmers up in the hills to give it a go.

Firm but tender.

Mix it with the booz.

Different, and made the booz better.

Now the vegetable.

Different again.

It has little flavor on its own, but it pairs with almost anything savory.

It’s good.

Insalaco took a sip of his mead. "Might be the last of the booz for a while. Ranching out on the prairie is getting too expensive.

The predator population is exploding?

He nodded.

Was afraid of that.

Live and learn.

Something is wrong. The Council or Court?

Both. When are you coming back to the Council meetings?

Since I’m not presenting the Guard reports, I took a break.

Please come. You can see things from the gallery I can’t.

Belangia again?

Not directly, though this has her stink all over it. One of her boys proposed a rule change in criminal cases. If the government hasn’t proven guilt beyond any possibility of doubt, I must find the suspect not guilty regardless of the jury verdict.

You’d have to let everyone go.

That’s what I said.

Let me guess. The proposal came from our newest Councilor from the east second district. He’s a criminal defense attorney?

Of course.

And he asked you to recuse yourself from the vote because of a conflict of interests.

He did and in the same breath said he has no conflicts. Then in Court, he tried to use the rule as if it passed. He had the jury so confused; they almost set a murderer free.

The guy who killed the woman with that odd zig-zag blade?

Insalaco nodded. I wish that detail hadn’t leaked out.

Toby agreed. The scumbag probably killed several, but now the investigation is a mess.

Toby remembered the headline: ‘Lightning bolt killer.’

I’ll be seeing him when I have Dungeon duty.

Watch yer back, and yer front.

III

Toby shifted to Beauly , but he remembered his wool cloak and hood.

Designed by the uninspired and constructed by the lowest bidder, City Hall met all of Toby’s expectations.

I’d like to meet with the Provost.

Dè?

Sounded like Scottish Gaelic, but the pronunciation was different.

Provost?

She shook her head and went back to a report.

Provost?

Cha chuidich ath-aithris thu fhèin.

He didn’t get anything. Maybe writing ‘Provost’ would help, but he dropped the pen.

He bent to grab it, stumbled on his cloak, and the Prime slipped from inside his Guard uniform.

He stood back up.

The woman froze.

Then, like a jumped deer, she stood up so fast she nearly fell over her chair.

She grabbed a paperweight and threw it with all her might.

Toby caught it. What are you doing?

She screamed