Crownsmith Chronicles

Key stood in Delina's office, making a coin disappear and reappear while she watched from different angles. She circled him, glaring with arms crossed as he performed the trick over and over. When he did something she didn't like, she would position his hands a certain way and then tell him to continue "like this."

"Use the back of your hand to keep the coin out of sight. You can't tuck something up your sleeve if everyone's staring directly at it, can you?"

Key turned his left hand outward as instructed and repeated the trick. "I don't know how I feel about this angle."

"Then use your other hand," she directed, taking his other hand and blocking her line of sight to the coin.

Someone knocked at the door, and Delina's somber features immediately grew pleasant. She greeted a young woman about Key's age with mousy features and straight chestnut hair. She looked uncomfortable as she offered Delina a small box. It looked heavy.

Delina opened the box while the girl was still holding it, scrutinizing its contents. "I asked for a few talent-sized marks, not a talent worth of marks; how many are there here?" She asked, waving her hand over the wooden box.

"Uh, I'm not sure, your ladyship," the woman spoke, still struggling under the weight of the box.

"Fifty," a man spoke, entering the room behind the uncomfortable-looking girl. "How do they look?"

Delina looked up at the man and back down at the coin in her hand. "I don't know what to say. I'm… Uh… There are no words."

Key recognized the man immediately and instinctively stood at attention. He had to learn the names and ranks of the hierarchical structure, including nobles, advisors, and various officials, during training camp. When learning about Marcus Tal'el, Key had pictured the royal historian as a giant of a man who had to turn the pages of old tombs with care or else his massive, brittle, war-trained fingers would tear out half the pages. It was a letdown to find the man's fingers were well suited to turn pages, and the only thing large on him was his belly. The man was no less powerful for his stature; he had an air of command about him, even if he was old, short, and portly.

"You like it that much?" Marcus asked, taking the box out of the servant girl's shaking hands and dismissing her.

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"No, I do not like it!" Delina huffed, pointing to the face of the coin. "I meant there are no words to describe how disappointed I am. Look at this! I asked Marvin for a coin that looked like it was cursed. I said, and I quote, "Marvin, make me some coins that look cursed." He asked me some questions, and I said verbatim, "Anything that has to do with the occult will be fine, Marvin." I should have had him repeat my instructions before sending him off. Now I have a talent worth of these… these… What even is this? We need to start over."

"Maybe not, I think I can work with this." Marcus struggled to look at the coin and hold the box simultaneously. He looked around for a place to put it when he noticed Key. "You there, can you please take this from me?"

Key practically ran to him. The box was heavy, but it wasn't as heavy as everyone made it look. Inside were three neat rows of coins stacked inside grooves carved into the bottom. He took a coin out and turned it over in his hand. On the front of the coin, or the heads side, there was a picture of a goat bending over to eat some grass. He had to agree with Delina; it wasn't very cursed-looking. The castle side was a little better; It was the same picture, except instead of a grass-eating goat, it was just the skeleton. He reconsidered how he felt about it. It was pretty creepy.

"I can work with this. I might have a few Scandish tomes on wildlife that feature some goats. If I do, then it doesn't matter if the coin looks cursed or not; it will work." Marcus reassured her before changing the subject. "Anyway, let's see how your new protégé is coming along."

Delina waved Key over to her and gestured for him to 'go ahead.' Having already attached the string in his sleeve to the new coin, he went through the movement of showing the coin, covering it with both hands and then straightening his arm and pulling it into his sleeve. Marcus applauded when Key showed his empty hands. Key tried to thank him formally, but Marcus cut him off.

"You can call me Marcus," He said, patting Key on the arm. "I've heard a lot about you, and I'm pleased to be a part of yours and Castor's ploy, even if it's a small part."

"What is your part? If you don't mind me asking." Key asked, instantly at ease with the man.

Marcus gave a raspy laugh. "For all she's worth, she's terrible at communicating. That's why we don't let her plan anything without constant supervision. Isn't that right, Delina?"

Delina crossed her arms and gave Marcus a dishumored look. "He's giving us books for when you lead Jory to the fake magician's shop. The magician, someone I'll hire to wear a costume, will cross-reference the coin in the said book. It will be written in a different language, so we can tell him to say whatever he wants. In this case, the book will say something like, "You need to slop around in a mud pit or something to break the curse." I'm still working on that part.

"And now that we've talked about books, I must talk to Delina about other things," Marcus cut in, asking for privacy.

"Very well, Key, you're done for the day. I'll see you tomorrow," Delina dismissed him and, after a moment, added, "If you can."