18th December (Thursday), Further into the night time

Natalie, without asking, led us away from the Earth-side opening and the guards' watchful eyes. Her steps were light, almost springy, and she hummed faintly under her breath as if this were just a stroll in a park rather than a meeting that could shape my future. We ended up in a quieter square, shaded by massive towers above and smaller trees clustered below. Benches shaped like open books curved around the space, their stone surfaces warmer than expected when I sat down.

A few flying tomes fluttered down around her, landing at her feet like loyal pets. Nat absentmindedly patted their spines one by one, as if greeting old friends.

"Why do you want to join the Guild?" she asked, settling across from me.

Instead of answering, my mind slipped sideways. "Do shadows make those?" I nodded at the benches, then let the question stretch wider. "Not just benches—everything here. Shadows mirror tasks from their Earthly counterparts, right? But all the things and objects… the flourishes, the strange beauty—those come from Earth ones dreaming them into existence? What do workers do in Ideworld then? Do you know?"

That stopped her for a moment. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, eyes drifting to the stone beneath her. "I've never really considered it. I guess I never looked too closely."

The casualness of that struck me. People born with this world already stitched into their blood—did they just accept its strangeness without ever asking why?

"I hoped you'd know," I said, a little sharper than intended. "That maybe someone gave a damn about the shadows. Does anyone at the Guild study them?"

"Probably," Nat said with a little shrug. "We've got research divisions and specialized teams, but I couldn't tell you what they're working on. Is that what you'd want to pursue here? You never did answer my question."

"Honestly?" I leaned back on the book-shaped bench. "I don't know if I want to join the Guild. I've met a retired Hexblade officer, and another still in active duty. Both of them knew a hell of a lot more about the Ideworld and magic than me, so it felt obvious—I should come here and seek the source."

Her expression flickered, almost pitying. "The Guild isn't an academy. We don't teach like one. Every member learns on their own or within their family line. Sometimes knowledge gets traded, but most of the time it's… every mage for themselves."

"So the research teams don't report to anyone?"

"Oh, they do. Just not to me." Her tone sharpened, playful edge gone. "Most likely they report directly to the Guild Master—or one of the Magisters. Probably the Magister of Knowledge."

"I've met her."

"Tonight?" She lifted a brow, surprised.

"Two hours ago. But it doesn't matter. Let's just say she left an impression." I shifted forward, eyes narrowing. "What I'd actually like to know is—what is the Guild, exactly?"

"We're more of a governing body," Nat said, "a judicial system with a little protection thrown in."

"I see. And what's your role in all that?"

"I'm an aide to the Minister of Affairs."

"So… you're a politician."

"Yes."

"Then explain something to me, because it still eludes me—what is the Guild to an average mage, really? Can any of us, just join?"

"Not every mage in the U.S. is part of the Guild," she said carefully. "But we've taken it upon ourselves to impose order anyway. So even if you'd never heard of us, you were already subject to our laws. When mages have disputes, they bring them to a local branch for arbitration or trial. When it's mage-on-mage crime, the judicial branch and the Hexblades handle it. We police the border between Earth and the Ideworld—contain shadows, seal breaches, deal with… other entities that wander across. And we launch expeditions into the Ideworld itself, to learn more about it. At least, that's how it works on American soil."

"I see." I tapped my fingers against the warm stone bench. "Then what's the aptitude test about? Why give it to me?"

"Normally?" Nat smiled a little too sweetly. "I wouldn't. It's not in my job description. But my superior decided that since we share the same Domain—and since you've already brushed against certain… prominent new political players—I should at least see if you're a viable prospect for us."

So it was Penrose that had opened a door for me after all.

"'Us' as in your group specifically, or the Guild itself?" I asked.

"Both," Nat said, her tone airy but precise. "I can't force you to work for us, but I can be persuasive."

"If I pass this test, what would I even do for you?"

"That depends on your talents. What are you good at, Jess?"

"I'm not much of a fighter," I said. "But I know how to talk to people."

"You're a truth seeker?"

"It's a common trait for artists."

"That it is." She tilted her head. "So what kind of position would you want?"

"I didn't come here looking for a job, to be honest. If that's all this boils down to, I think I might pass on it altogether. I wanted a community of mages to learn from."

"You can still learn from us," she said. "But joining the Guild will require some work from you."

"So what would require the least work?"

"Probably something like what I'm doing," she said with a small laugh. "But not at the start—especially since you probably know less than any kid raised in a legacy family."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why do I feel like you already have something in mind for me?"

"Because you're downplaying yourself, Ms. Hare. You said you aren't much of a fighter, but that's not true, is it?"

"But it is. Why do you think otherwise?"

"Caroline Jackson from New York's branch filed a formal request for a hearing on your behalf. She said you led your own squad into the Mirrored City and out again without a single loss."

I raised an eyebrow, "So you weren't only fucking after all?"

"No. Not only," Nat said smoothly. "I know how to do my job well, even if the task is out of my comfort zone. Can you?"

Of course I could, but I wasn't about to hand her that. She needed to see me as someone with cracks—someone to underestimate, not admire.

"Firstly, Caroline is full of shit," I said flatly. "She never saw me fight, never saw me lead. All she actually saw me do was talk, kill one unexpecting unreflected, and play bait. Her report is grossly exaggerated."

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Nat's lips quirked. "I'd have to speak with her personally to make my own judgment. But so far, your attitude proves her point. You don't seem afraid."

"Should I be?"

"I'd imagine a person who stumbled into a whole new world would be at least a little afraid of what they found."

"I've got a knack for escape," I said. "I'm not a fighter, I'm a survivor. The squad I was with? They were the fighters."

"Yes." She tapped her fingers together thoughtfully. "Caroline listed instant teleportation as your main power. Interesting for an artist mage."

My pulse ticked faster, but I held still. "What else did she list?"

"Some kind of… art manipulation. She wasn't specific." Her eyes narrowed with that testing gleam again. "Can you be?"

"A little. I work around verisimilitude. Make the art believe it's the real thing."

Nat leaned forward slightly, her hair catching a strip of lantern-light. "So you paint yourself elsewhere and you appear there?"

That question felt a little too sharp, too precise, as if it came from recognition rather than curiosity. Did her Domain work that way—or was she probing for how far mine reached?"

"I don't want to sell all my secrets for free," I said. "I still don't know jack shit about you, what you'd offer me, or even this test itself."

"The test is already undergoing, Jess."

I raised a brow. "Just talking?"

"Is talking not enough?" she countered. "When powers are absolute, when the risk of violence is too great, the rational choice is always to talk through conflict."

"Is that what you deal with? Absolute powers?"

"Sometimes."

I shook my head. "I can't believe they're that rational about their status. Godlike powers make you feel like a god. And from what I read in their own books, gods rarely bowed to anyone."

"They often bow," Natalie said evenly, "when dealing with other gods. Or just godlike powers."

"The Guild, then?"

"You get it." She tapped her foot lightly against the stone, her poise too deliberate for someone who had been so carefree and chaotic just minutes ago.

That shift made me press harder. "So the whole act of being unprepared and running out right after sex—that was just that, wasn't it? An act to soften me up."

Her eyes gleamed. "You're mistaken. It wasn't an act. I really like sex."

"Fair enough," I said dryly. "So… did I pass the oral part of the exam?"

Natalie smiled, not kindly. "No. Not yet. You're too angsty. But—" she tilted her head as if cataloging me—"there's potential. Intelligent. Perceptive. You just need polish."

"Angsty how?" I asked.

Natalie tilted her head. "For one—you called Caroline 'full of shit.' Her report was thorough, her recommendation measured. You've blasphemed against every religion in one breath. You implied I was an actor playing you. And more than once, you made it clear you want to take from us without giving in return. So either you are an angsty young adult… or you know how to play one, to look smaller than you are." Her gaze sharpened. "So tell me, Jess—was it an act?"

She was good. Too good. Truth seeker indeed.

I let my shoulders dip, contrition painted across my face. "I'm sorry. I did sound angry, didn't I? It was this whole death-or-exile thing. Threw me off balance. I came here wanting to belong, and instead I got negligence and hostility."

She went quiet, eyes fixed on me, searching every twitch and micro-expression. For a heartbeat I thought she'd call me out. Then, that radiant smile bloomed again, the same one from the moment we met. Honest—or a perfect imitation of it.

"That could throw anyone off," she said warmly. "Jess, our conversation's been brief, but I like you. You're blunt, and that's refreshing compared to my colleagues' endless politicking."

"Glad I could brighten your night," I said dryly.

"I think I could find a place for you on my team," she continued, "but it's too early. You don't know our rules, our structure, the world itself. You'd burn out fast." Her eyes narrowed, assessing me one more time. "What I can offer is something closer to an internship. A foothold in New York. A way to prove yourself, learn our ways, and let us see what you're really capable of."

I tilted my head. "So you're offering me homework?"

"I'm offering you a key," Natalie said. "What you unlock with it will be up to you."

"Would you be my supervisor?" I asked.

That got me her laughter. "You can call it that. I'd check in from time to time, maybe drop by unannounced to see how things are going. But most of the time, you'd answer to that branch."

Perfect. I could stay in New York, close to home, while nibbling at Guild secrets—unless the work bled me dry.

"What would you have me do there?"

"You've worked with Caroline before. She's a tracker—her job is to identify threats to mages, map them, and mark them for others to deal with appropriately. Detective work, mostly. I think you'd fit well as her partner. She's been requesting one for a while."

Another investigative role. What is it with mages and playing detectives?

"She told me she worked with a squad," I said.

"She did. She still does, when needed—trackers often field with squads, since we're short on competent people with the right Domains. But her main task is finding the problems, not always fighting them."

"Wouldn't that put me in harm's way? And how does that help me learn your job?"

"It would," Natalie admitted, "but every Guild position shortens your life expectancy, Jess. Some more than others. And you said yourself—you're not a fighter, but you're very good at surviving. Escaping."

"True," I conceded.

"Then it fits. Plus, the work isn't nine-to-five. You'd be called in when the Oracle detects something and dispatched to investigate. It gives you freedom—more than most roles."

That was tempting. Dangerous but flexible. Exactly the sort of arrangement I could bend to my needs.

"Is there training?" I asked. "Because I still have an art school to finish. I'm not dropping that for the Guild."

"There would be some field training, yes. The New York Hexblades would handle it. They'd first want to test whether you can defend yourself properly."

"Okay, Nat, but the question remains—how does this actually help me join you later on?"

"My job requires someone who's good at talking and persuading. For that, you need creativity—your Domain gives it to you, otherwise you wouldn't have it. The person doing this has to be good at reading their counterpart and adapting quickly, which you did skillfully enough. A little rough around the edges, but the potential is there. What you lack is general knowledge about magic, Ideworld, and the Guild's internal politics. You'll actually learn that by working with us."

"So how would it work for me exactly? Should I go in there and tell them I spoke with you?"

"No. I'll speak with my employer, and together we'll decide if that's the best course for you. Maybe I'm mistaken. Truth be told, I often am." She ducked her head slightly, like she was sharing a secret. "I should add, I started in Hexblades too before moving up. It's a great community. Lots of well-built men and women." She bit her lip, and something about her tone made the statement feel pointed.

"You're bisexual, Nat?" I asked, catching the hint she was clearly throwing out.

"I am a very sexual… person," she said, bending backward slightly, puffing her chest up, and letting her gaze drift toward the moon, which emerged in its multiple personalities as clouds shifted away. "I don't care much about gender or planar alignment," she added, glancing back at me. "Do you?"

"What do you mean by planar alignment?" I teased.

"I've been with people from Earth… but with shadows too."

"Oh." I raised an eyebrow. "I'll think about your proposal then."

"Was there any proposal?" she asked, half-closing her eyes, looking at me intensely.

"How will you contact me?" I pressed.

"Oh, you. No fun at all," she said, straightening in her seat. "Can't really use the phone right now. There's a rather angry man killing people over the phone lately. Until he's dealt with, the highest members of the Guild are advised to avoid them. I included myself in that group."

"So… how?"

"Come here next week. Monday, 1 a.m. I'll have an answer for you. Does that work?"

"Yeah, that works. Will the guards let me in… or kill me on sight?"

"They'll let you in. Don't worry about that."

I stood and brushed off my pants. She rose too, her movement as graceful as a cat's stretch.

I did feel attraction to her. That was unusual for me—it had always been men who caught my eye. Sophie and Zoe were both stunning, but I had never once entertained the thought of being with them. Nat was different. There was something about her—both chaotic and ordered—like a storm in a glass of water. She moved and spoke with a softness, a femininity that should have been a turn-off for me, yet it wasn't.

"Are you checking me out after all?" Her voice snapped me out of my trance. Damn. I was. Heat climbed under my makeup, mercifully hidden.

"Is there a chance for something?" She gestured between us, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

I wanted to give in. To try it. Should I?

"I have plenty of strength left in me," she added with a low chuckle. "Benefits of being a mage."

"No. Not tonight."

"That's not a never," she said happily, her eyes glinting like a cat's. "I'm looking forward to our next meetings."

"Likewise." I tried to gather myself, but my thoughts were a whirl.

"Are you sure?" she asked, stepping closer. "You don't seem sure."

The truth was, I wasn't.

"I have a really nice place here," she continued, her tone dropping to a sultry whisper. "And I want to be clear — it doesn't have to be anything long term. We could spend some fun time together without any strings attached." Strings.

She moved closer, close enough that I could feel her warmth. Excitement buzzed in my veins like a live wire.

She was so sexy. I wanted to do wild things with her—to her—to let her do the same to me.

"Will you go with me after all?" she asked, now just a touch away.

I stepped back. "That's flattering, Natalie, but I really have to go," I said, letting the remaining strength in me carry my resolve as I turned and marched toward the Opening.

"Maybe next time?" she called after me.

I glanced back and waved.

"Maybe…" I whispered to the wind.

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