Chapter 226 The Enemy Resurfaces (1/2)

Falla signed off on one last order and put her pen away as Layn collected the signed stock orders.

”Anything else?” asked Falla.

”Nothing urgent, Miss Falla,” Layn nodded, ”I believe you have an evening meal schedule with Master Jane?”

Falla's eyes flickered in recognition, ”Ah, of course, thank you for reminding me”. She opened on of her desk draws and retrieved a letter from what she'd discussed with Iah as she stood, ”Bring the carriage around please Layn”.

”It will be done, Miss,” Layn nodded, leaving the office as Falla continued to ready herself.

Over the past two years, she'd worked quite closely with Jane and her team. At least as closely as a Magician Team employed by the Guild could get to a businesswoman. They'd used the excuse of Falla having connections to Moonshadow and the Charms they were investigating. It had worked for the most part. The Magician team had at one stage or another been given access to the charms. Thanks to their insights into the Mist, they could see clearly how the charms worked, but they could only speculate as to how someone carved the Charm itself.

They'd tried to use a fire poker, but that had only marked the crystal crudely, and melted it in other parts. The rune had had no affect, and they'd been forced to take the experiment as a failure. It was only a month after that Jane had told Falla. Falla had been surprised at first with how close they'd come and how much they understood, and when Jane asked for some form of guidance or a hint, Falla had had to outright admit that she had no clue how it was done.

After all, she couldn't see the mist.

Iah had been against giving any sort of information to the Magicians, and Falla, for the sake of keeping to contract, had agreed that it was necessary. Besides, if the Guild suddenly became capable of making their own charms, her profits would take a severe blow.

And what enormous profits they were. And not just from the charms either. Anything that Moonshadow was connected with became a must-have product. It was why Charm street had become so popular. The Vanguard that had been so highly thought of and sought after two and a half years ago had become popular as well, though not on nearly as big a scale. From what Rassa had once explained to her, it was likely they were running out of charged Evanine, and had no sure way of finding more. Falla had little to worry about on that front though, the Protective Charms had been a fine counter to it.

”We're here, Miss,” Layn told her as the carriage pulled up outside the Fire Falls Restaurant. Jane had taken quite a liking to the place, and Falla had no mind to deny her.

She entered the private room she'd reserved on the second floor, and ordered some of her favourite dishes as well as some tea. Jane was often late to these meetings. Falla never held it against her, it seemed that her Magician Team was quite the handful as well as very important to her.

Layn sat to her side, sipping at the tea as they waited in silence with the calm pool beside them and the drumming of the falls a few rooms away.

Finally, the door to their room opened and Jane entered, looking a little flustered.

”Ah, Jane, it's good to see you. I hope you've been well,” Falla said, pouring her friend a cup of tea as Jane paused beside the table.

”Ah, yes, good,” Jane said.

Falla frowned up at her friend as she placed the tea back down again, ”Don't just stand there, sit”.

”Right,” Jane said, she hurriedly sat, and Jane noticed that she looked a little more flustered than Falla had originally thought. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes wide, her hair, though still elegant, was more windswept than usual.