Mother of Souls by Heather Rose Jones

Author:Heather Rose Jones [Jones, Heather Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, lesbian, Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9781594935176
Publisher: Bella Books
Published: 2016-11-09T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

The Salle Chapil was nearly full for Antuniet’s talk, but with a different mixture of people than usual. Were there truly so many interested in transmutations? Or were people merely unsettled and looking for distraction? The city felt uneasily on edge as it hadn’t since the days, six years past, when Prince Aukustin’s health had begun to fail. Tonight’s audience wasn’t only those who wanted a glimpse of the Royal Alchemist—one they rarely got in more social venues. Margerit recognized a few older faces from the university faculty. And there was Mesnera Farin, the mathematician, and several of her friends. Now there was a prize to have captured! Margerit’s own following had largely been drawn from the younger set—the women who still thought of themselves as students. But the eccentrics of the older generation—the scholarly ones, that is—had largely kept away. This might be Jeanne’s doing, though the vicomtesse herself hadn’t come. Was that by Antuniet’s request or Jeanne’s own decision?

Those who hoped for the story of the famous alchemical gemstones were disappointed. Not that the lecture wasn’t entertaining. Antuniet had a crisp, dry delivery that hovered at the edges of wit. The occasional nervous titter from the audience was rewarded with a brief pause that could have been either appreciation or impatience. She knew her subject well, and knew how to make the quest for physical and spiritual transformation sound as exciting as a heroic novel. A willing audience brought out Antuniet’s hidden dramatic talents.

Tonight she spoke of the Great Works, the ones that could set the seal of triumph on an alchemist’s career. The distillation of elixir, the stone of transmutation, the growing of a homunculus. Margerit was surprised to hear Antuniet discuss philosophy more than science. She always seemed concerned with results above reasons. But tonight she touched on the spiritual motivations of the scientist. On the aspirations and changes that the art worked on the practitioner. On the perfection of the soul that went with the purification of matter. The echo of divine creation. It was a better choice for this audience than a more technical lecture would have been, but so very different from Antuniet’s usual style!

Antuniet was more gracious to those who stayed after the lecture than Margerit might have expected. She usually had no time for idle conversation. But perhaps, like Anna, she had been practicing at Jeanne’s salons. Anna was certainly growing more confident and assured in company. But Antuniet had never lacked in confidence, only in patience.

Margerit glanced over the remaining attendees and left her post by the main doors. Those who might expect a personal farewell had left. Antuniet had only a few people around her now and Margerit extracted her tactfully with an offer of a carriage ride home.

“Are you tired?” Margerit asked her, as Antuniet seemed to wilt visibly once they had come out into the porch of the salle.

Antuniet answered with a small grunt, then added, “I’ve grown accustomed to having Jeanne as a shield. But we thought…well, never mind.

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