The Fire Rose
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Fire Rose is a book written by Mercedes Lackey and part of her Elemental Masters series. It is set during turn-of-the-century Chicago and San Francisco and is based on Beauty and the Beast.
A young medieval scholar named Rosalind Hawkins (Rose for short), is left penniless after her father's death. A professor and mentor from the college she attended tells Rose that he received a letter from a man named Jason Cameron, looking for a governess for his two children. Rose, fitting all the qualifications and having no other options, accepts the job and travels by train to his manor outside San Francisco.
But when she arrives at the home of Jason Cameron, her new employer, she finds that he has no wife, nor children, and the only servant she ever sees is his secretary, Paul du Mond, to whom she takes an instant dislike. Instead, she learns that Cameron has hired her to translate ancient texts to him, as a mysteriously referred-to accident has rendered him unable to conduct his research. Therefore, she is to spend her nights reading from archaic and magical texts to Cameron through a speaking tube. After several days, Rose begins to realize that the large mansion is well taken care of, though she sees no servants other than Paul. After reading a book on magic, she becomes suspicious, as well as a little afraid. She confronts Jason and discovers that he is an Elemental Master of Fire and the house is tended by salamanders.
After a visit to San Francisco, Rose is called into Jason's room by a salamander. There she discovers Jason's secret, that he is half man, half wolf, due to a botched lycanthropy spell. Rose is horrified at first, but she is able to overcome it and forget her employer's appearance. Jason begins to depend on Rose. Rose learns that her own Magickal nature is that of Air and, after becoming Jason's apprentice, calls up a sylph.
Meanwhile, Paul allies himself with another fire master, Simon Beltaire, who is evil. Paul attempts to kidnap Rose for a spell. However, she fights back and Jason turns up, enraged, and kills Paul. After, Rose takes another visit to San Francisco and while she is there, an earthquake occurs. There is a showdown between Jason and the opposing mage, Beltaire. Rose asks the sylphs to help Jason and he wins. Two Chinese elemental masters, Master Ho and Master Pao, who are friends of Jason help Rose and Jason back to Jason's home. Master Ho, the air master, and also an ordained minister, marries Rose and Jason.
