The steward and marshal both chuckled. Zephyr flushed. The king leaned across his armrest and directed his attention at Ronan. “What else have you deduced about the identity of the traitor?”
I held my breath. Even Ronan, as brilliant as he was, couldn’t know my identity.
Ronan bowed his head apologetically. “I’m afraid we must wait to hear from our witnesses to discern more of the traitor’s identity.”
Witnesses? No witnesses had seen me.
“Currently,” Ronan went on. “Our only clue is that most of Mage Saxeus’ scorpions were missing from his room. He knows they were there a day earlier.” Ronan gestured in Saxeus’ direction. “Did you grant anyone access to your room who might have magically removed them?”
“No,” Saxeus muttered. “I’m not a fool.”
Perhaps not a fool, but I could think of other unpleasant titles for him.
Ronan steepled his fingers together in thought. “Then the scorpions were removed when the traitor broke in. Otherwise, more of their remains would’ve been found in your room.”
Mages. It never occurred to them someone might kill the scorpions and dispose of them elsewhere. They were used to leaving their rubbish lying around for others to clean.
“Perhaps,” Ronan continued, “the wizard carried enchanted creatures with him who could eat scorpions…” He turned to the marshal. “Did any of the guests bring metal owls to the castle? Or perhaps bats?”
“Or chickens,” someone in the audience called out. “As you know, nothing strikes fear into the hearts of enemies like a wizard wielding his magic chicken.”
Scattered laughter rippled through the audience. I craned my head to get a better view of the wizard who’d spoken. With the exception of Ronan, I’d always thought wizards to be a humorless bunch. The speaker was a rotund, middle-aged man with a bushy brown beard and a bulbous nose.
“I’ll check the records,” the marshal replied. “Although, I can assure you no guests brought metal chickens with them. I would recollect such baggage.”
“Well then, Bodkin,” one of the wizards called, “You’ve still time to make an enchanted chicken your signature magic symbol.”
“And so I shall!” Bodkin called back.
A few more wizards chortled at that. Hearing wizards laugh was an odd sensation. It made the group seem less sinister and more like regular folk.
“Sire, if I may speak.” A gray-haired wizard stood and bowed to the king. I recognized him. Mage Goldenthatch had visited Docendum on occasion to teach classes on herbology. “As much as I hope you catch the traitor, I believe it’s in your best interest to permit, nay insist, that all wizards save Warison and Zephyr depart from Valistowe at once. Such an order would ensure not only the safety of the remaining council but every other innocent wizard as well.” He lifted his hands in entreaty. “We don’t know where the traitor will strike next. He may target any of us.”
The marshal hardly let him finish. “Your Majesty, I counsel you not to send any of the wizards away. Doing so would give the traitor a head start evading our men.” The marshal gave Goldenthatch a look that indicated his request made him a suspect. “He’s probably hoping to escape that way.”
Goldenthatch pursed his lips in indignation. “Our safety?—”
The marshal spoke over him, “Will be guaranteed if you all sleep together in the great hall as I suggested.”
“Or,” Goldenthatch said, “such a sleeping arrangement will make us easier to kill as we’ll be trapped in the room with the traitor. Do you think your guards will keep him from acting?”
“No,” the marshal answered patiently. “I think my guards will awaken the rest of you if they see anything suspicious, andyou’llkeep the traitor from acting.”
Goldenthatch huffed, disgruntled. “What if he has some spell to poison the air and means to kill us all?”
“You’ve clearly given our deaths thought,” Bodkin called out. He gestured to the marshal. “I request the spot closest to the door. I’m going to sleep with my lips pressed to the crack.”
“Sire.” Goldenthatch turned to the king. “I know your intentions are honorable, but locking up wizards without their consent is unprecedented, and I?—”
King Leofric slammed his hand down on this armrest. “A rogue wizard singlehandedly stripped marks from four of the most formidable wizards in the land. He likely wanted them all dead as well, but instead of leaving knives plunged into their chests which might be traced, he turned Telarian and Sciatheric against one another so that they destroyed each other for him.”
The king gave me more credit than I wanted.
“The same man,” King Leofric continued, “found Redboot hiding in a room that evenIdidn’t know existed.” He waved a hand in Saxeus’ direction. “He either favored Saxeus, or—just as likely—only spared his life to draw out his suffering. He expects Saxeus to lay in bed tonight, unprotected, wondering where the missing scorpions are and who controls them now.”
I’d never expected any such thing. Although now that the king brought it up, I did hope Saxeus worried a bit every time he climbed beneath his covers.
“The man is playing with us,” King Leofric said. “He’s not only powerful, he’s also daring, intelligent, and cunning.Thatis the sort of wizard we must search for.”