Ronan narrowed his eyes at his old teacher. “I’ve met this wolf as well. Why would you bring it to the castle?”
Mage Wolfson crossed his arms stiffly. “I haven’t. You should already know as much. Such an animal would’ve been discovered by Mage Redboot on my entry and refused admittance.”
“Unless,” Mage Zephyr said, “Mage Redboot was in league with you and allowed you to bring the beast in.” He nodded knowingly. “Perhaps Mage Redboot had a change of heart about his dealings with you, and you killed him to hide your secret.”
Mage Wolfson stood, bristling with offense. “Where would I keep that animal during my stay? Someone would’ve seen it.”
“And someone has.” Mage Zephyr swept a hand toward the children. “Two witnesses in different locations described your pet. This is the evidence we’ve been seeking.”
Mage Wolfson lifted his hands, palms out to block the accusations. “Search the castle. You won’t find the animal. And when you send a messenger to Docendum, you’ll discover the wolf is still there.”
The wizards apparently didn’t believe his denial. Several drew their wands. Mage Zephyr took a protective step toward the king. Wolfson scowled at the group.
If bolts of fire began swooshing past me on their way into the room, I would have to move away from the window very quickly.
Ronan motioned for the housekeeper to take the children away and calmly addressed the group. “I imagine a search would produce no such animal. But what’s to say Mage Wolfson didn’t transform into the creature and hunt for Redboot that way?”
Wolfson gaped at Ronan, mouth dropping open. The sight of Wolfson’s Adam’s apple bobbing and sweat gathering on his forehead nearly transfixed me. It was probably wicked of me to enjoy the sight of his fear. I would have to add that failing to the list of my others.
All around the room, wizards joined in agreement with Ronan’s assertion. “Of course, the black beast is one of Wolfson’s forms,” Stewart called out. “Who else would know to use it?”
Whatever Mage Wolfson had done to Stewart’s horse, he hadn’t forgotten about it.
“I made no such transformation,” Mage Wolfson insisted. His voice went high with desperation. “Someone is trying to implicate me. I’m loyal to the king.” He turned to King Leofric beseechingly, hands pressed together in entreaty. “You know of my loyalty, sire.”
The king stared at him, unmoved, and didn’t answer.
Mage Goldenthatch stood, his wand gripped in his hand. “Your loyalty is debatable, but your jealousy is well known. Your goal has always been to rise to the king’s council. Is this how you plan to manage the task? You’ll kill so many of the king’s wizards that he’s bound to eventually call you?”
Mage Wolfson’s eyes darted around the room, growing wilder with each moment. “I couldn’t have done it. Someone else here is the traitor.”
Ronan considered him. “Why couldn’t you have done it?” His voice was as cold as a knife blade, and the words were a thrust at Mage Wolfson. Ronan hadn’t forgotten his grudge against his old teacher, either.
I was comforted to know I deserved as much revenge as Stewart’s horse.
“What proof of your innocence do you offer?” Ronan repeated.
The room quieted. Every set of eyes fixed on Wolfson.
Wolfson’s nostrils flared and his jaw moved up and down, chewing on his words before spitting them out. “I couldn’t have done it.” He gulped and his voice faltered. “I’m unable to transform into an animal shape.”
I wouldn’t have believed this, even though Mage Wolfson himself proclaimed it, except I saw the truth of the confession in Ronan’s eyes. He’d known this secret already, and he’d demanded proof to humiliate his old teacher.
“Impossible,” Saxeus exploded. “For years, you’ve told us of your animal exploits.”
A rumble of agreement traveled around the room. Every wand was out. The group looked like they could easily turn into a mob.
The king stood and stepped toward Wolfson like he wanted to throttle him. “When I renewed your position as head ofDocendum, you showed me your animal transformation. Now you expect me to believe you’re incapable of such a feat?”
Wolfson stumbled past the other wizards to the front of the room and practically threw himself at the king’s feet. “A trick, Your Majesty. I’d brought a trained dog that I’d turned invisible. When I told you I was going to transform, I made the dog visible and myself invisible.” Wolfson clasped his hands together. “I’m guilty of one small deception, sire—merely to impress you—but nothing more.”
Wolfson turned to Ronan, his eyes beseeching. “You’ve always suspected the truth. Tell him. It’s the reason Mage Quintal always taught the transformation lessons.”
Ronan’s voice was as chilly as it had been before. “I learned all my important lessons from you, Mage Wolfson. You made sure I learned them well.”
The king stepped away from Wolfson’s groveling hands and strode back to his throne. “You’ve given me proof today. If not proof of your crimes against my wizard council, then proof that you’re a traitor to my trust.”
The king sank onto the throne, ignoring Wolfson’s continued protests. “Mage Warison, take this man from here and remove his mark at once.” He waved his hand in the direction of the seated wizards. “All of you will participate in the removal. Let it be a warning for any others who harbor betrayal toward my house.”