Ronan slipped his hand over mine. “I’ve ruined the night with talk of politics and assassins. You may duly reprimand me. One of the rules of court we learned at Docendum was to refrain from such topics.”
We. As though I went to classes with him instead of learning his lessons by quizzing him.
“You were always a poor follower of rules,” I said. “I’ll be disappointed if that’s changed.” Our words were light again. Polite. Probably a bit pained on my part. I wanted to continue speaking of renegades and convince him I was right. I wanted to ask him how he could’ve been my friend for years and yet care so little about the plight of the serving class.
He glanced behind us at the castle. “I suppose we should head back. I’m to stay near the king later tonight, and if I’mgone too long, people will wonder if I’ve succumbed to my fellow wizards’ fate.”
His words reminded me that I could stun Ronan, take his mark, and leave him sleeping in the garden. Before he woke, I might be able to find Mage Zephyr, tell him Ronan wished to speak to him, and lead him away.
If I tried such an option, my identity would be known as soon as Ronan awoke, but Alaric’s way would be clear to complete his task. Perhaps dying a martyr wouldn’t be the worst fate I could face.
Even as the plan flashed through my mind, I dismissed it. Too risky and in all probability unworkable. Mage Zephyr wasn’t likely to believe a message from a stranger or go off alone with me. And besides, I was determined to take Ronan’s mark in a way to keep the truth of my villainy from him. This would spare not only my life but his regard. Perhaps I shouldn’t have cared about the latter. But again, sentimentality was one of my failings.
We strolled arm in arm back toward the castle. “Will you be with the king all night?” I asked. “If Gwenyth is in need of more help, will I be able to reach you?”
Ronan shook his head. “The king’s safety must be my only priority tonight. Mage Zephyr will be on duty should any pressing needs arise in the castle, but I doubt you’ll manage to coax him to step foot out of his chambers. Despite the precaution of having all the other wizards sleep together under guard, I imagine he’ll be awake until dawn, sitting in front of his door, wand in hand.”
Ronan was right, of course, which only made my task harder.
CHAPTER 25
That night as I climbed the stairs, invisible, I was still unsure how to disarm Mage Zephyr. Even if I managed to dispatch his serpent in complete silence, as soon as I opened his door, he’d shoot a disclosing spell in my direction.
Would it be better if I didn’t attempt anything tonight? I could sleep and let the wizards stay up all night. However, if I waited until tomorrow, the wizards would think of more ways to protect themselves. Perhaps the king would add more wizards to his counsel. Time was not my benefactor.
I reached the wizards’ hallway. The hanging orbs glowed brighter than normal, making the corridor seem like sunlight had been trapped inside.
Two guards stood on either side of Mage Zephyr’s doorway, with the metal snake on the floor between them. The wizard wasn’t depending on his magic alone to keep him safe tonight.
Still invisible, I changed to my wolf form and slowly, so as not to make any clicking sound with my claws, padded to the doorway.
I half expected Mage Zephyr to be gone, hidden in some far-off part of the castle. My canine senses told me he was indeedinside, despite all of the incense he was burning to try and mask his scent.
I sniffed the guards. Neither exhibited the sweat of fear. They weren’t expecting an attack. Perhaps they felt sure that with Wolfson’s arrest, and the other wizards accounted for, the castle was safe again.
I could hit both guards with stunning spells and hope the second man didn’t call out when he saw the first toppling over. But even if I was quick enough with my wand to avoid a cry of alarm, the noise the men would make as they crashed to the floor was problematic. I couldn’t catch both to ease them soundlessly to the ground.
I turned into my human form, still invisible, and stood contemplating the problem until I had a plan.
Slowly, I crept beside the guard on the left of the door. He looked the most tired of the two. Back in Docendum, the apprentices had at times used a spell that caused sneezing. They thought it hilarious to discomfort the servants, who were charged with being silent, or they used it on the other apprentices in class.
I slipped my wand from my pocket and hit the man with the spell. Once he was sneezing, I pushed him off-balance toward the door. He put out his hand to steady himself and brushed the doorknob.
Immediately, the snake sprang to life, hissing and vicious.
I jumped out of the way and fled down the hall. The guard yelled, “It bit me!”
I glanced over my shoulder. The other guard, sensibly, had drawn his sword and was backing away from the advancing serpent. “Why did you go and touch the door?” he snapped.
“I tripped,” the first man sputtered.
I reached the corner of the hallway. From that vantage point, I could duck completely out of sight should the wizard storm out and cast a disclosing spell.
Mage Zephyr flung open his door, wand raised. “What’s going on?”
“Call off your beast,” the second guard demanded.
The first said, “I stumbled and accidentally touched the knob. Give me the antidote for the snake’s venom.”