“Fine,” King Leofric said, grudgingly accepting Ronan’s point. “I’ll trust your judgment. Bring Mage Apricus or Mage Perigee. If neither will come, ask for Mage Furtivis or Mage Caltrop. I suppose we’ll see which of our choices are the bravest and most loyal.”
Lord Clement gave a brief nod. “I’ll go at once.” He held his arm out to Queen Marita. She took it, sniffling, and the two walked to a tapestry on the back wall. He tugged it aside,revealing what looked like a large wooden panel. He twisted a piece of wood to unlock it and pushed open a door. The two went through and the tapestry swung back across the wall.
Ronan put down his pen and turned to the king. “I’ve another candidate,” he said in a hushed tone. “The perfect candidate because no one knows of this mage’s existence.”
I froze where I stood. He was speaking of me.
“This week,” Ronan went on, “a formidable wizard disarmed your circle. To make that harder to happen again, one of the wizards on the council should be a secret. Doing so will give you an extra layer of protection.”
He wanted me to be part of King Leofric’s circle of protection? Had I understood him correctly? What exactly would that entail?
The king shook his head. “Do you mean a mage from another land? I’d not trust a foreigner. Besides, once a new mage takes residence at court and his mark turns red, everyone will know he’s part of my council.”
“Not a foreigner, sire,” Ronan spoke quickly. “This is someone no one would suspect because the mage’s mark isn’t on the neck, and therefore not visible?—”
“Not visible?” King Leofric interrupted. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Exactly my point,” Ronan said.
My hands went to my throat. I didn’t know if I wanted to be on the king’s council. I’d no idea what duties the position required. Ronan really should have discussed it with me before offering me up.
Ronan placed his hands behind his back. “This mage is powerful, knowledgeable, and even more important, ethical and charitable. Qualities, as you know, that can be difficult to find among wizards but should be found in your councilors.”
Ethical and charitable, Ronan thought me to be so. And at that moment, I wanted to live up to his description. Maybe being on the king’s council wouldn’t be such a bad thing. I’d have access to all of their magic books and any items I needed for spells. After all, I’d be expected to practice. I felt my heart lifting at the idea. Instead of having my magic taken from me, Ronan was offering to expand it. No wonder he didn’t ask my opinion on the matter. He knew the lure that learning held for me.
King Leofric’s eyebrows knit together. “And why has this mage kept himself a secret? Why didn’t he go to Docendum to learn with the other apprentices? In fact, how does he know the working of any spells if he hasn’t learned from another mage?”
“All of those questions have answers, Your Majesty, but I suggest you agree to put this mage on your council before I answer them. I expect an assassin to make an attempt on your life shortly. I would’ve already taken you through the passageways to another location, but I’m afraid we’d run into him there. I would advise we leave by the front and retire to my chambers, but I may be wrong about the assassin’s route. If he can’t access the passageways, he’ll wait in the hallway for you to emerge.
“Our best bet is to join this mage to the circle at once. The mage came in with me when I entered your room and is willing to join the council provided that you promise to lower the number of years required to pay off the servants’ price.”
Ronan was brilliant. If the king agreed, we would achieve our aim without any bloodshed. Perhaps I was too hopeful and too reckless. “Abolish it,” I whispered to Ronan.
“I meant abolish it,” Ronan said.
King Leofric’s head swiveled one way and the other, searching. “Did he just say something? I heard a noise.”
“Abolish the servants’ price,” Ronan repeated. “All people in the land will still be subject to taxes, but not indentured servitude.”
“Why would a wizard make such a demand?” the king sputtered.
“The mage is not only ethical,” Ronan said, “but also has quite strong feelings about the struggles of the servant class.”
I clasped my hands together. Alaric and Gwenyth would be thrilled at this outcome; all the renegades would be. The king just needed to agree so I could make myself visible. That way when Alaric came, I could tell him not to act.
“Abolish it?” the king repeated, no less pleased. “It’s one thing to agree to such a thing for my own servants. But the nobles would revolt if I required the same.”
Ronan spread his hands out like he was showing something to the king. “You can fear a revolt from the nobles or a revolt from the servants. Many of them are ready to take up weapons to fight for their freedom. Besides, fewer servants paying off their debts to their masters means more free villagers who earn wages and pay taxes to the king. More wealth for you and less for the nobles. That will result in more power for you.”
Ronan would, of course, point out these benefits, issues I hadn’t even considered.
King Leofric rubbed his temple. “If I issued such a decree, some of my barons would take up arms against me.”
“An insurrection would be justification for you to defeat them and take their lands. The result will also be more wealth and power for you.”
“If I win.”
I couldn’t stay silent any longer. “You’ll win because the people will support you. If you do away with the servants’ price, they’ll fight for you.”