Will’s world burst into a cacophony of light and sound as his senses flood back, but he tried to ignore the sudden overload while he clamped down on his source and his body. Half a second later, he felt Ethelgren’s presence. The old wizard had been surprised by the sudden change and he was scrabbling to do the same, but this time it was him trying to play catch up.
It was still a tough fight. The old wizard’s will was as tough as nails and more tenacious than boiled shoe leather. Despite what Arrogan had said, Ethelgren had still been a practitioner for hundreds of years, and the strength of his will was nothing to sneer at.
His body tensed and seemed to vibrate under the strain of the intense struggle taking place within, but eventually Will felt Ethelgren’s struggle begin to slacken. That raised his own morale, and his victory began to pick up speed as he pushed the ancient wizard back, corralling him into the rod from which he had originally emerged.
A minute later and it was over. With a thought, Will stored the relic in the limnthal, and he felt relief that he could finally relax. He opened his eyes and realized that his body had been so tense that he wasn’t breathing. With an explosive rush, he opened his mouth and let the air out so he could take a deep breath. “Pfhaahhh!”
Laina’s nose was just below his own, her eyes studying him watchfully, and as he exhaled, it startled her. Pain exploded through Will’s groin and up his spine. With a faint scream, he folded over and collapsed sideways. From the ground, he saw Tiny hovering over him, fist raised, ready to pound him into oblivion. “It’s me, Tiny!” he managed to squeak.
Tiny looked at Laina, who shrugged. “I can’t tell. Maybe you should hit him anyway.”
Still in agony, Will’s brain struggled to think of something, anything, that might save him. In the end only one word came to him. “Janice!”
Tiny froze, then after a moment he nodded and straightened up. “I think it’s him. It wouldn’t have occurred to the other one to mention her, not without some time to think about it anyway.”
Laina wasn’t convinced. “Prove yourself,” she demanded.
Will stared at her for a moment, then he glanced at her bodyguard. “Darla. That’s something I didn’t know before we shared a body.”
She had been standing with her foot partly drawn back, ready to kick him while he was down. Laina relaxed and resumed a normal stance, a faint look of disappointment on her face. She stepped back, then frowned. “Mention that again and I’ll make you regret it.”
The pain was beginning to subside a little, and Will managed to sit up. He gave his sister a serious look. “You know me better than that.” Their eyes connected, and neither blinked for several seconds as the enormity of their shared experience threatened to overwhelm them once more.
Laina turned away as her eyes began to glimmer with excess moisture. “I still don’t like you,” she said unconvincingly.
He nodded. “Yeah, I know. You don’t have to say it.”
Tiny looked at Darla with a puzzled expression. The Arkeshi returned his look, then shrugged, equally confused. When they looked back, they saw Laina was watching Will with a faint look of concern. Finally, she asked, “Are your testes all right?”
The big warrior couldn’t help but snort, and Darla turned around, covering her mouth.
“No thanks to you,” Will groaned.
Darla caught Tiny’s eye once more, and he saw something flicker across her normally deadpan face. Suddenly an air of faint worry came over her, and she put a hand on Laina’s shoulder. “You were too enthusiastic. We should probably check.” Laina’s face paled, and she seemed to wilt, but Darla was ready for that. “Do not worry. I have some experience with wounds.” Then she looked up at Tiny. “Help me remove his trousers.”
Tiny was more than ready to play along. “Of course. Let’s get him up on the worktable.” Reaching down, he put his hands beneath Will’s arms and made as though he would lift him up.
Will’s eyes were round, and his face had gone red. “No thank you! I’m fine now.”
Darla shook her head. “You don’t look well. Let me see.” She reached out as if she might undo the laces of his trousers.
Will began scrambling back, kicking the Arkeshi away as he backed into the corner of the room. “I said, ‘no thank you!’ I can check them myself—later—when none of you are looking at me!”
Darla broke character first as a strange, raspy, laugh began to emerge from her. Tiny soon followed, laughing deeply, and then Laina joined them, realizing she had been had. Will declined to join them. He was still fighting diffuse pains and a feeling of nausea.
He probably would have joined them in their laughter, eventually, but Lawrence appeared at the door to the laboratory. “Will, are you in there?”
“Unfortunately,” he answered.
“There are soldiers downstairs. They want you to come with them. It’s a summons from the king. They’re asking for Miss Nerrow as well.”
“Fucking hell,” swore Will. He started to get up and gratefully accepted a hand from Tiny. Standing perfectly straight still wasn’t comfortable, but he tried not to visibly hunch as he opened the door. Someone took his other arm, helping him to stand straight, and he was surprised to see it was Laina beside him.
By mutual consent neither of them made eye contact. It was still too soon.
Downstairs in the lobby, Will found a Royal Guard captain along with eight of the Driven. Standing just outside was a large group of additional soldiers, at least four squads worth. Damn. He might still choose to fight, but the odds weren’t good. “What do you want?” he demanded, affecting an air of annoyance.
The guard captain bowed deeply. “Captain Geoff Harris at your service, sir. The king has sent me to request your presence, as well as the attendance of Miss Nerrow, daughter of Baron Nerrow.”
The respectful attitude caught him completely off-guard. Realizing his confusion, Laina leaned over to his ear. “While you were out, we discovered that the king ordered his men not to interfere and to provide assistance if needed.”
He glanced at her, then quickly returned his eyes to the captain. The old saying about eyes being the window to the soul seemed truer than ever. Meeting Laina’s gaze might tear the wound in his spirit wide open all over again. “Did you need so many men to make your request, Captain?”
“The streets are not safe, sir. They are merely for your protection.”
Unable to find fault with that, Will gestured to the others and started forward, but the captain spoke once more. “The invitation is only for you and Miss Nerrow, sir. No one else is allowed in His Majesty’s presence.”
Laina’s hand tightened around his upper arm. Will lifted his chin. “I won’t be separated from them.”
“They can still accompany you, sir,” explained the soldier. “But they’ll have to wait outside the receiving room.”
Will relaxed. “Oh, of course.”
The four of them were loaded into a plain but well-built black carriage, while soldiers marched in front and behind them. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t necessary, as the palace was practically next door to Wurthaven. Will could have walked there on foot in ten or fifteen minutes, and in much less time if he were running. He didn’t mind the carriage, though; it seemed appropriate, especially since Laina was with him.
As soon as he realized what he was thinking, he laughed at himself. Maybe I am turning into a nobleman. When would I have ever worried about a ‘lady’ needing to ride rather than walk in the past?
They arrived at the palace without trouble, though he paid close attention to their surroundings through the small window on his side. The palace gates had to be opened for them to enter, which was in itself unusual. Ordinarily the gates remained open with only a small guard. The palace had been locked tight. Will could see guards, sorcerers, and military men in every direction. The palace yard was full of busy men.
The carriage stopped at the main palace entrance, and they were shown into the front hall with all the r
espect and courtesy that any landed lord might expect. I suppose Laina counts, thought Will, even though she doesn’t actually have a title of her own yet. Of course, as the princess’ husband he should have been granted a title or two, even if he was lowborn, but Will hadn’t exactly married the king’s daughter under the most amiable of circumstances.
He’d openly defied the king on several occasions, as well as refusing to accept either an elemental or a grant of land and title. It wasn’t so much that he was averse to moving up in society; rather, he knew such a ceremony would involve swearing fealty to the king. To make matters worse, he’d openly told the king as much.
The public might not know it, but as royal sons-in-law went, he probably rated slightly lower than the city rat catcher in King Lognion’s estimation, which suited him just fine. In Will’s own appraisal the king was only slightly less repugnant than a demon-lord.
And he’d met one, so he figured his opinion counted for something.
A footman approached, bowed respectfully, then gestured with his arm. “If your friends would follow me, I will make sure they are kept comfortable while you are attending His Majesty.”
Tiny glanced at Will, who nodded. The big man and Darla went along without trouble, while a second footman led Laina and Will down a smaller side hall. She draped her hand over Will’s arm, but he leaned over and brought his ear closer when he felt a slight tug. “Have you ever been summoned like this before?” she asked.
He nodded quietly. In fact, he hadn’t, but in the more general sense, he’d been in similar situations with the king. Once when he had been released from the royal dungeon, once after saving Selene from a hungry demon, and then once when he had invited himself in to steal the princess away. On almost every occasion he had been subjected to violence at some point. Except when I took Selene, he noted.
“How did it turn out?” Her voice was smooth, but given her last encounter with their monarch he knew she was nervous.
He wanted to reassure her, but after their recent spiritual exploration of one another, he knew that kind words would only make it worse for her. She wouldn’t believe them. “Usually I try to be polite but eventually I offend him anyway. Most of the time I wind up with a black eye or a few bruises, but nothing more.”
“That was before he nearly whipped you to death, wasn’t it?”
He winced. “And before I eloped with his daughter.” Another thought came to him then. His last encounter had gone badly specifically because of Laina’s presence. He’d taken the whipping because Lognion had threatened his sister. Did he insist on her presence so he could use her as leverage against me? Will’s stomach twisted at the thought.
Laina’s hand moved down his wrist and she clasped his hand briefly. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt you again,” she told him.
She’s more worried about me? He didn’t think there was much she could do one way or another, but the thought made his chest hurt as he realized they were each worried more about the other. Like family.
The footman opened one of a pair of large double doors, then gestured for them to enter.
The room was relatively small, less than thirty feet in length on the longest side. A collection of cushioned chairs and benches were scattered artfully around the space, with side tables positioned helpfully, so that those who were seated would have places to rest their drinks or other refreshments. It was, in short, a salon, an excellent place for a small gathering to eat and converse informally.
King Lognion stood at the other end, watching them. As they entered, the door closed behind them, and Laina automatically started to curtsey, but Will caught her arm and prevented her from observing the customary formality. She tugged at him for a moment and shot him a warning glare, but he refused to let her lower herself. “Not with me,” he growled in a quiet voice.
Lognion chuckled and walked forward, his posture relaxed and unworried. “Trying to teach your bad habits to others, William?”
He glared daggers at his father-in-law. “I was just explaining to Miss Nerrow that this is a family gathering, so there would be no need for such obeisance.”
“Family?” said the king in a querulous tone. “Oh! You meant me! I wasn’t sure for a moment.”
It was a veiled threat, that the king might reveal Will’s secret relation, but Laina, despite her nervousness, wasn’t having it. “Surely you didn’t forget that my brother is married to your daughter, Your Majesty?”
Lognion blinked, his eyes studying her for a second, then turned to Will, who merely smiled. That caught him off-guard.
But Lognion wasn’t one to linger, especially not on a point that had taken him unaware. Instead he pivoted to the matter at hand. “Tell me about what happened in the city a few hours ago. A vast portion of my capital has been destroyed, and I’m getting interesting reports regarding who was responsible for the damage.”
They had stopped Ethelgren’s spell before the mad wizard had made much more than a five- degree turn, but that still meant that roughly one or two percent of the city had been destroyed, assuming the swath of destruction had gone all the way to the outer wall. A few percent might not sound like much, but Cerria was a densely packed city of several hundred thousand people. The number of buildings, homes, businesses, and most importantly of all, the people who had been annihilated in that small arc was hard to conceive.
And the man who had done it had been wearing Will’s face. Not only that, but Ethelgren had taken command of the Driven and soldiers in the area just before his act of wholesale slaughter. Presumably they had all died when the first portion of his ritual spell had taken place, but if any had survived—their fingers would be pointing directly at Will.
But Laina had been present as well. If any of the blame were to spill over onto her…
“It was me,” stated Will.
“Will had nothing to do with it,” said Laina simultaneously.
The king smirked. “This is more interesting than I had anticipated. William, come here please.”
Will stepped forward, keeping his face clear. He could see the king already making a fist and he knew what was likely to come. The knowledge made it hard to remain still, and his eyes closed as he saw Lognion’s shoulder begin to move. He felt the air in front of his face move and something brushed against his chin, but no blow came. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Laina standing in front of him. Only one word emerged from her lips, “No.”
The king was studying her thoughtfully. “You’ve gotten much more protective of your brother, Miss Nerrow. I can only wonder what brought on such a transformation.” He made as though to swing at her, then began laughing as he saw the look in Will’s eyes. “Not to worry, William. If I plan on beating your sister, I’ll do it when you aren’t present. I’d rather not break my hand on one of those annoying shields.
“Back to business. You lied to me, William, while Miss Nerrow was kind enough to tell the truth. Do explain.”
“I stole Ethelgren’s Exhortation from Wurthaven, but when I attempted to use it my body was possessed by the spirit of Linus Ethelgren. He was intent on destroying the vampires, but his best solution was to destroy the entire city. Laina stopped him,” he answered.
The king looked at Laina. “That’s a truly outlandish story, but William seems to actually believe what he’s saying. What do you think, Miss Nerrow? Was that true?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
He frowned. “Now you both claim truth and my instincts agree. What part of William’s story do you disagree with, Miss Nerrow?”
“It wasn’t me who stopped Ethelgren,” she replied. “I helped, but it was mainly Will himself. He was in my body at the time and we worked together.”
The king glanced at Will, then nodded. “He believes you as well. Very interesting. Describe the scene to me, Miss Nerrow, leaving out nothing.”
Laina detailed her experiences and gave as accurate an account as she could manage. Some parts were necessarily confusing, and when she was
done Will was required to do the same. The entire telling took almost half an hour, and Lognion rarely interrupted, doing so only to clarify details he was unclear on. When they had finished, he smiled broadly. “It seems I am in the presence of not one, but two heroes. Unfortunately, there were other witnesses as well, and their accounts, while similar in form, don’t contain the subtleties of whose spirit was in whose body at different times.
“Of course, in either tale, you present an inspiring figure, Miss Nerrow, and given your reputation as a public figure you’re a natural to take on the mantle of Terabinia’s savior.” Lognion paused, then stared sadly at Will. “In your case, William, I’m afraid that both your prior activities and what was reported this evening make you an excellent fit for the villain of our little play.”
“No.” Laina’s negative wasn’t a plea or a denial so much as a statement of fact.
The king arched one brow. “You have a different idea, Miss Nerrow?”
“I’ll tell the truth,” she responded boldly. “Try to spin whatever tale you want, but if you expect your heroine to cooperate, it won’t involve making a scapegoat of William.”
“You’ll do anything I ask of you, Miss Nerrow. Hasn’t William explained that to you yet?” His eyes flashed and he barked a command, “Kneel!”
Laina’s knees buckled, and she was genuflecting before she even realized what her body was doing. Will moved to stand in front of her. “Stop it.”
“I’m merely giving her a lesson, William. Not to worry, I won’t harm her. This time.”
Will glanced back and was pained by the expression of terror and confusion on Laina’s face. Her body had utterly betrayed her, and worse, she had no idea why. He had never told her about the truth of the graduation seal. In all honesty, he’d never really thought about the matter except as it pertained to Selene, but now he realized to his chagrin that the king’s leverage over him was much greater than he’d been willing to admit. Selene, Laina, Mark, Agnes, possibly even Tabitha. He didn’t think Tabitha had been to Wurthaven, but he wasn’t sure. Selene had started at an early age, so it was possible.
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