The Hidden Mask (Wizard's Helper Book 6)

by Guy Antibes

  “How can it be large enough to be effective?” Lorton asked.

  Jack smiled. “Ari has been busy recruiting. I’ve even met two of his groups.” Jack told him what Ari had organized within the city. “We will have to train them.”

  “Certainly not to fight as a group,” Lorton said. “We would be caught in an instant.”

  Jack nodded. “I agree. We will train the trainers and develop plans that small forces can handle. We are in a city where the battles will be small, by necessity.”

  “I do have some experience in training police squads. I suppose it won’t be much different than that.”

  Jack smiled. That was what he wanted to hear. “I’m not without talent there, either. Jamie will handle Lord Delancey’s troops, and we can split up the duties within the city. As I said, we will train the trainers and then give them an idea of what we want them to do. The discipline of a fighting group won’t be easily drilled into any of the city forces in a few months, but we can give them options and let them make their own decisions along the way.”

  “You mean to split the city up?”

  Jack shrugged. “Penny can help us figure out what will work as well as anyone else if we can get a map of the upper and lower levels.”

  “That will increase our exposure,” Lorton said. He narrowed his eyes. “It might put the pursuit of the Hidden mask in jeopardy.”

  Jack frowned and shook his head. “How can we be more exposed when Penny and Lin were abducted during the day. As far as I’m concerned, we are at war with the factions. As soon as we discover the mask, we should leave Antibeaux. I’m going to have to be a bit more aggressive in seeking out those that know, including a conversation with the elusive Archbishop Tolmoux.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  ~

  P enny felt well enough the next morning to accompany Jack out of Bristone. Jamie rode at their side. She wore the girtle that Jack had bought her and selected a dress that went with it.

  “I didn’t know Penny would be so pretty,” Jamie said, grinning at her.

  “She is pretty, but she is also accomplished. She can touch the void and is an expert at knife throwing.”

  “You can?” Jamie asked.

  Jack had already told Jamie of Penny’s qualities, but he let the man carry on. Penny seemed to be flattered. After the awful experience she had just been through, Jack had no desire to correct him. They finally took a side road and traveled through a forest until they reached Delancey’s farm. Trees continued to hug the road, but Jack could catch glimpses of land, now fallow in the autumn.

  On a rise stood a large farmhouse surrounded by large barns. There were plenty of men milling about, and Jack guessed they had passed sentries in the forest. When they reached the house, Jack could see the start of the army tents on the other side. Holes were being dug in squares where tents would be set up. Some of the tents had sod stacked halfway up the walls.

  The fields could absorb many more men. Jack didn’t even try to count all the tents. There were larger tents in some spots, and the beginnings of raised walkways were being built over the fallow ground. Delancey was certainly serious about bringing soldiers in for the winter.

  “Seen enough?” Jamie asked.

  Jack nodded.

  “I am very impressed. I learned a few things today about digging in for the winter,” Penny said.

  “Good. Now let’s meet our commanders,” Jamie said.

  Jack took another look at the field. He was intimidated by the conceit of being able to oversee such an enterprise. He hoped the army wouldn’t be needed, but if they were, having them close would be a comfort, especially after Penny and Lin’s experience.

  They entered the farmhouse. Inside it wasn’t like a farmhouse at all and more like Willet Barton’s basement in Dorkansee. People walked around with things to do. Jack wondered what they were doing and again felt the weight of the responsibility that Ari had placed on him.

  “Jamie!” a tall, fit woman called from across the room. “Upstairs.” She pointed to the stairway and met the three of them there before they went up. The woman looked to be around fifty, with white overtaking her light blonde hair. She reminded him of Ramona, the Lajian nanny that was helping Tanner and Helen care for their little Jackie.

  They entered a room with a square table. Jack had seen map rooms in Masukai that looked much the same.

  “Have a seat. Who did you bring with you?”

  “A Corandian boy,” Jack said, “and a Corandian girl. I’m Jack Winder, and this is Penny Ephram.”

  “They are both new nobles,” Jamie said.

  “I’m Manon Trier and the commander of this camp. I am not the leader of the army. That title goes to my son.” She looked at Jamie.

  Jack looked at Jamie. “Jamie Trier?”

  Jamie smiled and looked back. “Sometimes, it is a little difficult overriding my mother’s instructions,” he said. “Maybe that was why Tom decided to put us both in charge. I might need help.”

  “What?” the woman said.

  “You can read this, and then we can talk,” Jamie said, giving her an envelope.

  Jack looked at Penny and raised his eyebrows. If anything, the revelation that the two senior army leaders were mother and son made him more nervous. “What are your orders?” Jack asked.

  “Get the camp ready for three thousand soldiers and keep them fed and housed without letting them kill each other during the winter,” Manon said, “and you command with Jamie.” She pursed her lips. “I won’t be able to get away with so much.”

  Jamie laughed. “I don’t see you changing at all. Jack and I have done some talking. The first thing is to get everyone trained. Jack defeated me in the blink of an eye,” Jamie said.

  Manon looked at Jack with appraising eyes that made Jack uncomfortable. “Next, you’ll be saying his girlfriend can do the same.”

  “Probably,” Jamie admitted. “He learned a technique in Masukai—”

  “Masukai? You have been to Masukai?” Manon asked.

  Jack drew his sword. “Have you seen a sword like this before?” he asked.

  Manon shook her head. “This looks like it came from another world,” she said.

  “Masukai nearly qualifies,” Jack said.

  “We intend on teaching a magical fighting technique to as many who can pick it up. Not all will be able to learn it.”

  “The better wizards?” Manon asked.

  “It isn’t a matter of magical power but of will,” Penny said. “I know it as well.”

  “And then what? Do we have an objective yet?” Manon looked at her son.

  “No,” Jack said. “We don’t know where you will be needed, but I would guess you will be needed closer to the castle when things break down.”

  “You say that with certainty,” Manon asked.

  “We have been spied on by the Double P, and Jack recently rescued me from an attempt by the WWS to convert us. It didn’t work,” Penny said.

  “Why would they be after you?”

  “We seek an object of power. Adoree’s Mask,” Jack said.

  “No wonder the WWS is after you.” Manon shook her head. “Do you know where it is?”

  “You have heard of the mask?” Penny asked.

  She nodded. “It is to the north. That is all I know, but it has great powers,” she said.

  “What are its powers?” Jack asked.

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure who knows. You have taken on a difficult task at a difficult time.”

  “It is a difficult time. Let’s get started,” Jack said. “Why don’t you assemble your best swordsmen, and let’s see if Penny and I can transfer our knowledge.”

  Two hours later, half of the swordsmen were able to increase their speed. The other fifty percent would have to work on their own to proceed. Jamie was one who couldn’t improve. Jack took him aside.

  “You have to find the right image or trigger word,” Jack said. “I always picture I’m in a glade in a starlit ni
ght. Above me is the void. It works every time for me. Find a place where you can speed up in your mind. I learned in Masukai that there are many different ways to achieve the speed that you need.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  Jack pointed to a short woman who had taken to the technique. “She can probably beat you right now,” Jack said. “Are you going to let that happen?”

  Jamie frowned, but then he smiled. “She is nearly as cute as your girl,” he said. “Perhaps I should ask her what her image is.”

  Jack laughed. “I don’t think it is you.”

  Jamie started walking toward her. “You never know.”

  ~

  Now that they had found a new group of servants, Lin was very plain about what would happen to them if they betrayed them the way the previous group of servants had.

  “If any of your coworkers begin to act strangely, tell us. We have ways to eliminate compulsion. Do you understand?” Jack said. “In fact, I will make charms that can protect you from being persuaded by magic spells.”

  The assembled group of servants all nodded and agreed. Jack looked them over. He was disappointed that the servants that Ari had selected hadn’t succumbed to ideology or magic, but they had betrayed them for fat purses.

  Jack had watched with concern even though they hadn’t had a problem with these people. He didn’t want frightened people traipsing through the townhouse.

  Oscar came up to him. “Your trip today was successful?” he asked.

  Jack didn’t know if his efforts at Lord Delancey’s farm would lead anywhere other than spreading the art of touching the void. “I hope so,” Jack said.

  “Ari Gasheaux is here to see you.”

  “Have you shown him to the sitting room?”

  Oscar nodded. “I have. Lady Penny is with him.”

  Jack nodded. He turned to the servants. “I won’t blame anyone for anything. We want you to serve us willingly and well.” He bowed to the servants lined up in front of him and left.

  Someone must have told a joke, since Penny and Ari were laughing when he arrived.

  “Why so dour, Jack?” Ari said. “Penny said you met Jamie’s mother. Formidable, isn’t she?’

  “Manon is a force,” Jack said. “Are you here to take me to visit one of your groups?”

  “That will start tomorrow. I told Penny an experience I had with Jamie. You aren’t the only one who has defeated him.”

  “You?” Jack asked.

  Ari shrugged. “His sword against my magic.”

  Jack snorted. “How could he stand up against—”

  “A man like me? Not very well.” Ari winked at Jack.

  Jack frowned. The wizard knew Jack was going to say against a god, but Ari was smarter and more discreet than Jack. He felt foolish and a bit out of control after the trip to the farm. Jack didn’t have a problem training the forces or leading them into a skirmish, but he felt woefully inadequate as a leader of any more than five or six people who were his friends anyway.

  “What is wrong with you? Has the ale from the brewmaster arrived? You look like you had a mug of that.”

  Jack shook his head. “I think Lord Delancey has misplaced his trust in me.”

  “He hasn’t. I haven’t, either. You have some learning and some growing to do. This is an excellent chance to do that, Jack,” Ari said.

  “How do I do that? I can’t just walk into Lord Delancey’s farmhouse and say, “I’m your leader.”

  “From what Jamie told me, you already have.”

  Jack frowned again. “Saying and doing are two different things.”

  “Then go to the farmhouse and do. Take Penny again if you need a friendly face.”

  “At least I’m that,” Penny said.

  “At least,” Jack said. He sighed. “I need a little guidance.”

  “That is a good first step. Let others come up with the suggestions and then think about if they need improving. If they do, then you are smart enough to ask questions to make it better. The execution part is the responsibility of those beneath you. You have led small groups before. You still do. It’s just that these small units have groups under them.”

  Jack ground his teeth. He understood what Ari was telling him, but the stakes were higher, much higher. He didn’t want to lead others to their deaths, but he had before in Masukai. He and his friends had suffered injuries because of his decisions. Jack also knew he couldn’t walk away from all this. He thought for a convenient excuse, but he couldn’t think of one. Jack had never been much for making excuses anyway.

  “Come with me to the farm, then,” Jack asked Ari.

  “I refuse to lead any army for reasons you are familiar with, but I can give advice.”

  “I suppose so,” Jack said.

  Ari smiled. “What we are going to do today is something you will be more comfortable with, and I will be by your side.”

  “Penny will come with us too?” Jack looked at her.

  “I will be there to give you some moral support.”

  “Any support you can give will be appreciated,” Jack said. He looked at Ari. “It’s not that I am afraid to act.”

  “Your courage isn’t in question, at least not on an individual basis,” Ari said. “By the time any fighting starts, you will be more comfortable with your role.”

  Jack nodded. “Then let’s get started.”

  The next day, Ari had hired a carriage that waited outside. “We will start with the people you’ve met.” They traveled through the streets of Bristone to the metalworker’s yard.

  A group of men with a few women, some Jack had met, and others he hadn’t, talked in the middle of the yard.

  “The boy has returned,” Arno Gibbert, the points maker who had crafted Jack’s stars, said. “Ari says you are going to lead us.”

  Jack managed to laugh. “You are going to lead yourselves. I am going to make sure we don’t kill each other when the time comes.”

  He was relieved his comment brought smiles to most of the faces. Ari introduced everyone since Penny didn’t know anyone.

  “I think the first thing we need to talk about is how many people we have,” Jack said, “and then we can work out what might happen if the Bristone breaks down and then come up with specific things to train for what might happen.”

  The men nodded. Penny became the scribe as they went into the showroom Jack had visited before and talked. He learned that the craftsmen were motivated, but they lacked goals. They were willing to fight, but they didn’t know what they needed to accomplish. He told them that.

  “What is our objective?” he asked Arno.

  “To throw out the factions,” one said, and that got a lot of nods. “Save the queen.”

  “Then what?” Jack asked. “Are you fighting for the queen? What if she aligns formally with one of the other factions? Who or what do you replace her with?”

  The craftsmen looked toward Ari.

  “Don’t ask me. I’m just a wizard,” Ari said.

  The men laughed, not believing what Ari said, but they had no ideas.

  “Then think about it,” Jack said. “We don’t want to waste lives if we don’t know what we are fighting for if the queen decides to back the factions.” Jack didn’t like not having an objective. He always had on all his missions. His goal was to retrieve Adoree’s Mask, but stabilizing Bristone, and by extension Antibeaux, was the next one. “Our overall goal is to stabilize your country. Can you accept that as the overriding objective? We still will need to agree on how that is done once we are in a position to decide.”

  “That might be another objective. Steps,” Penny said, looking at her notes. The group agreed. “Maybe I can summarize what most of you are already feeling,” she said. “We react when the factions begin to war with each other. That is where we need to come up with plausible scenarios, so we can create some specific strategies that we can train for. That is the first step toward stabilization. Defeat the factions. What is next?”

  “Fill t
he leadership gaps,” Jack said. “That might be harder. People have to step in to run the country. Who will lead the country? That will involve more than you, but you need to agree with what happens after, and then everything that follows is up to you. Do you agree that is what you are fighting for?”

  All of them nodded.

  “But that gets us back to fighting the factions,” Jack said. He looked at Guy Rive, who led the group Jack had met at the tavern. “Did you bring your maps?”

  The man smiled. “I did.” He nodded to one of the men, and the map of the upper and lower levels of Bristone was placed on the table.

  “We need to know where the leaders of the factions live and where their forces are likely to be drawn from,” Jack said, thinking back to the intelligence Lin had them gather when they first arrived in Bristone. “We know most of that, so let’s fill in the gaps. Spend a few days thinking about where the fighting is likely to take place. I think you won’t want the fighting to spread all over the city.”

  “You’ve got that right,” said Orthos Mere, Jack’s dueling opponent when he first visited the metalworking yard.

  Jack looked at Guy Rive. “Will you be the collection point for our intelligence gathering?”

  Guy smiled. He was fifty and lean with piercing eyes. “I have already started, but there is much more to be collected.”

  “Then let’s do two things. Divide trusted fighters into small groups. Penny and I will train them in the technique I used to defeat Orthos. Trust is the key. There is another force I am working with, and what they will do depends more on your ideas than theirs,” Jack said. “We will meet in two days. Is that enough time?”

  Guy Rive and Arno looked grim. “It will have to be.”

  Jack nodded. He was drained from playing leader, but he felt he had made some progress. Tomorrow, he would present what he had accomplished in Bristone to Manon and Jamie.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  ~

  “Y ou have been out a lot since you returned,” Lin said, putting a book down on the side table in the front sitting room. “Are you making headway finding the mask?”