by Ben Reeder
Her gaze came up to meet mine, and I could see a dawning hurt in her eyes.
“Why?” she asked, her voice small.
“Because I’d rather die than let Dulka have your soul. Because … I love you.” Her smile lit up her eyes, and she kissed me deep.
“I’ve loved you for a long time,” she said. “I think since the night you told me no.” In the distance, sirens started to sound, and we both looked down the road.
“We’re not done talking about this,” I said as I stepped back, feeling the heat of her body fade.
“You can tell me you love me any time you want,” she said.
“I do … I will!” I said as I turned and went to the Mustang.
“The police are en route, and you two are exchanging emotional platitudes?” Gage said with a slight upward tug at his mouth. “You’re hopeless, plebe, completely hopeless.”
“Was that a joke?” I asked.
“A humorous observation,” he corrected. “Nothing more.”
Chapter 11
~ Ruthless men are weak men, my king. ~ Merlin
Dr. C’s knock at the door brought me out of the doze that I’d slipped into. My head came up and I yawned. The sunlight coming through the west window was a lot closer to horizontal than I remembered it being the last time I’d checked. Off to my right, Dee was a quiet little puddle of cuteness on the bed, her own seemingly endless supply of energy exhausted for the moment. Her Sonic Screwdriver dangled from limp little fingers, and her book had fallen over. Junkyard was curled up beside her, and he gave me a sleepy look before he laid his head back down.
“When was the last time you ate? Or slept for that matter?” Dr. C said as he stepped into my temporary room.
“Not sure, but I think it was a day that ended with a y.”
“You’ve been awful busy up here,” he noted.
“I’ve been taking care of a few things,” I said.
“What kind of things?” he asked. “And don’t try telling me that it’s better if I don’t know. You’re my apprentice. I’m accountable for what you do whether I know about it or not.”
“A lot of my father’s money just disappeared,” I said as I looked back at the laptop. “Some of it went into savings accounts for my friends’ and my sister’s college funds. Some of it, I think, is going to randomly pay off some people’s houses here in a couple of months. I think Celia Vasquez just got a grant to go to college, too. A lot of it is going to a bunch of charities. My father is about to be a very generous man.”
“And none of this generosity is finding its way to you?” he asked.
“No, sir,” I said. “It can’t. All of this is because of what Dulka did for him … what I did for him. A lot of people got hurt making him rich. I’ll fix what I can, but I’m not going to turn a profit on other peoples’ pain.”
“The argument could be made that you got hurt in the process as well,” he said.
“I also did a lot of the hurting. Kinda cancels it out for me.”
“I’m proud of you, Chance,” he said. “Officially, I can’t condone stealing from your father, but I think playing Robin Hood is a worthy cause. And sometimes, the Council sets itself above cowan law, so I can’t say you’re not following the example set for you by your elders. Speaking of said elders, though … it’s time.” I nodded and reached over to wake Dee up as he left the room.
“We’re off to see the wizards,” I said as she blinked at me with barely focused eyes. I could hear Dr. C calling for Gage downstairs.
“Is Mom gonna be there?” she asked, her voice a little slurred as she made the trip to full wakefulness. Junkyard got up and jumped off the bed as she sat up.
“No, Mom’s not coming home until tomorrow at least,” I told her as we walked to the door. “But she is coming home.” Dee took my hand and followed me out to the Mustang.
We followed Dr. C’s Range Rover to the old Joplin airport. It had been shut down sometime in the seventies, back when New Essex had formally annexed the city, and Joplin had become a district of its larger neighbor. He took the main road toward the old terminal, then took a left just before the main parking lot, which led to a road that eventually wound around to a hangar. He pulled to a stop and got out. I grabbed the Maxilla and slung it across my back, then Dee, Junkyard, and I followed him through the smaller door and found ourselves standing on the vast open floor. A semi-circle of men and women in robes faced us, and the Sentinels held three people off to the left. A larger knot of people milled around on the right. As soon as we came in the door, everyone looked at us.
“Chance Fortunato,” a familiar voice boomed out. “You are summoned before the Council of the Magi. Come forth, and be recognized.” I let go of Dee’s hand and walked to the middle of the semi-circle, Junkyard at my side. “You’ve been a busy young man,” Draeden said, his voice no longer as formal.
“Got a lot to do,” I said.
“Indeed you do,” Draeden said. “Your proctor has indicated he is ready to give his report. We will hear that first.”
I felt a cold wave of dread fill my stomach. I still hadn’t cast a spell without a focus, or shown him I could scribe and cast a spell. I was pretty sure throwing around a bolt of Hellfire wasn’t going to count, either.
Gage came up beside me and cleared his throat, then bowed to the Council.
“Esteemed members of the Council, I’m honored to stand before you today, and I thank the Council for the trust placed in me with this assignment,” he said. “In regards to Mister Fortunato’s skills, I have seen him cast spells with foci, and I’ve seen and inspected the tools he has made himself, including the telekinesis wand he is so well-known for. If he would be so kind as to hand me the aforementioned wand, I would like to point out a few things.” I dug it out of my pocket and handed it over. “First, I should like to point out that it was handmade with mostly mundane tools. It is the equivalent of taking a pile of junk and building a working car. It is crude, but effective. He has completed most of the tasks required of any apprentice in my presence. I have spoken to Sentinel Dearborn, and she attests to his ability to scribe a spell and cast it. I might add that the circumstances under which he did so required a great deal of improvisation.”
“And can he cast a spell without a focus?” Master Moon demanded.
“I have seen him do so multiple times,” Gage said without missing a beat. I stifled the urge to do a double take at that, and tried to keep my face from showing how surprised I was.
“Fortunato’s moral character has been a cause for serious concern to this Council,” Polter said. His voice seemed even more nasal in the open space of the hangar, and I could see his eyes gleam as he watched Gage. “You have spent several days with him. What concerns do you have about his behavior?”
“None, sir,” Gage said. “He may be coarse, ill-mannered, and prone to ignorance, but I have seen nothing to indicate any reason to be concerned about his moral character. I dare say that, with considerable effort, he might actually make a good example of himself.” A low murmur rippled along the arc of Council members at that.
“What is your recommendation for placement?” Draeden asked after a moment or two.
“Basic apprentice placement, with consideration for Sentinel training, and select remedial course work to fill in the unfortunate gaps in his training.”
“Preposterous!” Polter bellowed. “This miscreant will never be a Sentinel.”
“Perhaps we should let the boy graduate before we start deciding his future for him,” Moon said. “Do you feel that he needs further monitoring, Apprentice Gage?”
Gage let out a little gasp and I could see his eyes go wide. “No, sir,” he said quickly and shook his head. “The time I’ve spent with him has been more than sufficient.”
“Very well then,” Draeden said with a smile. “Thank you for your assistance, Apprentice Gage. I will see to it that your academic record is duly amended.”
“It was a pleasure to be of service,�
� Gage said before he bowed and backed away.
“Well, it’s official now,” Draeden said with a little extra gusto. “Apprentice Fortunato. How does it feel?”
“Exhausting,” I said.
“I’m sure you’re equal to the position. Wizard Corwyn has informed me that you wished to intercede on behalf of the three accused,” he said and gestured toward where Gil stood with Lucinda and Ryker. The first two looked scared, but Ryker just looked miserable. He also looked a little smaller. All three of them were wearing the same clothes I’d last seen them in, though Lucinda had taken off her cat mask. At his motion, they were led to stand in the semi-circle beside me.
Yes, sir,” I said. “All three of them are here because of things I did. Lucinda and Ryker were old customers of mine. They were addicted to what I was selling.”
“It’s no excuse,” Polter said, his upper lip curled up in a derisive sneer. “No one was making them come back for more.”
“With all due respect to Master Polter,” I said, “he is wrong. Every spell I cast for someone was designed to erode their will by tapping into their soul and siphoning off a little bit at a time. While I was in servitude to Dulka, I weakened them to the point where they were more vulnerable to Dulka than a normal person would have been. Gilbert Vasquez found his way to them through a website I had set up while working for Dulka. Each of their transgressions are the result of my actions. Thus, their crimes are mine.”
“You were cleared, and your father was held liable,” Moon said. “What they did took place after that.”
“And my father has been held accountable,” I said. “But not until this morning. After they did the things they’re accused of. This Council said justice was done when I challenged my father. I hold you to that pledge.”
Draeden stepped forward, his brow lowered and his jaw clenched. I was guessing he didn’t like this any more than Polter did.
“You assume a great deal,” he said, his voice tight. “Primarily that the crimes these three committed are part of your past, and won’t be taken up as new charges against you, since you insist on taking responsibility for them. While you make a strong argument, it isn’t perfect. So, why risk it?”
“Because the Council’s idea of justice is usually based on what’s convenient, instead of what’s right.”
“A death sentence pains this Council to pass,” Polter said. “But it is necessary to deter others from committing the same—”
“Do you think Gil Vasquez made his choices knowing you would try to kill him for them? He’s a cowan, he wasn’t raised as part of our world, he doesn’t know our rules. And who do you think you’re punishing if you kill him? Not him, he was ready to make that sacrifice. You’re just taking one more thing from a family who’s already lost too much.”
“The problems of a cowan family are not our concern,” Master Hardesty said, her lips pressed tight together as she finished.
“They Goddamn well should be,” I blurted out. “Because Hell is on the move, and people like Gil and his family are going to be choosing sides by the thousand!”
The Council went silent at that, a first in my experience. Draeden held up a hand when Polter started to say something, his head tilted to the side as he eyed me.
“Explain,” he said.
“Gil was bait,” I said. ”Dulka wasn’t after his soul. He didn’t even want me back. He was after the Maxilla. He let something slip once he thought he’d won. He said that the world was about to change, and that his Masters would be arriving to claim it.”
“And you believed him?” Polter scoffed.
“He was trying to rub my face in it; he thought he’d won. And believe me, so did I. At that point, there was no way either of us saw me walking away.” I tried not to roll my eyes as Polter made a rude sound.
“No, Andrew, the boy is right,” Draeden said slowly. “Something big is coming. Something potentially earth shattering.”
“We’ve seen no signs—”
“No signs?” Draeden cut him off. “This boy is a sign! The sword he carries is a sign unto itself! The Maxilla has not only called a new Seeker, it has called a Wielder. The last time both a Page and a Knight of Swords walked the world, we went to war on a scale mankind had never seen before.”
“But they already defeated the vampire who tried to open Mammon’s prison,” Hardesty said.
“And yet the Red Count still tried to take the Maxilla to court his favor,” Master Moon said.
“All of which goes to prove Apprentice Fortunato’s point,” Draeden said. “We can’t demand that cowans adhere to our rules if they are not aware of them.”
“Master Draeden, ignorance of the law is no excuse,” Polter said.
“And yet we seek to keep the cowan world ignorant of our very existence,” Draeden said. “We foster disbelief, and then punish people for breaking the laws of a world they didn’t know existed. We can’t let that stand any longer. Bring the young man forward.”
A pair of Sentinels led Gil forward, and his father and sister followed them, stopping just outside the half circle. Gil was trying to stand as straight as he could, but his hands were shaking and his shirt was soaked with sweat. Behind him, his sister stood silently, her eyes streaming with silent tears. His father stood stoically, but his eyes weren’t dry, either.
“Gilbert Vasquez,” Draeden said, his voice stern. “You stand here accused and adjudged guilty of summoning a demon, an act that you knew was wrong. You placed your own soul in peril. To what end?”
“Wh-what?” Gil stammered.
“They want to know why,” I said.
“I wanted my brother to come back, and my sister is trying to go to nursing school, but we don’t have enough money to send her.” His shoulders slumped when he finished, and he bowed his head. Draeden gestured to the Sentinels flanking him, and they went to his father and sister and gently ushered them forward to stand by Gilbert. Then Draeden stepped out of the curved line of Council members and went to them, eliciting a gasp from the rest of the Council.
“My father came back from war missing a leg,” he said. “And two of my brothers didn’t come back at all. If your son is lost, we will at least see to it that he is returned home and honored as he deserves. If he lives, we will find him and see him safely to you. As to your schooling, Miss Vasquez …” He paused, his eyes focusing elsewhere for a moment.
“It’s being seen to, Master Draeden,” I said. He looked at me with raised eyebrows for a moment, then nodded to Celia Vasquez.
“Even so,” he said. “But, you, Gilbert … you put your own soul in danger. And you put the souls of others in similar peril. Your intentions may have been noble, but your methods were, at best, misguided. Very few find a way to penetrate the Veil that shrouds our world. Having done so, you must be taught the ways of the world you’ve uncovered.” He stopped and looked over his shoulder at the rest of the Council, then focused his attention on Gilbert again. “I believe a few months under the care of Master Moon will be sufficient to put you on the right path. Mister Vasquez, I can only assume this meets with your approval.”
“I don’t have much choice, do I?” he asked, his voice brittle.
“You do have other choices, sir,” Draeden said. “As did your son. None of the other options left open to him are pleasant. I assure you, he will return to you a better man for this.”
“I understand,” he said, then looked to his son. “You do what you have to do.”
Draeden nodded and the Sentinels ushered Gil and his family away. Four more blue-robed mages brought Ryker and Lucinda forward. Ryker was visibly smaller than he’d been less than eighteen hours ago. His skin was starting to sag and his face was bruised and swollen to the point of being almost unrecognizable. Beside him, Lucinda was barefoot, but still in the black outfit she’d had on earlier. Her eyes darted left and right, and she clung to Ryker like a drowning woman.
“You two,” Draeden said, his voice stern and piercing. “Your case is much more
serious. Even though you may be below the age of consent, and from the cowan world, the extent and severity of what you have done cannot be overlooked.” Lucinda whimpered, and Ryker put his hand out and shoved her behind him.
“Sir,” I said.
“No, Chance,” Draeden said. “You were in their position, and you made the choice to change. They have shown no such inclination. It will take more than just your pity to earn them clemency.”
“No,” another voice uttered, and I turned to Ryker in shock. He hadn’t spoken once in the last week, and in the face of his silence, that one word hit like a bomb. His mouth moved for a moment before he could speak again, and every word came slowly, almost painfully.
“No pity for me. Don’t deserve it. But, Lucy … please. Scared and lost.”
“Add my voice to Apprentice Fortunato’s,” another, softer voice came from the gloom behind us. I turned to look, thinking it sounded familiar, and saw a plump figure with thinning brown hair step into the light. “Not in pity, but compassion.”
“You always had a soft heart, Roland,” Hardesty said. “And a soft head to match.”
“To some of you, compassion is just an inconvenience,” Roland Dandry said. The plump little mage gave me a quick nod as he walked past me and stood next to Ryker and Lucinda. “To others, it’s a sign of weakness. But when a man you’re supposed to despise puts himself in harm’s way for you and asks nothing but a kind word in return? It makes you question things. It makes you ask why you’re supposed to revere a group of people who would rather kill children than give them a chance to redeem themselves. It makes you wonder why the most powerful wizards in the nation won’t risk the wrath of a demon, but one fugitive boy would. So, yes, I will do more than add my voice to the call for clemency here. I will take these two under my care and tutelage, if they will accept my offer.”
Draeden smiled and turned back to the Council. “How does the Council say?” he asked. “In favor?” Eight hands came up, more than enough to decide the matter. He turned back to Lucinda and Ryker. “You have been offered a chance to redeem yourselves. I have my own reservations, but I will allow this offer if you will submit to the Horus Gaze, so that Mage Dandry knows your minds. Do you agree?”