Champion of the Gods Box Set

by Andrew Q. Gordon

  Miceral continued to frown but nodded and walked through. Alone, Farrell raised a shield around himself and the Door, making sure not to mask his efforts. If Darius thought to catch him off guard, Farrell had just shouted his readiness for a fight.

  A loud rap on the door announced the prince’s arrival. “Come in.”

  Slowly, the door opened, and Darius and Prince Wilhelm cautiously entered. On his previous visits, Farrell had only met Darius. His first impression of Wilhelm confirmed what he’d expected: middle-aged, tall, lanky, a touch of gray in his brown hair. A long nose and thin lips offset the piercing gray eyes that seemed to take in every detail.

  “Gentlemen.” He gave his “guests” the barest of bows. “Given the less than welcoming reception I received downstairs, I’m going home. If you want to speak to me, come to Haven, where you have my personal guarantee you’ll be safe. That’s more than I enjoy in Belsport.”

  Darius’s gaze swept across the room. “How did you open a Door? Belsport is sealed and bound to my will. How did you circumvent my ward?”

  “You don’t really expect me to stick around and explain how, do you?” Farrell shook his head. “I must be going.”

  “Farrell, wait. We really only wish to talk,” Darius said. “Prince Wilhelm has no desire to make you his enemy.”

  “Would giving you my personal guarantee really change your mind, Farrell?” Wilhelm gave him the barest of smirks. “It appears to me you’re going no matter what I say.”

  “Had it been given before I made the decision to go home, yes. Your word would’ve been sufficient. But, as my partner and our belongings are back in Haven, I’ll be joining them. The offer stands. You may come to Haven if you wish to speak further.”

  Darius raised a hand when Farrell took a sidestep toward the Door. Bringing his staff around, he pointed it at the pair. “Even attempt a spell, Darius, and Belsport will be without its chief wizard and its prince.”

  Palms pressed against his chest in a sign of nonaggression, Darius shook his head. “As a sign of our good faith, I haven’t even raised a shield around us. We only wish to talk, but you cannot expect us to walk through your Door on a whim like this.”

  “And after what you said downstairs, you can’t expect I would stay here to discuss anything. I’m no enemy of Belsport, and I haven’t done or said anything to suggest I am. But for now, I shall take my leave. Come to Haven or stay here. Either way, you know how to reach me in the future. The Door will remain open for as long as you remain in these rooms.”

  Without waiting for an answer, Farrell returned to Haven. The room was empty when he arrived.

  “Do you think they’re coming?” Miceral entered from their bedroom, sword in hand.

  Farrell smiled, shaking his head. “You won’t need that. If they decide to come, there won’t be any violence.”

  “Never hurts to let them know we’re prepared.” Miceral took a step back and put the sword in the hallway to their private rooms. “You never answered if you think they’re coming.”

  “Difficult to say. Were the situation reversed, I doubt I’d accept the impromptu invitation.”

  Darius and Wilhelm were discussing something on the other side of the still-open Door. With a word, Farrell could have listened in, but decided against it.

  “I didn’t, however, expect Darius to bring Wilhelm when he returned. That the prince came, alone no less, tells me he wants something.”

  Wilhelm inclined his head slightly, earning a nod from his chief wizard. Whatever they’d said, the pair walked toward the Door.

  “Welcome to Haven, Prince Wilhelm.” Farrell bowed, gesturing toward Miceral. “This is Miceral, my life partner.”

  Letting Miceral handle things for a moment, Farrell reached out for Nerti.

  “Nerti?”

  Miceral led them to the formal sitting room.

  “If you’re going to inform me we have guests, I’m aware of their arrival.”

  It took some effort not to smirk at her tone. “Actually, my queen, I was wondering if you could listen in on things. I have the feeling Wilhelm’s going to try to eat me for lunch with his negotiating skills.”

  “Horgon will handle Wilhelm. He’s on his way, but until then, I can stay with you.”

  He opened his mind when he felt Nerti’s touch. “Prince Wilhelm, as I assume this visit is about more than just the death of Meglar’s wizards, I’ve asked my first minister and a senior wizard to join us. They should be here shortly.”

  Wilhelm’s right eyebrow moved up fractionally. “You think your killing two of Meglar’s wizards, guests in my city, isn’t what I’ve come to discuss?”

  Farrell snorted. “I see you think me simple. If that’s how this meeting will go, perhaps you might want to go back to Belsport. I don’t feel disposed to waste my time.”

  “Not very subtle.” Farrell nearly turned at the sound of Miceral’s voice.

  “Wasn’t trying to be. If he wants to play games, I’ve got better things to do.” Keeping his eyes on Wilhelm, Farrell tried not to give away that he and Miceral were speaking mind to mind. “I’m more than a bit annoyed we had to cancel our trip early.”

  “There’ll be others, so try to be civil.”

  “Not exactly the welcome I expected.” Wilhelm’s voice gave away very little.

  “Prince Wilhelm.” Farrell paused to keep his composure. “We both know you don’t expect me to answer for the deaths of those two maggots. Not only am I considerably more powerful than your chief wizard, we’re in Haven, and the only way for you to return to Belsport is through a Door that answers to me. You’re shrewd enough to know better than to antagonize me in my own home.

  “Since you’re not here to discuss my being held accountable for their deaths, you must want something else.” Staring at the older man, Farrell thought he saw a hint of a smile.

  “Rather sure of yourself, are you?” Wilhelm’s light tone belied how carefully he seemed to choose his words. “You are that sure you can best Darius and avoid my judgment?”

  “Yes.” Realizing Wilhelm sought something from the exchange, Farrell refused to explain himself.

  The two princes kept their eyes on each other, almost staring each other down. Farrell had nearly turned away when Wilhelm smiled. “Not going to help me out by rambling, are you?”

  Farrell returned the smirk. “Not if I can help it.”

  “Then I can see I didn’t waste my time with this visit.” Wilhelm’s body appeared to relax for the first time since he arrived. “Darius said you were no fool, and as usual, he is correct.”

  “Flattery won’t work, either.” Farrell turned to the gray-haired wizard. “But I thank you for the compliment.”

  “As you surmised, my purpose isn’t to bring you to justice for the death of those wizards.” Wilhelm drew Farrell’s attention back to him. “Meglar has no respect for me or my people, but we suspected this before his people arrived. When Meglar’s ambassador requested we permit his wizards to visit, we were told they were agents of the crown. Normally, this would be an absurd statement, but there are only a select few Meglar trusts to act on his behalf. My staff tells me that Meglar only sends wizards to other places to act as his factors.

  “Of course, we didn’t believe they were what they purported to be, but it was impossible to deny the request without insulting Zargon’s king. Given Belsport is no better able to fend off Meglar than any of the other kingdoms he conquered, you can appreciate the position I was in.”

  “Indeed, I understand all too well the danger Meglar represents.” Farrell tried to keep the “told you so” tone from his voice. “He is the reason Haven exists.”

  Wilhelm kept his eyes on Farrell, as if looking for something. After a moment, he nodded. “Haven is something of a mystery. I understand in principle what it is, but beyond a sanctuary for those who fled Meglar, we know very little about it.”

  Staring back, Farrell couldn’t decide if Wilhelm really knew so little about Haven. “T
hat is by design, Prince Wilhelm. We wouldn’t want Meglar to find us.”

  “Of course.” Wilhelm’s smile looked forced. “According to Darius, not only are you a grand master wizard, you’ve managed to cobble together the survivors into some semblance of a very large army.” “What’s his game?” Farrell asked Nerti.

  “I sense anxiety, anticipation, and hope, but no deception,” she answered.

  “The first part is correct. I was Heminaltose’s last student.” He saw no harm in admitting what Darius already knew. “As for the size of Haven’s army, I need to politely decline to answer that.”

  A small chuckle escaped Wilhelm’s lips. “Respectfully understood.”

  Before Farrell could respond, Nerti’s voice stopped him. “Horgon is almost to your suite, little one.”

  “Thank you.” Armed with the new information, Farrell decided to stall. “Prince Wilhelm, forgive me if I’m blunt, but I feel we’ve moved to the real purpose of your visit. If you would indulge me and hold on to those thoughts a bit longer, my first minister will be here shortly.”

  This time Darius laughed. “That sounds more like Sanduval than Heminaltose. Diplomacy was not Sanduval’s strong suit. He said what was on his mind, consequences be damned.”

  Farrell managed a thin, sad smile. “A perk of being one of the greatest wizards of his age.”

  A loud knock filled the apartment. Miceral stood up, motioning for the others to remain seated. “I’ll get it.”

  “They were both fine men.” Darius said, seeming to sense Farrell’s mood. “You do them both proud.”

  “Yes, they were.”

  Horgon and Erstad followed Miceral into the sitting room, bowing politely to Prince Wilhelm. Once he finished the introductions, Farrell allowed Horgon to do most of the talking.

  Somewhere during the discussions, a page brought several trays of food and drink. Erstad handed him some food and he realized the fight had interrupted his and Miceral’s lunch plans. Conversation came to a stop when Farrell sat down with a second heaping plate.

  “Does he always eat like that?” Wilhelm asked Horgon. “If I ate half of that, I’d be twice my size.”

  Darius laughed. “Magic makes a wizard hungry.”

  Self-conscious at the attention, Farrell started to put his food aside when Erstad put his hand on the plate. “Don’t stop eating; it’s hard enough keeping you as lean as you are.”

  Wilhelm and Horgon moved to the food. “My father once warned me,” Wilhelm said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “never hire a fat wizard. I see there is more than a hint of truth to that.”

  Horgon winked at Farrell and said, “I could mention a few comments about never eating with merchants, but I fear that might spoil the mood.”

  Laughing, Wilhelm nodded. “I fear they are probably all true.”

  “Prince Wilhelm.” Farrell drew the attention back to himself. “Before my father-in-law arrived, we started to discuss why you made this unplanned visit. If you’re still of a mind to talk about it, I’m ready to listen.”

  Wilhelm stared at Farrell for an impolite amount of time before laying his plate on a table. “It would seem I’ve underestimated you, Prince Farrell. Knowing one’s limitations isn’t a common trait among the ruling class.”

  “Hopefully, you weren’t expecting to prey on my perceived naivety to wrangle something contrary to my best interests.” Farrell smiled, but he didn’t find much humor in the conversation.

  “In any negotiation, each side seeks an outcome beneficial to its own interests.” Wilhelm’s features softened. “So naturally that was a thought when I arrived.”

  Farrell resisted the urge to scoff at the answer. “Would it be fair to say you’re here to see what aid we can provide in the event Meglar is unhappy with you for letting his wizards be killed?”

  Wilhelm chuckled softly. “That’s one way to put it. Don’t mistake Meglar’s agents in my city for my being ignorant to their true purpose. As I said before, without offending Zargon’s king, I had no good reason to evict them.”

  “They steal energy your wizards would use in defense of Belsport.” Erstad shook his head. “If that’s not reason enough, what is?”

  “Nay, Master Erstad, it is not.” Wilhelm turned toward his wizard, who shrugged. “They do no more than any other wizard might do—collect energy. But trying to seize property and burning a respected merchant, these are reasons worth taking action.”

  Farrell arched an eyebrow. “So long as you have an ally of some substance to back you up.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Meglar’s power is located well to the east of you, Prince Wilhelm,” Erstad said. “Were he to try to lay siege to Belsport, he would need to bypass Honal and Pelipan. Doing so would leave his seat of power vulnerable to attack. With his eye set on conquering the remaining two kingdoms, it is unlikely he would directly attack you. More likely he would attack you through one of your neighbors.”

  Wilhelm nodded slowly. “A sound conclusion, but that would still leave us at a disadvantage. If I allied myself with you, what assistance would you be able to offer if Belsport was attacked?”

  Erstad appeared on the verge of answering, so Farrell raised his hand. “The answer would depend on the form of the attack. If it’s an attack by a neighbor supported by Zargon, we might commit considerable resources to assist you. But should Meglar lead the attack, we will not sally forth and confront him.”

  Wilhelm’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Farrell.

  “Go ahead. Say what you’re thinking.” Farrell gave Wilhelm a wry grin. “Why are we so cowardly that we won’t aid you when you need us most?”

  “That was the general gist of my thoughts,” Wilhelm said. “Though I don’t recall thinking you were a coward.”

  “Thus far, Meglar has decided the time and place of his attacks. That has worked to his advantage. I won’t let him goad me into acting too soon or in a place where he holds the upper hand.”

  Other than raising an eyebrow, Wilhelm’s face didn’t change. “Even if it means he conquers the rest of the continent?”

  “Even that. Yes.” Farrell shook his head. “It makes no sense for me to confront him unless there is a reasonable chance of success. After me, who’s left?”

  “Then what if he attacks Belsport? What of my city?”

  “We would help shield your city long enough to evacuate your people,” Erstad said.

  “Evacuate to where?” Darius’s body stiffened as he scanned everyone’s face. “There won’t be anyplace left to run to.”

  Farrell met his glare without flinching. “Your people would be welcome at Haven, or, if you desire, we’d help you find a new home somewhere else.”

  “Hardly the alliance we would need to risk Meglar’s wrath.” The elder wizard looked disgusted.

  Wilhelm’s soft chuckle surprised Farrell. “Perhaps I missed the joke, Prince Wilhelm.”

  “My apologies,” he said. “Before we came to Haven, Darius was the strongest voice for expelling Meglar’s ambassadors. Politics isn’t as simple as he would like to believe.”

  “Darius, I’m sorry if my offer isn’t what you had hoped, but it’s the best we can make. Everything I do is for one goal—defeating Meglar. As callous as I sound, as shortsighted as you may think me, I’ll not change my plans because Meglar changes his.”

  “And if he doesn’t cooperate and come when and where you want him?” Darius said. “What will you do then?”

  Farrell noted the challenge in Darius’s voice. “He’ll come. I can’t say more, but he’ll come. The question for you is, do you let Meglar continue to weaken you until he is ready to attack, or do you take action now and give yourselves a fighting chance?”

  Raising a bushy white eyebrow, Darius didn’t back down. “Expelling Meglar’s wizards also prevents him from collecting energy that he will use against you. Essentially, you’re asking Belsport to make itself a target to deny Meglar power for your own benefit.”

&n
bsp; “If you want to look at things through the narrow prism of the risk to Belsport only, that’s your mistake to make. Your only hope for survival is for me to defeat Meglar. If you want to aid him ahead of our confrontation, that’s your choice, but you should be able to see how that isn’t in your best long-term interest.”

  Wilhelm held up his hand, cutting Darius off before he could respond. “Though I recognize your bias in this, you still make valid points. I’ve always known that unless he is stopped, Meglar will eventually attack Belsport. But as I understand magic, energy regenerates over time. If it appears things are headed for a confrontation, we can expel his agents and be no worse for having them.”

  Farrell waited for Darius to correct his prince, but the wizard kept silent. “Two reasons that is false. First, Meglar has a Source at his disposal. All the excess power his minions collect goes into feeding his power supply. I’ve never seen the limit of a Source, so while theoretically there is one, it is meaningless, given how high that number would be.

  “Second, and perhaps more to your benefit, there are ways to collect all the unattached power and save it.”

  Darius raised an eyebrow. “What are you suggesting?”

  “Binding all the free energy in and around Belsport and siphoning it to one place. From there, your wizards can draw on it now or in the future.”

  “The number of vessels needed to hold that much energy would be vast, unless we had a better storage system.” Darius’s hint was not lost on Farrell.

  “Even if I knew how to create a Source, I wouldn’t reveal such knowledge.” Farrell let a small smile spread across his face. “But even without a Source, you have to admit, collecting Belsport’s unattached energy and making it available to your wizard constables carries enormous military advantages.”

  “And,” Horgon chimed in, “would be extremely valuable.”

  Wilhelm laughed. “Well put, Minister Horgon. You must have merchant blood in you. Would you give me a moment to consult with my wizard in private?”

  “Of course.” Farrell led the others out of the formal sitting room.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Erstad didn’t sound happy. “Giving them that knowledge could be disastrous.”