Will continued, “The graduation seal is just a false label for the slave end of a heart-stone enchantment. That’s how elementals are made, from the souls of dead wizards. That’s what will happen to you and Laina someday when you die, an eternity of slavery.”
“That can’t be true,” said Mark Nerrow, but his voice no longer carried the sound of unshakeable conviction.
“You’ll have to think about it later. Tonight, we’re off to perform a ritual to rid the city of this plague of undead,” he declared.
Agnes interjected herself then. “Is that why we’ve been told no one can leave the college grounds?”
That was news to them, and their faces said as much. Mark Nerrow spoke next. “The king is bringing the populace into the college. Within a few hours the entire city populace will be scattered across the campus, waiting out the night. It’s almost certain to be a disaster. No one is allowed out.”
“I thought you were getting ready to go out,” said Will.
Agnes nodded. “We were, but now we’re going back inside. Hopefully you don’t mind.”
He shook his head. “No, of course not.”
“I’ll be coming with you again,” declared Laina.
“Me too,” said Tabitha cheerfully.
Their mother reacted first. “Neither of you are going anywhere!”
Mark added, “I second that.”
“I’ll do as I please,” said Laina. “Tabitha, you’re too young.” Then she looked at her father. “You can’t stop me, but you might consider coming with us.”
The baron’s face turned red, and he stepped toward his daughter menacingly. Will moved at the same time. “I wouldn’t,” he cautioned. “We need a lot of sorcerers for this ritual, and if we don’t get it the king is going to do something drastic tomorrow.”
“You’d even risk your—” The baron stopped, then rephrased his words. “You’d even risk Laina on this?”
“I’d rather risk you,” said Will, his tone biting, “but she’s capable of making her own decisions and I’ll support them, whatever they are.”
The standoff lasted thirty seconds or more, and everyone grew tense watching the two men stare at one another, until at last Mark Nerrow asked, “How many do you need for this ritual?”
“Mark! You can’t be considering it! The king and his men will deal with this!” said Agnes sharply.
“A hundred and seventy-two sorcerers,” answered Will.
“I want to help too, Momma,” said Tabitha, tugging on her mother’s sleeve.
Agnes’ response was so sharp that for a moment Will feared she would backhand the fifteen-year-old. “You’ll stay here with me and that’s the end of it,” snapped Agnes, clearly overwrought.
In the end, after more bickering and a few tears, Mark and Laina Nerrow both joined them at the meeting place by the gate, though neither of them spoke much. Their party as a whole was noticeably devoid of chatter, and Will was grateful when he saw Elizabeth Sundy approaching. A long train of students followed her, the ones who had been chosen for the king’s service.
She was a tall, lean woman with hawkish features, and she had changed out of her robes and into something decidedly mannish, wearing long trousers and a brown linen jacket. She noticed him studying her and grinned suddenly. “My gardening clothes. They suit the occasion better.” The middle-aged woman stuck out one leg and wiggled her foot, highlighting the heavy leather boots she wore.
After that it was a matter of organizing themselves and getting through the gate. There was a small amount of confusion, but Elizabeth Sundy was able to explain their purpose to the Wurthaven guards. Outside the gate was a contingent of the king’s men, but they likewise stood aside once Will’s identity had been confirmed.
Ten minutes later they were in the main yard of the palace. Janice and the other student sorcerer candidates were led away to receive their elementals, while Will, Laina, Elizabeth, and Mark Nerrow were taken for a quick meeting with the king.
Chapter 51
Lognion met them in a more formal audience chamber, and his eyes landed on Mark Nerrow first. “Lord Nerrow, I did not expect to see you here this evening.” Then he waved his hand at the rest of them. “Please rise and be at ease.”
The baron, like the others in the room, was in the midst of an extended bow, which only ended once the king gave them leave to end their obeisance. Will as usual had remained recalcitrant, even though it made the others extremely uneasy. Mark straightened up and responded, “I felt ill at ease when I learned your son-in-law was planning to strike at the enemy this evening. My daughter insisted on accompanying him, and as her father, I could do no less.”
The king’s gaze focused on Laina. “I’m sure you couldn’t. With the people’s savior on this mission you cannot help but succeed, even if the avatar of Marduke were also beside you.” Lognion’s attention turned to Will as he finished the sentence. “Did you succeed, William?”
Will glanced at Elizabeth, then nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty, with the help of Lord Courtney and several talented researchers, such as Mistress Sundy here. I merely presented the need; they provided the solution.”
“Present your plan then,” said Lognion.
Everyone seemed hesitant, aside from the baron. Elizabeth seemed tempted to speak, but she kept looking at Will. In the end, he knew it was his responsibility. “The ritual will be organized by Mistress Sundy with me at its center. We will need to perform it in the cathedral to cover the entire city. As far as requirements, we need a minimum of one hundred and seventy-two sorcerers to participate.”
The king leaned forward in his seat and appeared to be counting them. “Do you have that many? I only see two with you.”
“I assumed Your Majesty would provide them,” said Will. “We brought the two hundred student candidates with us as well. Their number alone would be sufficient—”
“You presume too much, William. The ranks of the Driven have been severely affected by this crisis. These new candidates are barely enough to replenish them. If we lose them in this untested foray of yours, it will endanger the future of the kingdom, for I won’t have enough to cut the head from this undead snake.”
“Wurthaven has more students,” said Will coldly. “If we fail, recruit another two hundred. It won’t matter. Your plan will eliminate Wurthaven anyway. You may as well risk these lives knowing you can harvest another crop without any real loss tomorrow.” That earned him some strange looks from those around him.
“So jaded for one so young,” said the king. “What of protection? If I give you that number, how will you get them to the cathedral safely? One small ambush and your plan will fail.”