Secrets and Spellcraft

by Michael G. Manning

  She shook her head. “I didn’t know the details, but I did tell him that he was probably the one meant to be sacrificed. He doesn’t know for a fact that you were there, but he’s not unintelligent. He probably suspects.”

  “How much do you think he suspects?” asked Will, sliding his hand up her back and lightly touching her neck. He smiled as a shiver ran up her spine.

  Selene gave him a serious look. “I don’t think he suspects that.” Then she frowned. “But I’m pretty sure he knows there’s something between us.” She turned her head and kissed him slowly. Then she stood and walked toward the door. “I should get going.”

  Will couldn’t bear to see her leave so soon. “I have to go to class,” he announced.

  Selene looked back, puzzlement on her features. It was Saturday, so his remark didn’t make much sense. After a pause, she asked, “When?”

  “Day after tomorrow.”

  She laughed as his game became apparent. “That isn’t much time.”

  “It isn’t.”

  Selene’s countenance took on a predatory look as she walked back toward him. A moment later she pounced, and Will found himself on his back looking up at her. “This is the last time,” she said firmly after their first long kiss.

  “Of course,” he replied.

  Sometime that afternoon they woke from what had been a long and pleasant nap. Despite the fact that Will was free until Monday, Selene insisted that she had to return. Reluctantly, Will let her go, as he had no other choice.

  Before she stepped out the door she turned back. “I forgot to warn you.”

  “About what?”

  “Father is going to know it was you.”

  He stared at her blankly, then realized why. “The elementals.”

  She nodded. “You’d never make it as a serial killer. That’s your big giveaway every time. You always free the elementals.”

  Will felt a new anxiety take hold, destroying the peace he had felt a moment before. “Any advice if he summons me?”

  “Be honest. He hates liars. Don’t beg or plead either. The only thing he admires is strength. If you’re lucky he might even reward you.”

  Will shook his head sadly. “I’ve already turned down the only reward that means anything to me.”

  It took a second, but then she realized he meant the duchess’ offer. “If you had accepted that one then I wouldn’t love you the way I do.” She kissed him again, recast her chameleon spell, then slipped out the door.

  Will closed it behind her. “And yet you’re getting married anyway,” he muttered. “What a stupid world.”

  Chapter 58

  On Sunday Will found Janice and gave her a summary of what had happened. His mood was considerably lighter than the day before, and she accepted his story without asking for the darker details.

  After that he resumed his obsessive training schedule. The worst might be behind him, but there was still one more obstacle looming before him in the future, and he was even more determined not to let it pass unchallenged.

  The goddamn cat’s warning still bothered him too. “She will kill you.” He had thought perhaps that the cat’s warning referred to her reaction to how he had stopped the ritual disaster, but clearly that wasn’t the case.

  He wanted to dismiss the warning, but after seeing the Cath Bawlg’s power in action, he was even more convinced that he couldn’t ignore it. As he thought about the upcoming wedding and what he intended to do, however, it fit into a certain dark logic.

  During one of his breaks he called up the limnthal and told Arrogan about recent events. The ring was angrier than usual.

  “You cut me off in mid-sentence!”

  “You were getting repetitive,” said Will.

  After the inevitable shitstorm of swearing that ensued, the ring eventually calmed down. “So, you successfully stopped the ritual, and everyone was saved. I’m so damned happy for you,” finished Arrogan acidly.

  Not everyone, thought Will. He still had bad moments when he thought about the people he’d had to kill. “I have a question,” he announced.

  “Why don’t you bargain away another favor to Aislinn then? I’m sure she’ll be happy to answer you.”

  “This is a human question.”

  “You realize I’m a piece of talking jewelry, right?”

  “But you used to be human, and you’re probably one of the few who ever suffered enough to know the answer to this one.”

  “Color me interested,” said the ring. “What’s this question?”

  “After all the terrible things you had to do, the killing and betrayals, did you ever get better?”

  Arrogan huffed. “I was the best.”

  “No, I mean—” He was at a loss for words. “Were you able to sleep at night? Did you have nightmares?”

  The ring’s tone turned somber. “Oh, that.”

  “Yeah—that.”

  “I don’t have a good answer for you. From what I saw there are four basic types of people in the world when it comes to how these things work out. The first kind usually can’t function, as in they’ll get themselves killed before doing what’s necessary. They’re usually kind, generous, wonderful people and they die horribly. The second kind will leap at the chance to do what you did, and they’ll never look back. In fact, they may enjoy it and start looking for excuses to kill again. Luckily, those types are rare. This king of yours is probably one of those. Anyway, you’re definitely neither of those. You fall into the third or fourth category, same as most people.”

  “And what are those?” asked Will.

  “They’re similar. Both will do what’s necessary, and both will be miserable about it afterward the only difference is that some people get over it and some don’t. If you throw enough shit at anyone they’ll eventually crack, but let’s assume you don’t suffer that kind of continual misery. From here, you’ll either get past this, or you won’t, and it isn’t really up to you. You’ll either have nightmares about it the rest of your life, or you won’t. There’s no good way to know how it will turn out for you.”

  “How did it turn out for you?”

  Arrogan didn’t answer for a while, but eventually he broke his silence. “I was all right through most of it, until Aislinn was taken from me. I don’t think I ever got over that. She was the last one that believed in me. Once she was gone, that’s when I gave up on everything.”

  “You never told me how it happened.”

  The ring sighed. “I was desperate and couldn’t find a better solution, so I made a bargain with the stump-lord. I offered him an unbound favor for his assistance.”

  “So he took Aislinn for the favor? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “He wanted her, but he couldn’t have her. Since she was a wizard and bore the limnthal, she was a party to the accord. If she had been an ordinary human, he could have compelled me to turn her over.”

  “But they can’t harm humans.”

  “Because we represent them. They don’t have any rights of their own except through our agreement with the fae. The fae can’t touch them, that’s true, unless they have leverage over one of us. Anyway, that didn’t matter, because Aislinn was a wizard too.”

  “So what happened?”

  “He showed up when we were together and told me he was ready to claim his favor. I assumed it would be something unpleasant, or maybe even some form of slavery, but it was worse than that. He asked me to die.”

  “What, just die, for no reason?”

  “Oh, he had a reason, and Aislinn fell for it. She begged for my life, and his response was that she could offer herself to him instead.”

  Will felt a chill run up his spine. “And she was pregnant…”

  “We didn’t know that at the time. If Aislinn had known she would probably have let him kill me. Hell, I would have slit my own wrists before she had a chance to choose.”

  “That’s horrible.”

  “The worst part is that I’m sure he knew. He knew she was pregnant
with my child. He took her because it was twice the bargain, and my suffering would be all the greater when it became known.”

  Will shook his head. “That’s just sick. How could anyone be that cruel?”

  “The fae are cruel, down to their very bones,” said the ring. “That’s how I learned the lesson. Up until then the forest lord had always seemed like a friend to me. Even though I knew I shouldn’t, I trusted him just a tiny bit. I think he must have been human once.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, as you know, the fae are all of human origin, but some are born there, like Tailtiu, while others are humans who were changed, like Aislinn. Immortality is a hard burden to bear, and my personal theory is that the ones who were once mortals can’t quite handle it. They go slightly insane. I think what the rotten prick wanted was for me to kill him.”

  “Couldn’t he just ask you then? Making you hate him seems extreme.”

  “Suicide isn’t in their nature. They can’t die in Faerie, and coming here is something they can only do for short periods. Eventually the call of Faerie drags them back.”

  “Could you have killed him?”

  “Damn right I could have! I was furious. When I found out about Tailtiu I went and found him. That’s when I took his horns, but I realized what he really wanted at the end. I had planned to imprison him and bring him back so I could watch him slowly wither away. When I figured out that’s what he wanted, I left. Afterward I tried to console myself by imagining that he was suffering, but it was never enough to satisfy me. I nursed the grudge for the rest of my life, and now I’m still holding onto it, at least until you melt me down.”

  Will didn’t know what to say.

  “Now you understand why I get so frustrated when I think you’re getting sentimental about Aislinn. Don’t be confused. Even if she has some maternal feeling toward you, in the end she’s one of them and her feelings, whatever they are, will only drive her insane.”

  Will was properly worried by then. Aislinn had already asked for Selene once, and now he owed her an unbound favor. Selene wouldn’t even have the option of choosing for herself. If Will gave her over, Aislinn would simply take her. “Can you refuse to honor a bargain with the fae?” he asked.

  “Choice is the foundation of mortality,” said the ring. “Unlike the fae, humans can always make choices, as long as they’re willing to bear the consequences. If you refuse to honor an unbound favor, the consequence is death.”

  “Would I just fall over dead?”

  “Oh no. Nothing like that. Aislinn would kill you, but it’s just as inevitable. She’s too powerful to fight and her nature is such that she couldn’t let you live even if she wanted to. The fae are bound by their rules.”

  “Is there a way to hide from them?” Will was beginning to feel desperate.

  “From some of them, maybe, from Aislinn I doubt it. She’s not just fae, she’s the most skilled wizard I’ve ever known. There are probably gods that would think twice before pissing her off. The only place she wouldn’t go is Muskeglun. The lack of turyn really hurts the fae, but she’s clever. The trolls would likely catch you and turn you over.”

  “What can I do?”

  “You’re worried she might really want the girl, eh?”

  “Of course.”

  “All you can do is hope she actually has your best interest at heart, or at least that she isn’t that cruel. Maybe she’ll ask for something small. Either way, you’ll know better than to ever bargain an unbound favor again. Some lessons are hard but unavoidable.”

  Chapter 59

  Another week went by, filled only by classes and Will’s near-constant efforts to fill every spare moment with practice. In other words, he was intensely bored, but refused to let himself find anything more interesting to do. The wedding was only a couple of weeks away and he needed to be ready.

  The only thing that interrupted his quiet insanity came on Friday afternoon, when a carriage arrived bearing two sorcerers and a squad of guardsmen. They escorted him from his Spell Theory class, prompting a few interesting comments from his classmates as he voluntarily got up and went with them. “Being arrested again, Will?”

  He ignored the remarks and kept his thoughts to himself. It wasn’t as though he had a reputation to ruin. During the ride to the palace, he sat between the two sorcerers, a man and a woman who had apparently been born without personalities.

  “Did the king seem like he was in a good mood?” Will asked one of them, but there was no response.

  In fact, they had said almost nothing, even when they appeared to claim him, other than to inform him that the king desired his attendance. The only positive sign was that he hadn’t been put in chains—yet.

  Half an hour later, he found himself in a small sitting room, possibly the same one in which he had first met the king after being released from the dungeon months ago. I’ve come full circle, he thought. This is where I was freed, and where I’ll probably be sent back. He wondered if he should lie down and pretend to sleep, but he doubted King Lognion would see the humor in it.

  Will leapt to his feet when the door opened and the king entered, giving a deep bow. “Raise your head, William,” said Lognion, before taking a seat. “Sit down.”

  Will sat, but didn’t speak.

  “My investigators have finished going through the mess at the Arenata residence, and I have to admit, what you did was impressive,” said the king. “I’d like you to tell me about it.”

  “I did the best I could with the tools I had, Your Majesty.”

  “Then you admit you killed eight of my subjects?”

  Will nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Including the Duke and Duchess Arenata?”

  “Most definitely.”

  “There were only seven bodies found,” said King Lognion. “What happened to the duchess?”

  “I sacrificed her, using the same altar on which she planned to place Count Spry,” said Will. “She intended to summon Leykachak, one of Madrok’s demon generals and use his service to murder you, Your Majesty.”

  “You did this by yourself?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  Lognion licked his lips, as though savoring the taste of something pleasant. “You chained Arlen to the table and bled her. Was she conscious?”

  “Very conscious. She cursed me loudly in the beginning.”

  “Did she beg?” asked the king.

  Will could see a flush in Lognion’s cheeks. He’s enjoying this. Though the realization disgusted him, he also remembered Selene’s advice. I can use this. In a neutral tone he answered, “She pled with me for her life.”

  “I underestimated you, William. I never expected such brutal efficiency. I thought you too soft-hearted. Where did the ritual take place?”

  “In a secret chamber beneath her home. The entrance was sealed with stone afterward to prevent anyone from finding it.” Will wished he could hide that fact, but since Selene had seen it there was no hiding the information. The king would eventually hear it from her lips, if he hadn’t interrogated her already.

  King Lognion smiled. “So my daughter helped you.”

  “I tried to keep her out of it. I only warned her to stay away that day, along with Count Spry. She came later, however, and found the scene before anyone else.”

  “Why didn’t you inform me of the duchess’ plan to assassinate me?”

  “Interfering with the ritual was extremely dangerous,” said Will. “I preferred to handle it myself rather than risk involving you, Your Majesty.”

  Lognion’s eyes narrowed. “You wanted power for yourself.”

  This is the dangerous part, thought Will. He smiled. “Unfortunately, the demon lord wasn’t very useful. His service would only be bought by allowing him to kill a large number of people. I didn’t find that very helpful, so I tried to dismiss him.”

  “But you couldn’t, obviously,” remarked the king.

  Will nodded. “I was forced to destroy Le
ykachak instead.”

  That got Lognion’s attention. The king’s eyes went wide and he leaned forward with an intense expression. “How? Such a thing shouldn’t be possible.”

  “I had previously enlisted the aid of one of the demon’s most powerful enemies. When it became apparent that Leykachak wouldn’t cooperate, I weakened the demon lord as much as possible and let my ally finish him off.”

  “Do the fae have such power?”

  “I’m not sure. My information came from them, but they were not who assisted me. It was a cat deity of some sort. I don’t really understand its intentions,” admitted Will.

  “You’ve dealt with both the fae and a demigod, yet you complain that sorcery is immoral. Your reasoning escapes me, warlock.”

  Will blanched. “I am not a warlock, Your Majesty. I do not bargain with what is not mine.”

  The king grinned maliciously. “A philosophical definition that wouldn’t get very far in court. Your actions would have you sentenced to death by any magister in Terabinia.”

  Will bowed his head. “Your judgment is the only one that matters to me, Your Majesty.”

  King Lognion leaned back in his chair. “You present a problem for me, William. Whereas before I thought you an interesting curiosity, you’ve shown yourself to be in possession of a dangerous amount of competence, along with powerful allies. If you were anyone else, I’d probably have removed you by now, but your actions have continually benefited me, even as they simultaneously annoy me.”

  Will shrugged. “I am what I am.”

  “Have you considered killing me?”

  That line almost caused Will to choke, but he quickly got control of himself. How can I answer that question honestly? “If I ever had such thoughts and confessed to them, you would certainly execute me, Your Majesty.”

  Lognion smiled, an evil flame showing behind his eyes. “I would, though you’ve answered the question indirectly. I am intrigued by your honesty. Give me a reason to let you live.”

  “Our goals are aligned. You are an effective ruler and Terabinia would fall into chaos if someone tried to overthrow you. My own goal is to protect and nurture the people of this nation. Rather than try to take power for myself, I prefer to align myself with stability.”