The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare (22 page)

Maygrew gestured to the door, his rich baritone ringing out for everyone to hear, “Leave this place, sir. You shall not be harmed or detained, as the Lady Rey wishes, but neither shall you stand here before me with impunity, and make threats and insults against our monarch and his chosen regent. Go now, while I still have some control over my temper, and do not show your face here again.”

“Or else what?” Was Drogue actually laughing? Time slowed as he turned to survey the room, taking in the appalled expressions on every face. Then, in a soft and chilling voice that every ear nevertheless heard, “I promise each and every one of you, you will regret this day’s ill-begotten work. You have not heard the last of me.” He turned on his heel, and strode from the room. Not a soul stirred, not a sound was heard, but the echo of retreating heels on marble floors. Then, in that emotion- charged pause, one by one, three other lords turned to the door and stalked out after Drogue. Yes, they were the same that Tvrdik had noticed earlier as sullen or suspicious. Not good at all.

Again, with remarkable poise, the Lady Regent quickly took it upon herself to diffuse the tension, “Let him go, friends. We are confident he will cool down and come to his senses. These are stressful times. Please go now and find your families, and return in an hour for a good hot meal and a little entertainment. I can’t promise you as exciting a show as we have just had, but it will at least be worth returning for.” That quip, and her veneer of easy grace, generated a ripple of laughter all around, and started people moving out the main doors once again. As the hall emptied from one direction, serving men and women began scurrying in at side doors, racing to set up for the massive party. Jorelial Rey blew out her breath, releasing the tension in her shoulders. Corbin Maygrew stepped over and laid a hand on her free arm in a comforting gesture, then almost as an afterthought, raised an eyebrow at the white owl still perched at her other ear. “I’ll explain later,” she told her recent champion. Bargarelle, the Steward, a few paces off and white-faced, was standing stock still, leaning on his official staff, and staring at her with an expression midway between horror and worship on his face. Tvrdik preened his feathers with his beak, thinking,
Oh, Xaarus, it was all as you said
.
Everything, exactly as you told me. It has most certainly b
egun.

FIFTEEN
Missing Pieces

A
S THE REST OF THE
guests shuffled out of the Hall, and preparations for the banquet went into high gear, Jorelial Rey turned to face the man who had, in all practicality, set her on the throne. “Lord Maygrew, I don’t know whether to bless or curse you for what you have done this day. I – I don’t know if I am worthy of the trust you place in me, or if I am any of the things you promised them I could be.”

He smiled, “Rel – or should I call you my Lady Regent? There is no doubt in my mind that you are the one for the job. Half of those lords out there are oblivious to anything that goes on in the kingdom outside of their own little corners. Another quarter are too aged, too infirm, or too otherwise occupied to want such a huge responsibility. At least your High Ministers are intelligent enough to know in what capacity they can best serve the kingdom. And the rest of us? Well, I’d like to think there are still men of quality in this land, and I’d like to count myself among them, but I could never finesse things with the kind of grace you showed tonight, the kind of devotion to our laws and traditions, and the quick thinking with which you handled that idiot. And
that
was your only real competition? Gods defend us from those who lust after power for its own sake and have no idea what it really entails! Now, your father –
there
was a man of quality – he would have been the man to do this alright, no contest. And he took great care with you, Rel; I watched him teach you everything he knew, and you’ve always taken to it like a cart-horse to the harness.”

“Hmm. Perhaps not the most fortunate analogy, now that I am feeling a little like I have just been weighted indefinitely with a yoke of heavy responsibility. You know, I always thought my father was disappointed that I wasn’t the son he so wanted…”

“My girl, did you not know how proud he was of you? He was always boasting about you: how quickly you learned, how you tamed that dragon, how talented you were with sword and rapier…he always saw greatness in you. I’m sure it was the very reason he was so hard on you.”

“I never…thank you for sharing that with me, Lord Maygrew. You can’t imagine how much it means…”

“Ach, but you are a grown woman now, and ready to take your own place in the world. Certainly you have more to learn about ruling a kingdom, but you’ll grow into it, I have no doubt. Your head’s in the right place, that’s certain.”

“I do not think we can dismiss Drogue so lightly. I believe he is serious in his threats. We might have a bumpy road ahead of us…”

“Don’t worry. I will be right behind you all the way no matter what lies ahead on the road. And there are many more I can name who would be at your service in an instant as well.”

“I will hold you to that promise with a good will, sir, and again, many thanks for all you have said and done on my behalf. I am in your debt. But if you will excuse me now, I must take a few minutes to attend to Tashroth. He awaits news…”

“Of course. I will see you later, no doubt, at the festivities. My Auria will be pleased to see you again. Where did that owl come from, anyway? Darnedest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh, him? Something of a pet…he must have gotten out of his cage and followed me here. Ow!” she yelped involuntarily as Tvrdik’s claws dug further into her shoulder.

“You’d better teach him some discipline, my lady. You don’t always know where you stand with wild things. I shall take my leave of you, until tonight.” He bowed, and kissed her hand, “Long live Lady Jorelial Rey, and rule well.”

“And fortune smile on you and yours, Lord Maygrew.” She nodded to him and he strode across the floor.

As soon as he was out of sight, Rel took off in the other direction, heading toward a side exit, a large white owl still attached to her shoulder. “What did you do that for?” she asked in a peevish whisper.

“‘Something of a pet…teach him some discipline?’ How did you expect me to react?” the bird snapped in her ear.

“Well, I had to say something. Should I have introduced you as ‘my good old friend Tvrdik, the friendly neighborhood wizard?’ And just after the man put his own neck on the line to convince everyone that I was fit to rule an entire kingdom? Why did you fly down onto my shoulder, anyway? Now
that
was unobtrusive.”

“I was afraid you might be in danger. I didn’t know what Drogue might do.”

“I had things in hand, thank you very much…”

“Pardon, mum?”queried a serving maid, who was setting up tables, and had stopped to stare at her as if she had two heads, which of course, at the moment, she did. “Pardon, were you addressing me, my lady?”

“Oh, no…so sorry. Just practicing my speech for tonight – it’s always better if it’s memorized. You know how it is….well, maybe not. You can just go about your business there, thanks. I’m fine. Sorry to interrupt you….” The owl hooted. Rel frowned. “You hush,” she said, as they hurried through a door into a deserted corridor. Scanning the passageway and seeing no one nearby, she dislodged the bird from her shoulder and looked it straight in its circle-rimmed eye, “Would you mind changing back now?”

The broad white wings rose and flapped powerfully. For a moment there was an owl suspended before her in mid-air – and then the tall, lanky young man in blue was standing there adjusting his spectacles. Her eyes grew wide in amazement at the transformation, but one look at the familiar, lost-looking face, and her angry mood melted.

“I’m sorry I was cross with you. I do appreciate your sitting up there all day long, and I know you were only trying to protect me…”

But Tvrdik’s mind was already fastened onto something else. He was regarding her with wide-eyed amazement. “Jorelial Rey…you
are
regent! You rule the entire kingdom – you’ve done it. You managed to walk into a room filled with old school lords and officials, skeptical and set in their ways, and somehow inspire them to choose
you
to run the whole thing.”

Uncertain of his point, she squirmed, “I had a lot of help. I didn’t really do anything special…”

“Yes, but they could not have been persuaded if they did not like what they saw. They are convinced that you are the best person for the position.”

“Nobody else would take the drat job…except Drogue.”

“Nobody else thought they could improve on what you were already doing. Do you realize what an accomplishment this is? Jorelial Rey, you have made history!”

“Do
you
realize that I am now trapped for the next twenty years?
And
that everything Xaarus predicted is happening just as you said it would? Now we are bound to go to war with Drogue. Hundreds of years this kingdom rolls along in peace and contentment; they hand it to
me
, and in five minutes I have enemies.”

“It must be in your stars to be a catalyst…”

“A what?”

“A catalyst. It’s an alchemical term for something that causes other elements to react. It means someone whose very presence stirs things up – brings about change…”

“Look who’s talking. Seems to me
you
started the ball rolling. And if things really have to change, why can’t they just go ahead and do it without me.”

Tvrdik looked at her small, anxious, very vulnerable face then, and did an odd thing. He took a step back, sank down onto one knee and bowed his head.

“My Lady Regent, I honor you, and I herewith swear myself into your service for as long as you have need of me, and in any way that I may be of assistance. Please accept this humble wizard’s fealty, and command him as you will.”

Rel stood frozen in surprise and horror, watching this unexpected display, and then she smacked him hard across the shoulder, and said, “Oh, get up off the floor – you look ridiculous. Come on. I don’t have a lot of time, and we need to find Tashroth.”

Tvrdik blinked and scrambled to his feet. They hurried through corridors and across courtyards to the north tower where they knew the dragon awaited them. Up and up the circular staircase they climbed until they were breathless and their hearts were pounding. At length, they reached the summit and Rel threw open the trap-door to the roof, clambering out. Without a word, she ran to the familiar space between the great beast’s front limbs and threw herself upon his broad chest, head against his beating heart. Tvrdik followed out onto the roof, but hung back in the shadows, allowing them their private moment. Tashroth lowered his head to hers and nuzzled her gently. His voice rumbled across the space even in this intimate moment, “What news, little one? I have seen riders leaving the compound not long ago, and then the palace guard in hot pursuit. Is it as we expected?”

“Oh, Tash. Everything is unfolding exactly as Xaarus predicted. We are over the edge now and falling into an abyss I cannot see the bottom of.” She remained standing in his comforting embrace, eyes closed, cheek pressed to scale. Tvrdik stepped forward and filled in the details.

“The Council was a resounding success. The kingdom is reported to be in remarkably good condition, and it is agreed that Darian will be crowned king, with all due ceremony, one week from tomorrow. Lady Jorelial Rey was put forward as a candidate for regent by… Lord Corbin Maygrew, I believe he was called. She was voted into the permanent position by a rather large majority. That is, until the king turns twenty-one. She really had no serious competition. Oh, except for Lord Drogue, who nominated himself, went berserk when he lost the election, threatened the entire assembly and Jorelial personally, and stormed out in a huff. Three other sour-faced lords followed along behind him. Lord Maygrew told them to vacate the premises and not to show their faces at Theriole again. The new Lady Regent was brilliant at managing to calm everyone else down after all the drama, and the servants are even now setting up the room for the closing banquet, which all the guests await with happy anticipation.”

Rel straightened up and blinked, “My, you certainly have a flare for reducing a very long and complicated day into a tidy little summary.”

“It’s a gift.” Tvrdik smiled his crooked smile, “Did I leave anything important out?”

“Lord Maygrew is a good man,” Tashroth weighed in, “and honest. I am not surprised he stood for you. He was a good friend to your father. Who were the other lords that followed Drogue? Do you know them, and what forces they command?”

“I know no names,” Tvrdik answered, “but I can describe them, and would know them if I saw them again.”

“I think I know at least two of them,” Rel added. “They are neighbors of Drogue’s who I know have nursed petty grudges against the Crown for years. Doubtless they have also been listening to Drogue’s poison of late. The third we can inquire after.”

“My congratulations, little one,” the dragon cooed. “You will rule well. I expect great things of you.”

Rel knitted her brows into a deep frown, “I wish so many people didn’t expect quite so much of me.”

“You are all you need to be, dearest,” the dragon replied, “and you are not alone.”

“I know,” she relaxed a bit and began pacing the roof, “I am not afraid of Drogue. What weighs on me now is that since Xaarus has been right so far, I think we can expect him to be correct about everything else. Which means our next steps will be the hardest, because they are the most illogical. Despite our long-cherished peace, the kingdom will know how to handle a war, and will prepare to defend itself. But convincing my generals that they must not raise a finger against their adversaries – now, that will be a mighty challenging task.”

Tashroth uttered a short chuckle, “Then it has fallen to the right person. You will make them see. It is your destiny.”

Tvrdik chimed in, “You should have heard her address today. She had them on their feet within the first few minutes. I do believe she could persuade the moon down out of its sphere.” Tashroth chuckled again, and Rel sighed.

“Well, thank you both for those compliments, and your confidence, gentlemen, but I am not even sure how I am going to proceed from here, or how to plead our case.”

“One day at a time, little one. It will become clear to you as events unfold. Lord Drogue may have tipped his hand, but he has yet to make a threatening move.”

Tvrdik added, “Perhaps it is time I came to life as well. I could help you explain how we know what we know, as outlandish a story as it seems.”

“Yes, we must plan how and when we will do that, and to whom. The sooner, the better. Although,” she seemed to be thinking aloud, “perhaps it will be best not to confuse things before the Coronation. I do not wish to cast a pall over it. Can you last another week in anonymity?”

“Whatever you think is best. I shall continue my work on The Cottage and move myself in there, and then I can begin to craft some ideas for strategies. And, by the way, I never said we were not to raise a finger in defense against Drogue’s forces – I myself intend to raise several. It is the intent of what we do with them that ultimately matters. I am certainly not advocating that we present ourselves as sitting ducks. There is a big difference in perception.”

“I will bear that in mind as I attempt to explain the distinction to the Army.” Her comment came out tinged with just a touch of irony.

“Lord Tashroth,” Tvrdik added, “I forgot to mention that Drogue is also versed in some sort of sorcery, and not a good sort either. I believe he fancies himself some kind of dark spell-master.”

“How accomplished do you estimate he is?”

“To the best of my knowledge, he would have to have gotten all his information from books, which would somewhat limit his true mastery of it. He did not succeed very well today with what he was attempting, and I was able to block him almost at once, but he did not know I was there, of course, and wasn’t expecting any resistance. I only think we should be forewarned and take this additional danger seriously, lest he catch us off our guard.”

“Well done, mage. I will make inquiries of my brother dragons, and see if there is word of his activities in that area. We dragons count ourselves as guardians of a sort for the old magic, so I daresay any stirring in the ancient matrix would not have gone unnoticed.”