True Magics (44 page)

A ball of brilliant white light sprang into his hand, dazzling the men in front of him and filling the room.

The twins yelped in surprise and stumbled back with their eyes shut. The red-bearded man fell to his knees, covering his face. The congregation all gasped and clutched at one another. Thomas, a ball of glowing white light floating in the palm of his upraised arm, stood still.

Malcolm raised his face out of his hands, his eyes as wide like child seeing the full moon for the first time. “What… How?”

Thomas waited. Malcolm rose to his feet, his eyes still wide. He moved slowly, reverently toward Thomas. Thomas lowered the ball of light and dimmed it until it was small and blue.

“Our Blessed Daughter,” said Malcolm. “You
do
have magic.”

“Yes.”

“But… the ritual. Why didn’t it…?” Malcolm’s face twisted in confusion. “Why wouldn’t you share?”

“Magic only works if you have magic,” said Thomas. “I’m pretty sure that spell will work if cast by a magician, with other magicians. But it won’t work for you. I’m sorry.” Malcolm looked half-ready to argue.
Which is something I don’t have the time for.
“Please, Malcolm, I have friends who are in danger and I need to help them. Please loan me your book.”

Malcolm finally raised his eyes to Thomas’s. The merchant looked to have aged ten years in the past two days, but behind the worry in his face and the broken nose, there was hope in his eyes. “Claudine is safe?”

“She is.”

“And you’re trying to get Delores out?”

“We’re trying to get them all out.”

Malcolm nodded, then turned away. He picked up the book and handed it to Thomas. “Please be careful with it.”

“I promise.”

“Aiden, Aiken,” said Malcolm to the twins. “Please, give Thomas a ride anywhere he needs to go.”

A half hour later, Thomas jumped out of the carriage a block away from the fencing studio, sword and dagger at his waist and Malcolm’s book tucked under his arm.

“You sure this is where you want to be?” asked Aiden—at least, Thomas thought it was Aiden.

“It’s where I need to be,” said Thomas. “And home isn’t far.”

“We’re sorry,” said Aiken, “about… you know.”

“I do,” said Thomas.

“Can we ask you something?”

“I really have to go…”

“Your friend, Henry. Does he really like Claudine?”

It was not a question Thomas was expecting, at all. He stood in the street, his mouth open. “I… um…”

“Because she made us agree not to fight over her, but didn’t say anything about anyone else and we wanted to know… Well…”

“He’s madly in love with her,” lied Thomas. “He speaks of nothing else, and being as he is the current heir of the Duke of Frostmire, I can’t imagine her father will have a hard time agreeing to the match.” He started walking away, then stopped and called over his shoulder. “Henry’s also one of the best swordsmen in the city, and my friend, so I wouldn’t fight him if I were you.”

Thomas turned away and started walking quickly, hoping they hadn’t seen the smirk on his face. S
erves them right for kidnapping me. Though I’d better warn Henry. Eventually.

The third bell of the morning rang as Thomas jogged up the stairs and pushed open the door to the fencing studio. He found himself face to face with three soldiers wearing the king’s livery and pointing their swords at him. “Who are you?” they demanded. “In the king’s name!”

“Thomas Flarety,” said Thomas. “Here to meet Sir Walter Deehan.”

“Thomas!” Sir Walter looked furious. “Where were you?”

“Kidnapped by Malcolm Bright,” said Thomas. “Where were you yesterday?”

“Busy. You may have noticed that the Church arrested a large number of people.”

“Aye. The Academy has lawyers trying to get them out.”

“I know. Why did Malcolm Bright kidnap you?”

Thomas glanced at the soldiers.

“Get out,” said Sir Walter, curtly. The men left. “Well?”

“He thought he could use my magic to break his wife and daughter out of jail.”

“I take it that it didn’t work?”

“
He
couldn’t make it work,” corrected Thomas. He opened the book to the page and handed it to Sir Walter. “Look. Magicians should be able to combine their power and increase it to make it as strong as they need.”

“What?” Sir Walter studied the page. “How strong?”

“I doesn’t say. It just says they can raise the strength they need. On a guess, the more magicians you have, the more powerful it is, but I won’t know without testing it.”

Sir Walter sat back and looked thoughtful. “That could make the magicians actually useful.”

“It explains some of the spells in my book,” said Thomas. “No one magician can do any of them with any great effect, but if a group got together…”

Sir Walter stroked his chin. “You’d be good for something more than just irritating the Church, Thomas. Good work.”

“Luck is what it is,” said Thomas. “Malcolm told me about the spell a while ago, but I never expected it would work. Of course, I doubt I’ll be able to get the magicians to listen,” Thomas added, “since I can’t actually tell them anything.”

“After this morning, you can tell them what you like.”

“What?” Thomas’s eyes narrowed. “Why? What happens this morning?”

Sir Walter smiled, but there was no joy in it at all. “Today, Thomas, the king will declare that, after much study and consideration, and in accordance with the opinions of scholars both in this country and others, there is no such thing as witchcraft, and therefore it is unlawful to arrest someone on suspicion of it.”

Thomas felt a shiver go through him. “That puts him directly against the Church.”

“It does. And even more so when his troops march to free the prisoners from the Church prison.”

Thomas found himself feeling even more tired than he had before. “So this is war, then.”

“Probably, yes.”

“Does the Church know you’re coming?”

“Yes,” said Sir Walter. “They’ve been gathering their supporters all morning. And their cavalry.”

Thomas swore quietly to himself. “I don’t want to be in another war.”

“You’re in it,” said Sir Walter. “You, your friends and the Academy.”

“The Academy!” Thomas’s stomach dropped. “They’re delivering writs of proof of legal incarceration to the Church courts this morning. In Cathedral Square.”

“I know.”

“You know?! If the Church is gathering up their followers in Cathedral Square the students will be killed! We have to get them out of there!” Thomas started for the door.

Sir Walter caught his arm. “The magicians first, Thomas. If they can be of use to the king, we need them first.”

Thomas swore. “Can you send someone to the Academy?”

“I have no one to spare.”

“Dammit!” Thomas kicked the wall and did some fast thinking. “Right. First step, to my house to get my spell book,” A second finger flicked up. “Second, we get Robert, we give him the spell book and Malcolm’s book and get him to tell you where the rest of the magicians are. You do what you like with them.” A third finger went up. “Third, I ride like a demon for the Academy, and try to warn the lawyers. Then fourth,” the last finger rose, “I re-join you and direct the magicians. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes,” said Sir Walter. “In fact, it’s an order.”

“Then tell me your men have horses here, because it’s a long walk.”

They did, and had a spare for Thomas. The group rode through the city at a canter with the guards in front shouting, “King’s messengers! Get out of the way! Move!”

At Thomas’s apartment, Sir Walter watched Thomas pull aside the section of the wall that hid his books and grab the book he had stolen from the School of Theology so many months before. Thomas tossed it to Sir Walter. “All the spells in it work when a magician casts them,” Thomas said as he stripped off his cloak and coat and grabbed up his armour. Sir Walter tucked the book inside his coat. Two of his men helped Thomas put on his long mail shirt and the black uniform of the Student Company. Thomas grabbed up his weapons and cloak and the group went out into the streets once more.

They were cantering across one of the market squares when a trumpet sounded, followed quickly by a second, then a third.

“Halt,” called Sir Walter, reining in his horse. The three trumpets wove a complex harmony that ran up and down the scale. “That’s Kingsong.”

The brassy notes cut through the chatter of the merchants and their customers. Everyone looked to see what was happening. Thomas reined in his own beast, desperately impatient but knowing they wouldn’t be going anywhere until the Heralds had finished. He could hear other horns nearby, and guessed the Heralds were in every square in the city.
Including the one by the cathedral and the Church courts. The Four help the students if they’re there.

“Hear the word of the king!” shouted the Heralds. “All present, listen and hear the word of the king!” They repeated it until the people in the square went silent. “His Majesty, Harold Plastine, by the grace of the Four, ruler of Criethe, has heard of the many charges laid by the Church of the High Father against his subjects,” called the Herald, his voice barely reaching Thomas. “He has listened to the cries of his people whose loved ones now lie in prison, awaiting torture.

“To understand the charges laid against his people, His Majesty has consulted with theologians, priests and scholars from this nation and from others. Having heard their opinions, and having thought long and deeply, it is his Majesty’s belief that, while there may be matters beyond the experience of most men in this world, there is no such thing as witchcraft!”

The people buzzed in surprise. The Herald waited a moment to let his words sink in. “Therefore, let it be known that henceforth, in the Kingdom of Criethe, the charge of
witchcraft
is declared to be a baseless one, and that no individual may be arrested, held, questioned, or in any way harmed on the basis of such an accusation!”

Several hundred voices began talking at once.

“Go!” said Sir Walter. “Quickly. Now!”

The soldiers led the way again, trying to clear a path through streets now filled with people. Some were rushing to share the news with their neighbours. Others spoke of going to the Church Courts to demand their neighbours back. Some were already marching under the sign of the High Father. Twice they had to ride through crowds of men and women screaming and shoving each other as the king’s supporter’s clashed with supporters of the Church.

The Pie and Tart still had its usual line of customers, though they were talking non-stop about the king’s announcement. Sir Walter left two men with the horses and pushed his way through the line to the counter. “King’s business!” he declared. “This shop is closed for the next half-hour. Everyone out!”

“You can’t do that!” protested Robert’s wife. “We’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Quite the opposite, in fact,” said Sir Walter. “Get your husband. Now. The king has need of him.”

“Robert? He’s a baker, nothing more.”

“I didn’t ask what he was, I told you to get him,” said Sir Walter. He looked at the line of customers. “Everybody out! Now!”

Thomas and the soldier shepherded people out the door. When the last customer was gone the soldier stepped out as well, closing the door behind him. Robert’s wife ran down the stairs, and came back with Robert and half his kitchen staff. “What can I do for you, Sir?” he began. He spotted Thomas. “Thomas, what’s the meaning of this? Why have you closed my shop?”

“He hasn’t,” said Sir Walter. “I have. Everyone who isn’t Robert go back downstairs. Now.”

Several of the other bakers looked ready to protest, but Robert shooed them back down the stairs and closed the door behind them. His wife took a bit more convincing, but at last went down. Robert faced Sir Walter, fear in his eyes. “What’s… what’s going on?”

“We need your help,” said Thomas. “You and all the rest of the magicians. And we need it now.”

26

“I don’t…” Robert looked at Sir Walter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Thomas took the book from Sir Walter. “Sir Walter, could your men shutter the windows, please?”

Sir Walter relayed the order and the men pulled the shutters tight, sealing off the shop from prying eyes and most of the light. Then Sir Walter sent them outside.

“Please, Thomas,” said Robert. “What’s going on?”

“Your king needs the magicians of Hawksmouth,” said Thomas. He put the book on the counter and lit a small ball of light. Robert gasped and his eyes went wide. He looked back and forth from the light to Thomas’s face. “Read this,” said Thomas, pointing at the spell. “Fast.”

Robert put a trembling hand on the page and skimmed through the words, muttering as he did. When he finished, he looked up at Thomas in surprise. “This… this isn’t possible.”

“That’s what we need you to help us find out,” said Thomas. “Give me your hands.”