The Magic Council (The Herezoth Trilogy) (36 page)

Porteg has agreed to
stand as the first council member, despite the fact that Rexson Phinnean
famously banished Porteg’s sister as a result of the sorcery she used to help
him acquire the throne. The king refused to comment on the connection, though
Zacry Porteg’s participation on the council will stoke persistent rumors that
the king only exiled Kora Porteg for her security as he rebuilt the kingdom’s
infrastructure. Common belief holds the two have remained on amiable, if not
outstanding, terms. Porteg’s brother, who resides in Traigland but remains a
citizen of Herezoth, will use magic to travel to Podrar for council business.

One other known sorcerer
could potentially involve himself with the new Magic Council: Valkin Heathdon,
Zalski’s nephew now of age, who only in January took up his place at court as
Duke of Ingleton. When asked about Ingleton, the king specified that only the
crown and the Duke of Podrar worked to organize the council, with some small
input from Zacry Porteg. He claimed the project is now ongoing for a year,
which means it began well before Ingleton’s appearance at court. The Duke of
Podrar verified that account.

The king said of
Ingleton, “Should he desire a seat on the new council, I would grant it. As no
individual has ever served on multiple councils, Heathdon would forsake any
participation on a council of nobility to serve on this one.”

The rest of the article gave data that
held no interest for Vane just then: how applicants should arrange to visit the
Palace between May 15 and 20, when the king would hold interviews; how a
passive power would constitute candidacy, provided the power be attested by a
demonstration. Vane rolled up the paper and threw it across the room,
regardless of whether anyone else had finished reading. He demanded of
Rexson—though quietly, so as not to wake the children—“When you did
and Zacry arrange this?”

Bennie said, “Zac discussed it with Kora
and me, at Kansten’s birthday party.”

The king said, “You wanted
Zacry on the council, Vane.”

“And he didn’t want to join. He had damn
good reasons that only got stronger when Joslyn got pregnant again. The Giver’s
flute! Why did you two do this?”

“So you wouldn’t take the full brunt of
the backlash,” Rexson conceded. “Zacry proposed it, and I was glad to go
along.”

“It’ll just discredit him, discredit his
essays. He should live here if he’s serving on that council. As for you, it’s
clearly renewed the rumors about you and Kora.”

The queen said, “That doesn’t matter.
Those rumors have persisted for years and never proven dangerous. If people are
talking of Rexson and a sorceress far removed from here instead of wondering
whether you intend to slaughter him like your uncle did his father, it’s for
the better.”

Vane insisted, “I should have known about
this.”

Rexson said, “I knew how you’d react.”

August lowered her hand from her hair,
which she had twisted around a finger. “It does make sense to divide the public
focus between you and Zacry and the king, doesn’t it?”

Bennie said, “Zac was glad to do it, and
he’d do it again. Thank him when you see him next, and then forget it.”

Vane saw Zacry much sooner than he was
expecting. The sorcerer had arranged with the king to transport for copies of
the Yangerton papers, and he walked into the library at that moment. He wore
one of Gratton’s uniforms.

“You….” said Vane. His voice was shaking.
“You conniving….” And he hugged Zacry as though he were truly an older brother.

“Oh, what do the papers say?” August
cried.

She grabbed the
Yangerton Gazette
, which was much more favorable to the king and
his point of view than the
Podrar Bugle
had been. It made no reference at all to Kora, and none to Zalski when it
printed the king’s response to questions about the Duke of Ingleton.

The
Yangerton
Weekly
took a different tone. Its account was accurate, and fair by all
measures, but its editors chose to focus on the council’s potential to cause
public alarm; after all, a group of such powerful individuals could destabilize
the government with ease. It mentioned conspiracy theories stating Rexson had
fathered Kora’s children, noted people would not take well to Zacry Porteg’s
continued residence in Traigland, and questioned the Duke of Ingleton’s
credentials to work with the council at all, given his youth as well as the
unease his relation to Zalski would cause.

Carson Amison might be in Podrar at the
moment, but would have copies of the Yangerton articles awaiting him at his
manor when he returned. He was one of the
Weekly’
s
major donors. It could not operate without him, which was one of the reasons
the king chose it for his interview. Best not to snub Amison by refusing his
newsletter this story. Best to coddle the man with evidence that the crown’s
choice to found this council was not out of a desire to antagonize him. Vane’s
head spun at the thought of Amison reading the
Weekly
’s report, but he pushed the contemplation aside, telling
himself there was nothing he could do to prevent the duke smirking in
approbation at the article’s tone.

Those in the library passed the
newspapers around, and no one said much besides Bendelof and August, who
distanced themselves to whisper near the fireplace. Vane assumed August was
asking about that discussion back in Traigland, when Zacry had decided to join
the council after all, and let the women have their privacy. The very thought
of what Zacry had done, especially his hiding it from Vane, made Vane feel
rather like throwing up, and he wanted nothing less than to open his mouth to
speak.

“None of it’s as dreadful as it could
have been,” said Gracia.

“Perhaps,” Zacry agreed. “The
Weekly
could have taken a more positive
angle. They seem to want the council to implode.”

“They won’t be the only ones,” said
Rexson.

Gracia retrieved a waking Melly, stroked
her hair to coax her back to sleep. “We should have sent the children to my
mother,” she told her husband.

“That would only send the message we’re
afraid, when we’ve no reason to fear a thing. It would contradict any
confidence in the project that comes through in the articles, a project that’s
supposedly been mine from the start. No, it’s far better the children remain
and that you bring them into the Hall tonight, after dinner.” Gracia nodded,
and Rexson emphasized, “I’d never have kept them here if there were any danger.
Just stay with them like we discussed.”

Vane felt even more
nauseated at that, sick with a guilt that must have shown on his face, because
Zacry clapped him on the back and Rexson said, “You look like you’re the one
responsible for the council in the first place. Chin up. I’d swear you were Dorane
in disguise, if the man had a conscience and we hadn’t stripped his magic.”

“You two,” said Vane, “you really
shouldn’t have….”

Zacry told him, “It’s done.”

“I wouldn’t have come to court if I’d
known you’d do this against your will, Zac.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you. You needed
to take up your title, for yourself. When the council arose to complicate
things…. Look, it’s done.”

Vane nodded. All he could think to say to
express his gratitude was, “In any case, it’s good to see you.”

“Likewise,” Zacry told him.

The morning wore on. Vane went over to
join August and Bendelof until the boys woke. They all breakfasted on fruit and
boiled eggs, then Neslan and Valkin read books while Hune played with his
favorite dog, a hunting beagle. None of the boys paid the adults the slightest
mind, but soon grew restless, so August set herself to occupying them while
Bennie was delighted to play with Melly. Zacry left and returned with no news
to bring, which was good news. More time passed. After what seemed like a day
and a night to follow, Gratton appeared just as Zacry was preparing to go out
again, and told the king, “There are crowds now, but they aren’t large: forty
or so people outside the gate. As long as we let them stay there, I don’t wager
they’ll cause more trouble than a lot of yelling. They’ve been there close to
an hour.”

The children glanced up at the word
yelling
, but returned to their playing
when their father directed them. August ran over and Bennie followed, making
her way to Gratton, who rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Forty?” said Gracia. “Are they
organized?”

“Seem to be. Among other things, they’re
yelling about ‘Magic Menace,’ an anti-magic group they belong to. They’re
protesting the council, according to the statutes and zoning the king set up
years ago for demonstrations. They seem more interested in attracting passersby
to their cause than anything else, and their luck’s not good.”

“Make sure they’re not provoked,
Gratton.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, your
guard is not that foolish.”

“You’ll inform me at once if conditions
deteriorate.”

“Duly noted—but for now, that seems
unlikely. Reports say there’s a larger group outside Oakdowns, but also acting
peacefully.”

Vane finally found his voice. It came out in a
croak. “How large exactly?”

“A hundred.”

Ingleton seemed unable to say anything more, so
Rexson asked on his behalf, “Are they chanting or yelling anything of note?”

“Not a word. They’re holding great strips of
cloth with X’s painted on them.”

“Intimidation tactics,” said Zacry. He looked to
a clammy Vane. “They don’t want you on the council, if there has to be one.
Figure one sorcerer’s plenty. You’ve got to hand it to them though, they’re
courageous. You could walk out your manor any time and blow them all to
smithereens. So don’t let them get to you. They only have power if they get to
you.”

Rexson asked, “How long ago were the papers
distributed?”

“The same time as every morning,” said Bennie.
“The same time we all got here, around six. It’s eleven now.”

“Five hours,” said the king. He shook his head.
“Five hours to organize like this.”

“It’s impressive,” Zacry admitted. “And if this
is the worst of it, we’ll be fine.”

Gracia told her husband, “The boys won’t be
contained much longer. I’ll take them to my antechamber, for a change of
scene.”

Rexson nodded. “Stay with them, Gracia, and bar
the door. Don’t you or they go elsewhere. I want to know where you are. And if
you don’t mind, see lunch is brought to you as well as here.”

“I can stop by the kitchens,” offered Gratton.

Bendelof sent a concerned look at Vane, and told
her husband, “Send a doctor to check on Vane’s aunt, if you can. And tell him
to come here afterward.”

Vane argued, “I don’t need a doctor, Bennie.”

“You could use one, I think. You need a mixture
for nerves before that dinner tonight.”

Rexson dismissed Gratton, and the guardsman
departed with a squeeze of Bennie’s shoulder. Gracia followed with her
children, and when August made to join her, to take Melly, the queen directed
her to stay with Vane, who was grayer now than pale and clearly disturbed by
Gratton’s tidings. August was so touched she had to mouth her thanks.

With the boys gone the library felt quiet to all,
and Vane withdrew with August to a far corner of the room. Zacry and Rexson
started after them, to speak with the duke, but Bendelof held them back. She
whispered, “He needs her right now, not us.”

Out of earshot of the others, August said,
“You’re not going home tonight, are you?”

“I don’t mind taking risks when I have to, but
I’m not suicidal. I’m staying here.”

“In the Palace? Oh, good! Then you can stop by
after dinner? Tell me how things go?”

Vane’s heart was racing. He said, “August, I
can’t do this. My aunt’s made herself sick she’s worrying so much, and those
people outside Oakdowns…. Over a hundred. A hundred!”

“It seems like a lot,” said August. “But Val,
there are thousands in Podrar, aren’t there? If you think of it like that….”

“I don’t belong in the capital. I would go
somewhere else, anywhere, but it’s too late for that. I have to go to that
dinner tonight, and act as though none of this has thrown me out of whack, and
put up with Amison’s taunts, because the Giver only knows what he’ll say about
the articles and the protests, and I just…. I’m so damn tired of this.”

“I know you are.” August took his hand.

“I guess I should hope all Amison does is taunt.
He’ll likely threaten. He’s been out to subvert me since we met.”

“Believe me, you’ll make it through. And you
won’t be alone. I know I can’t be with you through all that charading tonight,
but your parents will be. You’re amazingly strong, and that grit comes from
them, I know it does. It’s the reason I trust you so much. Val, I love you
something awful.”

“I love you too,” he told her. They had never
said those words before. August in particular had refrained because she thought
they might complicate matters, but now, something told her, was the time, and
Vane’s smile assured her that was indeed the case. He seemed more secure, less
antsy; even his complexion improved a bit.