gaze, and now we have the opportunity to finally end his accursed reign.’
‘You had better explain yourself quickly, Janus,’ one old magician spoke out. ‘I’ve better things to do than listen to more fairytales of freedom and equality. And you have some nerve summoning us here at a time like this! Palace agents are all though the city. It was no trivial task for us all to get here unnoticed. When we do get back, there’ll be some answering to do.’
‘All in good time, Master Quimbus,’ Anthem responded. ‘Suffice to know that this time, things are different. We now have an assured means of circumventing the Emperor’s magical defences.’
At that, there was a good deal of murmuring amongst the old men.
‘We’ve been searching most of our lives for a way to get past those spells, and you are telling us that you have now finally stumbled upon one?’ one withered old magician asked.
‘That’s right, Beanald,’ Anthem responded. ‘We now have a method of doing just that and believe me when I say it is remarkably reliable. I am confident of its abilities.’
‘Then what are we waiting for?’ a third Master called out. ‘Let’s go kill the bugger now!’
Anthem held up his hands to calm the man’s enthusiasm. ‘Eager as always, Master Vomer, but we need a slightly more sophisticated plan than that. We still need to take care of the Archmage and the Emperor’s bodyguards. We should also be careful to avoid the Royal Guards.’
‘And his armies, too, Grand Master?’ Master Quimbus asked sarcastically.
‘No, not his armies,’ Anthem replied slowly. ‘I understand that the task still has its challenges, but that is why we are magicians, so that we can use our intellects to overcome our problems. We need to find a way to take care of these obstacles and it should not be too difficult if we put our heads to it.’
Just then, there was a noise from outside-people shouting and calling out. Everyone stiffened and looked about nervously, but after another moment, the ruckus quietened down again and the men relaxed back into their seats. Samuel took the opportunity to whisper to Anthem.
‘What of the Argum Stone?’
‘Not here, lad,’ Anthem whispered back. ‘We don’t want to complicate matters any further. Let us continue,’ he then called aloud to the gathering. ‘To take care of the Archmage, a simple diversion should be enough-just something to keep him away from the Emperor while we begin our work. The Emperor’s bodyguards will need to be dispatched quickly and quietly. If the palace is alerted, the Royal Guards will be upon us like ants at a picnic, and I don’t need to tell you how bad that would be. The best place would be somewhere small and quiet, with four square walls around us to prevent his escape.’
‘We could call a meeting,’ one man suggested.
‘Or a demonstration,’ another called out, ‘to show him some of those spells he has always been pestering us about.’
Anthem nodded to them. ‘Good, good. This is what we want-some decent ideas to throw around. We just have one more tiny obstacle. I must personally find my way to the Emperor to use the new dispelling magic; however, as I’m a wanted man, I cannot allow myself to be seen. I also need young Samuel here to assist me, but he, too, is wanted on sight.’
‘I do have a plan,’ Anthem replied patiently, ‘but it requires all of you to assist me. I don’t mean to start sounding rude, but all you old fools have spent your lives complaining about the Emperor and how much you’d like to see the end of him, and when I bring you one good chance to be rid of him, all you do is moan! Listen to what I have prepared. I am suggesting that we call a meeting in the Great Hall, to show the Emperor what we have learned to help with his war. Some of his bodyguards will be there, but most of his soldiers will be forced to wait outside. Samuel and I will be secreted away, under the floorboards or some such where they will not be able to find us. The main problem, of course, is that the Council will insist on attending any such meeting and there are other details we will need to predict and account for, such as how we will explain whatever happens to the guards in the room. We don’t want to be cut to pieces immediately following our great success.’
The old men were all quiet and looked to each apologetically.
‘Yes, yes, you are right,’ another old Master admitted. ‘It does sound like the makings of a reasonable plan. What about if we meet again next week and see what we can think up by then?’
‘That is also a problem, Master Sandringham,’ Anthem stated. ‘You see, we do not have so long. For reasons I don’t want to get into just now, time is of the very essence. We may only have a few days at most to act before our chance is gone forever.’
The men again began murmuring their frustrations to each other.
‘Very well, Grand Master,’ the wiry Master Vomer spoke up. ‘We all like a challenge. I’m sure that between us we can find a way to perfect your idea. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I really had nothing else planned for today, except growing another day older towards my grave. Let’s put our heads together and think of something!’
It was then that the door burst inwards and a sea of soldiers came pushing in, shouting and brandishing swords and spears. The room was small, and the magicians had spear-tips pressed up against them as the soldiers pushed into the room. Behind the men came a handful of black-cloaked magicians. The room was full of shouting and confusion as everyone jostled to move away from the raised and pointed weapons.
‘Hold where you are!’ cried a tall man as he pushed through the soldiers and into the room. It was High Lord Rimus. He held his arms up, so that his black sleeves, sewn with silver circles, hung around his elbows. ‘At first sign of a spell you will all be run through.’
Anthem raised his hand to make his presence known. ‘What is the meaning of this, Rimus?’
‘I should ask you the same. There is obviously some kind of plot taking place here and you are all colluding with some of the Empire’s most dangerous foes. You will all come peacefully to the palace and await the Emperor’s questioning, under guard. Refuse and I will instruct these men to kill you all. You are all to be tried for treason against the Empire.’
The old magicians looked at each other with dread on their faces. Samuel thought that the room of experienced magicians could easily defeat a few other magicians and guards, but not one of them began to ready any power. They seemed too afraid to dare anything.
Anthem must have come to the same conclusion as he, too, looked around the room at his worried fellows. ‘We will come,’ he accepted with a sigh.
‘Take them away,’ Rimus instructed and the soldiers began to prod with their spear points. As the old magicians were herded out the narrow doorway and down the stairs, Samuel began to tense-angered and readying to throw out his magic. A hand on his shoulder made him look around. It was Tulan and he spoke softly at Samuel’s side.
‘Go with them, Samuel,’ he said quietly. ‘Your plan was doomed from the start. They knew all along. Please forgive me.’
‘You
The soldiers became agitated and raised their spears as best they could, but Tulan held up his palm to calm them, while the other hand rubbed at his reddened jaw.
‘Don’t worry,’ Tulan said, quietly to Samuel. ‘This is the best way. I will take care of everything. Just go with them.’
The soldiers ushered them all through the tavern and out into the street. Samuel could not believe that Tulan had betrayed them, whatever his reasons. They had worked so hard to get this far and now it was over. More soldiers and magicians were waiting outside, so their chances of escaping were reduced even further. There was no sign of Goodfellow, so it seemed that he, at least, had escaped.
People along the docks were all gathering around to look at the strange sight of the magicians’ arrest. Quite a crowd was forming and the streets were becoming clogged as everyone strained to look over each other’s shoulders. A few soldiers were attempting to move the crowd on, but it was not until they finally lost their tempers and levelled their spears that the crowd finally began to part. The soldiers then gestured to the magicians to continue on and they began marching towards the palace, shouting for the crowds to clear all the way. Samuel looked around for Tulan, but the man was no longer with them.
