That was really the heart of it. Since I had become the Count Cameron I had assumed responsibility for a large number of people, and I couldn’t be everywhere. As far as I knew I was the only living wizard left, and the shiggreth could multiply almost without limit. I needed help… powerful help. If no other wizards were available then I would have to create the next best thing.
Dorian had shown me, in his actions against the shiggreth and again during the war with Gododdin, what a well-trained man with superior weaponry could do. Naturally I would have to be selective, and those chosen would have to be carefully trained, but I had a friend I could trust for that task.
Still, Dorian had had one particular weakness, as his fight against the shiggreth had shown… the limitation of mortal strength. If he had possessed the sort of resources that an Anath’Meridum was able to draw upon he would not have been overwhelmed by the press of numbers. My time with Penny as my pact-bearer had shown me just how terrible a warrior could become if they had strength that went far beyond the norm.
I had no intention of renewing my bond with anyone though, much less twenty some ones. I would find another solution. I just wasn’t sure how… yet. Shaking my head I focused my attention once more. It wouldn’t do to be distracted in the middle of my work.
Chapter 7
The next several days flew by and I could no longer put off my trip to Albamarl. I didn’t want to give King Edward too much time to brew over my message, and he’d surely received it by now. It was time to pay him a visit.
I had told Penny of my plans several days before and I let her know that today was the day after we finished our breakfast. She was still rather nervous about it, but she had conceded the necessity. “I wish you’d let me come with you,” she said again.
“Absolutely not, you’re not an Anath’Meridum anymore and more importantly you’re with child, we have too much to lose now,” I reminded her.
“No need to be mean about it,” she complained. “Consider my point of view, if we lost you now what would that mean for me and your child?”
I winced, it always came back to that, and in truth she was right. Still we had discussed it already; I didn’t see a better alternative for securing the future for our family… and our people. “I’m sorry love. You know I’d choose a safer path if I thought there was one,” I replied.
“So you admit there might be a better way,” she said. She was quick to catch on.
“I’d be lying if I pretended to have all the answers. What is true is that I don’t know of a better way,” I said honestly.
She ran her hand across my chest, feeling the fabric of my tunic. “I’d feel better if you at least wore mail. Any fool with a dagger could put a hole in your back.”
“That would make my task more difficult. I’m actually trying to be sneaky, besides I don’t need armor to keep me safe,” as I spoke I made my shield flash with light for just a moment. My skill with mundane uses of magic had gotten much greater.
“That didn’t do you much good when the shiggreth grabbed you,” she noted. It was not only a reminder of my vulnerability but also a reminder of the fact that she had been the one to save my bacon that night.
I grimaced. “There shouldn’t be any shiggreth to worry about during this little adventure and if there are… I’ve prepared a new strategy.”
She was cynical, “such as?”
“I can’t show you here. It might damage the room,” I said evading the question as best I could.
The look on her face was wistful and a bit sad at the same time. “One of these days you’re going to find out you’re not as smart as you thought and I’m going to have to pay the price.”
I laughed, “Did you have another vision?”
Penny frowned, “No, and that’s why I’m not objecting too much. I feel certain that something as important as your impending doom would trigger my foresight. Since my ‘intuition’ has remained silent thus far I’m willing to let you take more risk than is probably wise.”
I decided not to argue that point, her ‘intuition’ and I had already butted heads once before in the past. The result had been her near death. Still I doubted I would back down if I were forced into a corner like that again. I can be notoriously stubborn when I choose to be. Rather than remind her of my penchant for mule-headedness I agreed with her, “I’m glad of that. If things go well I should be back late tonight, or tomorrow at the latest. I may stay and have dinner at the house with Marc. I haven’t had many opportunities to explore the library lately.”
I finished my good-byes and an hour later I was standing in the hallway of my house in Albamarl. Teleportation was one of the nicer things about being a wizard, although I had very few places I could use it to reach. It required a pre-made circle at both the point of origination and the destination, and the two had to match.
Currently the only places I had available were my home in Cameron Castle, Castle Lancaster, and my house in Albamarl. I intended to expand on that number a bit during my stay in the capital though. Once I had reminded the king of my traveling abilities he might decide to try and cut down on my options by having my house watched.
I glanced down the hallway and let my senses expand until I had located Marc. True to his word he was sitting at one of the reading tables in the library. My first impulse was to walk in and say hello but after a moment’s thought I decided to test out my plan for infiltrating the palace. I had several spells in mind but I hadn’t actually tried them out in a practical situation. I spoke a few words and ran my hand over my boots, which should silence any sound my footsteps might make, while leaving me free to speak as need be.
I walked silently until I stood near the door to the library. Marc had thoughtfully closed it after he entered, which made entering the room unseen and unheard more difficult. Perfect. Watching him mentally I made sure he wasn’t facing the door, and then I quietly whispered a few words. They were similar to the ones I had used to silence my boots, and their effect on the door was the same. Putting my hand on the handle I opened the door and stepped inside.
So far I remained unnoticed, Marc was still reading intently but I knew he might look in my direction at any moment and I was far from invisible. I needed to cast another spell but realized that standing in the same room there was a strong chance he would hear me, even if I spoke very softly. I needed a distraction. Glancing toward the opposite end of the room I chanced a whispered word and focused my will. The sound of a book falling to the floor and claws skittering across wooden boards came from that end of the room immediately; drawing Marc’s startled attention in that direction. I spoke quietly again and settled what I thought would be the perfect disguise across myself. This last spell was something new entirely, a way of creating a false appearance. I had chosen the likeness of his sister Ariadne in advance.
I had discovered the art of illusion in one of my father’s books only a few weeks before and I had been experimenting with them in odd moments ever since. This was my first time attempting to fool another person with a complete disguise however, so I had no idea how well it might work. Walking forward I stood by the table and waited for Marc to turn back around. At the moment he was still tensely watching the corner, wondering at the noise I had created. When at last he turned back around his expression was priceless.
“What?!” he exclaimed, scrambling backward. Or at least he tried to scramble backward, still being seated in the chair he wound up half standing before falling on his ass. It took all my self-control to stifle a laugh, instead I feigned concern.