An Invitation Beneath

Late that night, the gang huddled together once again.

Sammy sat at the table, showing them how to prepare his black soot powder.

“You have to grind it properly,” he explained, carefully working the mixture. “Otherwise it clumps.”

Sybill watched him for several seconds. Then she lifted her wand.

Three perfectly prepared bags of black soot powder appeared on the table.

Sammy stared at them.

Sybill pointed towards the bags.

“And this will be the stinging as well, Sammy?”

Sammy picked up one of the bags and inspected it. His eyebrows rose.

“Exactly the same.”

Silvi looked around at all of them.

“I think we’re ready.”

Sammy grinned.

“Actually, I found a safer way to disperse it. Remember the glass sphere with malachite in it?”

“Of course,” Silvi said.

“We ditch the malachite and fill the sphere with black soot powder instead.”

His grin widened as he picked up one of the bags.

“Then we just smash it wherever we want the powder to spread, and voilà! It goes everywhere—around the enemy, straight into their eyes, stinging like hell and causing the usual breathing problems.”

Sybill’s eyes widened.

“The glass sphere will be the amazing.”

“Oh, it will,” Sammy said, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

********

Thunder crashed across the mountains.

Rain poured from the blackened sky, lashing the edge of the cliff where Silhvester and Fartiarty stood locked in their final confrontation. Far below them, waves thundered against the jagged rocks.

Fartiarty suddenly turned towards the cliff.

Silhvester lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar just before he could leap.

“Where are you going, Fartiarty?”

He yanked his nemesis backwards, beaming with joy as rain streamed down his face.

“Finally, I have got you! Our battle will be legendary!”

Silhvester threw his head back and roared with laughter.

Thunder answered him.

Then his foot slipped.

“Huh?”

Fartiarty lurched sideways with him.

For one terrible second, both men teetered at the very edge of the cliff.

“Hmmm. Hmm.”

The story abruptly stopped.

Helen stood in the doorway, bowing.

“My lady, the King wishes to see you.”

Sybill stared at her.

“Now?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Sybill glanced down at the book.

“Just me?”

“No, my lady. The King wishes to see all of you.”

Sybill’s enormous lavender eyes returned to Helen.

“Now?”

Helen nodded.

“Yes. Now.”

*************

Andrew sat at the head of the long table, his hands folded as he listened intently to Leo. Grandmaster Erasmus stood nearby, equally attentive as Leo went through the reports spread across the table.

Zeena sat unusually still, while Natalie remained beside her, one hand resting gently over her shoulder.

Rowland looked towards Sybill as she entered and smiled, signalling for her to sit beside him. Sammy and Elena sat together, while Silvi was carefully placed on top of the table where she could see everyone.

Once they were settled, Andrew looked around at them.

“We have received credible information regarding the coup being planned against the Crown.”

The room immediately quieted.

“Our enemies have been gathering their forces in secret for some time. More concerningly, the infiltration of the capital has already begun.”

Andrew’s expression hardened.

“We have confirmed reports of their people hiding throughout the city and passing crucial information back to them.”

Silvi tilted slightly.

“Then they already have their eyes inside the capital.”

Andrew nodded.

“And they are watching us.”

Silvi was quiet for a moment.

“Then why don’t we give them something worth reporting?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed in understanding.

“An opportunity too tempting for Harold and Mariana to ignore.”

“Precisely,” Silvi said.

Andrew leaned back.

“And what exactly do you propose we show them?”

Elena smiled.

“That part might be easier than you think, Dad.”

She gestured towards Sammy.

“The kingdom still doesn’t know its Prince has returned.”

Then towards Natalie.

“Or its Queen.”

Zeena slowly nodded.

Rowland looked towards Sammy.

“Then perhaps it is time I formally renounce my title.”

Sammy stared at him.

Rowland smiled.

“And Etheria recognises its true Crown Prince.”

Andrew looked between them.

“You want to announce their return, restore the succession, and hold a celebration large enough that Harold and Mariana cannot possibly ignore it.”

“The exactly that,” Sybill said, nodding.

Andrew remained silent for several moments.

“A celebration on the surface,” Leo said.

Andrew’s eyes hardened.

“And an invitation beneath it.”

Leo unfolded another document.

“There is more.”

He placed it on the table.

“Wostshire, Seeseattle, and Linsterwen have joined forces.”

Elena leaned towards Sybill.

“Darlene, Harold, and Mariana,” she whispered.

Leo continued.

“Our latest estimate places their combined force at around four thousand men. More concerningly, several high-ranking mages have joined them.”

His expression grew graver.

“And Mariana herself is extensively trained for combat.”

Natalie’s face changed.

“Do not underestimate her.”

Everyone looked towards her.

“Mariana’s magical prowess is not merely reputation. I have seen what she can do. She has toppled armies in our favour before.”

Andrew gave a slow nod.

“Then we plan under the assumption that she intends to do the same to ours.”

He looked towards Leo.

“How many men can we field without drawing forces from elsewhere?”

“Approximately two thousand five hundred stationed in and around the capital, my liege.”

Sammy frowned.

“That still leaves us badly outnumbered.”

“Enough of a difference to be dangerous,” Andrew said.

He folded his hands.

“Nigel would answer immediately if I called upon him. So would Seinfeld.”

“Then why not call them?” Sammy asked.

“Because an army does not move invisibly,” Andrew replied. “Nigel’s men would have to pass through Harold’s lands to reach us. The moment they did, Harold would know something was wrong.”

He looked around the table.

“Our greatest advantage is that they believe we are oblivious. As long as Harold and Mariana think we have no idea what they are planning, we control when and where they make their move.”

Andrew’s expression hardened.

“I will not surrender that advantage for more soldiers.”

“So we let them believe we’re walking straight into their trap,” Sammy said.

Andrew nodded.

“While they walk into ours.”

He looked around the table.

“If we choose to bait them, then the deception must be complete. They must believe the celebration is exactly what it appears to be.”

“A celebration,” Elena said quietly.

Andrew nodded.

“Nothing more.”

His attention shifted towards Erasmus.

“And our mages?”

“We have between forty-five and fifty currently training under me,” Erasmus replied. “They are not yet seasoned battle mages, but they have progressed considerably.”

He glanced towards Sybill.

“And with a little help from Teacher Sybill, I am confident they will be strong enough to deflect the initial artillery attack.”

Andrew’s eyebrows drew together.

“All of it?”

“If they work together,” Erasmus said. “No single one of them could manage it. But even a dozen mages maintaining a coordinated defensive barrier is an entirely different matter.”

Leo nodded.

“If we survive their opening bombardment without suffering significant losses, they lose one of their greatest advantages before the battle has properly begun.”

Andrew considered that for a moment.

“Then that will be their responsibility.”

Erasmus inclined his head.

“They will be ready.”

Leo glanced down at his reports.

“Unfortunately, numbers are not our only disadvantage.”

The room fell silent again.

“Their weaponry appears to be superior to ours.”

He placed another report onto the table.

“The assassins sent with Duchess Zeena’s entourage carried swords and shields that had been magically reinforced. We now have reason to believe similar enchantments are being prepared for their forces.”

Andrew’s jaw tightened.

“Can we reproduce them?”

Erasmus answered this time.

“I have already begun studying the magical mechanism. I believe it can be replicated, but I require time.”

“Then we make certain you get it,” Andrew said.

Sammy leaned forward.

“And the streets?”

Andrew looked at him.

“What are you thinking?”

“We prepare those too. More black soot marbles—anything that makes moving through the city miserable.”

Elena laughed despite herself.

Sammy shrugged.

“If they come into our city, they fight on our terms.”

Andrew nodded.

“And the citizens must be kept inside their homes when the time comes. They cannot be told why. If even one of them knows what we are preparing for, our enemies may learn of it as well.”

Leo nodded.

“Then whatever reason we give them must appear ordinary.”

A faint smile touched Andrew’s face.

“Precisely.”

Leo unfolded another sheet.

“There is one final matter, and I believe it may prove more dangerous than their numerical advantage.”

He looked towards Sybill.

“We have identified several of the mages Mariana has recruited.”

That immediately caught Sybill’s attention.

Leo began reading.

“Boric the Bold.”

He placed the first page down.

“A heavily armoured combat mage capable of conjuring weapons seemingly from thin air and launching them with exceptional precision.”

Sybill listened intently.

“Craven the Old Ghost.”

Leo continued.

“An elderly mage who wears golden bangles on both wrists. The bangles transform into magical rings capable of branding and destroying the surfaces they touch.”

Silvi’s expression became more serious.

“Lola the Doll.”

“A young woman specialising in defensive magic. Her barriers are exceptionally strong and notoriously difficult to penetrate.”

Leo turned to the final page.

“And Zack the Nefarious.”

“A young mage surrounded by a halo of fire. Anyone who comes within his effective range risks being obliterated.”

Leo lowered the papers.

“And last but certainly not least…”

No one needed him to say the name.

“Mariana.”

Natalie straightened.

“Her wind magic alone would make her dangerous.”

Leo nodded.

“But it is her Domain that concerns us most.”

Natalie’s expression darkened.

“It should.”

Andrew looked towards her.

Natalie was silent for a moment before speaking.

“Mariana’s Domain has earned a reputation as a prison. An inescapable one.”

The atmosphere around the table seemed to change.

“Once someone is caught inside it, they do not simply find their way back out. Unless Mariana chooses to release them herself, they are bound to die there.”

Silence followed.

Andrew looked slowly around the table.

“Then these mages are not merely another part of their army.”

“No,” Leo said. “They are the greatest threat within it.”

Sybill rose from her chair.

“Leave the mages to me.”

Every eye at the table turned towards her. She gave Andrew a small bow.

“I will accompany you,” Leo immediately said.

Sybill looked towards him, but before she could answer, Elena spoke.

“Have some faith in her, Father.”

Andrew looked at his daughter.

“You have no idea what she is capable of.”

Elena glanced towards Sybill.

“I believe she can handle them.”

She paused.

“Even if there were a lot more of them.”

Andrew studied Sybill for several seconds. This time, there was no immediate answer.

Then he nodded.

“Very well.”

Zeena finally moved, releasing a long breath.

“I have one request, King Andrew.”

Everyone turned towards her. The grief that had kept her silent throughout the meeting was gone from her face.

Andrew waited.

“When the time comes…”

Her eyes hardened.

“Leave Harold to me.”