The Warlock Senator (Book 2) (15 page)

Mickelson
sat back in his chair and held his tongue.

Bracken smiled.

Senator Desepp turned his gaze to Senator Bracken’s balcony and he invited him down with a wave. “Senator Bracken, you may present your evidence at this time,” Desepp said.

Senator Bracken quickly made the walk out from the back hallway behind his balcony to walk across the dais. The colorful light from the stained glass window behind him colored the pulpit until his shadow blocked the light’s path. How fitting, he thought, for his shadow to blot out the light from the ancient dragon.

He produced the folded parchment from his robes and opened it over the pulpit. “My fellow senators, it is with a heavy heart that I present to you the official account of what happened over the last several days.” He cleared his throat and looked to a few of his allies in the senate. Each of them nodded to him when their eyes met. Then he continued. “You are all aware of Timon Cedreau’s murder. He was killed shortly after the local magistrate was found dead in a cabin. I will not bore you with the details of those events, though I ask you to keep them in mind as they do hold meaning for the events I am about to describe.

“I traveled to Lokton manner to uncover the truth of these murders. I had a list of suspects, and a list of official complaints. However, nothing could have prepared me for what I found. Lord Lokton had incited war against House Cedreau, and used his own agents to murder Lord Cedreau during a parlay. These underhanded, dastardly deeds are not the end of Lokton’s treachery either. When I confronted him about these crimes, his soldiers were ready and willing to assault me and my retinue. Had I not had my own body guard with me, it is likely that I would be in a shallow grave next to Lord Cedreau.”

“This is ridiculous!” Mickelson shouted. “This is not proof of anything! Senator Desepp, you said testimonies must be held back until the tribunal. Are we to take this man’s account as fact without allowing the accused to defend himself as the law requires?”

A few senators shouted back and forth. Bracken stepped back from the pulpit and allowed Senator Desepp to retake the position of power. The old senator slammed a stone sphere onto a metal disc on the pulpit. The arguing ceased immediately.

“Senator Mickelson, you were warned. Now, you may either remove yourself from the hall, or I will have you removed by force.”

Senator
Mickelson placed a hand on the bannister and vaulted over his balcony to land on the floor of the hall. “This is repulsive!” Mickelson roared. “I will leave, but I will not abide this travesty of injustice. I will petition the king to preside over the tribunal.”

“Do as you will,” Senator Desepp said. “Just do it outside of this hall. You are hereby expelled for a period of one month.”

“You can’t bar me from the tribunal!” Mickelson said.

“I have the power to expel any junior member of the senate for disobeying procedural norms.”

“Procedural norms,” Mickelson spat on the floor.

“The expulsion will be enforced by the sentinels,” Desepp announced. He slammed the stone sphere three more times and in came a pair of sentinels.
Mickelson shook himself free as they went to grab his arms.

“I will not let this stand!”
Mickelson swore as he stomped out of the hall.

The sentinels slammed the bronzed doors shut after he left. Th
e echoes rang through the hall. Senator Desepp stepped back from the pulpit and motioned for Bracken to resume.

Senator Bracken walked back to the pulpit. “
Mickelson is correct. My testimony in and of itself may not be enough proof to convince you of Trenton Lokton’s guilt. However, as I arrested him and brought him back to stand trial for his crimes, I also brought back the bodies of his agents. Mr. Stilwell, and Sir Duval were both found in the forest nearby the scene of Lord Cedreau’s murder. Also found on their persons was a large coin purse filled with gold, and arrows that matched the arrow which killed Timon Cedreau, and Lord Cedreau himself. The evidence is clear to me. Lord Lokton conspired against House Cedreau, and holds contempt for the order of the kingdom. Therefore, he stands accused of treason. His actions and the wilful disobedience and animosity with which his retinue responded to me and my investigation should serve as the final point of proof. While we may not know exactly what Lord Lokton hoped to gain by removing Lord Cedreau, we all have heard of the tumult in the kingdom. Even the nobles have been jockeying for position, eager to take the throne upon our dear king’s death. They circle like vultures in the sky, waiting for the old man to pass before they descend to feed upon the chaos. They presume to do away with the law and overstep their bounds.

“
Trenton Lokton is even viler than some of the other conspirators. At least they have the decency to wait for the king to pass! Lokton would rather remove rivals now in order to place himself closest to the throne. We cannot allow this would-be tyrant access to the throne, and we certainly must not allow him to escape justice just because he is a noble. We must send a strong, clear message to all traitors everywhere. Betray the king, and it will gain you only the edge of the executioner’s blade!”

“Here, here!” Senator
Stigs shouted as he rose to his feet and pounded on the bannister. Others joined him.

“We must hold the kingdom together!” another shouted. “Sentence this traitor to death and we may stop others from attempting to take the throne by force!” Others shouted, echoing the sentiment and pounding on their bannisters.

Senator Desepp walked back to the pulpit and dropped the stone sphere on the metal plate. The senators would not respond. He tried several more times, but still they shouted for Lokton’s head and pounded their bannisters.

B
racken smiled. Victory would be sweet.

Senator Desepp tapped the stone sphere on the metal disc again. “Quiet down!” he said. The senators slowly responded and came to order. “Obviously we cannot sentence a man before his trial.”
Senator Desepp looked back to Bracken for a moment. Their eyes met briefly, and the hint of a smile flashed across Bracken’s face. Desepp turned back to the pulpit. “However, in light of the very strong evidence presented here today, perhaps we can move the tribunal up so this matter is settled as quickly as possible. The law allows for me to move the tribunal up a day earlier than the summons originally specified. However, it will require fourteen of you to vote to move it forward.”

“I vote aye,” Senator Stigs shouted quickly. “The faster we deal with this the better!”

Two others shouted “aye.”

Another leaned forward. “I vote nay, and I dare say that Mickelson would agree with me.”

“By a show of hands, who votes in favor?” Desepp asked. Seventeen hands went up.

Bracken smiled. Now only one more loose end to tie off.

*****

Senator Bracken stepped forward and raised his finger in the air. Light extended out until a small, golden orb hovered in the air above a great, pillowy silken blanket that covered the sleeping man. The man’s eyes twitched slightly as the orb moved to hover directly over his snoring, bearded face.

“Judge McTeabe,” Senator Bracken said calmly. “Time to wake up.” Bracken snapped his fingers and Judge McTeabe rose sharply in his bed to sit upright. The fat man rubbed his eyes with sausage-like fingers and yawned, groaning against the pain of waking before the sun had brought morning.

“What,” he star
ed through bleary, blinking eyes. “What is the meaning of this?” He shook his head and removed his green, silken night cap from his head to reveal a balding head of gray hair.

“Do you remember the conversation we had about a month ago?” Bracken asked.

Judge McTeabe’s gaze settled upon Bracken and the fat man stiffened. He slightly puffed his chest. “I have nothing to say to you, how dare you intrude upon me at this hour like some spider along the ceiling.” Judge McTeabe flung his stubby legs over the side of the bed and rose to his feet, straightening his silken night shirt to cover his hairy, pale thighs.

“The life of a judge appears to suit you well,” Bracken noted.

Judge McTeabe sneered back at him. “And a senator leads a pious life?” Judge McTeabe fired back. “Have you really come to discuss my lifestyle?”

Senator Bracken shook his head. “I told you that Baltezer the Brown was a simple priest, protecting his village as best he could. Yet, you went around me and had him executed.”

Judge McTeabe folded his flabby arms over the top of his round belly. “Guards!” he called out. “There is an intruder!”

Bracken cackled. “They can’t hear you,” he said with a shrug.
“They have all fallen into a deep sleep.”

McTeabe’s eyes widened and he glanced to his door.

“There is nowhere to run.” Bracken said. “I
told
you not to interfere!”

McTeabe shook his head. “I am a judge, I do not have to listen to your commands. Only King Mathias can command my obedience.”

Bracken shook his head and moved closer to the bed. “You ought to have listened to me.”

“What will you do now?” McTeabe taunted. “Would you hire assassins to stab me in the back?
You wouldn’t dare kill me before your tribunal. You know the law. The king has the right to order a review of any senate tribunal, and
I
am the High Judge.”

The senator smiled and nodded his head. “All I need to legally convict a nobleman of treason is two thirds of the senate body. I know that more than two thirds will find him guilty.”

“But you forget, the king has the right to order a review of
any
tribunal. He will not stand while you take House Lokton to the ground.”

Bracken sniggered. “Yes, well I don’t suppose I could convince you to align your opinion with mine?”

“No,” Judge McTeabe said defiantly. “I will not be bullied by you or anyone else. If the king orders a review, I will do my best to ensure that
all
proper procedures have been followed. Just like I did with Baltezer the Brown.”

Bracken waved his hand. A gust of wind threw McTeabe to the ground with a heavy
thump
. The judge’s belly rocked back and forth violently and a small amount of blood trickled from McTeabe’s nose. “Unlike you, I do not need to
hire
underlings to do my dirty work.” Bracken’s face melted away to reveal his true visage. “You have not the slightest inkling who you are dealing with.”

McTeabe opened his mouth to speak but another wave of wind sent his bulbous body sliding and squeaking across the red hardwood floor until he slammed into the wall.

The warlock produced a paper from thin air and sent it into McTeabe’s hand. “That is your confession,” he said.

“Confession of what?” McTeabe huffed.

“That letter, written by your own hand, says that you were paid by Master Lepkin to execute an order against Baltezer the Brown.”

“I wrote no such letter, this is preposterous!”

“You don’t think my magic can copy your handwriting?” the warlock taunted.

McTeabe shook his head. “No one will believe this, why would Lepkin pay me for something like that?”

“Because his lover, Lady Dimwater, is a shadowfiend. She was the one behind the human sacrifices. Baltezer the Brown discovered her secret and so she needed him gone. It’s all explained rather nicely in your letter there.”

“That is absolutely ridiculous!” McTeabe shouted. He found the strength to stand and started to shake his fist at the warlock. “I will not stand for this madness!”

A length of rope appeared in front of the judge and a noose wrapped itself around his neck. The cord tightened and hoisted the heavy man from the ground, hanging him from one of the great beams that crossed the ceiling of his bed chamber. McTeabe struggled to get his foot to his bed to get away from gravity’s deadly grip. His toes just managed to graze the silken blanket a few times before his strength started to flee from his body.

“I should have mentioned that this is a suicide letter,” the warlock added. “That should add some credibility to the words you wrote, along with the bribe that your guards will find inside your foot chest.”
The warlock senator started to turn but then held a finger in the air, as if he remembered something he had almost forgotten. “Oh, and I daresay that I spoke with your replacement, Judge Nellers, and he is more than happy to provide a review of the senate tribunal that will be almost identical to our finding. So, you see, even if the king does stick his nose in and order a review, I have won.”

McTeabe’s dying eyes threw daggers at the warlock in the judge’s final moment before his inevitable end.

The warlock smiled and congratulated himself. Now, even if Lepkin made it to Drakai Glazei alive, his credibility would be destroyed. Everything was falling into place perfectly.

Lady Cedreau flattened her skirt across her lap and took in a deep breath. Her chest heaved up slightly as her heart pounded within. She glanced out the carriage window, looking at Lokton Manor and squirming inside. She thought to turn the carriage back toward her home, but before she could utter the command the great entrance to the manor opened and a pair of men came out from the building. They were both wearing simple, yet highly polished platemail that reflected the sunlight back at her painfully. The slinking and clanking grew louder as the armored men approached the carriage.

“Good morrow,” one of the men hailed.

Lady Cedreau sighed, resigning herself to finish what she started. She heard her driver answer the two men and her own personal bodyguard leaned forward to open the carriage door and step out in front of her. He was a large man, just under seven feet tall, with broad shoulders that had to turn sideways to allow him passage through most doorways. He wore a suit of chainmail under a padded leather hauberk and a pair of scimitars hung at his sides.

“My mistress wishes an audience with Lady Lokton,” he said.

The two Lokton guards shared a glance before frowning back. “I don’t see why that is necessary,” one of the guards said. “We would prefer that our lady not be disturbed.”

Lady Cedreau slid out from the carriage and stepped around her body guard. “Please,” she said simply. “My husband has passed from this world, along with one of my sons. I am here to preserve what is left of both houses. Please, I implore you to ask for her patience with me for only ten minutes. What I have to tell her is extremely important.”

The guards eyed her suspiciously. “Wait here, milady, I will ask her, but I cannot guarantee a favorable response.”

Lady Cedreau offered a slight nod of her head. “
I appreciate it.”

Off the two went, leaving her there to stew in her thoughts and fears.

“I still don’t like this,” her bodyguard whispered to her.

“It’s alright Derg,” she said. “I want this to end.”

Derg shrugged his boulder-like shoulders and rested his hands upon his hips, keeping them close to his scimitars. “A truce should not be sought with Lord Cedreau’s blood still wet upon the field of battle,” he said to no one in particular.

“Hold your tongue,” Lady Cedreau said sharply. “I am the master of the house now, and it is not your place to counsel me on strategy.”

Derg blushed and nodded his head reluctantly.

Lady Cedreau could understand his sentiment, but he did not know as much as she. As much as she would like to avenge her husband and son, her only hope of salvaging what was left of her family was to make amends with House Lokton.

The doors opened. Lady Cedreau looked up, but she did not see the pair of guards. Instead, Lady Lokton emerged from the doorway in a green dress. A large, gold necklace hung just above her bosom and her hair was pent up on the back of her head.

She stepped down from the doors and walked slowly, yet confidently toward Lady Cedreau.

“I understand you wish to speak with me,” Lady Lokton said as she approached.

Lady Cedreau noted the contempt in Lady Lokton’s voice. Still, she kept her senses and nodded her head politely. “I have, milady,” she started. “I thought that perhaps we may be able to end the feud between our families and bring peace, and comfort, to our houses once more.”

Lady Lokton folded her arms across her chest and stared at the gargantuan guard beside Lady Cedreau for a moment. “It appears as though others here do not agree with your desires.”

Lady Cedreau looked to Derg and motioned for him to return to the carriage. She could see the conflict on his face, but a quick flick of her wrist was all it took to dismiss the giant. “Forgive him. Derg is my personal guard, and he was very close to my late husband.”

Lady Lokton shifted her weight to her left leg, sticking her hip out a bit. “I don’t see what you can offer that will bring peace to us. You have lost your husband, and I have lost mine.”

Lady Cedreau knitted h
er brow. “I had no part in your husband’s arrest. Senator Bracken was here to investigate the magistrate’s murder.”

“That makes little difference now,” Lady Lokton said. “As I said, there is nothing you or I can do to salvage anything. My husband will hang for crimes he didn’t commit, all because your son murdered the magistrate!”

Lady Cedreau bristled and turned her upper lip into a snarl. “Eldrik did no such thing! If anyone is to blame, it would be Mr. Stilwell, who came and murdered my youngest son, who had nothing to do with any of this madness!”

“Right,” Lady Lokton started. “I forgot that Lord Cedreau was completely innocent.”

“My husband was betrayed and murdered while in parlay with yours!” Lady Cedreau countered. Her rage welled up in her bosom, lighting a fire in her that had not existed since the time she lived with Hairen and the other witches.

“My husband was not to blame for your husband’s death. Trenton is a man of honor, he would never order such an underhanded attack.” The two women glared at each other for a moment before Lady Lokton waved her hand to the left. “My home has been under attack several times by liars, thieves, and assassins,” she said. “Did you know that Blacktongues came here to kill my little boy?” she asked.

Lady Cedreau shook her head.

“Many of my friends were injured that night, and some were killed. Then, your husband starts a war with our house and brings death to many, many more. Now you come here and beg for peace.
” Lady Lokton’s face grew red and the tears in her eyes were visible. “You don’t want peace for the sake of peace, you are asking for mercy now that you realize you have lost. I cannot stomach to look upon you.”

Lady Cedreau fought the urge to lash out with her magic. She could cut down Lady Lokton with a blast of fire, or smother her in an earthen grave with a simple incantation. Only the promise she made upon Eldrik’s birth pulled her back to her senses. She focused her energy on her son. He was the only thing that mattered now. She could withstand the insults, if it meant that Eldrik could be saved.

“I have come to warn you that I fear Eldrik has taken it upon himself to avenge his father and brother,” Lady Cedreau said coolly. “I wished to tell you that his rage has blinded him, and that I have already sent my scouts out to find him. I thought you may wish to inform your guards, and also send out patrols of your own. However, I ask that if you find him, please return him to me unharmed.”

Lady Lokton narrowed her eyes on her. “And I am to trust that you will talk sense into him?”
Lady Lokton sighed. “I thank you for your concern, but House Lokton will see to itself. If I were you, I would pray that he returns home soon.”

“You would order your men to kill a boy?” Lady Cedreau asked.

Lady Lokton froze in place. “No, I would not have them kill a boy, but I would have him hog-tied and delivered to the senate for trial.” She then turned her back and walked away. “Good day, Lady Cedreau, may your return home be swift and peaceful.”

Lady Cedreau
stood there, staring at Lady Lokton’s back. Should she confess the truth? Should she tell Lady Lokton that Tukai’s prophecy was about Eldrik? Perhaps it would buy some forbearance and mercy from her if they did find Eldrik on Lokton lands. Then again, would Lady Lokton believe her? Lady Cedreau sighed. She barely believed the witches herself, and she had lived with the coven enough to understand what they were capable of. How, then, could she expect Lady Lokton to believe her. Even if by some miracle the woman would believe her, would her reaction be favorable, or was she still too distraught to have the presence of mind needed in the face of such news?

Lady Cedreau opened her mouth to speak, but only then did she realize that Lady Lokton had disappeared inside her house and the two guards had returned to the front entrance. They were staring at her coldly. She frowned and returned to her carriage, sit
ting down across from an obviously upset Derg.

“I told you this was a waste of time,” he said.

“I had to try,” Lady Cedreau said. “Too much blood is on my hands already.” Derg looked at her curiously, but she offered no further explanation. “Let’s return home,” she said. “We need to find Eldrik.”

“I would wager ten gold that Eldrik is making his way to
Drakai Glazei,” Derg announced. “We won’t find him coming here.”

“Why do you say that?” Lady Cedreau asked.
“He could just as easily come here for revenge.”

“If my family were killed, I would go to the murderer’
s trial to ensure justice was served.”

“The senate will decide his fate,” Lady Cedreau countered.

Derg shrugged. “Still, I would go to make sure that his fate was decided
appropriately.
”

She sighed and a worry formed a gnawing hole in the pit of her stomach. She hated to admit it, but Derg was right, and Eldrik had enough of a head start that none of her scouts would catch him in time.
She knew there was no chance of foiling Tukai’s prophecy.

*****

“No absinthe today?” Marlin chided when he walked in the door.

Dimwater looked up from the dusty tome she was examining and glanced to her mug half full of what was now lukewarm peppermint tea. “Not today,” she replied flatly. “Have you had any luck?”

Marlin shook his head. “I have been going through many of the books of prophecy, but I haven’t found any additional clues. I am not sure what this false champion prophecy is about.”

“I haven’t made any great discoveries either,” Dimwater admitted with a sigh.

“I brought some flat bread and yogurt.” Marlin set the bronze plate of bread down between two matching bowls of pink yogurt peppered with spearmint leaves. “I like to dip the bread into the yogurt.”

Dimwater shook her head. “I am not really hungry.” She pushed the book away and rubbed her weary eyes. “I wish Al were here, he might be able to point us in the right direction.”

Marlin nodded. “For records kept among men and dwarves that may be true, but I doubt any of them would have any references to what we seek.”

Dimwater pulled the paper closer to her where she had scrawled some of her notes.
“On the wings of death the champion will ride, laying waste to the seats of white. His anger ushers in the dark tide, and washes the world in the color of night,” she read the words aloud.

Marlin sat across from her and tore a piece of flatbread.
“Believe not your eyes, for a champion in false skin shall rise,” he added as he dipped the bread in yogurt. He placed the bite in his mouth and leaned back.

Dimwater watched M
arlin carefully, trying to assess his thoughts before she continued reading. “One touched of the dragon’s might, but not born of it, shall save the world from darkest night, and rule from the Stone Pulpit.” She shook her head. “Everything I have ever read would point to Drakai Glazei being the Stone Pulpit mentioned by the prophecy. But, I am not sure what to make of the rest of it.”

Ma
rlin swallowed and sighed heavily. “As I said before, I believe the first is a warning that there is a false champion, the second warns what the false champion will do, and the third tells us who can stop the false champion.”

“Do you really think that Lepkin will have to fight Erik?
” Dimwater whispered. “If that was the case, then why would he be so sure that he chose the right apprentice?”

“I don’t know,” Marlin said with a shrug. “The Keeper of Secrets has many gifts, but he has not the gift of True Sight. As far as I know, he can’t even sense or discern auras.”

“But you can, did you detect anything inside Erik that would show him as a false champion?”

Marlin shook his head and took another bite of the flatbread. “No, I never sensed any such thing. He has only ever proven to be of incredibly high character.”

Dimwater nodded. “That is all I have seen as well, and surely Al would agree if he were here. Erik, despite his stubbornness, is ultimately a selfless person. I can’t believe that he would turn the other way.”

“The prophecies do not lie,” Marlin countered.

“Perhaps we put too much trust in prophecies, and too little in ourselves,” Dimwater said.

Marlin frowned and dipped another morsel of bread into his yogurt bowl.

“None of the other books I have come across mention this event. There are others that deal with the Stone Pulpit, and I would agree that they all speak of Drakai Glazei.”

A knock came at the door. Marlin stopped and waited for the door to open. A young healer entered. “We have switched shifts with Master Lepkin. We have seen some marginal improvement in his aura, but nothing significant as of yet.”

“Thank you,” Marlin responded. The young priest nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door.

Dimwater slammed her palm down on the table. “
Of course!”
she exclaimed. Marlin regarded her curiously. She shook her head and pointed to a bookshelf nearby. A small brown book flew from the shelf and landed in front of her. “Look here,” she said. “It was so simple, it was right there in front of me the whole time!”