Trial by Treason_The Enchanter General by Dave Duncan

Author:Dave Duncan [Duncan, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Trial by Treason
ISBN: 9781597806350
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Published: 2018-10-01T22:00:00+00:00

chapter 16

we restored what order we could to the yard, and I sent Lars off to the cooper with money to buy a new water butt—not that it could be properly filled until the winter rains, but water could be purchased from the water cart. The rest of us went back indoors to consider our attack on the evildoers.

This was when I wished Sir Neil had warned me that our mission might encounter treason. Back at Helmdon I had maledictions that would call down pain, nausea, blindness, impotence, and delusions on their subjects. The only one I had brought with me produced massive confusion, but its wording made me doubt that it would work at a distance or last very long. Those are not the sort of spells one tries out on people.

The normally unused grimoire that Harald brought down from his attic contained a curse that was longer, older, and fiercer. It was also less specific, calling for mistakes, misfortune, and misadventure. Since these are as common in the world as fleas, they are easily summoned, and with some luck on our side, the conspirators might not even realize for a while that their misfortunes had been sent. If so they would be slower to retaliate. Also, our spell might even prevent their spells from working correctly, which would be a big gain for us. So we agreed to use the horrible thing. To chant it would be a breach of the sages’ oath I had sworn, but I felt no guilt doing so in self-defense— Corneille and his gang had started the violence.

I easily located two trip wires in it, and with great difficulty convinced Harald that it was necessary to remove them. We made fair copies of the parts and, with Elvire’s help, a list of our chosen victims: Quentin of Lepuix; Corneille Boterel, Walter of Froyle, Tancred de Umfraville, and Henri Morlaix.

“Eadig mentioned a giant who seems to be in their pay or under their control,” I said.

“Odell,” Elvire said. “I know who he meant. He’s known as Odell Little. There are a couple of other Odells in the castle.”

But Odell seemed to be more a victim than a conspirator, so we omitted him from our bane. Harald, Lovise, and I went into the sanctum, closed the door, and launched our counterattack on Corneille’s treasonous coven. We felt acceptance every time, although not strongly in the case of Henri Morlaix. His house was farthest away, Harald said.

I was left with a soiled feeling I had never known before.

When we rejoined Elvire and Lars in the kitchen, we had to discuss what we did next, but it was obvious that Lovise and I should go to the castle to see if we could restore the constable to health. If we could, then he should be able to rally the garrison and bring back the rule of law. Moreover, Elvire was anxious to report to Nicholaa, who would be worrying. The sun was already in the west, and vespers could not be far off.

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