After a few more details were discussed, the odd group of temporary allies relocated from Mistlight’s dungeon, traveling through the darkness to the city. Rhys tried his best to disappear from his mother’s sight and nobody complained when he moved out with them.

Lady Tonsa’s whispered orders kept the guards at the gate from asking questions and within thirty minutes, they were standing outside a government building.

“We will have them meet here. The enchantments on the building allow for a total lockdown and should prevent either Sanerris from escaping,” Rhys’s mom explained as they walked up the steps to the unassuming dark blue brick building. The doors were locked but a key magically appeared in her hand. Orrin allowed himself to be ushered inside.

“Are you sure being trapped inside a building with Lord and Lady Sanerris is wise?” Lord Wellan asked nervously as they entered. “I think we should have a few more guards here in case things go badly.”

“Nonsense.” Lady Tonsa shook her head. “We have the numbers and the strength.”

Ropes on poles created waiting lines in the front room. Booths with closed metal shutters lined the far wall, with a heavy metal door in the corner. The entire location reminded Orrin of a bank.

“What is this place?”

Maeve’s dad pointed to the stone booths. “Petitioners can place grievances with clerks. Mistlight has an administrative force of adjudicators that investigate and attempt to bring justice or at least fair results to each person. Anything from property disputes to blood feuds can be brought here for official reckoning. It inspired my family to do the same on a smaller scale.” He laughed, his heavy armor rolling about on his shoulders. “Our problems are usually who gets to keep the extra calf though.”

Lord Wellan, Finley, and Lady Tonsa lead them through the entrance hall into a back room. Orrin took in the tables, chairs, and wooden lockers. A break room for employees. Rhys and Niels, the Tonsa bodyguard, sat to the left.

He slowed and elbowed Daniel gently.

“What?” Daniel murmured.

Orrin gestured with his head to the other side of the room and moved away from the rest of the group.

“When this goes to shit, we’re running,” he whispered as quietly as he could.

“They picked this building for its defenses. If we want to go, we should get out now.” Daniel picked up a small glass bobble from a locker. “What do you think this is?”

Orrin grabbed the item and put it back. “I don’t trust her. Rhys was halfway decent and I like Maeve but I don’t know her dad. I know this was partially my idea but I’m getting a bad feeling.”

Daniel put his hands on Orrin’s shoulders. “We need all the help we can to fight the demons. Silas’s scouts were able to get an estimate of their numbers. We’re going to be facing at least six thousand of them. Dey can muster up a few hundred actual fighters, with maybe two or three thousand regular people who can shoot a bow or hold a spear. The elves sent a thousand to help but we need more help. The Pass isn’t easily defendable. If we can get even a few hundred more high-level mages from Odrana, it could help save lives.”

Orrin knew Daniel was right but didn’t have to like it. “I’m just saying, be ready to run.”

“If you want to leave, we go. I think it’s worth the risk but I trust you, O. You know these people better than I do.”

Orrin considered it for a moment. Daniel would stick to his word and leave. Lord Sanerris can only freeze one of us at a time. If Anabella knocks him out, the rest of us should be enough. Even if she doesn’t, I think we can take him together.

“We’ll stay but under my [Camouflage]. If shit goes sideways, I’ll [Teleport] us out.”

Daniel squeezed Orrin’s shoulder.

“Rhys, I want you to go to our apartment here and wait. Do not leave,” Lady Tonsa ordered.

Orrin spoke up immediately. “Not saying we don’t trust you, but Rhys can stay here.”

Her dark brown eyes turned on him. Orrin stood straight. He’d faced down both Sanerris and his mother. He’d fought monsters from his wildest nightmares. This was just another human.

“I will not have my son in danger. He leaves or this alliance is at an end.”

“He can join our party and stay undercover,” Daniel suggested, stepping into the middle of the room. “There is no reason for him to come out from Orrin’s [Camouflage] spell and we can always [Teleport] out.”

“This location is warded against [Teleport],” Lady Tonsa explained, waving a hand through the air. “There is no reason for him to be here.”

“It helps us trust you a bit more,” Orrin muttered.

He hadn’t expected her to hear him. Orrin stumbled back at the rage in her eyes.

“Mother, please,” Rhys spoke, rushing to his mom. He moved to block her view of Orrin, both hands touching hers. “I’ll be no safer anywhere than by your side. Show them what our family can do. Show them who we are. I can take down the back wall if I need to. If there is a [Demon Lord] coming, the world will need the [Hero]. Let me play my part.”

The Tonsas spoke more but Orrin tuned them out, watching Finley and Lord Wellan’s response. Neither seemed to care if Rhys stayed or left. They must have a lot of faith that Anabella and Arvin will roll over.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Orrin pumped his and Daniel’s stats up with a [Utility Ward]. He’d top them both off before the party started for real.

Rhys left the three in charge behind and approached Orrin and Daniel as his mother called over Niels.

“Orrin, I want to apologize for how I acted in the dungeon,” Rhys started, holding his hands behind his back. “Iona was right to trust you. You saved our lives and are here doing it again at great personal risk. I cannot undo the damage that my immature actions caused between us but I will try to be better in the future.”

Orrin squinted at Rhys. “Who are you and what did you do with the overly self-confident Rhys I know?”

Daniel rolled his eyes and stuck out his hand. “If he’s making jokes, you’ll be fine. Join the party?”

Orrin heard the ding of the System as Rhys joined, shaking Daniel’s hand.

“Let’s get situated over there,” Rhys pointed to the far corner. “It’s not likely that we’ll need to escape but the wards are weakest there.”

“How can you tell?” Daniel asked as they moved to the farthest part of the room from the doors.

“I can sense metal,” Rhys answered with a shrug. “There’s less in that spot.”

Niels left at Lady Tonsa’s request to send a message to Anabella. He was gone for ten minutes. As soon as he returned, the two chancellors and Finley gathered to call for a vote of the Odrana council.

Finley repeated his earlier words, calling for Lord Sanerris’s removal. His ring shone bright. Lord Wellan seconded the motion, his own green glow lighting the room further.

“Motion passed,” Lady Tonsa spoke calmly but with fear in her eyes as her own ring gave off a blue hue.

“When your powers combine…” Orrin joked. Only Daniel heard him but he got a small chuckle.

Daniel, Orrin, and Rhys bunched in tight and Orrin cast [Camouflage] at level two on all three of them to be safe. He could have used his ward but felt the extra utility of being able to attack without breaking the spell would be worth it, just in case. Lady Tonsa let out an audible sigh of relief.

“That’s not a bad spell. I might pay for information on that later.”

Orrin ignored her and buffed himself and Daniel to the maximum stats. He threw a general [Ward] on himself and Daniel.

After another thought, he added [Ice Ward] on everyone in the room.

Everyone waited.

Lord Palmer was the first to arrive. Orrin thought the man had to be in his sixties but even with the gray hair hiding in the deep brown mane, the man moved like a tiger. He entered the room, sweeping his eyes across every corner. Orrin held his breath but his spell held up to the scrutiny of the ruler of Idrisid.

“What happened? I’m in the middle of a wa…,” he trailed off and pointed at Finley. “What is that traitor doing here?”

Finley held up his father’s ring. “Acting as a representative of my father. Don’t push it, Palmer. We have a long night ahead of us still and a longer day tomorrow.”

Lord Palmer exchanged looks with both the other chancellors. “The boy speaks for you two as well?”

“We’ve removed Arvin from his position of chancellor,” Lady Tonsa tutted at the other two before stepping forward to speak on their behalf. “The war with the elves is a ruse for personal power. They have not attacked. You will want to investigate how Arvin suborned your lieutenants who lied to you about elf attacks. Surely, you did not know?” Her voice turned up at the end, giving Palmer a choice.

Clever. Orrin noticed Finley’s hands were on his knives. If he accepts her offer to side with them, he can feign ignorance of the fabricated reasons for the war. He can’t admit to knowing. Sanerris was already removed, crippling any alliance he might have.

Lord Palmer glared at Lady Tonsa. He studied Finley and Lord Wellan as well before he burst out in laughter.

“Damn, it’s a coup d’etat. I’ll back your play but I want to keep the lands I’ve captured.”

Orrin almost choked on his disgust for the man.

“I’m sure Arvin is on his way and… let me guess? You want my vote to put Anabella back on top. Has she been informed or was this her play all along?” Lord Palmer walked between Finley and Lord Wellan, grabbing a chair and dragging it loudly back between them. He sat the chair between Wellan and Tonsa before settling himself down. “Well?”

Orrin smirked at the tightness in Lady Tonsa’s jaw. She doesn’t like being compared to Anabella.

“Arvin and his mother will be here soon.”

But she’s smart enough not to give away the play quite yet. Orrin didn’t trust Rhys’s mom but he could respect her intelligence. She was doing all she could to not tip off Palmer.

“Should we vote now? There isn’t a need for Arvin if we… never mind. I can feel his magic. He’s arrived.”

Orrin doubled-checked all his wards, buffs, and camo spell.

Lord Arvin Sanerris, chancellor of Mistlight and ruler of Odrana, swept into the room. He ignored Niels who stood by the door and moved to Lady Tonsa first. His hair fell over his eyes as he bowed his head and kissed her outstretched hand.

“Oyinlola, how have you been? What is this emergency meeting?” His eyes moved from Wellan, to Finley, and settled on Palmer last. “I… see. This is a most unfortunate time. Will you let me explain or have you already voted?”

“Arvin Sanerris,” Lord Wellan spoke with an authoritative voice that Orrin hadn’t heard before. “You have been removed from your position as chancellor. The council will vote on your replacement. Your last act as chancellor will be to gracefully step down and cast your vote. Will you choose a peaceful transition or treason?”

Orrin’s training with the flow of magic in the last few weeks paid off. While he wasn’t yet a master in any way, a small part of his brain nudged his attention away from the scene in front of him. A familiar presence near the door where nobody stood.

What? Who?

Orrin stared at the open door beside Niels. The man’s arms were crossed but he stood close enough to close them at a moment’s notice. No, the door… Orrin tried again and felt his vision move back to the guard.

Shit. It’s [Camouflage]. He tapped his foot against Daniel and whispered, “By the door.”

“I will not fight and take power from our country,” Arvin said with a sad tone in his voice. “Palmer, I am disappointed. Who do you have in mind? Not my mother, surely? You two hate each other, Oyinlola.”

“I can work with those I dislike,” Lady Tonsa snarled. “I cannot abide those who seek to harm my family and the lives of our people.”

Orrin could feel Daniel’s tension. They couldn’t know for sure who was standing by the door. It wasn’t time for them to make themselves known yet since Anabella wasn’t here but every moment was a risk with an invisible potential threat in their midst.

“If it is all the same then, go ahead and vote her in. I need to get back to dealing with the true dangers facing our country,” Arvin said, already back to his normal self. “I don’t have time to wait for her to make the trip in. I’ll give Palmer my proxy and be on my way.”

Finley’s fingers moved to the hilt of a dagger. Wellan’s fingers stretched and cracked as he made fists. The air around Lady Tonsa began to almost crackle with energy.

“You will wait for her to arrive and cast your vote, as is your duty,” Lord Wellan said. This time, his voice didn’t hold the same authority. This was a hiccup in the plan. An unforeseen variable.

Orrin readied himself. If he attacks, we’ll have to move in. Anabella might go free but at least…

“That won’t be necessary. I’m here.” The figure at the door appeared. Lady Sanerris, Arvin’s mother.

She can use [Camouflage]?

“Before you vote, I do have a concern to express,” Anabella said as she strode into the room like a queen. “It seems in your haste to vote my son out, you failed to perform an adequate safety sweep. There are interlopers in this very room. I suggest we ask them to join us, don’t you?”