A small-very small-smile curled Valera’s lips. “You are both like and unlike your mentor, Gavin. He would’ve…well, no matter. I give you my word; I was not involved in the Council’s capitulation to politics. Unlike the few who abstained, I voted ‘Nay,’ but it seems all Tau…their…scheming is for naught. My thoughts go with you, young man.”
Valera walked past Gavin as she left the room, reaching a hand up to deliver a supporting squeeze to Gavin’s shoulder as she passed.
Gavin stood in silence for several moments, contemplating the exchange. He did not think Valera would’ve been the type to countenance such as what the Council tried to do. On the surface, he knew she could easily have been lying, but he didn’t see that as likely. Marcus, after all, chose her for the post of Collegiate Justice, and he would not have chosen a compromiser.
Gavin turned to leave the classroom and stopped cold. A man stood in the doorway. He wore the brown robes of an initiate with no wizards’ medallion. His sandy blond hair was well-groomed, as was his Van Dyke beard. Gavin had the unshakable feeling that he’d seen the man somewhere before.
“Do you have a moment?” the man asked.
Gavin shrugged. “I don’t see why not. How can I help you?”
“I was attending the hearing, and I-”
“If you intend to threaten or coerce me to call off the duel,” Gavin said, interrupting the man, “you might as well save your breath.”
“No, no…not at all,” the man said, moving over to sit at an empty seat near the door. “I merely wished to discuss the matter. It seems a dangerous route to take.”
Gavin sighed and walked up the steps to a desk a couple levels below the man and turned its chair to face him before sitting. “That young man has done this before, and if left unchecked, he would do it again once he felt safe enough. There is a reason what he’s done is clearly spelled out as a capital offense in the Code.”
“Ah…so, you are a vigilante then, pursuing the cause of justice.”
“No, not at all,” Gavin said, shaking his head. “It’s…well, it’s like this. There is no doubt in my mind that what he did and was trying to do is wrong. I simply could not stand idly by and watch him walk away to do it again. Fortunately, our system provided me an option. I would hate to think what I might have done if all my options were illegal.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” the man said, rising to his feet. “Be careful. There’s no telling how this will spiral after you win your duel.”
“How do you know I will win?” Gavin asked as he watched the man walk toward the door.
The man stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder, saying, “I know who trained him, and I know who trained you. There can be no other outcome.”
“You’re not a student here, are you?” Gavin asked.
The man stopped again and turned to face Gavin once more, a small smile curling his lips as he said, “We are all students, Gavin; my first studies took a path very similar to yours…only many, many years ago.”
With that, the man turned and disappeared around the edge of the doorway.
Chapter 28
The morning after the hearing, Gavin sat in the armchair by the hearth, writing in his journal, when a fierce pounding erupted on the suite’s door. After setting aside his journal, ink, and stylus, Gavin went to the door and opened it, finding two Inquisitors standing in the hallway. They both looked imposing in their black robes trimmed in crimson, but the fact that one of them only came up to his fellow’s shoulder added humor to the situation.
“What could possibly be so important that you make such a racket at this ungodly hour?” Gavin asked. “I’m not even sure the sun has risen yet.”
“You are charged with gross violations of College policies,” the taller Inquisitor said. “You will accompany us to the office of the Collegiate Justice.”
Gavin frowned. “That makes no sense. Which policies am I accused of violating?”
“We are not privy to the actual complaint. The Chief Inquisitor instructed us to collect you.”
“Oh, bother,” Gavin said. “You guys might as well come inside while I wash and get dressed.”
“Our orders are to bring you immediately,” the shorter Inquisitor said.
Gavin shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m not going to deal with the frustration produced by Tauron’s stupidity without a quick wash and some fresh clothes. You’re welcome to wait in a comfy chair or wait in the hallway, but you’ll be waiting nonetheless.”
The Inquisitors looked at each other for a moment. The shorter one shrugged.
The taller Inquisitor said, “we’ll accept that offer of chairs.”
The walk downstairs to Valera’s office was quick but unhurried. The halls were vacant; not even the overachiever students had started moving yet. Gavin found the outer office where Valera’s assistant Sera usually sat to be empty, and he stopped cold when he saw Tauron sitting behind Valera’s desk.
“What took you so long?” Tauron asked, glaring at the two Inquisitors behind Gavin. “Have trouble finding him?”
“They interrupted me, Tauron,” Gavin said, “and I told them I wasn’t going anywhere without washing up and changing clothes. If you want to be mad that you weren’t instantly obeyed, blame me.”
Gavin watched Tauron’s jaw tighten as he continued to glare at the Inquisitors.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Tauron said.
Gavin sighed. “I’d like to see a copy of the complaint filed against me.”
“Well, you can’t,” Tauron snapped, transferring his scowl to Gavin.
“That’s odd. I’m pretty sure anyone charged with violating the Code has to be provided full documentation of the charges.”
Tauron’s face and neck reddened. He slapped the desk with an open palm, saying, “I am the Chief Inquisitor of the Society of the Arcane, not to mention the Magister of Evocation! You do not lecture me on the Arcanists’ Code!”
“He should when you’re being a damned fool, Tauron,” a new voice said, and Gavin recognized it. He looked over his shoulder and saw Marcus standing in the doorway of Valera’s private office. Marcus’s arms were crossed in front of his chest, and he bestowed a most unfavorable scowl on Tauron, while the two Inquisitors started edging away from the door. “Does Valera know you’re in her office?”
“This is not your concern, old man! Leave at once, or I’ll have you named a renegade…as I should’ve done many years ago!”
Marcus continued to scowl at Tauron but uncrossed his arms, motioning for Gavin leave.
“If you walk out that door, boy, you’ll be making a powerful enemy,” Tauron said as Gavin started to rise.
Marcus approached Valera’s desk, leaning forward to rest his palms flat on it as he said, “Tauron, if you so much as frown at my apprentice after today, I will challenge you to a duel on the spot. And when you accept, because your ego won’t let you admit what a coward you are, I’ll burn you down to ash where you stand. Gavin…we’re leaving.”
Marcus turned and walked behind Gavin as they left Tauron sputtering in rage, and Gavin started just a bit, surprised at seeing Declan leaning against the wall in the corridor outside. Marcus closed the outer door behind him without even looking back.
“Your note said you might be gone as long as two weeks, Marcus,” Gavin said as they approached the Grand Stair. “Did you accomplish everything you need to do?”
“Not entirely, no. Declan contacted me when he saw those Inquisitors take you out of the suite and followed you to see where you were going. I know these old halls so well that I almost didn’t need the teleportation marker in the vestibule here.”