“This is my castle,” the King said.
“No, this is the castle of a king, not a sniveling, selfish coward. Don’t think I was not aware of your greedy attempts to bring me into your service. You are no different than your son. You wanted to use my power for your own gain. You could have stopped this war, but the truth is you wanted it. You want me to wipe out that army so that you will rise in power among the Five Kingdoms. I am no fool. Stop treating me like one.”
“Zollin,” came a weak voice from behind him.
The wizard turned quickly and saw his father, looking at him through glazed eyes. The power that had been building in Zollin waned, the energy stopped flowing, and his voice became normal.
“Father,” he said, rushing to Quinn’s bedside. “How do you feel?”
“Like I should be dead,” he said.
“I need to do more work on you,” Zollin said.
He started to send his magic into Quinn again but his father stopped him by taking his hand.
“Wait,” he said. “You need your rest. Tell me what is happening.”
“Brianna is gone,” Zollin said. “The dragon took her.” There were tears in Zollin’s eyes. “Mansel is here, but he killed Kelvich. What has happened to him?”
“There’s a witch in Lodenhime,” Quinn said. “We were there looking to sail north with Prince Wilam.”
“Does my son live?” King Felix asked from over Zollin’s shoulder.
“Yes, he lives. But he has been bewitched. We all were. She casts some type of spell over men, and they forget everyone and everything else but her. She sent Mansel and me to bring you to her, Zollin. She wants you. You have to stay away from her.”
“I will, I promise,” Zollin said.
“We will deal with this witch once we have pushed Offendorl back into the sea,” King Felix said. “See to your people, Zollin. I will see to the defense of our kingdom.”
The King left the room and Zollin felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He wasn’t proud of the way he had acted. It seemed like the world was against him. At one point, not long after he had discovered his powers, when he was still living in Tranaugh Shire, he felt as if the world was his for the taking. He had never heard of anyone who could do the things he was able to do. But now, despite all his powers, he felt helpless. Brianna was gone, his father was still not well, and Mansel had betrayed him. Now, he had been forced to confront his own King and fight a war he did nothing to start.
“Kelvich told me something about you, Zollin,” Quinn said. “He told me you would wake up the magical world. Everything is changing and change can be hard, but you aren’t alone. You can make the world a better place, but it won’t be easy. Making things better takes work, but you’ve never shirked a task, son. I’m very proud of you.”
“Oh, no,” Zollin said, as tears came pouring from his eyes. “I’ve ruined everything,” he moaned.
“No, you haven’t. Sometimes you have to clear away the rubble before you can rebuild something good. We have to do what we can to make things better Zollin. You and I.”
“I can’t do it alone,” Zollin said.
“You aren’t alone. I’m here. I’ll always be here for you. I love you.”
“I love you, too, dad.”
Quinn feel asleep after that and once Zollin had eaten he healed his father, Mansel, and Commander Corlis completely. It was late, well past midnight, when he finished. He was tired but he knew that he couldn’t rest until had made one thing perfectly clear.
He climbed slowly up the steps to the King’s personal quarters. The big, wooden doors, both elaborately carved with horses, were still open. The King sat with a goblet of wine, staring into a fire that had been kindled in the large stone fireplace.
“May I come in?” Zollin asked.
King Felix looked up and then nodded.
“What do you suspect the army will do?” Zollin asked.
“I don’t know,” the King said. “Offendorl is a powerful wizard. He may have plans up his sleeve that we can’t imagine.”
“If I take him out, what will happen?”
“Again, that depends,” said King Felix. “If Baskla or Ortis sends troops to reinforce the armies from Osla and Falxis, then we’ll be lucky to survive at all.”
“How did this happen?” Zollin asked. “Is it really all because of me?”
“You know, I’m not a very wise man, Zollin. I’ve had the benefit of being King, but I didn’t earn this position, I inherited it. My choices, good or bad, have long-lasting consequences that impact thousands of people, most of whom I don’t even know. That’s just the way life is for me, and for you.”
“We have to stop the fighting,” Zollin said. “Do you think the army will leave if you turn me over to the Torr?”
“Not without exacting a great number of concessions from Yelsia.”
“Still, people might live,” Zollin said.
“Surrender would allow people to live, that is true. I thought we could beat that army. I thought you would come in and fight for us, but that was foolish of me. I’m afraid I haven’t been very kingly when it comes to you, Zollin. I thought I could use you to elevate Yelsia, but what I really wanted was to elevate myself. To do something my father and his father hadn’t been able to do. I wanted to stand up to the Torr and be truly independent once more, like the kingdoms of old. Yet here I sit, defiant and surly, but still just a man. I don’t know what I want anymore.”
“I know what I want,” Zollin said. “I want peace. I want to live my life without being hunted by the Torr. I’ve wrestled with what to do since Branock led the wizards of the Torr to my village. It seems like death and destruction follow me wherever I go.”
“I don’t know what is best for you, Zollin,” the King said. “But I know this: Offendorl rules the wizards of the Torr like they are his slaves. I don’t know much about magic, but I doubt you’ll find what you’re looking for with him.”
“So how do we get out of this mess? I don’t want to slay armies. That’s a road I’m not willing to walk down. I know that in the past wizards were used to fight battles, but I don’t want to kill people. That’s not who I am or who I want to be.”
King Felix looked at Zollin for a long time without speaking. Then he sighed and nodded his head.
“No, it isn’t. I’m sorry I pushed you toward that, Zollin. I let my own ambitions cloud my judgement.”
“And I have let my grief cloud mine. I’m sorry too,” Zollin said.
“I will send messengers to seek peace in the morning. I would appreciate your help in that matter,” the King said, “if you are comfortable serving as a counselor to your King. I promise I won’t force you to do anything against your will.”
“Well, I’m going to get a little sleep, then,” Zollin said. “I’ll see you in the morning, Sire.”
“Sleep well,” King Felix said as Zollin left.
The King waited for an hour before he rang the little bell that summoned his personal servant. The man was still wiping sleep from his eyes when he appeared.
“I want you to find Commander Hausey for me,” he said. “I want to see him here, and I don’t want anyone else to know about it. Is that clear?”
“Yes, my King,” said the servant.
“Good, go quickly. He should be in the military compound.”
The servant bowed and hurried from the room. King Felix stood up and drained the last of the wine from his goblet. Then he went to his desk and used one of the many large quills to write a message on thick parchment. He folded the paper and sealed it, pressing his ring into the soft wax to make an impression.