A Spell Misplaced, page 28
part #4 of Gags & Pepper: Protection Agents Series
“It is a bit vague. All I know is you were north of here and recognized.”
“Which I was. I happened to meet Vincent West. He had a large scouting force burning every building at Browning’s estate.”
“And you still managed to infiltrate and escape?” the officer asked.
“I’m good at infiltrating and escaping,” Gags said. “I did it for the magicians army on Atto. My companions are ex-soldiers like me.” He wasn’t going to say more about his foray to Temperton, not knowing who this man was. Many people knew him as Duke Vingus Gags in Baxterton and that Dyre was an ally.
“Do you know what my status is in Baxterton? I left under an order of death,” Gags said.
“Your status is uncertain. Captain Dyre’s orders were to escort you back to Baxterton should you come through here.”
“Tomorrow,” Gags said. “I need to be rested for tomorrow. Anything can happen in the capital.”
“You are right about that. The Manxists are already clashing with the royalists. There have even been open fights on the city’s streets,” the officer said.
“I didn’t catch your name?” Gags said.
The officer smiled, but he blushed. To Gags, that meant the man was getting ready to lie.
“Lieutenant Will Highbank,” Highbank extended his hand. Gags could feel the sweat on the man’s palm.
The serving woman showed up. “Sorry, it’s been busy this afternoon with all the soldiers in town.”
“Fruit wine?” Gags asked.
“We have cider. Will that work?”
“I haven’t tried that before,” Gags said.
“Anything red made with grapes for me,” Highbank said. “I hear you traveled east.”
Gags told him about Goldworthy, finding out that Highbank had been through there many times.
“We ended up in Castlewhit,” Gags said.
“How did you ever get in without connections?”
“We earned our entrance tokens but ended up staying longer than we intended. The people of Castlewhit are nice enough in their own way,” Gags said.
“Not from what I hear. They imprison anyone who tries to sneak in.”
“They do,” Gags said. “What about you? What have you done since all this uproar has happened?”
The drinks arrived, and they sat silently and drank for a bit. Miria and Darlia entered the common room, looking a little agitated, and walked over to Gags’s table.
“My ladies are here,” Gags said.
“This is Darlia Westmount and Miria Dorling.”
“Lady soldiers,” Highbank nodded. “Will Highbank, at your service.” He stood and bowed before sitting back down.
Gags noted a table of soldiers starting when Highbank stood. Of course, all was not what it seemed, and Gags remembered that Grant wore a different uniform from the one Highbank wore, but that didn’t necessarily mean Highbank didn’t work for Grant Dyre.
“The market had closed as we got there,” Darlia said. “It seems there are enemy forces on their way.”
“Whose enemy?” Highbank asked.
Darlia smiled and looked at Gags, who raised his eyebrows. “Browning’s soldiers. Manxist turncoats have reinforced him, and rumors are Browning wants to use Redwater as a staging point for an assault on the capital.”
Funny,” Gags said, turning to Highbank. “You said the count’s forces were broken and moving to join the former prime minister’s army.”
Highbank shrugged. “You know market rumors. They are always wrong.”
An officer wearing a uniform like Highbank’s entered the common room. “Muster time. The enemy will be here by tomorrow morning.”
The soldiers in the common room emptied their mugs, flagons, and goblets before filing out. The four soldiers remained staring at Highbank and looking nervously at Gags and the two women.
Highbank stood this time and stayed standing. He began to draw his sword, but Miria grasped his wrist, and Highbank crumpled to the floor.
Gags smiled at the commoners and the four soldiers. “I drugged his drink,” Gags said, leaning over to finish drawing Highbank’s sword, looking at the soldiers. “And why didn’t you muster with the other troops?”
The men stood up, looking at the two women drawing their weapons and Gags, who had entered the common room with only a knife in his boot but was now armed.
“It’s time to tell us where your loyalties are,” Gags said, nodding to Miria and Darlia, who stood.
The men jumped up, letting their chairs fly as they drew their swords and charged them.
Miria fought a single soldier and struggled to keep her sword up after a few exchanges. Darlia quickly dispatched her opponent and helped down Miria’s foe.
“Why do I always get two?” Gags said as he fought with the pair, drawing them away from Darlia and Miria.
The commoners scattered to get out of the way as Gags continued to give way to the soldiers’ advances. Darlia finished with Miria’s soldier, and when Darlia and Gags fought together, the fight didn’t last long.
Miria stood with her sword, point down, watching Darlia pat Gags on the back.
Gags walked to the server. “We need whatever you have to take with us. A couple of meals, whatever you can throw together. We will be back down when we get our things.”
He threw Highbank over his shoulder, tossing the officer's sword at one of the soldier’s bodies.
Back in their room, Gags sighed. “We need a little more information from Will Highbank, whatever his real name is. Get your things together. I don’t want to get into a battle, not knowing who my enemies are.”
They gathered their things while Gags used whatever he could to tie Highbank to a bed with his arms and legs spread out.
“Would you wake him, Miria?” Gags asked.
“You sound more like Pophius again,” Miria said.
Gags laughed. “No one can sound like Pophius.”
She woke Highbank.
“Who are you?” Gags asked. “All you need are noble connections to know who I am, and it wouldn’t take too much investigation to know I was north of here.”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Perhaps you value your life,” Gags said. “Your men didn’t last very long against us. You might not last very long up here if you don’t tell us why you approached me in the common room.”
“I am Vance Netherton, a Manxist under the command of Count Paul.”
“I’ve heard or met you before,” Gags said, looking at the officer more closely.
“You did at a ball not long after you arrived in Baxterton. Browning sent men to stop Vincent West from burning down his estate. One of the men you thought died in the conservatory survived the fire after you left. He gave his description of you before he, uh, died.”
“Before you killed him,” Darlia said.
“I didn’t kill him,” Netherton said.
“Not you, but one of your men did,” she said.
“Perhaps. Since you ran away from the estate and would want to avoid the battles, since you did that heading to Count Paul’s manor, you would probably travel through Redwater. Paul will be here tomorrow, and you’ll be caught,” the officer said.
“And killed?” Gags asked.
Netherton shrugged.
“Put him to sleep. We’ve already paid for the room,” Gags said to Miria. “If you would be so kind, that is.” Gags smiled at Miria, who obliged.
They lugged their bags downstairs, now fully armed.
“We are leaving now,” Gags said. “The rumors about Browning’s army heading this way are true. We will take our chances out of Redwater.”
They collected their food, which was waiting for them, and left the inn. When they arrived, the relaxed atmosphere vanished, and refugees mingled with townspeople rushing around in the streets. They almost reached the southern gate to the town when they were attacked by a small force of Browning’s soldiers. Commoners spread out when they realized there would be a fight between five soldiers, two women and a man.
The fight was over in seconds since Gags used his magic, and when Gags resorted to using his power, Darlia and Miria did, too. The soldiers were left in the streets as they hurried out the gate, following the stream of people seeking refuge behind the city walls of Baxterton.
Chapter Thirty
~
T he sun was setting when they reached the capital. The gates were open, and Gags hunched down as they used the stream of people to hide their return. Gags remembered the way to the warehouse.
“The boss isn’t in,” one of the men said, “but we recognize you from before.”
The horses were taken away, and two men helped them with their bags, taking them to the familiar conference room.
Miria walked around the room. “It looks different from when I was here before. I viewed everything through different eyes,” she said.
“We might as well eat,” Gags said.
Gags watched Miria eat as much as Darlia. Her formerly skinny, waiflike body was filling out nicely since the hunter’s shack.
Gags put his head on the table and slept. He was awakened sometime later by Eliza. He looked around to see Darlia and Miria still sleeping. Miria was propped up in a corner, snoring a little.
Gags rose and left the conference room with Eliza.
“Where is my wagon?” she asked.
“We had to leave it behind. I’m afraid you’ll have to add it to the bill,” Gags said. “We had to leave Browning’s estate out a side gate, and the wagon didn’t fit.”
“An adventure-filled few days?” she asked, folding her arms.
“Do you want me to tell you now, or can we do it as a group?”
“The woman with the blonde hair is the unicorn?”
“Miria Dorling,” Gags said. “She is the same.”
Eliza nodded her head. “Is she all right?”
“Not quite,” Gags said. “The last five years left a mark. How deep and how permanent, I don’t know.”
“She didn’t run into your arms when you saved her?”
Gags shook his head. “No, but it was worth doing. I owed her.”
“From what I can see, she is the one who should be owing you.”
Gags sighed. “I was there when Miria was captured,” Gags said. “I couldn’t do anything but retreat.”
“So, you spent the next five years waiting to save her? I’d say you are at least even.”
“But life doesn’t work that way,” Gags said, “does it? Where are Otto and Lucian?” Gags asked.
“Otto is on an errand for me, and Lucian has changed residences.”
“Ann West?”
Eliza nodded. “You are all right?”
“Tired. We had to fight a few times on the way, and Miria is relearning how to be a soldier and use her human body.”
“You can go back to sleep. I’ll get some blankets. We will talk in the morning. Your fighting days are not over, not at all.”
~
Gags was the last to wake. Darlia and Miria had left the conference room, so Gags exited to visit a washroom and walk out of the kinks from sleeping on the floor. A pallid sun struggled to light up the warehouse as it emerged from the morning fog.
Flora Baker walked into the warehouse and spotted Gags.
“We need your expertise,” Flora said.
“Who is we, Eliza or Lord Pearton?” Gags asked.
“The king,” Flora said.
“Have I been forgiven?” Gags asked.
“You have. The order rescinding your death sentence has been signed and distributed. Lucian presented the scepter to the king two days ago, and the unrest within the city calmed down.”
“I didn’t know there was unrest,” Gags said.
“You’ve been gone for almost two months. King David has had to hang on the entire time as Manxists, and the Royalists loyal to Benjamin Julius began to become more vocal, and then the Manxists resorted to violence.”
“Admiral West has declared himself to be a Manxist sympathizer?”
“Not quite. The admiral is waiting to see who prevails,” Flora said.
“So what does the king demand of me?”
“That is the question I came here to ask. What can you do to preserve the throne?” Flora said.
“Is it worth preserving?” Gags asked.
Flora blinked her eyes. “Have you chosen a faction?”
Gags shook his head. “Not at all. From what I can see, my task is to pick the least bad out of everyone. So far, the king is ahead. I have a few demands to make. Let’s call it a negotiation.”
“What do you want to negotiate?” Flora asked.
“I want an end to the Baxterian breeding program. There are other ways to get fresh blood into the royal lines,” Gags said.
“That’s it?” Flora asked.
“It is my major concern. I’m willing to discuss it with the king in exchange for providing advice and the services of four ex-magicians war veterans.”
“Four?” Flora asked.
“The unicorn was in my unit,” Gags said. “Miria’s not a unicorn, now.”
“I didn’t think of her as a combatant,” Flora said.
“Miria is still finding out if she still is, but she needs a purpose outside herself, and with Darlia as a partner, I think she can help. When do we visit King David?”
“As soon as you are ready.”
“And that means breakfast first.” Gags said.
Eliza walked up to them. “Time to get together. I’ve arranged a meal. Otto has returned and will join Flora, me, and your trio in the conference room. I’ll join you there.”
Flora joined Gags as he returned to the conference room. Miria and Darlia wore dresses.
“Where did you get those?” Gags asked. “You both look much less menacing.”
“It was Miria’s idea. We slipped out with one of Eliza’s female employees and were able to buy clothes more suitable for life in the capital,” Darlia said. “Our visit to the Redwater was cut short, if you recall.”
“And for a good reason,” Gags said. He felt slightly defensive when he said it, but Gags reminded himself there was no need.
“Eliza will join us,” Flora said. “Gags’s situation with the crown has been resolved as well as your presence in Baxter. You will have the proper papers later this morning,” Flora said. She turned to Miria. “You look much better in a dress.”
“Than in the shape of a unicorn?” Miria asked.
Flora put a hand to her face. “I’m sorry, that might have come out wrong. I didn’t mean any offense.”
“I’m uncertain if I’m offended, anyway,” Miria said. “I’m still coping with everything.” She looked at Gags and then focused on adjusting her right sleeve.
Lucian, Otto, and Ann burst into the conference room.
“They weren’t going to let us in until Otto came to the rescue,” Lucian said. His eyes found Miria.
“I can’t believe Gags did it. Do you remember me?”
Miria jumped up and hugged Lucian. “Thank you for helping Gags through all his trials. It’s easier to thank you as a woman than a unicorn.”
“You are the one who’s had the trials,” Lucian said.
“Ann,” Miria said. “Thank you for your help rescuing me.”
“Do you remember everything?” Ann asked.
“I do. Being regarded as an animal makes life a bit claustrophobic, but it doesn’t insulate me from my surroundings.”
“I can imagine,” Ann said.
Ann looked at Gags to say something, but Gags didn’t know what to say.
Breakfast and Eliza showed up, and any awkwardness disappeared as Gags, Miria, and Darlia were hungry. Flora asked most of the questions about the trip to Browning’s estate and back.
“Let me look at the swords,” Otto asked after discussing their find in the blacksmith’s workshop.
“There are a few masters in Oroia who have chosen to remain hidden for whatever reason. These are exquisite,” Otto said. “You’ll find fancier blades in Baxter, but none better for fighting, I’ll wager.”
Gags showed Otto his knife.
“Almost a matched set,” Otto said. “Perfect for a competent soldier.”
“And for a duke who knows his weaponry,” Lucian said.
Eliza cleared her throat. “Perhaps a quick description of the rest of the journey.”
Flora stopped Gags when he described running into Will Highbank.
“There is no Will Highbank in Captain Dyre’s service,” Flora said.
“We figured that out,” Gags said. He repeated the conversation as best as he could remember, and Darlia and Miria corrected a few things when Gags interrogated the bound officer.
“I can see the count running an operation to assassinate me, but not Julius or West,” Gags said. “I didn’t feel West considered me a threat like Browning did, and the same goes for Benjamin Julius.”
“That makes sense. I’ll send your observations along,” Flora said.
“The rest, you can surmise. We entered Baxterton amidst a flood of refugees,” Gags said.
“So, now what?” Gags asked. “I’m ready to leave for Peria on the next ship, but Flora says King David needs us. We aren’t powerful enough to go up against entire armies.”
“First, an audience. Lucian and Ann have talked to the Minister and have a better idea of what you can do than I do. It still involves the civil war, even though you won’t be fighting an entire army.”
“It has to do with the scepter,” Lucian said. “He wants someone to wield it on the city streets. The king thinks you should do it since you are a duke.”
“What about a certain prince I know,” Gags said.
Lucian looked at Miria before replying. “A certain prince is attached and would be a second alternative. The exercise is to attract rebels.”
“He wants me as bait?” Gags asked. “I take the scepter on the streets and wait for a flock of arrows to pierce my body?”
“Something like that,” Lucian said.
“No,” Gags said. “We will have to come up with something else.”
“What is so special about a scepter?” Miria asked.
“It is an ancient artifact,” Gags said. “It used to be wielded by an ancient queen who had to have been a magician, but all we know is that a little magic will cause a blue stone to light up.”
