We'd barely made it two steps out of the Guild Secretary's office when we heard the stomp of booted feet and quickly found ourselves surrounded by Guild Security.
There were almost a hundred of them. Each almost identical in appearance and definitely identical in uniform. Brown tunics over brown pants, with the Guild badge pinned to their chest. Metal helmets, heavy boots, and solid batons in their fists.
Their expressions were neutral to the point of giving me the feeling they were looking down on me.
I didn't take it personally. All policemen seemed to have that expression.
One of them, however, was very different.
He wore a flowing blue robe edged with gold trim. His badge was on his chest, but it was larger and more ornate.
His face was attempting to be neutral, but as he spoke it started leaning into a sneer. There was more than a hint of weasel to him.
"Excuse me sir," he said calmly. "Would you be so kind as to present your Visitor's Pass for inspection?"
I thrust my jaw out, giving him a glare which I hoped conveyed my disappointment in him. As the obvious Head of Guild Security, he should know who I was and shouldn't be giving me a difficult time.
"I don't have one."
"Then I'm afraid we will have to ask you to leave the premises," he said, injecting a note of regret into his voice. As though he related to my cause but had his hands tied by bureaucratic processes. Another skill all policemen instinctively learn.
"I would very much like to leave," I told him. "I would like nothing better, in fact. However, I came here for a reason, and I won't be leaving until I've seen the Headmaster."
"The Headmaster is extremely busy," he said. "But I'll be happy to take you to him if you have a Visitor's Pass and Form 38-C stamped by a Department head from Division 12 or 4."
"Where can I get a Visitor's Pass?"
"At the Security Office, sir."
"And where is that?"
"I understand that it is temporarily out of order, sir." He paused, the smirk struggling to be contained. "Perhaps sir could return another day?"
"You can give him a Temporary Pass, Colin," Enid said. "It would save time. And possibly lives."
The glance he gave her was positively venomous. "I'm afraid I've left my Temporary Passes in my other robe."
"What a coincidence," I said through my teeth, feeling my stomach tighten a little. I was getting very tired of all this mookishness. "As it appears I've left my patience in my other coat."
"I would advise you not to try anything silly, sir," he said, looking like he hoped I would try something silly. That's another thing about policemen. They do seem to enjoy whacking you on your unconscious bonce while screaming at you to stop resisting. "And I strongly advise you to return another day."
"Colin," Enid sighed. "Please don't do this. For your own safety, just give him the pass and let him through."
"Enid Squelch," the Head of Security growled. "The Headmaster has declared you to be dead. It has already been announced that you bravely sacrificed yourself for the security of the Guild. As such, I don't feel any concern for your wellbeing right now and would suggest you keep your mouth shut if you want a chance to explain yourself to the Headmaster."
"Right," she said, taking a step behind me. "Sorry to interrupt, Taran. I won't do it again. Do please carry on."
I felt my blood running very hot inside my veins.
"You have one job," I hissed at him. "One singular task. To protect the lives and security of the Guild. That is all."
"You don't need to tell me my job," the old man shot back. "I've been doing it for five months now. I know what I'm doing!"
"Then you would know it is not your job to threaten the lives of Guild Members!" I jabbed a finger at him. "That is one of your Core Rules! Yet, here you are threatening the life and safety of one of your own who is, I might add, my prisoner!"
"Thank you," Enid murmured.
"Now, I came here to address some concerning behaviour by the Guild, who have been harassing three very innocent young ladies for no reason. I expected it all to be a misunderstanding which could be resolved over a cup of tea and some biscuits I even brought my own biscuits. Chocolate chip. No, you can't have one." I found myself raising my voice, which wasn't something I was used to doing. I was also waving my arms. How exciting! "I did not expect to discover such a level of corruption as this. I did not expect to be attacked, imprisoned, and now forcefully ejected. Now. I may have followed you with only an appropriate amount of fuss. I have always attempted to jump through the ridiculous hoops of yours in order to see the Headmaster. Whether it is Form 38, 39 or 52, I never cared. But this is one step too far. I will not stand for this blatant display of abject mookery!"
"Then you leave me no choice," he rasped, his fingers delving into his robe.
Before I could do anything, he pulled out a talisman, which he lifted high into the air.
It burst with golden light, bathing the hall in its oppressive aura.
I felt a warmth slide over me like a hot Summer wind which had spent a few days soaring over the scorching sands of a desert.
My mana, always present, suddenly felt cut off.
I couldn't reach it to cast any spells.
"A Suppression Token!" Enid gasped as she also felt the loss of her connection to magic. "Run, Taran!"
"Run?" I gave her a genuinely puzzled look. "Why should I run?"
"He's suppressed your mana!"
"I think you'll find, sir," Colin, Head of Guild Security, said in a tone I'd describe as very smug indeed. "That you are no longer capable of casting any spells. You will, therefore, be coming with us. After we put these on you, of course."
Two of his mooks stepped forward, chuckling as they held up some rather bullish looking chains. One set for my wrists, and another for my arms.
They didn't look very comfortable.
"Are they also suppressed?"
"I'm sure you know the answer to that, sir," he said, his apologetic tone ruined by the sneer which finally unleashed itself. "Now. You can come along peacefully, or you can resist and be beaten into submission. It's all the same to me."
"Hmm." I crossed my arms. "And where do you think you'll be taking me?"
"To the General Meeting to start with," he grinned. He looked very happy with his victory. "After that, the Headmaster has set aside a room just for you where you can wait for the Emperor to arrive."
"The Emperor is coming?" Enid blinked. "Here?"
"The Headmaster has sent an invitation," Colin said. "We're expecting an answer from him at any moment."
As Enid let out a resigned moan, I thrust out my arms.
"Very well," I said. "You seem to have thought of everything."
Enid's jaw dropped. "Taran?"
"No, Enid," I said. "I know when I'm beaten. Without mana, I'm just a normal person like everybody else. I apologise for the inconvenience I have caused you today. I hereby formally release you so you can return to your class."
"Oh, I think Miss Squelch ought to stay with us for now," Colin said. His oily words almost made me throw up. "The Headmaster will no doubt wish to… discuss your future, Miss Squelch."
Her shoulders slumped as two more guards stepped forward with another set of restraints.
I felt the manacles clamp around my wrists and sighed.
My mana was completely cut off.
Not even a drop was coming through.
It was a strange sensation. Like having a leg chopped off.
Only when the two guards had tight holds on my arms did Colin approach. The old mage's sneer was positively radiant. I couldn't remember a time when I'd seen anyone look quite so mooky before.
With a delighted hurrumph, he swung his arm to slap me quite hard in the jaw.
Not enough to buckle my knees, for sure, but enough for me to lose a little swagger. Before I could open my mouth to tell him what I thought of him, he did it again.
And again.
Stopping only when he saw my frown was just creasing deeper into my forehead.
"That's for our Library," he hissed.
I forced a smile, ignoring the taste of blood in my mouth. "What Library?" I asked. "You don't have a Library. You barely have a shelf."
He raised his arm again, this time his fingers curled into a fist.
Rage made his whole body tremble.
Then he nodded as he forced calm back into his eyes and let the sneer do its damage to my heart. Which wasn't all that much. I was used to people sneering at me.
Mudge did it all the time.
"I can't wait for the General Meeting to be over," he purred. "I plan on asking the Emperor for front row seats when he unleashes the Imperial Questioners on you. I expect to hear you scream then, Taran. And when you're screaming, I want you to listen. Listen very hard. Because you'll hear me laughing. Do you hear me now?"
He forced a laugh, which I thought was a little melodramatic of him.
But what was a little creepy was all his guards started laughing along with him as though he'd told the most delightful joke.
"What's the matter, Taran?" He asked, squaring up to me. "Why aren't you laughing, too?"
"Very well," I said. "If you want me to laugh, I shall. But I find it very difficult to laugh with you, so I'll settle for laugh at you if that's alright."
And I cackled.
I cackled with absolute glee as his face went red with rage.
I cackled as he screamed at his men to make me stop.
And when they stuffed my mouth with someone's sock, I cackled.
I was still cackling as Colin kicked open a set of two very large doors and I was dragged into a large circular room and chucked roughly into the centre for everybody to get a good look at.
Only when I saw the Headmaster sitting calmly on his throne did I stop.
"Ah, Taran," he said, leaning forward and showing his white teeth. "It's so good to see you, old boy. You look well. That's good. Very good. I'd hate for you to die too soon."