Givens chuckled from his shrouded seat. "Is that it, Henry? The Emperor has offered the Guild… Nothing?"
"There must be some sort of mistake," the Headmaster grumbled. "I'll write another message…"
"It didn't sound like a mistake," Jarvin called. "He seemed quite clear to me."
"And me," someone else put in.
"Be quiet," the Headmaster snapped. "I'm trying to think!"
"Does it matter if the Emperor doesn't want him?" Colin asked. "I mean, he's still chained and the Suppression Token is active. We could always just bung him in a cell and leave him there. Or stick a sword in him and be done with it. Personally, I'm all for the sword."
I went rigid with shock.
Stick a sword in me?
Such mookery!
"I think you should all negotiate with him," Enid piped up.
The Headmaster frowned at her. "The Emperor?"
"No, Henry," she said, pointing a finger to me. "Him. If I were you, I'd ask him what he wants."
"It doesn't matter what he wants," Colin hissed. "There's nothing he can do to us. Right now, he couldn't even cast a blasted Light spell! What the devil would we need to negotiate with him for? Please, Henry. Let me stick him with a sword."
"I'm beginning to see why he destroyed the Library," Enid sighed.
"Shut up, woman." Colin nodded to one of the guards who gave her an elbow in the ribs. I made a note to pop him into the void later. "You're supposed to be dead, anyway."
"About that, Henry," Givens said. "I seem to recall getting a notification that Miss Squelch was deceased. That she gave her life bravely while defending the Guild. Yet, it seems she's standing right in front of us in cuffs. Why is that? I would think someone who gave their life for the Guild ought to get better treatment than that, wouldn't you?"
"She's a traitor," Henry said, tapping wildly at his chair. "She's in collusion with him."
"Actually, she was my prisoner," I said.
"He kidnapped me," she said.
"In my defence, I needed someone to help me find my way to the Security Office," I said. "I was trying to get a Visitor's Pass."
"Is that why the Security Office was in limbo, Henry?" Jarvin asked. "You were trying to stop him getting a Pass?"
"A bit petty, isn't it?" Someone else asked.
"It's downright mooky," I said with a stamp of my foot. "Now. If someone could please remove these chains, I'd like to get on with addressing my grievances…"
"Do you have a sword, Colin?" The Headmaster asked.
"I can go get one."
"Please do."
I blinked at him, then scowled.
"Henry," Enid said, shaking her head. "You're making a terrible mistake."
"No, Enid," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I think you'll find that I'm doing the right thing. He's a void mage. And everybody knows what they're like. They're out of control psychopaths. Someone should have put him down years ago. And if the Emperor won't do it, then I'll do it for him."
"I think you ought to put that to a vote," I advised.
He waved a hand. "No need. I'm sure the Guild stands behind me."
"I don't," Enid snorted.
"And I'm not sure I do, Henry," Givens said. "I'm not at all convinced that you've done the right thing here today. You never told us you planned on coldblooded murder."
"I don't see why you're bothered by it at all," Henry said. "He's already killed three Headmasters before."
"Yes, but he's a void mage," Givens said. "Being an insane blood lusting maniac sort of comes with the territory. No offence intended, Taran."
"I'll get back to you on that," I muttered, not sure if I was offended or not.
"What I mean is, there's certain behaviours one expects of a void mage and other behaviours one expects of the Headmaster of the Mage Guild."
"I agree," Jarvin said.
"So, are we to put up with him tramping in here any time he likes and killing whomever he likes? And what about the Library, eh?"
"Well, it did need some revising," Jarvin said. "I don't even bother going there anymore."
"Perhaps we might look upon the Library incident as an opportunity for improvement?"
"I could vote for that."
"All in agreement?" Givens asked.
A chorus of ayes, with only a smattering of nays echoed from the chairs circling me.
"I think the ayes have it, Givens said. "Next topic? I suggest, in accordance with Miss Squelch's suggestion, that we vote on whether to open negotiations with the void mage."
"Stop this nonsense!" The Headmaster rose to his feet with a roar. "I am the Headmaster here. There will be no votes unless I initiate them."
"I'm back, sir," Colin cried, stomping back into the room with a sword in his hand. "I found one!"
"All in agreement?" Givens called, ignoring their exchange.
Another chorus of ayes echoed through the room.
The nays were tentative.
Two to my left.
One to my right.
And three directly behind and to the side of the door.
"I think the ayes have it, Henry," Givens chuckled.
"I don't care what you say," the Headmaster growled. "I hereby strike your vote from the record. Colin? Is your sword sharp?"
"Not very, sir."
"It's probably the sharpest thing here," Enid muttered.
"One moment," Givens said. "I'd like to address the condemned. I'm invoking my right as Council to do so. You can't veto that, Henry."
The Headmaster glared at Givens. "Get on with it, then."
"Taran," he called. "I'd like to make a few things perfectly clear. You've heard today that we authorised the Headmaster to acquire those rather unique manacles which sit about your wrists. I'm sure that disappointed you greatly to hear."
"I was a bit taken aback," I said.
"I was here for your last visit to the Guild, you know. I wasn't a Council Member at the time, though. But I was in this very room when you arrived."
I tried to recall my last visit.
It had been a few years ago.
The Headmaster had been a wily old goat. I remember he'd tried to drop a Dimensional Rift on my head. Banson's version, of course.
I could still remember the howling demons gathering about the rift's maw as it opened.
Foul things.
They smelled of bad onions.
"I'm afraid I can't see your face in the gloom," I told him. "So, I can't say I recall seeing you."
"That's alright. Perhaps we can have tea another day."
"I like tea," I said.
"So do I." He paused. "I want to say we did authorize the purchase, but our understanding was they were to be dismantled to retrieve the Suppression Crystal inside them. That Crystal was to be used in the Girls Dormitories where we've had some recent issues with bullying. The idea was to ensure restricted spells are not cast on fellow students."
"Oh," I said, thinking of the way my pretty houseguests had been treated. "That's a better use for it than clanking around my arms."
"I agree," he said, ignoring the Headmaster's gnashing teeth. "However, we also thought it to be an extravagant solution. There are more… subtle ways to police this sort of thing."
"Dasher's Dome of Restriction, for one," I agreed.
"Exactly," he said. "Much more efficient, wouldn't you say?"
"I would."
"So, it came as somewhat of a surprise to all of us today to discover the manacles had not been broken down and were instead being used to restrict your connection to your mana," he paused again. "I want to stress. It was a great surprise to us all."
"What are you doing, Givens?" Henry rounded on him. "Are you betraying the Guild? I call for your instant removal!"
"I hope I'm being very clear as to where the Council stands," Givens said, ignoring him. "And I hope you take that into account."
"I shall," I said. "Thank you for taking the time to explain it for me."
"You're welcome," he said. "Well. I see no reason to stay. I stayed last time, and it still gives me the occasional bout of the willies. No offence, Taran."
"None taken."
"Jarvin, would you like to join me for tea?"
"That'd be nice."
"Very well. Anyone else who'd like to, we'll meet in the cafeteria."
I felt a brief surge of mana and Givens was gone. Within seconds, most of the room was emptied of Council Members.
I took a half step, but was stopped by the mooks holding me.
"Where do you think you're going?" Colin hissed.
"Oh. I thought we were getting tea."
"Shut up," Colin scowled as his mooks delivered more thuds to my liver.
The Headmaster fumed as he threw himself down in his chair. He glared hatefully at my Wibbly tweed coat.
"Colin?" He huffed. "Please run him through."
"It'd be my pleasure, sir," Colin chuckled, stepping up behind me.
"And do take your time with it."
"I hope you at least cleaned it first," I said.
"Actually, I didn't," the Head of Guild Security said cheerfully.
And, with a hearty grin, plunged the blade towards my back.