Of Gods and Warriors ✓

Chapter 61

"Ploughing rubbish. Anyone can lie for a bit of extra coin. Especially wizardfolk." Xenro shoved him aside and made his way to the City Watch.

"Take this crook--the real one--off our hands and give us the sum promised--and we'll be off. Got supplies to buy, blades to mend. Not much time for this shite."

The City Watch captain eyed the banner. "What company are you lot from? Never heard of you before."

Xenro turned to the mercenaries , and for a moment, he only glared, desperately trying to get them to join in the act. Next, he burst into raucous, rather ungodly laughter.

Thankfully, the others got the message. They echoed his laugh, double the enthusiasm and twice the confusion.

"Byton city hires guards who can't even read?" Xenro pointed a thumb at their grey standard. "Very well. I'll spell it out for you. Stormbringers, from Wickhills. 'Course you haven't seen us around here."

The mage opened his mouth again, but the city guard cut him off, turning to Xenro. "Are you--"

"No, we ain't taking no recruits, sorry. Especially not the likes of you."

"That's not what I asked, you fool! I'm asking--are you and this lot... " The City Watch captain spared a look of disdain toward the soldiers of Kinallen. "All here for the prize money?"

"As if we have no better things to do than joining forces with random hired thugs," snarled Linder. "Keep those baseless assumptions to yourself, Captain. We're here for a comrade who's wrongfully convicted for a crime she did not commit."

The mage gestured to the other Farren in the prison wagon. "This is your precious comrade. Not that doppelganger the mercenaries brought in. She violated the law of restriction, cast immobility spells in the presence of a Council Mage and assaulted said mage with ice magic. Need I say more?"

Karles stepped forward. "You need not, because I will. I am the man she saved from the jaws of certain death. There is little reason in arguing with Council workers, some money hungry mercenary captain or city guards about it, so I will provide my testimony before the Council Head. Now if you'll excuse us."

The Council Mage stood in their way, cutting off the city guard. "I represent the Council here. The band of hooligans and that doppelganger will go no further. She goes to the stake, and the rest-- kicked out of the gates. In the name of the Council, I order the City Watch!"

"And in the name of King Forthwind, I stop you right there," came another protesting voice from among the crowd.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" snarled the mage.

"Oh, my thoughts are irrelevant. I believe this speaks for itself." Astride his mount, Marches held up his golden insignia. Beside him, Princess Lysandra drew her cowl further down her face.

White robes shimmering in the sun, the Royal Sorcerer dismounted his horse and stepped into the commotion with a tired look, as though he had better things to do than sort out an argument of little more importance than a drunken brawl.

"As far as I'm informed, the sole purpose of the Council is to oversee sorcerous activities. Deciding the fate of convicts, or who goes in and out of the city, does not concern you. Or," he said. "have I, by some highly unlikely chance, missed an amendment made to your countless code of laws?"

The mage fumbled for words, eyes stuck on the insignia, bearing the king's seal. "I--"

"If you are done, we are headed for the Council Headquarters," said Marches, and made to stride past him. The soldiers followed, and so did Xenro, hauling her along by the chains. But before they cleared out of the crowd, the mage spoke again.