Watchman Jarno,

I write this letter to you knowing I must be strong in the face of your questions. I must resist and dissemble, withholding information wherever I can.

I do this because I am in fear of my life.

The hierarchy of wizards is forged by blood. Their magical talent a gift from ages long past. Those who become the most powerful guard their abilities carefully, but in all things they must find suitable apprentices who can assist them. To protect themselves from these apprentices, the most powerful wizards make use of a geas. This is a spell designed to compel service from the apprentice, on pain of punishment, torture, or even death.

The terms of a geas are often such that the enunciation of words, written or spoken that break its rules can cause pain and suffering.

You saw the wound upon my wrist. I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

I ask that you speak with Nieril my assistant. Mention to her that I told you about the research and that you know she has the key.

Urin Ednel Braymes – Aide to Governor Tarn, Minister of Wisimir.

"That poor bastard."

Jarno leaned back in his chair and crumpled the parchment. He took out a flint and steel, lighting the candle on the table, then set the letter alight, watching it burn.

"Why, what'd he do?" Evisan asked.

"Got himself into an ogre's choice," Jarno replied. "Still, he was right. I should have read the letter before I pushed him."

Evisan shrugged. "So what's our next move?"

They were sat in the Bell and Horse common room, deserted during the day. Jarno had hoped a return to the scene might help them, or at least with a few days distance, loosen the tongue of the proprietor, but it seemed Brejyt had left the city on business. Instead an old grey beard stood at the counter wiping glasses. Of course, the missing money was now, just the start of the mess.

"We're going to need help," he decided.

"You goin' t'call in the rest of the Watch then?" Evisan asked.

"If I did, I'd need more than rumours and half truths," Jarno said, thinking hard. "Trouble is, I need to find where that proof is."

"What about the Magistry?" Evisan suggested.

"What? Break in there whilst Leel and his people are all at the Annual?" Jarno laughed. "It'd take more than just you and me to manage that." He mulled the idea over. "A better bet would be to get back into Urin's office and find that money. We might also get something out of his scribe."

Evisan shrugged. "Still need me along?"

"Probably not, but I've something else I need."

"What's that?"

"To break into the Magistry, like you said," Jarno replied, "If I find the money in the Minister's office and with the Lynchpin's help."

"Yeah, he could do it," Evisan said.

Jarno weighed up the idea. "Were you there when the courthouse was attacked?"

Evisan's thin face pinched with suspicion. "Does it mean anything if I was?"

Jarno smiled. "Not if you think I'm going to arrest you. What I need to know is how quick that was organised, and do you think we could do the same at the Magistry?"

Evisan bit his lip, but then nodded. "Should be possible."

"How long would it take to gather them up?"

"About an hour," Evisan said. "Some may not want to go against a wizard."

Jarno shrugged. "So long as we get enough to get in, Leel won't be there, he'll be at the Annual."

"What about his people?"

Jarno thought about Kathryn. She'd warned him about entering the grounds, but he'd seen fear in her eyes. She's frightened of what we can do to her, that's why she tried to warn me off. "They won't stop us," he reasoned. "They can't afford to take the risk."

"What are we looking for?" Evisan asked.

Jarno remembered the chest Grett had spoken about. "A box a foot across, which the Magister gave away a small fortune for. It'll be hidden somewhere safe."

Evisan snorted. "That building's a big place, it could take a while."

"We've time, the Tourney will keep them away," Jarno said." We need to find Grett."

Evisan smirked."I know where to find him."

---

"Minister, so good to see you again."

The familiar black robed figure stood at the door of his office. Urin felt a sliver of relief; perhaps the Magister hadn't seen the documents? His heart sank when Leel's skeletal hand appeared from under his robes, clutching Nieril's parchments.

"I think we should discuss these on the way to the Magistry," he said.

"I have much to prepare for, with Lord Meade due to arrive—"

"I will not keep you long; besides, I have news on our case."

Urin looked around; he had no option but to agree. "I'll be back in an hour Nieril," he said. "Inform the clerks to proceed with the arrangements for the guests."

"Yes sir."

Urin nodded and turned around to walk back towards the entrance.

"Follow me, Minister," Leel said.

He turned back; the Magister was walking down the corridor in the opposite direction, towards the vaults. Urin's legs twitched in the same direction. "Where are we going?"

"You know where."

Leel took him back to the spiral staircase and down into the prison vaults. As in grew darker, so did Urin's mood. "What are you going to do to me?"

The Magister laughed; a sinister sound in the darkness. "Do you think I plan to murder you in the vaults? That would be a waste after all we've been through."

"Then what do you want?"

"To show you what you have helped me create."

The dark enveloped them once more. Urin remembered being a child locked in the coal store one night when he'd misbehaved. The creature's he'd imagined in that dark had kept him frozen in the corner until his father had decided he'd had enough.

But the monsters in this darkness were real.

A shadow loomed in front of them, silent and imposing at the end of the corridor. "Ah, the first of your gifts," Leel said.

There was a flicker of movement and a light appeared, welling out of his outstretched skeletal hand. The face it illuminated was slack and vacant, dried blood around the mouth. Urin recognised him immediately as one of the criminals he'd set over with Sergeant Aster. "More of your thralls?" he said, trying to hide his disgust.

"A life given away by crime, put to a better use," Leel soothed. "Such creatures cannot be left to run wild."

"But you've killed people too," Urin blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Regrettably yes, but only in the interest of preserving life," Leel replied. "Indeed, life is my prime motive."

They moved on, into the bowels of the vaults. This time the cells were silent. Urin wondered if anyone was there as he felt his way along the wall. He held no torch, but the Magister didn't seem to need one.

"We are not alone, Minister," Leel said, guessing his thoughts. "But the occupants are much more docile today. Seventeen years ago, the father of your Lady Tarn granted me authority over your dungeons, I spoke to him about my plans to rehabilitate the transgressors of this city. We managed great things, turning hardened criminals into functionary citizens. Before our efforts, the butcher's bill was high, and the law, bought cheaply."

"I have read my history," Urin said.

"A learned man like you would have," Leel replied. "And you would know, some rules are always bent to accommodate our methods. Technically speaking, any object of magic leaving the domain of the Magistry is a defiance of the Edict," Leel laughed. "That includes me."

"If you're keen to preserve life, why did you want the woman dead?" Urin asked.

"She proved resistant," Leel said. "Something of her would not be coerced, so I could not be sure she would stay quiet alive. Perhaps I should have killed her down here myself, but there are only so many bodies we can spirit away."

"This tunnel," Urin realised aloud. "It runs all the way to the Magistry?"

"Yes it does, you must have suspected all along. We could not perform our art otherwise." Leel stopped and Urin nearly ran into the back of him, but his eyes were beginning to adjust to the lack of light and the Magister's robes were darker than everything else.

"I read your documents, looking into Maximillian's past were you?" Leel asked over his shoulder.

"Yes," Urin admitted. "I wanted to know what you paid all that gold for."

Leel chuckled in the darkness. "My friend, I asked you once what you wanted from life. What would you buy if you could buy anything in this world? You would be surprised to learn that my desires are simple, and much the same as any man."

They walked on in silence, until they came to a door at the far end of the passage. Once again, Leel's skeletal like fingers began to glow with light. He produced a long key, located the lock, the opened and swiftly moved into the next corridor, but when Urin went to follow, he found the Magister blocking his path.

"You pass through here and there is no going back."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," Leel said. "If you go back, we are enemies. Sooner or later I will move against you and have you removed from office. It is unlikely you will live after that."

Not if Jarno arrests you first, Urin thought, but dared not utter the words aloud. Instead he answered simply. "I understand."

"Good, then follow."

Urin stepped into a candle lit corridor and found himself nose to nose with another vacant bloodstained face, this time one he didn't recognise.

"When the will is burned out, they lose all capacity to care for themselves," Leel explained. "Without us, each will die of starvation within days. Through trial and error, we have learned how best to prolong their existence."

"What happens to them after that?"

"They remain... useful. I'll show you."

Leel walked onwards along the corridor and then up some stone steps at the end. Urin noticed he seemed energetic and less frail than before. He realised the Magister no longer walked with a stick. How long ago did that disappear?

They ascended in a second spiral. Torch brackets lined the walls, and Urin judged they had climbed two levels within the new building. Leel opened another door and took them into a long windowless room with what looked like a stone well at the far end. Leel walked over to it and Urin followed.

A wooden cover lay on top of the stone.

"Lift it off," Leel instructed.

Urin did as he was told. The cover was heavy, but came away easily and he placed it on the floor. Leel went to the wall and drew out one of the lit torches, handing it to him.

"Cast it into the well and see."

Again Urin did as instructed, dropping the torch into the black.

What it revealed horrified him.

Hundreds of figures stood motionless in a room below them. As the torch dropped to the ground, not one head looked up or moved.

"As you see the perfect tools, we feed the dead to the living, so nothing is wasted."

Urin coughed. "But it's inhumane."

"Civilisation is judged on the provision of its prisoners and what do societies want? These people gave up their lives when they committed their crimes. Why should we waste them on the chopping block?"

"Y-You have an army then," Urin said.

"If I needed it, yes," Leel replied. "The Geas placed upon them is far stronger than the spell I used on you. Doubtless Kathryn told you we use the same strictures upon those with the gift?"

"Yes she told me," Urin said.

"Good. Consider your constraints a compliment. I hope this practical explanation will also help you to understand your place, Minister." Leel leaned over the stone well. "Defy me and you become meat for these."

Urin swallowed. "I understand."

"Good, then let us head upstairs and I will explain what I need you for."