Jake's Justice, Book Three of Wizards (15 page)

“I made Anna into a wizard when I was here last. She had the potential and I thought it would be a good thing.”

[You did not tell them?]

Urda spluttered and Anna looked at her hands as though they might have sprouted feathers.

“You just can’t go around turning people into wizards without telling them.”

Urda must be taking lessons from Esmeralda because she had taken up a familiar stance with hands on hips.

“I was going to tell you, but you told me I had to get back to the Palace fast.”

Urda’s face fell. “I would have helped, but the dragons locked me out and I couldn’t get through their shield.”

I put a hand on her shoulder. “It was a trap and you weren’t meant to be caught in it. The dragons seem to be good at setting traps.”

[It is in our nature.]

She brushed my hand from her shoulder and glared at me. “Do you think it’s a good thing to turn Anna into a wizard?”

“I do.” Anna came up and hugged me. “Thank you. Jake. I’ll be able to defend myself, Urda and Salice now.”

[I cannot believe Jake did not tell you.]

“I was busy, remember?”

[But still.]

Urda made shooing motions at me and Fluffy. “Go away and let me think. You are impossible, Jake Morrissey.”

You can never please some people. I thought she’d be delighted, but instead she was giving me all sorts of mixed signals.

“I shall be at the Palace for a couple of hours. Then I have to get back to
Wales
.”

[I’ll fly to the Palace. I need to stretch my wings. Can you stay out of trouble for half an hour till I get there?]

“Of course,” I said confidently.

Then I hopped to the Palace and found out I couldn’t.

15.
      
Are Worse

“Esmeralda?”

There was no response. The apartments were empty. Not even a servant to be found, though that wasn’t unusual if there was no one home. That’s what we had the pull rope system for. Each rope rang a different bell down in the servants’ quarters. There were even speaking tubes in the more modern parts of the castle. Salice had all the mod cons.

I ditched the suit and took clean clothes from the cupboards. A shudder of sorts ran through me as I found a couple of new wizards costumes hung up. Why the people of Salice wanted me to dress up as Zorro was beyond me, though it was certainly the style the Valhallan wizards favored. Salice and the other countries of this planet had been their serfs on and off for millennia. I was supposed to put a stop to that, at least locally, but instead I’d ended up making a deal with the bastards.

Back in jeans, tee-shirt and fresh underwear I stood and admired myself in the full length mirror.

“Jake!”

I jumped a foot into the air at Esmeralda’s shout.

“Have you considered ‘Hello darling’ or ‘Hail Lord Wizard’ instead of scaring me half to death.”

Esmeralda looked thoughtful. “I have now considered and rejected them. My Lord Wizard might be interested to know that we have honored guests and your presence is humbly, but urgently required.”

‘Hmm.’ A glance at my watch indicated it was ten past eleven. It would soon be time to hop back to
Wales
. “Tell them I’m busy at the moment. Perhaps tomorrow?”

Esmeralda stepped closer and smiled, one of her more frightening ones. She stroked my cheek lazily with a finger. “If my Lord Wizard would prefer we could stay here and you could take your clothes off, lie on the bed…” Suddenly her voice hardened, “…and I could circumcise you with my knitting scissors. Our guests are the three Valhallan wizards.”

Curbing an instinctive desire to protect my manhood, I appeared to consider her proposition. “Well, perhaps it would be diplomatic to drop in on them. I take it they’re with your father?”

Esmeralda smiled, this time the one that showed satisfaction. “I was sure I could talk you round. Follow me.”

It wasn’t in any way a request, but I know my place and stayed close behind her the whole way.

Esmeralda took me to a council chamber near the King and Queen’s apartment. Apart from four worried looking guards only the King, Queen and Valhallans were present. Queen Janti smiled at us as we entered and the wizards turned to face me.

“How unexpectedly good to see you in such fine health,” Meldar Lind said cheerfully. However, her eyes were cold as ice and I knew she would much sooner I was dead. Of the three Valhallans, only she actively hated me. She was an old wrinkled woman, with the sort of body you might use as a tool to chisel granite.

I took her proffered hand, which was as cold as her eyes. “And if I may return the compliment? How is young Haldane getting on these days?”

The room temperature dropped a couple of degrees. Haldane and I had a run-in and I rendered him unable to hop. For a wizard, that’s the equivalent of making him a paraplegic. Not that I regretted it because he was sick to the core. But he was Meldar’s nephew and family ties were strong on
Valhalla
.

“Wizard Morrissey,” Delft Lagan said jovially, “I understand the wedding went well and you were able to overcome your problem with the little girl. Child wizards can be such a nuisance on important days. It was a shame we had to miss it.”

The third wizard held out his hand to me. Card Brindel looked surprisingly friendly as I took his hand and shook it, each of us exchanging a curt nod. Card was Chairmen of the Wizards Association of Valhalla and the most important of the three in the room.

King Petre indicated we should sit and I moved around to be on his side of the table. Esmeralda took his right side as the designated heir to the throne and I sat beside Queen Janti on his left.

“Esmeralda?” the King said indicating she should lead the discussions. He often put her in charge and listened during meetings of state. She was always well briefed and it was a surprisingly powerful technique to underline his status. He stayed out of the fray, but everybody knew he was really in charge.

“Perhaps you can tell us the purpose of your visit now that the Lord Wizard and Defender of Salice has deigned to join us?”

Card leaned over the table and looked me in the eyes. “We are here to offer Wizard Morrissey sanctuary until the
Conference Between the Worlds
commences. Our sources indicate that several other confederations would prefer him to expire before the Conference starts.”

“And can you do that? Can you guarantee his safety?” Esmeralda asked, sounding unexpectedly eager.

“We can,” Meldar replied coldly. “It will take hundreds of our wizards, but we can muster the power to prevent even the Brethren of the Trees from reaching him.”

“Not interested,” I put in before we could waste any more time on the subject. “I have a meeting in twenty minutes and have to go.”

“Are you the slightest bit aware of the forces arrayed against you?”
Delft
asked. “You could not stand against a single Knight of Justice.”

“Been there, defeated a hundred of them. Not interested.”

There was a shocked silence in the room. I think everyone thought I was making it up.

“Even if true, you are not aware of the forces ranged against you,” Meldar said through gritted teeth. “The Brethren could kill you before you were aware you were being attacked.”

“A representative of the Brethren called Farolan visited me yesterday and said his people will not attack me. They seem unconcerned that you will know where their worlds are.”

“Come where we can protect you, Wizard Morrissey,” Card said without displaying any emotion. “You are in a game well beyond your understanding and we can keep you safe until it no longer matters. We have invested greatly in you and it will not serve our purposes or yours to see you dead.”

“No.”

Esmeralda was on her feet. “Perhaps you should go with them, Jake. Just because you have survived so far, does not mean you will survive the next battle. Think of me, Jenny and your unborn children.”

[Did I miss something?]

Fluffy’s head poked out of glim and gave me an exasperated look. [You have got yourself into trouble again. And you promised you would not.]

“No I haven’t. I’ll be with Jenny if you want to follow. This meeting is over.”

“Jake, perhaps you should listen…” Queen Janti started to say. I didn’t hear the rest of her sentence because I had hopped to outside the registry office back home.

Jenny grabbed me and hurried me up the stone steps into the building before I could catch my breath.

“They close at noon for lunch,” she explained. “I’ve spoken to the registrar and she said she’d see us if you turned up early.”

I glanced at my watch. Fifteen minutes to go. Plenty of time. Jenny knocked at a door and a voice called out, “Enter,” so we did.

A pleasant looking middle-aged woman got to her feet and offered out her hand to me.

“It’s not often we get a celebrity at the office. Please sit down Mr. Morrissey, Miss Owens.”

We sat. There was a name plate on her desk, stating she was
Pamela Black – Senior Registrar
.

“It’s obvious why you want to get married, six months at least I’d say. I’m surprised the press haven’t reported your state, Miss Owens. They seem to be fascinated by everything Mr. Morrissey has been getting up to. And you, Mr. Morrissey, you’re looking good after that coma you were in. Good enough to go out with a metal detector and end up finding treasure.”

“We’d like to organize a quick and quiet wedding in the registrar office,” Jenny said. “Jake’s only been out of his coma for less than two months, and we have had other things to take care of. What’s the fastest way we can get married?”

Pamela pursed her lips. “You both live with your parents in the same district and have done since you were born?”

We both nodded, though I had no idea what she meant by district. Since she seemed to know so much about me I decided to take her word for it.

“I showed the Registrar proof of our identities earlier, Jake,” Jenny put in. “Got yours from your mum this morning while you were out.”

“Normally we put the marriage notice up in the office for 21 days to give anybody the chance to object.”

That confused me. “Why would anybody object?”

Pamela smiled; she has a nice smile. “It’s to prevent bigamy and these days it’s mostly a tradition.
 
But you can’t get married until the 21 days are up.”

“Isn’t there anything faster?” Jenny asked.

“You are planning a civil wedding, not a church one?”

We nodded. We had already done the church marriage, big time.

“You can get married by license. That costs a bit more but you can get married the day after tomorrow with a license if you want. That would be Friday.”

“Can you fit us in on Friday?” There was more than a little pleading in Jenny’s voice.

Pamela pulled a big book across her desk and ran her finger down a page. “All booked up I’m afraid. Is Friday the week after soon enough?”

Jenny gave her the puppy dog eyes expression that has me doing whatever she wants. “There’s no chance of this Friday then?”

Pamela smiled. “Well, I really shouldn’t, but as you’re being hounded by the press I’ll make you a special case. The office locks up from noon till two on weekdays, but I’ll marry you at 12:30 on Friday if you come to the staff entrance at the back of the building.”

“That would be wonderful,” Jenny said and took her hand. “Thank you so much.”

For a few seconds they looked like mother and daughter. Then Pamela withdrew her hand and went back to her books. She became all business again and started filling out forms. “That will be £122.35 in total then.”

A shudder of panic ran through me. I might have twenty quid on me in total.

Jenny reached for her purse and took out a wad of twenties. She paid the registrar, and by the time she’d finished I had remembered to close my mouth.

“Come on, Jake,” she ordered and I obeyed.