“No, I don’t,” Mychael said. “But if any of their questions are for you, I’ll be responding to them. You won’t have to say a word.”

“Who called the meeting?” I asked, though I had a sneaking suspicion who was responsible.

“Justinius’s secretary delivered the Twelve’s summons.”

“Is that how it’s normally done?” I asked.

“No. Usually Justinius comes to see me himself.”

I smelled a setup. “Carnades will be there.” I didn’t ask it as a question.

“He will.”

“Who’s that?” Piaras asked.

“Carnades Silvanus is the senior mage on the Seat of Twelve,” Mychael told him.

“I thought the archmagus was the senior mage.”

“He is,” I told Piaras. “Carnades is one step down.” And that fact probably galled him every day of his life.

It could just be a question-and-answer session, but with Carnades Silvanus there, he’d probably find some way to turn it into a witch hunt. I knew Carnades had it in for me, but what I didn’t understand—and didn’t like one bit—was why the Twelve had asked to see Piaras. When I was getting dressed, I added enough discreet steel to make me feel comfortable. Mychael had seen me adding the last dagger and didn’t say a word. That told me a lot about what we were walking into.

“Am I in trouble for what I did the other day?” Piaras asked quietly.

“I’m in charge of the Guardians,” Mychael told him. “If you were in trouble for putting my men to sleep, you’d be in trouble with me. It was sabotage. You’re not in trouble.”

“Then why am I here?”

“I don’t know,” Mychael said honestly. “But you’re both guests of the archmagus and under his protection. And at this moment, you’re in my citadel and under my protection.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “No one will touch either one of you.”

The old man was only going to be able to play that guest card for so long. I knew it. Mychael had to know it. Piaras didn’t need to.

Our destination was behind a pair of massive bronze doors with an only slightly less massive pair of black-robed mages standing guard. The welcoming committee had Carnades’s name written all over it.

Mychael stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Raine, when we get inside, let me answer all of the questions.”

“What, you don’t trust my diplomatic skills?”

“You don’t have any.”

“What if they ask me a direct question?”

“Just let me handle it.”

I didn’t respond. I didn’t make promises I couldn’t keep.

The mages opened the doors and stepped aside for us to enter.

This wasn’t a room for the Seat of Twelve to meet—it was a star chamber for passing judgment. The Twelve were seated on a raised dais in chairs that looked more like thrones than anything. There were a few humans; most were elves. They were highborns just like Carnades. Great. The big chair in the middle, which I assumed belonged to Justinius Valerian, was conspicuously vacant. Carnades Silvanus was standing in front of it.

Oh yeah, this was a setup.

I also knew where this was going. Piaras didn’t need to be anywhere near this room. Carnades wanted Piaras here for a reason, and I knew I wasn’t going to like it.

There were observation balconies on either side of the room. Both were occupied. Now it looked less like a setup, and more like a trap. I kept my face expressionless. I wouldn’t give anyone in the room the satisfaction.

In the balcony to the left were four black-garbed goblins. They looked like Khrynsani wannabes—they had the desire to be evil, but not the athletic ability to get through the boot camp. Bookish looking plus the desire to make the lives of others as miserable as possible. Had to be the Khrynsani lawyers.

In the other balcony were two elves. I recognized both of them. Giles Keril, the elven ambassador to Mid; and Taltek Balmorlan from elven intelligence.

I swore silently.

Mychael stepped forward. “I received a summons from the archmagus.” His voice was perfectly controlled. “Where is he?”

“The summons was in the name of the Seat of Twelve,” Carnades corrected him.

“Where is the archmagus?”

“He is unable to join us.”

“An inquest cannot take place without the full Seat of Twelve—that includes the archmagus.”

“This isn’t an inquest, Paladin Eiliesor. My colleagues and I merely want to ask a few questions. We are unanimous in that request.”

Mychael’s face betrayed no emotion as he glanced at the balcony with the two elves. “And your guests?”

“Have a vested interest in the answers.”

Vegard was standing by my right side, and bent to whisper in my ear. “Unanimous means the boss can’t stop them from asking.”

“We have received requests from our honored elven and goblin guests,” Carnades said. “Most of these requests concern Mistress Benares. We acknowledge that she is also a guest with us and under the protection of the archmagus. But as a courtesy to our other guests, we have asked you all here to answer their questions and hear their petitions in an open meeting—where we can all hear the answers.”

“We will hear our guests’ questions and petitions,” Mychael said formally.

“Like we have a choice,” Vegard muttered under his breath.

Carnades sat in his own chair, not the old man’s. I have to say I was surprised.

“The legal representatives of the royal House of Mal’Salin and the Brotherhood of the Khrynsani have filed a request with Ambassador Keril that Mistress Benares be turned over to them for extradition.”

“The archmagus and I are aware of their request,” Mychael replied coolly.

“Their request has now turned into a demand,” Carnades said. “They claim that Mistress Benares is an agent for elven intelligence.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Do a little contract work for the agency and it comes back to bite you in the ass,” I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. The human lady on the Twelve chuckled behind her hand. There was one potential ally.

“Raine, I will respond for you.” Mychael’s voice was terse, and inside my head.

“Maybe later.”

I stepped forward. “In the past, I have used my seeking skills to find kidnapped elven agents and government officials,” I said, out loud. “The last time I checked that kind of thing would earn you a medal, not extradition.”

“Our Khrynsani guests do not share your perspective,” Carnades said.

“I’m sure they don’t.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw one of the goblin lawyers stand. “Magus Silvanus, if I may?”

Carnades stiffly inclined his head. “Of course.”

“Our presence here is to reclaim a treasured object that was illegally taken from the goblin people. The fear of His Majesty, King Sathrik Mal’Salin, is for the safety and very life of his trusted royal counselor, Grand Shaman Sarad Nukpana. We have signed affidavits from the Khrynsani temple guards who were with Grand Shaman Nukpana the night he was absorbed by the Saghred. Their testimonies confirm that Mistress Raine Benares did knowingly trick our king’s loyal counselor into touching the activated Saghred, resulting in his imprisonment within the stone. The archmagus and the paladin have refused numerous requests to return the Saghred to its legal and rightful owners—the goblin people.”

Mychael stepped forward. “The legality of that claim has been denied repeatedly by the Conclave. The first such claim was made by your government nearly nine hundred years ago. It was denied then, and I am very doubtful that judgment will change now. As I’m sure you are aware, the Conclave of Sorcerers was founded to control and prevent the abuse of magic. Keeping the Saghred in a controlled— and neutral—location is the only way to do that.” He paused meaningfully. “I’m sure you are also aware that neither goblin nor elven laws apply in matters of the Conclave.”

The Khrynsani lawyer slowly sat down, never taking his black eyes from Mychael. Once seated, he spoke in hurried and hushed tones with his colleagues.