Page 42

CHAPTER 42

M y seat in the council chamber was actually behind the speaker’s podium and off to the side. It was a little bit elevated from where the delegates were seated, so I had a clear vision of almost everyone. Siobhan’s seat was beside mine, equipped with a control panel of some sort, headphones, and three microphones. Another translator sat next to her with an identical setup.

The delegations included officials from most of the countries in Europe, including the British Isles. Then there were twelve Church archbishops and their retinues, some top commanders of the Knights Magica from various countries, and members of the Guild from every country in Europe.

When everyone was seated, Master Adolphus went to the podium.

“Thank you for coming to this most important meeting,” he began. “In 1685, a similar group signed the Treaty of Krakow, establishing the Compact with the Church, civil authorities, and the Mage Guild, ending the so-called Mage Wars, and establishing how magic users and supernaturals would all interact with each other. For more than three hundred years, the Compact has kept the peace between all of humankind—imperfectly at times, but in general, it has worked.”

He paused, scanning the room, but then fixing his gaze on the Church contingent.

“Under the Compact, the Mage Guild was charged with protecting normal humans from rogue supernaturals. We have done this to the best of our ability. About three years ago, the Universal Church declared the supernaturals—strigoi, lycanthropes, and any other people it deemed as non-human—to be enemies of what they considered humanity, and started a war of genocide against them. The supernaturals fought back. They reacted and began actively converting normal humans by purposely infecting them with the viruses that turn a person into a strigoi or a lycanthrope.

He took a deep breath. “This nonsense must end. The Church and the Knights Magica must re-new their commitment to the Compact and allow the Guild to control the supernaturals, who, for the most part, have become productive members of many societies.”

For the next three hours, members of the Church delegations and some civil officials spoke. From the Church, it was all push back. Some of the civil authorities agreed with the Church’s position, mostly those from countries where the Church had strong ties with or controlled the civil government. Officials from countries where the Church was weaker and the Guild was stronger supported the Guild position.

We broke for lunch, with another session scheduled for the following day.

Captain Le Pen drove us to an inn on the outskirts of the city, where he had reserved a private room for our delegation to have our meal.

“Well, what do you think?” Master Adolphus asked me as I studied the menu.

“It’s hard to argue with someone who says that God tells them the supes are minions of the devil and must be destroyed,” I answered.

He chuckled. “That was the problem in 1682. Faith doesn’t need facts or reason to sustain it.”

“Well, how did we convince them then?” Siobhan asked.

“1682 was the year when the mages destroyed Rome,” I said. “It’s not going to come to that, is it?”

“They may need a reminder,” Colonel Sorento said.

“Yes, that wasn’t an action we took easily,” Master Adolphus said. “There wasn’t a formal Guild back then. It was formed in 1684 for the express reason to have a singular voice in the negotiations that led to the Treaty. My father was one of the original High Council members.”

Siobhan and I ended up having the rest of the day free to explore Munich and were treated to dinner at a very nice restaurant—owned by one of the Munich Guild councilors. The Master, Colonel Sorento, and the other members of the Zürich Guild Council spent the afternoon meeting with other Guild representatives. No one told Siobhan and me what was discussed.

* * *

W hen the meeting of all the delegations commenced the following day, I noted that three of the archbishops were missing, along with the highest-ranking officer of the Knights.

Master Adolphus once again took the podium.

“The Guild is united in its allegiance to the Compact, and we will enforce the Compact. You can tell that to those who sent you here. If we must take drastic action, we will. As of tomorrow, the Knights Magica will be allowed to protect Church properties and personages. Period. They will not patrol the streets, nor take any offensive actions against either Guild members or properties, or against any supernaturals. Anyone who does will be treated as a criminal and dealt with accordingly.”

He allowed the rustle and murmurs in the audience to subside, then continued.

“Any diocese that does not stand down its Knights’ force will be dissolved, its churches razed, and the head of its archbishop sent to the Prelate in a box. This is not negotiable. If you want war, the Guild is prepared to give you war as it was fought in 1682. Thank you for coming.”

And with that, he and the other Guild members attending stood and walked out. Siobhan looked at me.

“Do we go, too?”

I shook my head. “I guess you can, if you’re finished translating, but I have to stay.”

She chuckled. “I just translate what the speaker at the podium says, and there’s no speaker. But I’ll stay to keep you company.”

It was interesting. Some of the archbishops were aghast, others were enraged. The Knights were blustering and threatening, but no one was paying them any mind. The government officials were simply stunned. Some got up to leave, but the rest simply sat there staring at the empty podium, their mouths gasping like fish on a dock.

I was somewhere between stunned and shocked. Unlike a lot of the people in front of me, I had absolutely no doubt the Master meant what he said. It wasn’t a threat. That meant the Guild was already gearing up for war.

When the chamber was almost empty, Siobhan and I slipped out through a door behind us into a hallway used by techs and maintenance staff.

I pulled out my phone and called Master Elias in Queen City.

“Are you aware that the Guild in Europe has declared war on the Universal Church?” I asked when he answered.

“Yes. I and most of the Guild councils throughout the world sat in on an on-line meeting with the people in Munich yesterday. I’m just leaving to give our ultimatum to the archbishop here.”

“This is crazy.”

“I agree, but the Church has left us no choice. Zürich isn’t the only place with widespread destruction and unrest. The civil authorities may soon outlaw all magic users, along with the supernaturals. And I, for one, have no desire to have a fight with the U.S. military. Got to go. Keep your head down and don’t volunteer for anything. You hear me?”

“Yes, sir. Give Dierdre and Amelia my love.”

“Will do.”