“That is aone-timeexception!” the Good Wizard shouted, holding up a single finger for emphasis. “You may manipulate the timelineonce, nottentimes! And it is only allowed with the proper permits! We can’t have people altering timelines on a whim!”
“Those are the rules of the Good Wizard’s Council,” another voice said.
“Cyril!” Kit cried happily, and then more excitedly, “Franny!”
The argument temporarily halted as Kit ran to their wife, picking her up and swinging her aroundin their arms.
Cyril cleared his throat and continued, “The Council of Evil allows time manipulation in the use of evil plots. Since you’ve declared that the royal champions have thwarted the Lord of Grimnight’s evil plot, you are acknowledging that he was operating under evil mage rules, not good wizard rules.” His lips spread in a slow, evil smile as he purred, “Unless you’re breaking the treaty between the two councils?”
“I—no, of course I wouldn’t—” the Good Wizard sputtered. Finally, he landed on another argument, “But your own council agreed that his actions generated too much chaos, enough that even you couldn’t control it—”
“Oh please,” Cyril scoffed. “We both know he used every last scrap of chaos to support his dimension. Otherwise, the man would have killed himself from exhaustion long before now.”
I stared at Cyril in confusion. Was that what I’d done? Maintaining the dimension had been pushed to the back of my mind, something I rarely thought about while I pursued Treasure.
The Good Wizard searched frantically through the crowd, then pointed at someone. “You there, lad! Step forward!”
Looking confused and uncertain, Maximus stepped out of the crowd.
“You are a symbol of good!” the Good Wizard exclaimed. “Someone with a strong sense of justice! As one of the royal champions,youmust understand the importance of remanding the evil mage to Good Wizard custody.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Of course Maximus would agree. He’d wanted me dead, but imprisoned would be a good consolation prize.
“Am I?” The question was soft and so confused I felt it too.
I slowly opened my eyes and peered curiously at Maximus.
“I don’t … feel good anymore,” Maximus said quietly, looking down at his hands. “I ignored my friends, even when they were hurt, too obsessed with trying to—” his eyes skated to me and his voice cracked on the next word “—kill someone.”
“No!” the Good Wizard exclaimed. “You were fighting evil! Everything you did was in the name of good!”
“Fuck your definition of good,” Treasure snarled.
“Trey,” Brendon scolded, but his own husband argued with him.
“No, he’s right,” Rick said, glaring at the Good Wizard. “You once told me I was perilously close to walking a path of evil, butyouare the one who put me on that path! You and your stupid fucking spell!”
“You were always supposed to marry him!” the Good Wizard shouted.
“But I didn’t know that! And you blamed me for my choices anyway! Sofuck you—”
Brendon grabbed Rick around the waist, physically holding his husband back as he tried to lunge at the Good Wizard. “My love, calm down. Everything turned out fine then, and it’ll turn out fine now.”
“Thank you, Prince Brendon,” the Good Wizard sighed.
“Because the Good Wizard won’t take Wilde away,” Brendon finished, his tone matter of fact.
The Good Wizard sputtered indignantly. “You—” The protest died on his lips.
During the argument, the minions had circled around us, closing the Good Wizard in on all sides. Fyodor stepped between Trey and I, smacking his club against one hand. Angelica stood with him, golden curls wild around her shoulders and a rapier gleaming at her side.
“You’ve overstayed your welcome, wizard,” Fyodor growled.
The Good Wizard’s eyes shifted frantically from face to threatening face. “You—I—bereasonable!”
“Oh, I think everyone is being quite reasonable,” Lucinda said sweetly. She leaned her head against her husband’s shoulder and offered the Good Wizard a toothy smile. “If it were up to me, your bones would already be soup.”
The Good Wizard paled. “Perhaps I will turn this matter over to the Council of Evil. He is one of yours, after all. You should be the ones to deal with him.”
