“For the sake of the Seven Spirits, Miss Gentleman, and in the name of the Grand Sorceress,” said Zacharias. “An enchantment, if you please. I would suggest a summoning. I believe your interpretation of the old formula will greatly interest the gentlemen present.”
Recognition entered Prunella’s eyes, followed by a glow of pride. She lifted her chin, holding up the staff.
It was a risk. The staff of the Sorcerer Royal was not known to be kind to the magicians whose mastery it rejected. But Zacharias was not afraid—or so he told himself, over the deafening thump of his own heart. The mistress of three familiars could justly claim precedence over any thaumaturge in the Hall, including himself.
Prunella spoke the formula for summoning in ringing tones.
For a dreadful moment nothing happened. One of the gentlemen standing by Prunella sought to take the staff from her. She offered to knock him on the head with it, before Damerell intervened:
“You will have the courtesy to permit Miss Gentleman the trial, sir, or have me to answer for it.”
“Is this some sort of joke, Wythe?” Cullip began to bluster, when a gargoyle came to life behind him.
Nidget somersaulted off the wall, knocking the astonished Cullip off his feet, and it was followed by the others.
Tjandra blossomed from the bosses above—the dear familiar bosses, which had been so helpful to Zacharias in days past. The simurgh’s brilliant green wings seemed to block out the light as he flew to his mistress.
Youko made the most conventional entry. She trotted in through the door, pushing thaumaturges out of the way with a jerk of her horned head, till Prunella was surrounded by her familiars—a small, indomitable figure, with the staff glowing in her hand.
•••
ITis not a point that admits of debate,” said Mr. Plimpton. “The rule cannot be circumvented.”
The private room to which the Presiding Committee had retired was too small for the number of people crowded into it, and Mr. Plimpton had been growing hotter and more disgruntled in the courseof the meeting. He was a large, bald man, in appearance resembling nothing so much as an irate infant, and his temper had reached such a pitch that Damerell was moved to suggest in a whisper that Prunella summon a nurse to put baby down for a nap.
He spoke in jest, but Prunella secretly thought it no bad idea. It seemed absurd that the Committee should be so perplexed by a minor point of protocol, when her three familiars sat around her feet, proving her the most powerful magician in the room.
“The command of the familiar Leofric has been a precondition of the office since the time of Roger Hayes,” said Mr. Plimpton. “The staff is not sufficient.”
“It was sufficient with me,” said Zacharias. He was wrinkling his forehead in a manner that signified he had a headache, but did not intend to let anyone else know it. It was a look with which Prunella had grown all too familiar.
Mr. Plimpton glanced at Lord Burrow, who coughed.
“We had received confirmation from the Fairy Court that Leofric had submitted to your control,” he said. “They would not be drawn on the details, but they were unwavering on that point. We could scarcely have permitted your accession to the office without that assurance.”
“I cannot see what is so terribly special about this old dragon,” said Prunella. “My familiars could match him any day, I am sure.”
“Admittedly a practitioner that has the benefit of three familiars must be reckoned an extraordinary force,” said Lord Burrow, not quite addressing her.
The Presiding Committee had not made up its mind as to how it stood on Prunella, and had fallen into two camps: one that glared at her, and another that pretended she was not there. Prunella found both equally diverting.
“But the office of Sorcerer Royal is not merely reserved for the magician that can prove himself most powerful,” said Lord Burrow. “One of its purposes is to preserve our traditions of magic, and theSorcerer Royal’s familiar is not the least of these. The Sorcerer Royal must have Leofric as well as the staff. Since it appears Mr. Wythe retains Leofric as his familiar, he cannot simply relinquish the staff and expect to be divested of his office.”
“I assure you,” said Zacharias wearily, “if I could be free of Leofric, I would.”
Prunella was not particularly interested in the discussion. It was clear toherthat she was Sorceress Royal, and if the Society wished to quarrel with the fact now, they would soon think better of it. Leofric, however, was a subject in which she had considerable interest, and she felt no compunction in interrupting the Committee’s ditherings for this.
“Have not you tried persuading Leofric to leave you, Zacharias?” she said. “I think we ought to have it out with him, ought we not? He seems a wretched inconvenience. I am sure we could find you a better familiar.”
“There is nothing to have out,” said Zacharias shortly. “Our agreement was clear. In any case, even I am unable to converse with Leofric. Our communication takes place by other means.”
“I suppose you mean your midnight visitations!” said Prunella. “It all sounds very unpleasant. I think we ought to speak to him by ordinary means.”
Zacharias opened his mouth, doubtless to object, but Prunella’s familiars had explained his arrangement with Leofric, and it did not seem to her that it would be difficult to extract the dragon. The procedure might cause Zacharias some discomfort, but if she acted quickly enough, he would scarcely notice it. Since his mouth was already open, she decided to take time by the forelock, and plunged her arm down his throat.
“Good God!” cried Damerell.
Zacharias was choking around Prunella’s arm—a horrible sensation—but she resolutely ignored it, and rummaged about. Leofric did not, of course, occupy Zacharias’s physical insides, muchthough it might feel like it to Zacharias. He inhabited instead a magical space that happened to overlap with Zacharias’s vitals. Fortunately Leofric was the only inhabitant, and Prunella soon found what she was after: a bony limb, covered with scales. She grasped hold of it.
