“He thought—he wanted—” Barl’s throat closed, and she could hardly breathe, let alone speak. All she could see was Rumm, ruined and dead on the attic floor.

“Dorana has no warriors,” Remmie said, stepping closer again. “He thought to rectify the lack.”

Lord Varen was the only councillor who’d kept himself in hand. “Into what form did Morgan attempt to transmute his unfortunate servant?”

“I’m not—” She had to swallow. “Lord Varen, it’s hard to say. I saw wings. Like a bat. I saw fangs. His fingernails…” She couldn’t stop her voice from failing. “Nothing human.”

“Something our superstitious neighbours would see as demonic, then,” Varen murmured. “The better to strike fear into their bellicose hearts.”

“I think so. My lord—” Remmie would be furious if she tried to defend Morgan, but how could she not? When she understood what drove him, even as she had to condemn what he’d done? “You have to know he did it for Dorana.”

“I hope you cannot think his motive will excuse this vile act?”

Not a mage at the table tried to hide his or her revulsion, for Morgan, for her, for the things they had done.

“No,” she whispered. “I don’t.”

Venette Martain’s eyes were bright with tears. “Is this my doing, Mage Lindin? Did I get poor Rumm killed?” She looked at Brice Varen. “You might as well know, my lord, that when I told Morgan of his dismissal from this Council, I also told him of the news Lady Brislyn brought us. He knows about the threat of war from our neighbours.”

Lord Varen’s eyes turned icy. “That was most foolish, Lady Martain.”

“Well, what do you expect?” Sallis Arkley demanded. “Where Danfey’s concerned she is nothing but a fool!”

As Lady Frieden opened her mouth to join in Lord Arkley’s attack, Barl stepped forward and slapped the table. “Oh, stop your bickering! What does it matter now who said what to whom? All that matters is that we help Morgan… and find a way to help Dorana before the mage-mist destroys it, or our frightened neighbours attack. That’s why I’m here. I might only be a lowly, unranked mage, but—”

“You want to magework?” said Lady Frieden, incredulous. “After your crimes? Girl, are you—”

“Forgive me, but you shouldn’t be so quick to spurn her offer,” said Mage Ranowen. “Mage Lindin might be unranked, and her judgement appalling, but she is one of the greatest natural talents I have ever seen. I’ve no doubt she’d be an asset in the great working.”

“And Morgan Danfey?” said Lord Varen, very dry. “What have you to say of him?”

“Sadly, I think Lord Danfey must be deranged.”