No one spoke, until Talia’s whisper broke the silence. “If no one has any other notions, I suggest Mayor Loschal of Trevendale. He’s quite able, he knows the problems of the North intimately, he has no private axe to grind that I am aware of, and he has enough years to balance Lord Jelthan’s youth.”

“Any other suggestions? So be it—Kyril, see to it, will you? Now, the other matter facing us is Hardorn and Ancar. We are going to have to increase the size of the Guard; that means a tax increase—”

“Why? We beat them, right soundly!”

“There’s no need—”

“You’re starting at shadows—”

“I know for a fact your mother gave you no such orders—”

“Quiet!” Kyril thundered out over the bedlam. When they stared at him dumbfounded, he continued, “Herald Talia wishes to speak, and she can’t be heard over your babbling.”

“Elspeth is right,” Talia whispered wearily. “I know Ancar better than any of you. He’ll be back at us, again and again, until one of our lands lacks its leader. And I tell you, this kingdom is in more danger now than we were before the battle we just won! Now he knows some of what we can do, and what kind of strength we can raise at short notice. The next time he comes for us, it will be with a force he deems overwhelming; we must be ready to meet that force.”

“And that means a larger Guard; taxes to support it—”

“And your help, Councillors. Bard Hyron, the help of your Circle especially,” Talia continued.

“My Circle? Why?”

“Because, as you ably demonstrated with Griffon, the Bardic Circle is the only source of information we have on old magic.”

“Surely you overestimate these mages—” Lady Wyrist began.

“Look here and tell me I overestimate!” Again Talia pulled gown and bandage from her shoulder to display the handprint-brand, still livid and raw-looking. “I will bear this mark until the day I die, and this was just a parlor-trick for Hulda!” Lady Wyrist paled and turned her head away. “Ask the widows and children and widowers of those slain by demons if I overestimate the danger! I tell you now that what Ancar brought with him is likely to be one of his lesser mages—he would not risk the greater in battle. And Hyron, your Circle alone preserves the tradition of what we can expect and how we can defend against it. If, indeed, we can.”

“We can,” Hyron said thoughtfully. “It’s in some of the chronicles from Vanyel’s time—when the Gifts were superseding the mage-crafts. It may be that you Heralds and your Companions are all that will be able to guard us from Ancar’s magicians.”

“Sounds like a rare good reason to have them by us, if you ask me,” said Lady Kester wryly.