“Then take her home and see that she stays there.”

“I will do so, sir king. Thank you. Now—what am I to say of this, and to whom?”

“First to your Marshals on Mahieran lands: report any who show magery to the Marshal-Judicar, but do not punish them for magery.”

“Tell them,” Oktar said, “that we are awaiting word from the Marshal-General, but that I am certain this new appearance of magery, in common folk and nobles alike, is a gift of the gods, to be used for good.”

“I’m assuming you’ve sent couriers to the other dukes.”

“Yes. Next it will be counts and then barons—”

Mahieran shook his head. “Sir king—Marshal-Judicar—forgive me, but I must disagree. With this present Council—and this present generation of peers—you will do better to inform all at once. They all need to know what the Crown thinks of this new thing; they may all have it breaking out on their estates. They will resent being left out.”

“Are you sure, Uncle?” Mikeli asked. “I thought the dukes would be able to bring their influence—”

“Less than you think, sir king,” Mahieran said. “Since the lower ranks of peers know that commoners have been elevated to duke, they have less natural respect for all of us. It was an argument made at the time the first commoner was chosen, and the Elorran family—valuable as they were at that time—did nothing to make the commoner-duke more palatable to those whose titles were older. Gerstad’s ancestor had saved a king, yes, but he annoyed almost everyone else. In all seriousness, I beg you consider the advantages of sharing this knowledge widely and at once.”

Mikeli looked at Oktar for his response. The Marshal-Judicar sat silent for a long moment, brow furrowed in thought, before speaking. Then he looked up at Duke Mahieran. “You are right, my lord. I was in error in my advice to the king, and that shames me. Tell them all, and quickly.”

Mikeli sat back in his chair. “Very well. I will have the same message I sent the dukes yesterday copied and sent, and will speak to those members of Council here in the city today. Will that do?”

Mahieran nodded. “I believe that is best, sir king.”

Most of the peers were out of the city, as usual between Midsummer and Autumn Courts, but a few had come to the city on other business, and on Oktar’s recommendation, Mikeli summoned the masters of the guilds, though only two were formally on the Council. Baron Brenvor and Count Kostvan were found lunching together at the Count’s city quarters, and soon they and a round dozen of the guildmasters were seated around the long table with Mikeli, Oktar, and Duke Mahieran.

Mikeli laid out the problem, with Oktar giving his report on what he knew of the situation in Fintha.