Page 179 of Grave Situation

The doors swing wide, and I stroll in. The heated discussion that was taking place peters off as the doors thud closed behind me.

“Silverbright?” someone exclaims. “Is that Silverbright?”

It sets off a cacophony of sound as dozens of mages, riders, and healers ask stupid questions at the top of their lungs. Things like, “What’s he doing here?” and “How did he get here?” I ignore them all and walk directly to the dais, where Master and Master Cranch, the current chair of the council, are standing.

Master nods solemnly to me and goes to sit in one of the chairs off to the side, prompting the noise level in the room to rise even higher. Master Cranch meets my gaze, his eyesworried. “Whatever you’re about to say, I hope there’s still an academy left when you’re done.”

“There will be,” I promise. “I need a home to come back to.”

He joins Master Samoine, and I reach into my shirt and pull out the stone, setting it on the lectern just as Master did months ago.

The assembled councilors fall silent.

Turning, I skim my gaze around the room. My time away has wrought some interesting changes. The councilors are no longer grouped by Talent, but rather seem to have formed cliques—presumably born of interests and opinions. I wonder if that will last past the aftermath of the current crisis.

“Earlier today, the dragon Leicht executed one of the necromancers responsible for the current zombie crisis.”

Sound roars through the room as they shout questions at me. Some surge to their feet, but I say nothing, waiting them out, and eventually they quiet down.

“Also executed was the high priest of Wasianth, who was found by Wasianth himself to have betrayed his position in service to the gods.” My voice rises to be heard toward the end of the sentence, as this time, the councilors don’t wait before erupting into yet more useless questions. Again, I refuse to answer, and only when all voices are silent do I continue.

“Holy Wasianth also pronounced judgment upon all members of the temples who were complicit in this event. They have been cast out, and all who come across them will recognize that fact.”

That seems to be one shock too many for them, because the outcry this time is muted and lacking any real zeal.

“My father, who was also a conspirator, is being held by Queen Nyana of Rebithia and will face execution for his crimes, including treason, in due course.”

Some of them draw back in distaste, as though my being calm about the impending death of the man who was complicit in my sister’s death is something I should be ashamed of just because he sired me.

“With the death of one necromancer, a great many zombies are no longer animate. Riders Sarsheena Harbit and Zolan Creg are overseeing the cremation of the remains by their dragons. Thought was given to attempting to return the bodies to their rightful resting places”—briefly—“but Master Kahwyn vetoed the idea as having too high a risk of disease.” It also would have been next to impossible, but I’m not going to say that and give someone a reason to argue.

Most of the healers in the room are nodding and murmuring approval, so that puts a seal on that.

“There still remains a large number of zombies throughout Vaderyn, which indicates the existence of an additional necromancer. He will die today.”

The flat statement startles them. A healer in the front row half-raises his hand. I vaguely recognize him from the last time I faced this group. “Er… do you know who this person is? And where?”

I ignore the questions. “Why would someone do this? For power? We assumed they were waiting to amass certain strength before moving their forces. Stone,” I turn toward the unassuming rock that started all this, “was the necromancer who conceived of this plot waiting until he had more zombies?”

~No~

“Was hisoriginalmotive power?”

~No~

“Did he, in fact, have control of sufficient zombies to seize sovereignty of the continent of Vaderyn before you came to us here months ago?”

~Yes~

The frightened murmur of voices is getting louder, but this time, I don’t wait.

“Is he in this room?”

Dead silence falls.

~Yes~

I thought they would erupt at that, but the silence holds, heavy and somber.

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