leaving the epidermis intact.
For a human, that meant a painful, but very rapid death. For more resilient creatures—like vampires, trolls, or demons—it was the worst torture imaginable. Whether it killed them or not depended on other factors specific to the monster and how much it could regenerate. The spell was only fourth-order, but it required quite a bit of energy. The scribing spell, named Sylen’s Pen, required almost no turyn, but was fairly complex. Will guessed it was about seventh-order.
He had just finished copying the spells when he heard shouting outside his tent. Will recognized both the voices involved. One was that of Lieutenant Renly, while the other belonged to Tiny. Leaping to his feet, Will ran out to avert a disaster.
Chapter 50
“He needs to see me!” insisted Tiny loudly. It was unusual for the big man to raise his voice, so Will knew he must be exceptionally stressed.
Renly answered in a calm tone, “I’ve already told you, and a dozen others before you, Marshal Cartwright isn’t to be disturbed, and that isn’t changing until he tells me otherwise. If he wanted to see you, he would have told me to make an exception.”
“I’m his oldest friend! This is precisely when he needs me,” protested the squire.
Janice spoke up then. “We heard he got bad news. We just want to check on him.”
“He’ll call for you when he wants to talk, or he won’t,” said Renly. “I’ll be certain to let him know you came by to offer your sentiments.” Then he spoke to someone else. “How about you, Lieutenant? Do you have urgent news?”
“No,” said a male voice. Will recognized it as that of Bug. “Nothing urgent, but it’s something I have to report personally.”
“Then you’ll have to return later,” said Renly.
Will stepped through the tent flaps and looked at his friends. “It’s all right, Renly. I’ve been awake for a while.”
His assistant stepped aside, and Tiny started to walk forward, but Will held up his hand. “What do you want?”
“To know how you’re doing,” said Tiny, giving him a funny look. “I heard the news.”
“I’ve been better,” Will admitted. Then his gaze moved to Janice. “How about you?”
“The same,” she answered. “Mind if we come in? I thought maybe—”
Will cut her off. “Has he apologized?”
Janice blanched. “That’s not important right now.”
“I did,” said Tiny abruptly. “But she isn’t ready to—”
Will spoke over him. “You didn’t forgive him yet?”
Her face clouded over. “You’re the one we’re worried about right now.”
“If you’re worried about me, then the two of you should go work out your problems. I have enough issues without watching the two of you sulk. I just—I just need some time alone. Things are going to be busier than ever soon.”
They could see the pain written on his face. Janice tried again. “Will, please, let us be there for you. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“Go,” he told her. “And no steak for either of you until you make up or whatever it is you decide to do. I’ll be fine. Rest while you can. There will be a lot of orders coming down the chain soon.” Turning his gaze to Bug, he asked, “You found something?”
The lieutenant sorcerer nodded.
“Come inside. Let’s talk.” With that, Will turned his back on the others and returned to the privacy of his tent. Turning back, he stuck his head back out for a moment to give Lieutenant Renly one last instruction. “I’ll be ready to receive reports in an hour. Let the officers know. We’ll have a senior officers’ meeting in two hours.”
Inside the tent, Bug had a pensive look on his face. “Are you sure you’re all right? Maybe you should have let them in. From what I heard, you’ve had a terrible shock.”
Will shook his head. “I can’t. They’re too close to me, and I can’t afford to grieve right now. If I start talking about it I’m afraid I’ll come apart completely.” He smiled. “Sometimes it’s better to have someone around who isn’t quite as closely acquainted. You understand?”
Bug gave him a guilty look. “I’m don’t think I’m worthy of being called an acquaintance.”
Walking over, Will patted him on the shoulder. “By the time this war is all over, we’ll be more than that. Maybe next year it will be you I’m avoiding while I lick my wounds.”
“Maybe,” said Bug, seeming uncomfortable.
“What did you find?” asked Will.
The sorcerer opened up the small pack he was carrying and removed a cloth-wrapped bundle, which he handed to Will. Opening it