his slippery fingers. It tumbled through the air, falling down toward the ground. Edyon watched in horror. He couldn’t let the bottle break, and so he flailed after it, tripping and stumbling and somehow managing not to catch it but to knock it sideways.
Thelonius frowned, some of the lords laughed, and Lord Regan rolled his eyes. However, Byron, the older of the two demonstrators, stepped nimbly forward and caught the bottle.
Edyon muttered thanks to Byron and cautiously took the bottle back and held it up. “This strange purple smoke es-caped from a demon as it died.”
“It nearly escaped from you too, Your Highness,” some-one called out to more laughter.
“Indeed it did, though when smoke leaves a demon, it doesn’t slip from its hands but exits the mouth in a long stream.” Edyon tried to look serious. “This purple smoke comes from young demons. You perhaps know that the older demons release a red smoke that is used by some in Pitoria as an illegal pleasure drug—though I’m sure none here have ever tried it.”
This remark was met by laughter too, though Edyon was relieved that now it seemed to be with him rather than directed against him. “This purple smoke has much more sinister uses. If it is inhaled by young people, adolescent boys or girls, it can give them great strength and speed. It also has the power to heal quickly, almost miraculously. It sounds like a wonderful drug. But in the wrong hands—in the hands of Aloysius—it could be used for war.
“But it’s better if I demonstrate the power of the smoke, and then the implications will be clear. Sir Byron and Sir Ellis have volunteered to assist me by inhaling a small amount of the smoke and then showing you how their strength and speed are altered.”
Edyon was satisfied to see that his audience was now watching intently. Byron let the cork out of the bottle for just a moment so that a wisp of purple smoke could escape. Some of the lords stepped closer to see as Byron and Ellis inhaled the smoke.
“I thought they were going to turn purple,” someone called out.
“The smoke doesn’t affect appearance, my lord, just ability—and it is already working on Byron and Ellis, as they will now demonstrate. First of all, Ellis will show you his running speed. He will chase down Byron, who will be on horseback.”
In practice both of the young men had handled the drug well, without going giddy and light-headed—the effect the smoke had on Edyon. So Edyon was confident that this simple demonstration would go smoothly. Byron mounted and set off at a gallop. Edyon shouted, “Catch him, Ellis!” And Ellis set off. However, Ellis now seemed a little distracted by the lords. He ran past them all first, as if to show off his speed, before turning to chase after Byron, who was already half-way across the field. Soon they were both disappearing into the distance.
Lord Hunt shouted, “Are they off to Brigant to fight?”
It did almost seem that way, but Edyon replied, “Ellis is now catching Byron.” Thankfully, Ellis seemed to find an even faster pace, caught up with Byron’s horse, and leaped high to cling to Byron’s back. However, by this stage they were at the far end of the field.
“It looked like Byron slowed the horse,” someone com-mented. “Though it’s hard to tell from here.”
“I can’t see a thing,” another lord complained.
“He slowed the horse,” said another. “But even so, it’s faster than I could run.”
“My lords, don’t worry. We’ll repeat the demonstration in this direction.” Edyon tried to sound like it had all been planned this way. “You’ll have a perfect view.” And Edyon ran across the field, waving his arms to Byron, who thank-fully rode over to him before Edyon had gone far, and quickly understood the problem, saying, “We’ll do it right in front of them next time. Signal when you’re ready.”
Edyon ran back to his position.
Lord Regan asked, “Is all well, Prince Edyon?”
“Yes, fine. Thank you, Lord Regan.”
But Edyon waited. And waited. And nothing happened.
Shits, the signal.
Edyon waved his arm and Byron set off, galloping to-ward the group. Ellis waited a moment before setting off at a dramatic pace. Horse, rider, and runner came hurtling to-ward the group of lords. Some were already stepping to the side as Ellis leaped up onto the horse’s back and grappled By-ron to the ground. Both young men fell to the earth as the horse ran through the marquee, knocking a