The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2)(63)

“I mean that he left the Magisterium looking for you, of course. Trying to save you from the wrath of the mages. I knew where he’d go, so I left him a trail to lead him straight to us. I even sent an escort to bring him safely here. I promise you, Alastair, I take great pains for his safety. He means far more to me than he does to you.”

Call’s heart thundered in his chest. He thought of the letters — the latitude and longitude carefully sketched out in each one, the mention of the specific date of the meeting, a meeting happening in just enough time for them to make it. Call had thought he’d been lucky, that he’d been one step ahead of the adults. But he’d been playing right into Master Joseph’s hands.

For a moment, Call lost his nerve. He was just a kid. His friends were just kids, even if one of them was the Makar. What if they were in over their heads? What if they couldn’t help?

Alastair started speaking, and for a moment, Call couldn’t even focus.

“I can assure you you’re wrong,” Alastair was saying. “Callum means far more to me than he ever will to you. Stay away from him. I don’t know if he’s the greatest mage of his generation or any of that — but he’s a good kid. No one has broken him the way you broke the Madden brothers. I remember them, Joseph, and I remember what you did to them.”

Call felt an ache in his chest. Alastair didn’t sound like he hated Call, even though he’d come here to trade for a new son.

“Stop waving the Alkahest around. You know that thing can’t hurt me,” Master Joseph said, raising his staff. “Much as I wish I had the ability to use chaos magic, I don’t, so there’s no point in threatening me with it. The only reason the Chaos-ridden listen to me is because Constantine commanded it.”

“I’m not here to threaten you, Joseph,” Alastair said, taking a step toward the body of Constantine Madden.

Master Joseph frowned. “All right. Enough. Give me the Alkahest. I’d like to reward you, but don’t think for a moment that I would hesitate to kill you if you resist me. Very convenient, dying in a tomb. Won’t have to go far to bury you.”

Alastair took another careful step toward the body.

Master Joseph raised his hand and a dozen thin cords of what looked like silver sprang out of the darkness. They wrapped around Alastair, binding him the way a spider binds a fly before feasting on it. Alastair yelled in pain, struggling to free his gauntleted hand.

Call had to do something. “Stop!” he shouted. “Leave my father alone! Stanley, do something! Get him!”

Both Master Joseph and Alastair stared as it became clear that they’d mistaken Call, standing at the bottom of the stairs, for one of the Chaos-ridden. Stanley began to lurch toward Master Joseph, but Call’s command had been so imprecise that he wasn’t sure what the Chaos-ridden might actually do. Master Joseph certainly didn’t seem worried; he was ignoring Stanley as if he wasn’t there.

Instead, he began to smile.

“We’re coming down,” Aaron whispered. Call turned his head without meaning to and saw Tamara, Jasper, and Aaron moving down the stairs. He motioned them back.

“Ahhh, Callum, so glad you could make it,” said Master Joseph. “I see you brought friends, although I can’t quite see which ones. Is that loyal Makar with you? What a pleasant surprise.”

Stanley had nearly reached where Master Joseph stood. We could win the war, Call thought. If I order Stanley to kill you, the war will be won.

But would it? Could the war ever be won for the side of good if the Enemy was still alive?

“Call?” Alastair said, looking horrified. “Get out of here!”

Tamara and Jasper stumbled down to the last step. They were both clearly astonished by the sight of the Enemy’s body and who was standing beside it. Aaron tried to get past them, but Tamara and Jasper moved to block him.

“Let me through,” Aaron protested. He craned his neck to see what they were looking at.

“Not a chance,” said Tamara in a harsh whisper. “Call’s father has the Alkahest. That thing could kill you.”

“Dad’s right. You all need to leave,” Call said. “Get Aaron somewhere safe.”

He could see the indecision on their faces, and he was torn, too — he didn’t want to put them in danger, but he also wasn’t sure he could be as brave without them.

“Look,” Jasper exclaimed. Stanley had reached Master Joseph; he grabbed him by the wrists and tugged them behind his back, holding Master Joseph trapped.

Master Joseph didn’t move; he was acting like it wasn’t happening. Like he wasn’t being held against his will. Like Call hadn’t just immobilized him. Instead, he just stared across the room, his intense eyes burning holes in Call.

“There is no need for this, Callum,” said Master Joseph. “Constantine, I am your most devoted servant.”

“I heard what you said to my father,” Call told him. “And I’m not Constantine.”

“And you heard what your father said to me. What he was prepared to do. Your only true home is here, with me.”

Call moved to where his father stood. Alastair, the copper gauntlet firmly on his hand, was still struggling against the cords that bound him. He flinched away when he saw Call coming toward him. “Call!” he barked. “Stay away from me!”