Lady Theresa had been gone for long enough for Ildri and Anya to finish cooking the evening meal for the entire camp before anything came of her absence.

Jim came walking up. "Andrew, Ivan, Lord Wildwood would like to see you," he said.

"What about?" Anya asked quickly.

Jim sighed. "Ted interrupted a rather important meeting and had an argument with Lord Wildwood and he sent me to summon you two after it was over. He is in a rather poor mood and I wish I could tell you what was going through his mind right now. Ted is very good at getting under his skin like no one I've ever known."

Anya smiled, but it looked nervous to Ildri. Or maybe she was just projecting her own emotions into what she saw on Anya, because she was not feeling too calm about the whole ordeal.

They arrived at a large tent which reminded Ildri forcibly of the tent where the Scelus leaders nonchalantly sentenced her to death. Inside was similar, too, there were maps scattered across a low table. The only difference was some of the faces were familiar. Lord Wildwood looked as furious as she had ever seen him. Lady Theresa did not look any happier and her back was rigid in the chair she was sitting in, off to the side. Ty was sitting off to the side next to Sir Thomas and an empty chair. She also spotted Charles and an older man who looked a lot like him and there were a few other unknown men, mostly with beards, that Ildri did not recognize. They were all obviously nobles and retainers. An important meeting indeed.

"Good of you to join us," Lord Wildwood said when he saw they had entered the tent. "Please, sit, Jim," he offered. Jim somewhat reluctantly left Anya's side to sit beside Ty. Ildri swallowed hard. She saw Jim smile reassuringly at Anya, but she had no doubt Anya was feeling no better about the situation than she was. Worse, likely, considering Anya's past.

Lord Wildwood spoke again. "We've lost," he said.

"What?" Ildri asked abruptly, then added, "My lord," in an effort to know her place.

He smiled bitterly. "There is no way that we will win. They have beaten us on every front and only a few remain in defiance. We were discussing possibilities when Ted here barged in uninvited."

Lady Theresa's frown deepened and she held her head higher defiantly.

"We talked of surrender."

Ildri found herself speaking in spite of herself and her place. "We can't surrender, can we? I saw what the countryside in Scelus is like! The common people were miserable, starving and their jails are pest holes!"

"Scelus has offered mercy in return for the leaders to be handed over, otherwise they will destroy everyone who has stood against them." Lord Wildwood said in an even tone. Ildri saw Lady Theresa's mouth clench, but she said nothing. She had probably already said it before.

"You can't," Ildri said. "Even if they promise mercy, the common people will suffer under their rule. I've seen no evidence that their emperor cares for anything but power. Your deaths will do nothing for the people in the long run. They would have killed me for just being inconvenient." What was she doing? She was a commoner and she should not be talking like... like an equal to these men. But Lord Wildwood had summoned her and he had not stopped her.

Lord Wildwood shook his head. "It will save lives."

"Who would it be?" Ildri wondered.

"Just a few of us," Lord Wildwood said. "Lord Reid and a few other volunteers. Myself."

"They'll execute you."

"So be it."

"No," said Anya suddenly. "We should attack them instead." Her voice shook.

One of the lords that Ildri did not recognize laughed. "With what men, boy? With the handful of injured we have left? We never really had a chance. They embraced magic as we never did, and we were outnumbered in every other way as well."

Anya's voice shook. "A few should sneak in, using magic."

"How, boy?" he asked haughty. "I'd like to hear your brilliant suggestion."

"We could enter the castle by... air."

One of the other lords leaned forward. "And how would you propose we do that?"

Anya took the small flask and held it up. "Magic. It's how we got here."

One of the lords leapt to his feet. "Warlock!"

Ty stood up and stared at the lord until he backed down. "And what is your problem with warlocks and witches, friend? The only reason we've stood this long is because Lord Wildwood kept a steady stream of potions coming from his estate. If the rest of you were not so blind, perhaps this country might not have been caught with its pants down."

"What are you saying?" another of the nobles said.

Ty looked over and Ildri was pleased to see the way that the other nobles were intimidated by him. "I'm saying that we brought this country to this state and it is time that we deal with it. I'm saying that I will go into the castle and kill the emperor."

"You're mad."

Lord Wildwood stood and Ty slipped back into his seat. "We've been over this. Either we hand ourselves over or we continue to fight. We can go over this all day, and our time is limited so we must make a decision. Then we will decide who is to do what."

"Who is in favour of handing the leaders over and relying on the mercy of Scelus?" Someone sniggered and only a few hands rose.

"Who is in favour of sending in people to attempt to save the king and kill the emperor?" Lord Wildwood asked. A few more hands rose and a couple of ayes echoed through the room.

Charles stood up. "Perhaps we could hedge our bets. We could send in some people, and if they fail we could have some lords ready to sacrifice themselves and say that the attack was unknown to them. Or we could send a few in to buy some time, if they think that we are cooperating with the surrender."

There was a great deal of arguing at his words. "Who will give themselves up then?" someone shouted derisively.

"I'll do it!" Charles yelled. The older man next to him moaned. "No, son, I'll do it."

Only two other lords reluctantly volunteered.

"I don't think they will believe if I am not one of those who hands themselves over," Lord Wildwood said slowly.

Lady Theresa jumped to her feet. "No!" she yelled.

He ignored her. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid they know that I have been a large part of this resistance."

Lady Theresa's face was filled with anguish. "No," she moaned, shaking her head.

A few of the lords glanced amongst themselves. Lord Wildwood ignored them. "It's decided, then. We four will go." His words were final. Even Lady Theresa did not argue.

Ty spoke. "We will rescue you when we free the king."

Lady Theresa looked straight at Wildwood. "I'm going, too. I'm a wizard now, I can help."

Lord Wildwood looked resigned and did not answer.

"And why should this boy be included? Simply because he knocked out a few enemies with magic? How do we know that it was not just a ploy to capture your trust?"

"We can trust Ted," Lord Wildwood said firmly.

"And how do you know that? We've been tricked before," snapped the lord who vocally did not like warlocks. He cast a suspicious glance at Lady Theresa, who did not help by staring imperiously back at him like no true commoner ever would.

Lord Wildwood sighed. "Ted's my wife—"

"You're mad, man!"

"In disguise," Lord Wildwood finished. "She turned up unexpectedly at the end of the battle and I did not wish for anyone to be aware of her presence for various reasons. I would ask that you all feign ignorance."

A genial looking retainer said to the man next to him, "That explains a lot. Poor man."

Lord Wildwood spoke loudly. "I am now going to leave the preparations in Lord Tyson's hands, as he has volunteered to lead the attack and rescue. I'd ask the others who are coming with me to leave now. The less we know, the better. We must prepare for our departure. Sir Thomas, can you please come with me as well?"

Lady Theresa jumped up and followed Lord Wildwood, Sir Thomas and the other sacrifices out of the tent. She looked like she was going to cry, and Ildri did not blame her. Ildri felt like crying, too. The mission to break in was just as likely suicide as the sacrifice's purpose for entering.

Ty began to speak and Ildri could see what a natural leader he was, fearless and decisive. It was a shame he was the third son, he would have made a good duke. Then Ty asked for volunteers.

A couple of men spoke immediately that they would go. Charles volunteered as well and so did Jim.

"I want to go too, then!" Anya announced, her voice still a bit shaky.

Ildri closed her eyes. "And me, too."

Ty scowled. "No. Neither of you are going."

"What?" Anya asked, her outrage apparently overshadowing her nervousness.

"You heard me," Ty said.

"Let him go. Warlocks might as well be useful, and if he dies a warlock's no loss."

Jim turned to the man who was so prejudiced against warlocks. "You are repulsive, Lord Korves."

"What's your problem?" asked Korves with a scowl. "Don't like what I said? Maybe you should remember your place. Just because you managed to sneak your way into Rothforth's..."

Jim looked at him coldly, "And perhaps you should remember your decency, sir."

Ty stood up. "Enough. I said no, and—"

Ildri had enough. She was not being left behind. This was important enough to risk her life. She stepped forward and could feel her legs shaking. "He's saying no because we're female, too. But both Andrew and I are witches, and we can help against the magic users that might be inside. We've got as much riding on this as anyone, Ty," she said. Anya looked relieved Ildri had not called her by name, and it was not surprising as she was rather infamous after her multiple assassination attempts the previous year.

Charles was looking at her strangely and she wondered if he an idea who she was.

Anya looked at the warlock hater Korves and said in a weirdly bright tone, "And we're still using the same style of magic as warlocks and we're commoners to boot, so no real loss, right, my lord?"

Ty looked about to say something when Lady Theresa returned. "I'm coming, too," she said loudly.

Ty opened his mouth to object, but Lady Theresa cut him off. "As I see it, you have two options. Either you let us help as you need us, or we attempt to help without knowing your plans, perhaps disastrously. My husband is going in helpless and I will save him or die trying."

"What about your daughter? Have you thought of her?" Ty asked cruelly, if quietly. "I've seen her. She's a beautiful little girl."

Lady Theresa looked like she would cry and shout at the same time. Instead, she said evenly, "We've decided that if something happens to us, then it is better that Scelus not know she was our daughter. Sir Thomas and my sister, Lady Daphne will raise her as if she were their own."

"I can see you are determined. Ty looked grim as he rubbed his hand across his forehead. "So be it."