The King clapped his hands once, the sound overly loud in the large room. ALL conversations stopped, and all eyes were pulled from the circling witches to the King. "Enough. The test is complete. Daniel, Amy, Jasmine, and Amber. Congratulations. You are accepted into the Adventurer Academy as full students. I wish you well in your studies.

"Grace. Quinten. Join me in my study, post-haste."

Sylvan made a complex gesture, and the King and him were gone.

The audience exploded into noise. Grace nodded and Daniel and the girls and left to drag an irate Quinten out the back way.

In the centre of the room, four people hugged each other hard. Even Amber was pressed up against Daniel.

Nine...

GRACE WALKED STRAIGHT into the King's office without knocking, pulling Quinten behind her. She stepped inside and stopped. To her surprise, standing in the room, off to one side by the large bookcase that covered the entire wall, stood her adventuring companions. Brian Bitmyth, a mountain dwarf cleric of Syn, stood looking unsure of himself. The large, crudely drawn penis on his chest armour gleamed in the dim lighting of the study. Beside him and looking bored, stood Jason Jackson, a more than competent fighter who liked to explore spiritual concepts. Grace, Brian, and Jason were all that remained of Grace's adventurer group since Eric Garcia had been killed outside of Acron. She hadn't seen them in some time.

The two men smiled at Grace and nodded their heads. Grace gave them a brief smile and then looked at the King and Sylvan. The King sat at the large desk and Sylvan stood behind him and to the right.

Grace looked back at her friends.

"Brian! Jason! I didn't know you were in Whitehaven. I've been looking for you! I take it the King summoned you?"

Brian and Jason both nodded. “Aye,” replied the dwarf. "We've only just arrived. Missed the testing. How'd it go? Well, I take it?"

Grace smoothed her features and walked further into the study, the door closing behind her. Quinten stood next to her and looked only at the King.

Grace took Brian's hands and squeezed them briefly. "As well as can be expected considering the circumstances. They passed with flying colours. Even our King was impressed. Wouldn't you agree, your Highness?"

The King merely nodded. Sylvan looked uncomfortable.

Grace snorted. "Daniel was spectacular. His circle had to face some unique challenges Quinten here threw at them, but in the end, they passed. I still want to understand exactly what Quinten thought he was accomplishing, and I was pretty sure it would just be the King, Quinten, and I in here. Hmm, King Arbuckle? Why bring my companions into all this?"

“Yes, yes. Please sit, all of you. We have something to discuss. It affects all of you." The King motioned to the four seats placed in front of his desk.

Grace, Brian, and Jason took the offered seats once the King sat.

Sylvan remained standing. Quinten took his time, but eventually settled in the seat next to Jason.

Jason scooched his chair a fraction away from Quinten.

“Let me start, your Highness," purred Grace. “So tell us, Quinten, what compelled you to try to kill Daniel Davies and his circle of witches? Hmm? Did I not say they were important and to care for them?"

Quinten said nothing. He stared straight ahead somewhere over the head of the King.

King Arbuckle pinched the bridge of his nose. His eyes were closed for a time and when he opened them, he looked directly at Quinten.

“Explain yourself," was all he said.

Quinten shifted his ass in his chair. “It is simple. The One God told me to eradicate them. They are witches with a bound spell caster. They cannot be allowed to live. Your very own laws decree that to be so, your Highness."