A Mage Of None Magic (Book 1) Read Online Free Page A
Author: A. Christopher Drown
temptation. The flower’s petals, when ground, mixed with wine and imbibed, induced a state of euphoric aphrodisia, rendering one mindlessly enthusiastic toward any sexual advance. The drug also had remarkable curative properties, granting an aggressor great latitude in indulging more sadistic appetites with no worry of telling marks or scars. A victim would have little or no recollection of such an assault, and practically no physical evidence to support an accusation if he or she did. Given the celibacy imposed upon the Membership, the College forbade the substance.
Proper balance of Lady’s Thigh with its complementary ingredients was crucial to achieve the desired effect. The experiences Sala’s apprentice conveyed suggested a weak concoction, but the sample from his workshop contained a dangerously high concentration. At such proportions, if Sala’s apprentice had survived at all she would have retained no memory of the alleged attacks—not even those as disjointed and vague as dreams. Ennalen had no doubt the stupid little girl had fabricated the entire matter, and had planted the evidence in a bid to avenge some other perceived but unrelated wrong.
Ordinarily the deception would have brought the full fury of Ennalen’s wrath, but her situation necessitated no cause be given to question her dedication. At the same time the number of abuse cases had declined as a result of her work, baseless accusations had increased, and accordingly her ratio of complaints to convictions had dropped—she never pronounced guilt arbitrarily. But the recent run of dismissals possibly could be misrepresented as a lack of thoroughness on her part, which in turn might lead others to suspect her preoccupation with matters other than those pertaining to her office. That was something she could ill afford.
Ennalen spoke loudly, formally, addressing all present.
“Good Members of the Gallery, having heard the testimony of the relevant parties, I come to the inescapable conclusion that our Brother Sala has forsaken his solemn duty and besmirched a fundamental trust on which the very existence of our beloved College is dependent…”
In the Revelator’s Circle, as he had many times throughout the trial, Sala began to sob. Under normal circumstances personal opinion of someone under her professional scrutiny never would have affected Ennalen’s judgment, but Sala’s cowardice and effeminacy readily provoked her disdain, thus she had to admit a certain, malicious glee from the fact that the proceeding’s circumstances were far from normal.
The finale itself, however, would be a matter of routine.
Following her zealous summation and the presentation of her verdict, the Magistrate of Record—the senior Magistrate who heard the testimony of all parties involved—would either concur or challenge. If he concurred, the verdict would become part of the official archives and the appropriate sentence would be administered. If the Magistrate of Record challenged, the Members of the Gallery would be polled, and the result of their vote would become the final verdict. Ennalen made a much more effective Magistrate than a magician, and despite her preference for investigation she lacked little as a conjurer. Sala would be condemned.
Per the statute she herself had written, the first of the two standard punishments for Sala’s supposed crime was castration, followed by permanent excommunication from the College. The second option was imprisonment until the complainant reached confirmation, at which time the offender would be pressed into service as the complainant’s apprentice, subject to whatever treatment his new master saw fit. The former remained by far the most common choice, something Ennalen had never understood. While she saw the appeal of immediate satisfaction, in her opinion enslavement offered the potential for a more lasting and gratifying retribution.
As she performed for the Gallery that day’s variation on the litany
Proper balance of Lady’s Thigh with its complementary ingredients was crucial to achieve the desired effect. The experiences Sala’s apprentice conveyed suggested a weak concoction, but the sample from his workshop contained a dangerously high concentration. At such proportions, if Sala’s apprentice had survived at all she would have retained no memory of the alleged attacks—not even those as disjointed and vague as dreams. Ennalen had no doubt the stupid little girl had fabricated the entire matter, and had planted the evidence in a bid to avenge some other perceived but unrelated wrong.
Ordinarily the deception would have brought the full fury of Ennalen’s wrath, but her situation necessitated no cause be given to question her dedication. At the same time the number of abuse cases had declined as a result of her work, baseless accusations had increased, and accordingly her ratio of complaints to convictions had dropped—she never pronounced guilt arbitrarily. But the recent run of dismissals possibly could be misrepresented as a lack of thoroughness on her part, which in turn might lead others to suspect her preoccupation with matters other than those pertaining to her office. That was something she could ill afford.
Ennalen spoke loudly, formally, addressing all present.
“Good Members of the Gallery, having heard the testimony of the relevant parties, I come to the inescapable conclusion that our Brother Sala has forsaken his solemn duty and besmirched a fundamental trust on which the very existence of our beloved College is dependent…”
In the Revelator’s Circle, as he had many times throughout the trial, Sala began to sob. Under normal circumstances personal opinion of someone under her professional scrutiny never would have affected Ennalen’s judgment, but Sala’s cowardice and effeminacy readily provoked her disdain, thus she had to admit a certain, malicious glee from the fact that the proceeding’s circumstances were far from normal.
The finale itself, however, would be a matter of routine.
Following her zealous summation and the presentation of her verdict, the Magistrate of Record—the senior Magistrate who heard the testimony of all parties involved—would either concur or challenge. If he concurred, the verdict would become part of the official archives and the appropriate sentence would be administered. If the Magistrate of Record challenged, the Members of the Gallery would be polled, and the result of their vote would become the final verdict. Ennalen made a much more effective Magistrate than a magician, and despite her preference for investigation she lacked little as a conjurer. Sala would be condemned.
Per the statute she herself had written, the first of the two standard punishments for Sala’s supposed crime was castration, followed by permanent excommunication from the College. The second option was imprisonment until the complainant reached confirmation, at which time the offender would be pressed into service as the complainant’s apprentice, subject to whatever treatment his new master saw fit. The former remained by far the most common choice, something Ennalen had never understood. While she saw the appeal of immediate satisfaction, in her opinion enslavement offered the potential for a more lasting and gratifying retribution.
As she performed for the Gallery that day’s variation on the litany
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