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cuffs in his house; he didn't want to know.
"I'm not aware that the magic they used is forbidden by any statute or edict," Hanner said.
"But they do have this new magic that was running wild last night."
"Yes," Hanner conceded.
"Then if they're magicians, why haven't they resisted imprisonment? How did you bring them here?"
"By hiring other magic, of course," Hanner said. "These other three assisted me in capturing and holding the
prisoners." He gestured at his remaining aides.
"They're magicians, too?"
Hanner nodded.
The magistrate sighed. "To the best of my knowledge the overlord has not yet issued instructions as to
whether this new magic is criminal in nature."
"Then it isn't," Hanner said. "And you need only rule on the actual crimes involved-theft, vandalism, assault,
unruly behavior, and the refusal of orders from the overlord's representative."
"That would be you?"
"Yes."
"Lord Hanner, to the best of my knowledge you hold no official position in the overlord's service, as yet."
"That's true."
"Then I can't rule on that-only the overlord can say whether you were correct in acting in his name." He
brightened up suddenly. "Which means that I must, regrettably, refer this case to a higher authority..."
"But you can't!" Hanner said. "The overlord won't allow anyone into the Palace, and I don't think Lord Karannin
is going to come out and rule on this case."
"To be blunt, my lord, that's not my problem."
Hanner glowered at the magistrate. "Fine, then! I hereby drop that charge. Deal with the others."
"I do not see the aggrieved parties-the owners of the stolen and vandalized property-here ..."
That was the pebble that sank the barge.
"By all the gods and demons!" Hanner roared, startling everyone, including himself. He stepped forward to the
desk and only at the last instant refrained from leaning across and grabbing the magistrate by the throat.
"You're one of Lord Azrad's magistrates! Will you stop making excuses and do your accursed job, sir? I have
brought you three men and a young woman caught in the act of wantonly stealing anything they pleased and
smashing anything in their way, I have brought you three eyewitnesses in addition to myself, and I demand
that you deal with the matter!"
"I can't!" the magistrate insisted. "The overlord might outlaw this new magic at any moment and order them
all to be hanged!"
"Well, he hasn't done it yet!" Hanner bellowed, leaning forward until his nose almost met the magistrate's
own. "I've been holding these four prisoner in my uncle's house, and I can't hold them forever! I have no idea
when Azrad will finally make up his mind, and neither do you, and the entire city can't just wait around doing
nothing until he reaches a decision! Just forget about the magic, will you? Treat them as ordinary thieves and
vandals!" "And what if I let them go, and the overlord ..." "I'll take the responsibility for that!" Hanner shouted.
"You just get on with it!"
"You'll take responsibility, before these witnesses?"
"Yes, blast you!"
"Very well, then. Ordinary thieves and vandals." He looked at the waiting prisoners, pointed at the first one,
and said, "You! Do you deny any part of what Lord Hanner has said of your actions last night?"
He had chosen Kirsha, the only female. "No, my lord," she said.
"Are there any extenuating circumstances you believe should be considered in determining your
punishment?"
The girl hesitated, glanced at Rudhira, then said, "I thought I was dreaming, my lord."
The magistrate sat back in his chair. "Did you?" he said. "How interesting! Why?"
"Well... I had been dreaming, a nightmare about falling and burning and smothering, and then I woke up but I
was hanging in midair-my lord, I'd never even spoken to a magician before; the only flying I'd ever done was in
dreams. So I thought I was still dreaming."
"And you didn't notice that the World was its usual solid self?"
"But it wasn't! Not at first, anyway. I could fly and make other things fly, and there were people screaming
everywhere-everything seemed mad, so I thought it was either a dream or the end of the World, and I could do
anything I pleased."
"So you went rampaging through the street, looting shops."
The girl nodded unhappily.
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