Cold Magics by Erik Buchanan Page B

he could be heard. “But now is the time to show that you are no mere rabble! Not mere rioters, but proud students of the Royal Academy! Lead us back to the student quarter, and there let us celebrate our victory!”
    The crowd cheered again, and hundreds of feet began moving. Someone started singing the school song, and two hundred voices joined in.
    “Thank the Four,” said Henry into Thomas’s ear. “We borrowed these horses from the king’s stable. He wouldn’t be happy if they came home damaged.”
    Henry pulled Thomas close to him and started the horse moving. Past his shoulder, Thomas could see the two knights mount, and all of Henry’s men followed after him. Two garrisons of the town’s watch were standing to one side, letting the students pass. Henry saluted the captains and rode forward. The crowd milled around them. Henry signalled to his knights and the other riders formed up around him, keeping the students from getting too close and possibly jostling Thomas out of his seat.
    “How bad was it?” asked Henry.
    Thomas shook his head, unwilling to answer. He could smell himself, and was sure Henry could, too.
    Henry said, “The doctor told the guards that he needed to treat Lionel at his office. While they were leading him there, Eileen ran away to the Residence. Baron Cavish sent six men to get George and Lionel, and then found me.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been here sooner, but we had to try the legal channels first. I was addressing the students yesterday, so I spoke to the Master of Law and the principal. They sent letters, but nothing happened. This morning I spoke to the chancellor. Finally I got him to sign a writ and rallied everyone in our apartment block to come here.” He looked at the crowd. “It seems to have done the trick.”
    Thomas watched the square slowly retreat into the distance and felt a wave of relief roll over him. Tears he couldn’t stop began to fill his eyes. He was still horribly ashamed of himself and could barely stand to let Henry hold onto him, even though release would mean falling off the horse.
    “Kept you chained the whole time, did they?” said Henry. Unable to make a cohesive reply, Thomas only nodded. “Don’t worry,” Henry said. “We’ll have you back to the Residence soon. Eileen and George are worried sick about you.”
    Not like this, Thomas thought. He tried to speak the words, but they nearly came out as a wail. He forced himself to breathe slowly, forced himself to try again. “Not like this.”
    “It will be fine,” said Henry. “They’ll understand.”
    “Not like this,” Thomas repeated. He tried to keep his voice solid, but it cracked on the last word. “Please.”
    Henry shook his head. “We need to get you out of the street.”
    “Please,” Thomas’s voice cracked again, and tears and words started flowing. “I don’t want them to see me like this, Henry. Please. I’m disgusting. I smell. Don’t let them see me like this. Don’t let Eileen…”
    He lost the words, tears taking over. He forced his sobs quiet, forced himself not be loud enough to be heard, though he knew the other knights could see. When he could speak again, he said, “I didn’t tell them anything. Not anything. But they’re going to come after George and Eileen. You can’t let them.”
    “We won’t,” said Henry. “No one will hurt them.” Henry looked over his shoulder, called to Sir Lawrence, “We’re going to the Street of Smiths. Slow down and let the crowd get past us, then we’ll turn off.”
    Lawrence called back an affirmative, and the knights around Henry slowed. Most of the students went on their way. A few tried to stay back, but Henry shooed them onward, claiming that they would join them later.
    Once the last of them had moved past, Henry turned his horse down another street and picked up the pace, keeping the horse to a fast walk and maintaining a tight grip on Thomas. Neither said anything more. Thomas hated