"What is going on out there today?" Stefania looked out the window of the Dancing Boar, trying to see the gathering in the square but not quite able to see the action. It seems like the whole militia has turned out, but I see no sign of Arthur.

  "I believe that Chuck has sent a representative to give some supplemental combat training to our militiamen," opined Ignatz. "I wouldn't mind witnessing it myself, but since Father Yaqub requested that we meet immediately, he must have something vital to share with the council. I can't recall him ever doing such a thing before."

  She looked the other direction out the window and saw Yaqub hurrying up the street. "Here he comes now. I imagine that Vladimir isn't far behind. Any idea what bee he's got in his bonnet? I know he's conflicted on Sir Chuck's arrival. Perhaps he's discovered something important about our new paladin to share."

  "There is nothing he could have discovered that can change my opinion on the matter," grunted Ignatz. "I do not believe that Thornwell needs a 'Lord Protector', and it is the hill I will die on."

  Moments later, Father Yaqub burst through the door and headed directly towards Franz at the bar. "An ale, please, Franz." Stefania and Ignatz exchanged a look. An ale in the middle of the day was very out of character for the village priest. Even less in character was when he lifted the mug and tilted it back with nary a pause, downing it in big gulps.

  "What is it, Father? Something terrible must have happened?"

  He put the drained mug down and almost signaled for a refill before he decided against it. "We need Vladimir here before I begin. I only want to speak about this once." He slumped onto a stool at the bar and was silent until Vladimir entered the inn.

  "What is going on? My house was burgled, and I have men working to make it more secure. I'm needed there, not here.

  Father Yaqub stared daggers into the man. "Burgled, eh? And you had some correspondence stolen, I wager."

  "How did you—" he stopped with his mouth hanging open when he saw the package of papers on the bar next to the priest. "Those are mine! Give them back." He near sprinted across the common room and made to grab the papers. When Yaqub stood and blocked his way, Franz scooped the papers up and stepped back to where Vladimir could not reach him.

  "What is in these papers, Father, that would justify your stealing them from one of our village councilors?"

  "I didn't steal them, they were left on my doorstep. I found them this morning. And you know what I found in them?" He grabbed Vladimir by the collar. "Letters in Infernal script! You've been treating with a demon! You were negotiating to deliver the village." Vladimir stumbled back and fell as Yaqub pushed him away. He sat, stupefied, on the ground, his mouth moving but nothing coming out. "What was our village worth in trade? Was it for money? Power? Women? What was your price for our lives?"

  The silence was absolute. Franz tore his eyes off Vladimir to look at first Ignatz, and then Stefania, before looking back at Ignatz. Stefania sat stupefied in her seat, unable to believe what she was hearing. Ignatz was the first to recover his senses. "Franz, you'd better bring those papers over here."

  "No!" Vladimir jumped up. "Those are my private papers. I wasn't negotiating to give the village away; I was negotiating to get us protection. The paladin is right, the Demon King claims Thornwell as his own, but he's lying as well. He's supposed to claim it for the Demon King, not protect us from him. The village is already lost one way or the other. I'm trying to get us a better deal. I'm trying to ensure that at least some of us preserve our freedom."

  "Some of us?" Yaqub was red in the face, fists balled at his waist. Which ones? You? The people who are already in your debt? Or maybe those that aren't so that you can squeeze them into it by threatening to turn them over to the Devil. Light help me, you scum, if I were not the man I am, I would beat you to within an inch of your pathetic life."

  Franz handed the papers to Ignatz, who scanned the first one. "I can't read this, but I recognize the script. It is indeed Infernal." He passed the paper to Stefania, who took one glance and pushed it away.

  "I concur with Ignatz's appraisal. Father, I presume you can read these?"

  "I received basic instruction at seminary. Just enough so that we could recognize an Infernal contract if we came across one, I can't tell you the details of what it says, but I assure you that there are drafts of infernal contracts in that pile."

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  Face red, he thrust a finger at Vladimir. "This man has betrayed us. He has betrayed us, his neighbors, and in fact all of Thornwell." He stood over the cowering man and shook his fist at him. "We should banish him from the village. We should exile him with nothing but the shirt on his back, on pain of death, should he ever return."

  Aside from a whimper from Vladimir, the only noise in the inn came from the militia cheering out in the square.

  Stefania rose and crossed to Yaqub and put an arm around his shoulders, guiding him back to the bar and there to sit upon a stool. "Easy, Father, easy. You know we don't do that sort of thing." She shot a look at Vladimir. "Though, Light help me, I do so want to start. This is disgusting, Vladimir, even for you."

  Franz cleared his throat. "We may not kill or exile people from the village, but it is clear that he can no longer serve on the council. Would this be an appropriate time to put forth a motion to kick him off of it?"

  "No! You can't do that! The rules of order clearly state--"

  "Oh, do shut up, Vladimir." Stefania smiled wickedly. "We agreed to let you formalize the rules of order because you would never shut up about proper procedure, and we've been operating under them for a while, but they were never formally adopted by the council. Am I wrong, Franz?"

  "No, Stefania, you're correct."

  She squatted down and lifted Vladimir's head with one finger. "And you know why I made sure that we never did? Because I've always known that you were a snake. I've always known that you're moneylending scum. I've always known that you blackmailed some of my friends and neighbors to get a seat on the council. So I made sure that you wouldn't be able to stop me from getting rid of you when you finally showed your hand." She shoved his face back, sending him down to the floor.

  "I second the motion."

  Ignatz said, "Motion made and seconded. All in favor say 'aye'. Aye."

  "Aye."

  "Aye."

  "Aye."

  "The motion passes; Vladimir is no longer on this council. Father Yaqub, please escort all non-council members out of the room as the council has business to discuss."

  Father Yaqub rolled up his sleeves and rolled out his shoulders. "With pleasure." He did not get the opportunity as Vladimir scrambled to his feet and out the door before he could take two steps.

  * * *

  Father Yaqub came back into the Dancing Boar after chasing Vladimir out, standing on the boardwalk in front of the inn, shaking his fist and cursing at him. He was clearly still angry and wrestling for control of himself. "Light damn him to Hell. I knew he was a bad character, but this? Treating with demons for the village?"

  Stefania walked him to the table where Ignatz sat behind the pile of papers while Franz brought over a tray of ales. He set it down, handed out the drinks, and put the tray on a neighboring table.

  Ignatz was the first to speak. "Well, this is why our friends and neighbors chose us to sit on this council. So that they don't have to deal with issues like this. I don't see that this changes anything in the short term. We'll let the village know what happened here today, and at the next regular meeting we'll seat the replacement of their choice. That will give everyone a chance to think about who they want to replace…" He didn't even want to say his name. "To replace him."

  "We have more pressing concerns, Ignatz," chimed in Stefania. "If you were waiting for confirmation that Thornwell is under direct threat from demons, you now have it. In fact," she pointed to the papers, "it's directly in front of you. We need to accept Sir Chuck's offer and install him as Lord Protector of Thornwell."

  Ignatz winced and looked away. "Stefania, my answer hasn't changed. Thornwell has never needed a protector in the past, and I don't see that we need one now. We just rooted a cancer out of our council, surely that's enough to keep trouble at bay."

  "I agree with Stefania," interjected Franz. "We need him now more than ever. If his protection proves false, we can always remove him. Besides, without Vladimir here, there are two votes for and only one against. So the vote goes in his favor."

  "No." Father Yaqub held up his hand. "If we vote again, I cast my vote against."

  "Father!"

  "Hear me out, Stefania. Chuck is a paladin of the Light. Warriors who get called to serve the Light generally only receive the call after years of proving themselves worthy. They receive a decade or more of training and education before being blessed to carry the Light into the world and fight the Darkness. Finding someone younger than 35 is unheard of. How old do you suppose Sir Chuck is?"

  "He looks somewhere around 18."

  "Yes, I agree. Absurdly young to be touched."

  "Are you saying that he's a fraud?"

  "No! No. That's not what I'm saying at all. Paladins of the Light venture forth to fight the armies of evil. They lead crusades, they don't install themselves in remote villages. They command armies, not a small household of clerks and servants. He is without a doubt a Lightbearer, don't get me wrong. Undeniably. But he isn't behaving like one. I don't understand his motives. I can't be sure that his being our protector is actually an act of the Light and not a trick of the darkness."

  "Yaqub, can you not see the danger that the village is in?" asked Franz. "As Stefania said, we can always remove him if we need to."

  "Franz, old friend, it's not a question of removing him. I'm afraid that the act, the mere act, of installing him will serve the Dark and pull him away from the Light. He may be dammed if we grant him the power he seeks, his soul condemned to Hell forever. It is not something that any act of man can reverse."