Free Ten Little Wizards: A Lord Darcy Novel by Michael Kurland, Randall Garrett Page B

right,” Sir Darryl said. “A spell of relevancy ties in the three, do you see? The person, the key, and the lock must all agree, or it won’t work and the door won’t open. A very time-consuming and expensive spell to put into operation, but very effective. Only the three people with tuned keys can open the locks, and no new keys can be created.”
    “Absolutely positive, Sir Darryl?” His Highness asked.
    “Absolutely? No, Your Highness, not absolutely. Anything the mind of one man can create the mind of another man can unravel. But there are very few sorcerers who could do it—I can only think of six—and it would take even the best of them quite a long time.”
    “How long?” Marquis Sherrinford asked.
    “Say half a day or longer,” Sir Darryl replied.
    “That’s good enough,” His Highness agreed. “And who gets these keys?”
    “His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, and Marquis Sherrinford here,” Coronel Lord Waybusch said.
    “Go on,” His Highness directed.
    “Yes. Well, the Kings and Queens galleries are constantly guarded. Formerly there were three guards in the galleries at all times, now we have upped it to six. And these are all hand-picked men, with orders not to let anyone through who hasn’t a daily pass, which will be given out at the Lord Chamberlain’s office. And that means anyone, even Your Highness. Of course, your pass will be brought to you each morning.”
    “Me?” Duke Richard looked startled, “But—”
    ”That is to allow for impersonation, Your Highness,” Lord Darcy interjected smoothly. After all, the guards can’t be expected to know Your Highness’s appearance well enough to be sure that you are really you, if you see what I mean.”
    Duke Richard nodded. “Very good thinking. If any guard fails to ask me for my pass, I will personally have him patrolling the moat every night for the next month. What else?”
    “The Great Hall entrance to the throne room presents the most problems,” Coronel Lord Waybusch said. “It can’t be closed off. But it can be controlled. Luckily there is a guardroom to the right of the Doors of State. A company of guards will be based there from now on. Nobody will get in or out those doors who hasn’t been personally checked by a captain of the guard. Presumably if they’ve earned their captain’s fleurs-de-lis, they’re intelligent enough to handle the job. Any who aren’t will be removed.”
    The map kept trying to roll up as Coronel Lord Waybusch talked, so he reached into a pouch at his belt and pulled out a pair of gold parallelepipeds about an inch and a half square and three inches high, which he used to weight down its far corners.
    “Now the second castle...” Coronel Lord Waybusch paused while Duke Richard reached curiously for one of the odd rectilinear objects and picked it up to examine it.
    “They are traveling salt and pepper shakers, Your Highness,” Coronel Lord Waybusch explained, looking faintly embarrassed. “Twisting the top reveals the holes. Gifts of my lady wife. She seems to have a horror of my being stuck in the field without condiments.”
    “I see,” Duke Richard said, twisting the top of the one he was holding several times, and then replacing the object. “Very clever. Do go on.”
    “Now the second castle, the so-called White Chateau, is not properly a castle at all. Built, as it was, within the walls that existed at that time, it was never meant to be fortified. In case of attack, it would be abandoned and its residents evacuated to the Arthur Keep. It is where most of our honored guests are staying, or are going to stay, for the coronation. It can, and I am told it will, hold over two thousand people in comfort. The main building has over four hundred rooms, and the two els have over two hundred fifty each. There are thirty-two exits, in all directions.”
    “Hard to guard,” Marquis Sherrinford said.
    “True,” Coronel Lord Waybusch agreed. “And also, luckily,