Free Spellscribed: Conviction by Kristopher Cruz Page B

stored in a chest sealed by me, to be kept safe until your verdict is reached. Upon which, either they will be returned to you, or I will take ownership of them until they can be either destroyed or recirculated. I'm personally hoping for destruction."
    Endrance spread his arms as the mages cast their divinations on him. "Did... did I do something horribly cruel to you in a past life?" he asked. "Because I'm not entirely sure why you're so angry at me. It feels personal."
    "It is personal, wizard." Weldom snapped. "But you wouldn't understand."
    Endrance considered what he knew. "Maybe it's something Kaelob did?" he asked.
    "Shut up." Weldom said plainly. "Now turn out your pockets and strip out of those clothes. You will be given clean robes that we can guarantee haven't been tampered with."
    Endrance sighed. "Okay." he said, cooperating. He handed over the few spell tabs he had crafted, the necklace carrying the four rings, and his antler-handled daggers. The knives drew raised eyebrows from the two wizards, and Endrance shrugged.
    "It's rough up north." he replied.
    One wizard pulled a knife free of its scabbard, and noted the large number of scratches and signs of use on the sides of the blade. The edge was, of course, sharp and clear of burrs; Joven would murder him if he caught him mishandling his weapons.
    "I'd like those back. Trophies." Endrance said. Weldom glared at him. "It's a barbarian thing." Endrance explained. His objects were dumped unceremoniously on the silver table.
    He pulled off the coat, handing it to the duo. He shucked his shirt, and hesitated as the two wizards keeping a close eye on him gasped.
    They were looking at his tattoos and the two silver bracers on his wrists. Endrance held out his shirt, and one of them took it, placing it on the table.
    "Those bracers are well beyond your ability to craft." Weldom declared. Endrance felt his twinge of irritation swiftly growing into a deep burning dislike of the man. "Where did you get them?"
    "Valeria was Kaelob's master, as I'm sure you're well aware." Endrance said. "They were hers once. Kaelob gave them to me when I passed his trials."
    He was technically lying. Kaelob had given him the left bracer when Endrance passed the trials. The right one was given to him by the very assassin who had put him into this situation when Valeria, whom the world thought dead, had betrayed her. That was a little more complicated than Endrance was wanting to explain to a man who would take everything he said in the worst light, so he omitted that detail.
    "You're trying to tell me that Kaelob had those this whole time?" Weldom demanded.
    "Well, except for this last year or so, when I had them." Endrance replied. "Besides, Kaelob said they were her first crafting project and weren't her real bracers."
    "Kaelob says many things," Weldom replied. "The wise man learns to believe none of it."
    Endrance sighed. "You want me to take them off, right?" he said. "I'm not going to activate them."
    Weldom rolled his eyes. "Yes. I want you to take the Arch Mage-quality magic artifacts off your arms and hand them to me."
    Endrance undid the clasps, holding out the bracers. The wizards attending Weldom didn't get a chance to reach for them as the High Magus snatched them out of his hands and held on to them.
    "Who scribed you?" Weldom demanded.
    "Didn't we go over this already?" Endrance snapped. "I don't know! I was a baby!"
    "Then who did the new ones?" the High Magus retorted. "Those arrangements were not on your body when I last saw you."
    "When did you last see me?"
    "Answer the question."
    Endrance shook his head. "I did them myself."
    Weldom tilted his head. "You did them yourself."
    "Yes."
    The High Magus sighed. "I should have expected you to not be honest with me. Fine, the interrogator will winnow out the truth."
    Endrance didn't like the sound of that. "I'm totally serious." He said in his defense.
    "Don't want to hear it." came the reply. "Pants."
    Endrance looked down.