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Nick had insisted on bringing Leesha Middleton, who sat off to one side A sether at the back

Conversations in a dozen languages reverberated around the roohost warriors in period dress slouched up the side aisles and peered down from the balconies

Well, we have the votes at this point, Seph thought What we need are sorcerers to sign onto this project He glanced down at the notes on the scrap of paper in his hand

"Let’s begin," NickSeph on the shoulder The old wizard shuffled to the podiuripped it with both hands "Guildfriends!"

Conversations died away

"Thank you for co," Nick continued "Most of you know overnors of the sanctuary in Linda Downey’s absence We’ve met as a board to discuss uage prograht we are here for a different purpose--to discuss a change in security procedures for the sanctuary"

He paused, scanning the room for questions, then continued "Recently, we have seen an unusual influx of wizards into Trinity They may be innocent tourists, they may be spies, or they ical weapons We don’t know But redirecting theical weapons?" de wizard in the back "Where are they? Why weren’t we told?"

"Wizards? Innocent tourists? Bah!" a young French seer in the front row said A rumble of assent followed "We should expel them all before they knife us in the back"

Ellen stood "I’ve got more reason to hate wizards than ht wizards, and they’ve got a plan I think you should listen to it" She glared at the crowd until the gruht," Nick said, taking advantage of the lull "Seph McCauley has agreed to coordinate security matters for the sanctuary He’ll answer any questions you have"

Sephchair onstage Conversations rose on all sides, beating against his flame-sensitized ears

"He’s just a boy," said one of the wizards in the back, looking down his long nose at Seph "Why is he handling security? Are things that desperate?"

"He’s Hastings’s son," the twitchy wizard " The first wizard snorted "Experience and coish woman with Asian features, shushed the other two "Didn’t you hear what he did at Second Sister?" she hissed "Dueled twelve wizards at once and killed them all"

"Like I said, Felicia, no common sense," the first wizard said

"He’s a wizard," Seph heard one sorcerer say to another "And he’s going to be protecting the Anaweir?"

Great, Seph thought Everybody already has an opinion He looked out over the crowd,eye contact with several people he knew Mercedes winked at him, and he relaxed a fraction

"So," Seph said "As uard since then, to make sure the rules written at Raven’s Ghyll hold here in the sanctuary But it’s been harder, lately, because of all the intrusions"

"They aren’t intrusions," the long-nosed wizard said "The sanctuary is open to all"

"We have to change that," Seph said fro in If we leave the sanctuary open, there’s a chance the balance of poill be tipped in favor of the Roses With things as unstable as they are, we could be overwhelmed before we can mount a defense"

"What do you have in htened andto put up a Weirwall"

There was an instant uproar He’d expected it Weirwalls were controversial They were first used during the Wars of the Roses, to ensnare wizards They were mostly the work of sorcerers, but some wizards (like Barber) had the skill as well Many wizards considered them foul play

"What kind of Weirwall?" one of the sorcerers finally asked, shouting above the hubbub "And who’s going to design and build it?"

"Great question," Seph said, relieved it was a question he could give to someone else "Mercedes?"

Mercedes Foster strode up to the podiulared out at the Weir "Give the boy a chance!" she shouted "He didn’t ask for this job He deserves your thanks, not your criticis to save your sorry butts"