“What did you do to him, Questor?” he pressed, after asking the question once and getting only a shrug for a response. “Come on, tell me. What did you do? I mean, how did you even know what kind of magic to use? I seem to remember you telling me that use of the magic was pretty uncertain over there.”
Well… most kinds of magic,” Questor agreed.
But not the kind you used on Michel?”
Oh, well, that magic was mostly for effect. Not much real magic was necessary.”
Ben was floored. “How can you say that? He was… he was…”
“Basically misguided, if you recall the story,” Questor finished. “Remember, my half-brother was primarily responsible for making him into the disagreeable kind of person he was.”
Ben frowned. “So what did you do?”
Questor shrugged once more. “He just needed his values rearranged, High Lord.”
“Questor!”
“Very well.” The wizard sighed. “I gave him back his conscience.”
“You what?”
“I let the poor thing out from where Michel had locked it away. I used the magic to enlarge it and to give it a primary place of importance in Michel’s thoughts.” Questor smiled. “The guilt he felt must have been intolerable!” He smiled some more. “Oh. I did do one other little thing. I planted a small suggestion in his subconscious.”
He arched an eyebrow, looking like the cat who had eaten the canary.
“I suggested that in order to atone for his guilt, he should give everything away immediately. That way, you see, if the magic gives out before his conscience has a chance to take hold permanently, it will be too late for him to do anything to reverse matters.”
Ben grinned broadly. “Questor Thews. Sometimes you really amaze me.”
The wizard’s owlish face crinkled. They regarded each other with amusement for a moment, sharing the joke.
Then suddenly Questor jumped up. “Goodness! I almost forgot! I have some news that will amaze you indeed, High Lord.” He forced himself to sit down again, clearly excited. “What if I were to tell you that I have found a way to change Abernathy back again? I mean, really change him back!”
He studied Ben eagerly, waiting. “Are you serious?” Ben asked finally.
“Certainly, High Lord.”
“Change him back? Into a man?”
“Yes, High Lord.”
“Like before?”
“Oh, no, not like before.”
“But with magic?”
“Of course, with magic!”
“Have you tested it? This magic?”
“Well…”
“On anything?”
“Well…”
“So this is still just a theory?”
“A well-reasoned theory, High Lord. It should work.”
Ben leaned forward until their heads were almost touching. “It should, should it? Have you told Abernathy about this?”
The wizard shook his head. “No, High Lord. I thought… uh, perhaps you might?”
There was a long silence. Then Ben whispered, “I don’t think either of us should tell him just yet. Do you? Not until you’ve spent a little more time on it.”
Questor frowned, then squinched up his owlish face thoughtfully. “Wellll… perhaps not.”
Ben stood up and put a hand on his shoulder. “Good night, Questor,” he said. Then he turned and walked from the room.
The End