"Angels?"
Paul stood in the throne room after midnight. The human "king" sat on his throne. The real king sat coiled behind him, his avatar standing next to the king.
"Right," said Paul. "'Angels' keep appearing to bumpkins in backwaters all over the kingdom. They’re telling people to come to the capital on the eve of the new year to witness a miracle. They say it will be the birth of a new kingdom."
"The vernal equinox is only six weeks away," said the false king.
Aurelius narrowed his fake human eyes. "Amalek is behind this. This is his sorcery."
Paul shrugged. "Maybe," he said, "but it seems to have happened on opposite sides of the kingdom at the same time. They also mentioned your old friend Zebulun Koh by name. No mention of Amalek."
Aurelius sat silent for a moment. He turned to Paul. "You spread the rumors about Zebulun Koh?"
"Yeah," said Paul. "The sorcerers told everyone he was a fraud and a womanizer. City folk seem to believe it, for the most part, but too many farm folk have met him in person and seen him heal, or know someone who has. It doesn’t seem to have taken in the hinterlands."
"Spread more rumors," said Aurelius. "But only in the backwaters, this time. Tell them there is plague in the capital. Tell them its not safe to come."
"You’re the boss," said Paul.
Aurelius turned to his pet king. "Tell the marshal that I want every military dragon he can spare in the capital by the equinox. Bring as many as you can without leaving our borders unguarded."
"Yes, sir."
"Leave me, both of you," said Aurelius. His avatar vanished.
Paul and the king left the throne room by different exits.
Aurelius coiled up around the throne and brooded for some time.