Cowardly though it might be, I wanted to barricade my bedroom door and stay hidden in this room for the next two full weeks of our visit.But...
“You have one se’ennight.”The elf-lord’s remembered voice whispered in myear.
I set my teeth and braced myself as I dropped the pillow back onto mybed.
It was time to prepare myself for an evening of social gaiety...because like it or not, I had a rogue magician to catch and only one week in which to doit.
6
When the supper bell sounded,deep and pure, two hours later, I rose from the edge of my bed where I’d been waiting and walked toward the door with my head held high.No more hiding, I told myselffirmly.
I had drunk a full pot of hot, fortifying tea. I had spent a satisfying half-hour coming up with my most inventive curses for the situation. And most importantly of all, I had prepared myself for socialwarfare.
If there was one thing that Angland’s greatest politician had successfully taught her recalcitrant daughter, it was the usefulness of a really good set of sartorialarmor.
Tonight, I was wearing my finest bronze silk gown with a golden, braided rope belted underneath my bosom and a chain of shining pearls around my neck. A shawl of shimmering fey-silk was draped gracefully around my shoulders, and my long-suffering maid, Aoife, had arranged my hair into a braided crown worthy of Boudiccaherself.
I was ready. No matter who or what awaited me outside—whether it was Amy, Wrexham, or the elf lord himself—I would meet them with calm confidence and sweep unhindered on myway.
I turned the stag-shaped door handle and stepped out onto the carpeted corridor, braced forbattle.
It was empty.From the top to bottom of the long hallway, I didn’t see a singlesoul.
My shoulders sagged with relief. Letting out my held breath, I turned left and started at an easy pace for the staircase...just as the door across from mine flewopen.
“Oh!” The voice that spoke behind me was young, female and breathy, and it was all too horribly familiar. “What a surprise! I mean, Miss Harwood, what a marvelous coincidence it is that we both happened to be ready at the exact samemoment!”
Oh,for...
It was the most appallingly bad acting that I had ever witnessed. I squeezed my eyes shut in pain as I stopped, forced by courtesy to reply despitemyself.
“Miss Banks,” I said flatly. “What a marvelous coincidenceindeed.”
“Isn’t it?” Beaming, she swooped in on me, letting her door fall heavily shut behind her. No longer covered by a heavy cloak, her fair hair was curled into fine ringlets about her thin white face, which was gently flushed with excitement. “I was so hoping to find the chance to have another chat withyou!”
“Were you?” I asked dryly. “I had noidea.”
But it was impossible to escape such a well-planned ambush with mere sarcasm. Smiling hopefully, Miss Banks took her place at my side. “Shall we walk to suppertogether?”
I hesitated, my gaze searching the corridor with real hope this time. If only another guest would emerge to join usnow...
No such luck. Every door in the corridor remained firmly closed, and the sound of convivial cheer floated up through the floorboards. Apparently, we were the last stragglers.So beit.
“How delightful,” I said, and strode down the hallway as swiftly as Icould.
She hurried to keep up. “I’ve been longing to speak to you for simplyages, Miss Harwood! You have no idea how many questions I want to ask you. How you managed your entry into the Great Library in the first place, and whether it was difficult to be the only lady there, and, if you would—if youcouldexplain to me exactly what went wrong, when you lost your powers all those monthsago—”
“Miss Banks.” I swung around, stopping in my path and baring my teeth in the vicious parody of a smile. “I havenotlost my powers. I am perfectly capable of casting a spell now with just as great an effect as I could have managed five monthsago.”
“But...” Her blonde eyebrows drew together. “I thought—that is, everyone said...you know, everyone has beensaying—”
“Thespellwould still work,” I said tightly, “butIwouldn’t.” At the sight of her baffled expression, I jerked my shoulders impatiently, trying to loosen the knotted muscles of my back. “Casting any spell, even a small one...would kill me.Apparently.”
“Because—women really aren’t suited to magic, after all?” Her brown eyes looked suddenly huge and tragic. “Is that why ithappened?”
“No!” I snapped. “Being a woman had nothing to do with it. The same could have happened to any gentleman magician—and it has in the past.” Not often, certainly; but it was enough of a risk that our teachers at the Great Library had warned us of the danger of over-extending ourselves in our training, and Jonathan had found mentions of similar incidents all throughout the library’s historical records. The effect was rare, but hardly unheardof.
I had still thought, at the time, that it was worth the risk...but only because I’d never actually believed that any such thing could ever happen tome.
