The Bronze Mage (14 page)

"Time. I'll bet he spent hours setting this spell. On a girl! That he sent away! She can't even see it. What a waste. He should have put it on my niece. She could at least have appreciated the workmanship! Reckless enough to have let him do it too. Stupid girl."

"Is your niece a magic senser?" Tabitha asked.

"Magic senser? Magic senser?" Mage Edgar repeated in disbelief. Tabitha wished she'd kept her mouth shut. "Don't they teach you girls anything in Valstadt? Not that it wouldn't be a waste of time. Probably had a famous historian as your tutor, but you were too busy flirting with him to notice that he was talking."

It was with effort that Tabitha refrained from rolling her eyes. But she had to admit, she'd never paid much attention to her tutors. Not one had accused her of flirting, though.

Mage Edgar kept going. "Waste of time, sending girls to tutors. All they care about is their next needlework project. Spend all their time making sure their complexion is pale and their hands soft. Spend all morning on their hair and barely make it down in time for lunch."

Jonathan might have been new, but he wasn't blind. He was having a hard time keeping a straight face. He kept glancing at Tabitha's sun-browned skin, nearly as dark as his own. He'd also seen her in the practice yards in the mornings. She was something of a curiosity here, most newcomers came by once or twice to watch her.

"I should've insisted they give me the statue." Mage Edgar jabbed Jonathan in the chest as he said this. "That way when the fool awoke I could've talked some sense into him. Maybe he would've listened this time." He turned and started pulling leaves off a dried plant. "Of course then he might have taken one of our princesses. Poor Langston. But maybe it would have been Carissa. That would have worked out all right."

Tabitha suddenly realized that Mage Edgar's endless rants about girls were an accurate, if exaggerated, description of the older Westphalian princess. She wondered what Carissa had done to so antagonize the man.

After Jonathan, there were two other assistants. Then came the day when Tabitha showed up at Mage Edgar's study and was greeted by Edgar himself.

"I'm done wasting my valuable ingredients and time on you, girl. It's growing regardless of what I do. Either go back to the mage, or decide you like the spell." Then he closed the door in her face.

 
Tabitha's disappointment was both strong and bitter. This round of experiments had been significantly less pleasant, yet still completely ineffective. It had been a year since her abduction. James had apparently forgotten all about her. It seemed patently unfair that he should leave her "branded" by his mysterious, useless, unbreakable spell.

EIGHTEEN

Visit From James

The fall equinox passed. He parents wrote about an uneventful visit in Xentia for the Autumn Ball, but never mentioned James. She wondered if he'd attended this time. Fall progressed. The weather grew cold and wet.
 

One morning, while Tabitha was waiting for her turn to spar, she saw Mage James ride by on his way to Hinlith Castle. She knew it was him with a certainty that unsettled her. He didn't notice her and she didn't seek to attract his attention. Still, she lost her concentration and then her bout badly enough to get sent to the physician. Prince Cameron escorted her, since the cut to her forehead was bleeding freely and was located on a growing lump.

"Is your father expecting any news from Xentia?" she asked.

"I doubt he'd tell me if he was. Why?"

"I saw a rider with Xentian colors earlier."

"Is that what was distracting you?" Cameron mused for a minute. "My brother hasn't seemed worried lately. He's more likely to tell me than my father. Did the rider seem rushed?"

"No. The horse didn't look like it had been running hard." Though it may not have travelled most of the distance on foot, if James travelled magically.

"Then it was probably something formal rather than urgent."

Tabitha wasn't so sure. Mage Crandall rarely left Valstadt, though he travelled enough within its borders. Nor had she ever seen the court mage of either of the other kingdoms inside Valstadt. It seemed likely that it was either very urgent...or personal. Of course, she hadn't mentioned to Cameron who the rider was, otherwise he may have been more concerned. She didn't want to talk about James with Cameron. No one here in Westphal seemed to care about her ordeal and she wanted to keep it that way.

The physician patched her up, told her to eat something and to take it easy for a few hours. Since it was almost lunchtime, the first part was easily accomplished. She changed out of her sparring clothes and headed for the dining room. She joined Cameron and his two sisters, seating herself so she had a view of the head table. The bandage on her head felt doubly visible, and its cause especially embarrassing. Yet Crown Prince Philip was already seated and King Langston's chair was empty. There was no place setting laid for the king or a guest.

After lunch, Carissa and Tabitha wandered through the hedge maze. Carissa was back to worrying over her latest interactions with her favorite beaux. Tabitha was not in the mood to be sympathetic.

"You know, Tabitha, sometimes I envy your not having to worry about your future."

"You'd be thrilled to be me," Tabitha laughed. "Trade in all those pesky suitors for a chance to work a long-term post organizing your father's army and training pages. Sorry, I just don't see it."

"Long-term post? I doubt it will be that long. You'll be nineteen in just over a year."

Tabitha stopped walking and stared at Carissa. "Why would that matter?"

"Your betrothal to that mage in Xentia, of course. You seem so relaxed having it all settled. I envy that." Carissa giggled. "Though I do think I'd miss all the attention."

"Carissa."

"Yes?"

"Who told you I was betrothed?"

"Oh, was it a secret?" Carissa sounded surprised. "I guess that's why you've never talked about it. But how could it be a secret? Patrick said it's common knowledge in Xentia. That's why that mage is so much, well not nicer because Patrick says he's kind of a cold fish, but not such a rake as he used to be. I was thinking about it because everyone's saying a rider just arrived from Xentia. Do you think he might have a message for you? You'll have to wait until he and Dad are done with their business. You must be dying of curiosity. Is your mage really the one who tried to take over Valstadt all those years ago? Wouldn't that make him almost as old as..."

"Carissa!"

"Well, wasn't he the same age as King Fenril's father?"

"What? No. Definitely not. I think he's the same age as your brother Philip. At least, they look about the same age." Tabitha held her hand up to stop Carissa's response. "Anyway, that's not the point. I'm not betrothed. That's just a rumor someone started a long time ago."

Carissa still didn't look convinced, so Tabitha tried again. "I don't think my father would have sent me to stay for a year in a kingdom with three unattached princes if I was already betrothed to someone else."

"But then why does everyone in Xentia say it's so? Did he steal you for every dance during their Autumn Ball last year?"

Tabitha stared blankly at her friend. Was it truly possible that Carissa didn't know? And if she didn't know, who else didn't? Surely her father knew. That would mean Philip must know, too. But they didn't share much with the younger siblings....

"Who is Patrick?" Tabitha asked.

"Patrick? He's one of Will's friends. His family lives right near the border of Xentia."

"Why were you talking about me with him?"

"I wasn't. William told me what Patrick had said before you came, because I was planning to set you up with Henry. Oh! I can do that now, can't I? Do you want me to? Or would you rather I set you up with Jeffrey? I was just thinking last night that it was a shame you were spoken for, because Jeffrey would be..."

Tabitha let her friend rattle on for a while. Responses weren't often necessary once Carissa got going. Eventually, she excused herself and headed to the stables. She wanted some time alone. If these betrothal rumors were known way out here, James must be hearing them constantly. She wondered if that meant he would avoid her altogether, like he'd tried to do in Xentia. He would have succeeded if she'd just endured a few more hours in Salbren. Who all had known that he'd come after her? The King, a few guards, maybe the stable hands. It was shortly after that that the betrothal rumor had started. Maybe it wasn't King Fenril's fault. Maybe it was hers. People might be assuming that because he'd rushed off to find her that there was an understanding between them. It had made her wonder too, for a while.

As she walked over to her mare's stall, Tabitha looked through the visitor's slots and found James's stallion. At least, she was pretty certain it was his. She'd only seen it twice before and once had been at night, but she had a good memory for horses. Tabitha thought it ironic that people still assumed he cared when he hadn't acknowledged her existence in the last year, plus six weeks. Not that she was keeping track.
 

Of course, with everyone telling him they were betrothed, he was tired of her. Probably wishing he'd kept his word and left her at the border. Serve him right. 'Collecting girls like knick knacks' indeed! Tabitha set those thoughts aside as she mounted her mare and left the stable yard.

Westphal had hills, like Valstadt, but fewer forests. The land near the castle was covered with vineyards. On a clear day you could see the ocean in the distance. Tabitha headed west toward the cliffs, her obligatory bodyguard trailing unobtrusively. She could never get enough of the vastness of the water, the power of the waves crashing below, the cries of the seabirds. The incoherent noise, especially on a windy autumn day, made it the perfect place to avoid her own thoughts.

She slowed to a trot long before she reached her destination. There was no point exhausting her horse early when she planned an extended ride. She'd never been this far by herself, but if she remembered correctly, it had been about a two hour ride. The road led straight to the cliffs before turning south to the port city and the gate guard hadn't complained when she'd given him her destination. She was not repeating her mistake of last year: she had an armed escort and she'd be back long before dark. She wasn't running away. Wasn't hoping for another rescue. Tabitha shook her head. This wasn't working. She wished there was a way to turn off her brain. She promised her mare they would rest by the cliffs and broke back into a gallop.

Tabitha dismounted where the road turned south and walked with her horse to the cliff edge. She stood close enough to see the waves breaking against the rocks. She leaned against her horse and watched.

After a while she turned south walking parallel to the road. Her thoughts wandered back to James. If James's visit here would be short, she might not see him. Especially if he wanted to avoid her. If they did see each other, she'd need to be careful. Treat him neutrally. Not excite speculation.
 

The wind was starting to chill her. Tabitha looked around and realized she was almost to the port. Time to head back.

NINETEEN

Secrets Told

Tabitha's neutrality was tested the next afternoon. She, Cameron, and all of the younger siblings, had planned an excursion to a local vineyard. William had invited James.

As usual, Cameron led with Tabitha riding next to him and the sisters following. Usually William rotated between the two pairs, though sometimes it was Tabitha rotating between riding with the brothers or sisters. This time William and James brought up the rear and were apparently deep into a discussion of some sort. Tabitha found it difficult to concentrate on her own conversation, wishing she knew the topic of theirs.

"Well, have you?" Cameron demanded.

"I'm sorry, Cameron. What did you ask?"

"How hard did Brendan hit you yesterday? I think he scrambled your brain. I was asking if you'd ever visited a brewery. I'm thinking you'll owe me a tour of one after this."

Tabitha laughed. "Well, maybe you can visit this summer. We'll take a tour of southern Valstadt. The breweries aren't such an easy ride from our castle, but you can probably talk my father into it."

"If I visit Felsungen, then I can see you in all your glory as master trainer of pages."

"That will depend on when you come. We do let them visit their families, you know."

"Well, I'll round up a few local lads and have you demonstrate."

"They might even do it, if it means showing off their skills to a foreign prince."

"Hmmm. Hey, Will!" He turned in his saddle to yell past his sisters. Tabitha also turned and caught James's eye. She gave him what she hoped was a friendly grin as Cameron continued, "Should we visit Valstadt this summer? Tabitha's promised us a tasting tour of the breweries."

James raised an eyebrow at her and Tabitha colored.

Will replied, "We'd better do it in spring. If we wait too long Dad will have me married off to some distant duchess or marquise."

James's eyes went to Cameron and Tabitha's flicked there too before returning to James's face. She wondered what James was thinking. Tabitha sighed at her poor ability to read faces and turned forward.

"Spring it is!" Cameron decided. "Maybe we'll just follow you home and see if your dad notices the extra bodies."

"Father would definitely notice. So would Cook with the way you two eat."

"Then he'll send us south just to get us out of his kitchen. Problem solved." His smile was so impish, Tabitha laughed again.

"What about us?" Irene protested.

"Too young. You'll have to wait a year," Cameron said.

 
"I'm not too young, and neither will Irene be by spring," argued Carissa.

At this, William said, "Somehow I don't see Dad sending off four of his five children to tour breweries on foreign soil. Not even if it's Valstadt. No offense, Tabitha."

"Maybe James can come along as our protector." Irene sounded unusually flirty. Tabitha looked at her in surprise, but only saw the back of her head as she was turned toward James.