“How much?” Cyril repeated.
Godwin didn’t dignify that with an answer. All he wanted to do was defend himself and his council, but he couldn’t risk botching his own mission. “The point is: in this timeline, the royal champions have not yet fulfilled the components for the defense spell.”
Francesca cocked her head to the side and tapped her chin. “So, all the children have to do to complete the defense spell is defeatanotherGreat and Terrible Evil? I know just the person!”
Lucinda wrapped her hand protectively around Cyril’s arm and bared her teeth at the queen. “Mind your words carefully, Franny. I’m not above threatening friends.”
“Oh no! I wouldneverrecommend Cyril! He is your husband first, a mage second. I simply meant that we are currently in a pocket dimension created by a powerful mage who has apparently kidnappedthousandsof people.”
Godwin sputtered in indignation. “He is not amage, he is anapprentice. He has earned no title!”
“But you admit he’s Great?” Francesca capitalized the word so everyone understood she meant ‘powerful’ and that she was not trying to weasel a compliment from Godwin.
“I mean, yes, this is a level of magic rarely seen—”
“And if the Good Wizard’s Council has involveditself, he must be Terrible.”
Godwin continued to sputter, decorating the air and his companions’ clothes with his outraged spittle. “It isn’t the same!”
“Well, if he’s neither Great nor Terrible, I don’t see why we’re here,” Cyril drawled. “Without its curse, the forest isn’t that interesting either.”
Lucinda’s dark eyes sparkled as she played along. “I’d hate to cut our vacation short, but I did see a lovely swamp on our way here that might be a nice alternative.”
Godwin’s jaw clenched. “You will not bully me into bestowing a title onto a rogue apprentice without going through the proper channels.”
“Remember your role,Godwin,” Cyril said. “Right now, you’re an evil apprentice, and evilalwaysbreaks the rules.”
Godwin ignored him and stomped ahead through the forest. He wished the roots still held some of their viciousness, if only to trip Cyril. As the malicious thought flashed through Godwin’s mind, he grabbed it and wrestled it into submission, stuffing it into a mental box. He was temporarily evil in name only; he would not give in to any evil urges.
Chapter Twenty-Six: Wilde
The Next Day
The Small Town of Hud
Seeking Information
Fitz wanted to talk to the mayor of Hud about the forest and its evil mage before proceeding on the quest. Unfortunately, he mentioned this planasthe carriage arrived at the townhall, which meant I had no time to intervene.
Not that I had any opportunities to sneak away with Trey chained to my side. Staying beside him, literally within arm’s reach of each other, should have been exactly what I wanted, but having one hand essentially out of commission quickly grew tiresome. I couldn’t even enjoy seeing him naked because it didn’t feelearned, so when we’d dressed this morning, one of us stood outside of the room, the door closed on the chain, while the other struggled with their clothes.
Although Rick was an amateur in most things, he was an expert in bondage magic, a field I’d only learned about after meeting him. Clothes passed through the cuffs like they didn’t exist. I still had to contort myself into odd positions to change my shirt, but nothing had to be cut up or left off. The cuffs were clearly designed to lock someone up and strip them without ruining their wardrobe.
Which meant I had no time alone to spread my ‘fearsome reputation’ to the townspeople.
Above the entrance to the town hall, a shimmering gold banner proclaimed: “The Trees Did Not Win!” The enthusiastic message included sixteen additional exclamation points spread haphazardly around the banner.
“What do you think that means?” Fitz asked.
“Oh no,” Angelica groaned. “Please tell me we didn’t come all this way, and the curse has already been broken.”
Delilah burst into loud, awkward laughter. “That would beso weird, wouldn’t it? Good thing we’re not here to break the curse!”
Angelica blinked at her. “We aren’t?”
“Nope! We’re here to defeat the Lord of Grimnight, remember? Different goal, different quest, ignore any previous quests completed.”
“Is he still the Lord of Grimnight if there’s no Grimnight to lord over?” Fitz asked.
