Page 227 of The Discount Damsel

Moments later, the wild magic peasant of the Cut prevailed, astoundingly so.

When the smoke and caustic rain cleared away, the apprentice stood amidst the rubble with hands clenched and eyes blazing with blue light. He hadn’t uttered a single sound.

“Congratulations, Bradley Donmarin,” Udora said, mouth puckering. “Your success and title will be recorded in the annals. Come forward to select your staff and your new name.”

“He’ll need the blue robe of a grand master, too,” Excelsior piped up.

As Bradley changed into his new robe, a selection of staffs from a variety of woods and a collection of mature crystals were brought forth and arrayed on a long table. Bradley chose the olivewood staff—a tree native to the Cut—without hesitation, but he was more deliberate with the crystals. He knew from sitting in on others’ Master’s exams that many newly staffed sorcerers chose the largest crystals simply because of their size. But he knew from Small Magics and his own honed senses that size didn’t matter. Potency and compatibility did.

Unhurried, he closed his eyes and passed his hand over the crystals. They all glowed in shades of purple, and most would change their color to reflect the characteristics of their sorcerer’s magic. He hoped his would turn the exact shade of reddish gold that shone in Millie’s hair when the sunlight hit it just right.

A tingling sensation prompted him to open his eyes, and he lowered his hand upon a five-pointed cluster that resembled Dirk’s paw. Smiling, he set it on the top of his staff, and little branches grew out of the wood to secure it in place.

“Now your new name,” Vesuvius said, sliding forth a dusty old tome with crackled leather covers. “Here is a selection of available monikers⁠—”

“Donmarin,” he said firmly. “I will be known professionally as Grand Master Donmarin.”

The sorcerer’s brow furrowed. “A new name signals a new chapter in your life⁠—”

Blue fire flashed in Bradley’s eyes. “Donmarin. And I will be taking an appointment with Mildred Angelique Tisane of Amberly.”

“The Amberly court already has a sorcerer,” Udora sneered, elated that she had finally caught this precocious young man in an error. “It can’t have another.”

“Not the Amberly court. Mildred Tisane.”

“But she’s part of⁠—”

“No, I’m not,” Millie piped up from the benches. “I resigned.”

“You what?”

“I’m a pirate now.”

“What?”

“Forgive me, are you truly hard of hearing or are you just flabbergasted? I’m a pirate. A captain, actually, once I get my own ship. I have my own court and there is a vacancy for a court sorcerer. Grand Master Donmarin is filling it.”

“You can’t have your own court!” Vesuvius blustered.

“Says who? A court at its smallest is comprised of a leader, a second, a master-of-arms, an advisor, and a sorcerer if you’re fortunate to have one. I have all that. Even a jester.”

“Do Pocket, Sir Roger, Duncan, and Prince Henri know that?” Dirk whispered.

“Do you think they’ll protest?” she murmured.

“Nope. You’re gonna have the best court ever.”

She winked at him.

“Courts don’t have leaders, they have monarchs,” Udora countered testily. “Royalty. And you said you resigned!”

“From the Amberly court, yes, but I’m a still a member of the royal family.”

“But—”

“I’m a pirate, woman! I do what I want.”

Dirk nudged her, cackling.