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“Thank you.” I said it drily, but he seemed not to notice. I nudged my horse onward.
“Lady Sorceress!”
I sighed. “How can I help you?”
“I am sent to ask for Lord Darling’s services in the dancing tonight.”
“I haven’t seen Lord Darling, yet—did you look at the tent?”
“I believe he has returned from glorious battle. Just as your victorious self has done.”
Victorious? I hadn’t thought yet about whether we’d won.
“As Lord Darling’s liege, you must give your permission for him to provide services to the camp,” Larch told me.
“Oh, well, Darling is his own cat. Whatever services he wishes to provide are fine by me. Will he be helping to treat the wounded?”
“No, Lady Sorceress.” The page twitched from foot to foot with overweening impatience. “Thedancing.”
Of course.
“Fine. Whatever. Permission granted. Knock yourselves out.”
The page dashed off happily and we resumed our trek to the tent.
Dragonfly greeted me with the delirious news that a large brass bathtub had appeared in the tribute tent, to her great amazement. I sent a silent thank you to the magic that seemed to ensure that the things I wanted managed to find their way to me, even without my direct intervention.
I was just about to strip down and sink into the enticingly steamy water of the bath Dragonfly had prepared, when a commotion out front caught my attention. I heard Larch informing someone that the lady sorceress was engaged in private study and could not be interrupted. He was still on guard duty apparently—did the guy never sleep? Actually maybe he didn’t need to. What did I know of Brownie physiology?
I pushed through the silken flaps to find Larch holding the brown page by the scruff of the neck so his toes dangled above the ground—quite the feat since they matched in height. The brown page, though, didn’t struggle, simply dangled like a recalcitrant kitten caught in its mother’s teeth. He saw me and moaned.
“If it please you, Lady Sorceress…”
“What? I said Darling could go play with you.”
“Yes, and many thanks, Great and Powerful Lady Sorceress.”
“But?”
“But, if it please you, Lady Sorceress…” Larch gave him a shake, making his eyes goggle a bit.
“Larch, set the poor thing down so he can give me his message and let me get back to my arcane magical studies.” I cocked an eyebrow at Larch, who simply sighed and set the brown guy down.
“Many thanks, many, many thanks, Gracious and Great…”
“You’re welcome. Message please?”
“Lord Darling, he—well, he’s dead, Lady Sorceress. Magically choked to death.”
Part IV
Hypothesis Testing
‡
Chapter 21
In Which We Pick Up Where We Left Off
