The Bronze Mage (28 page)

The topic of freedom started her thinking about her future. She had avoided thinking past today, her father's decision day. What if he decided to let the mages try again? Would she stay here? No. One way or another, she would leave. Then what? Eventually she would need James, to deal with the affinity, break the spell. She didn't know how soon that might be. It would be complicated, without her family's cooperation.

What if her father decided to follow James's advice? She wondered how often she would need to visit him and how those visits would be handled. Hopefully with a lot of discretion.

What if James arrived at the same conclusion as Mage Crandall, that the best way to deal with the situation would be to marry Tabitha? The Val mage might have even mentioned that part of his theory to James. In any case, King Fenril's wishes couldn't possibly be unknown to him. James was protective of Tabitha and, as Melanie had pointed out, possessive. Tabitha began to wonder if he might simply ask her to marry him. Then she shook her head. James wasn't much for asking. Tabitha could almost hear him saying, "I don't need him to hand over what I already hold." It was as true now as it was then.

Tabitha looked up from her musings to see that James had joined her, or she him. She blushed deeply, glad he couldn't read her thoughts, and decided to say something before he asked what she'd been thinking.

"The thing that's supposed to warn me before my feet find you didn't work." She smiled as she said this, not wanting him to take it as a serious criticism. He returned her smile.

"I'm not sure it ever will warn you if you're just wandering. It's supposed to tell you when you're changing course."

"Then I shall have to get one of those yappy little dogs who will greet you noisily when you approach so you can't surprise me."

"I thought you favored wolfhounds."

She'd had a wolfhound when she was younger. It had been nearly as tall as her for a while. It had followed her everywhere, slept in her room. Had James seen it in the garden? How aware had he been? The bigger questions were suddenly pushed aside as she thought of something else. She looked askance at James. Her dog had rather favored a certain statue for relieving itself.

James cocked an eyebrow. "Never much cared for him myself."

When his lips twitched, Tabitha burst out laughing.

Soon she had to sit, she was laughing so hard. They were closer to the vineyards than the buildings, so she just dropped onto the grass. He settled nearby. She peeked at him a few times to verify that he was also amused. Eventually, she pulled herself together.
 

"I think that's the first time I've heard you really laugh since you were little," he said.

"It's been awhile," she agreed.

The sun was warm and Tabitha lay back on the grass to enjoy it. She felt better than she had in a long time.

"Do you have to go today?" Rolling onto her side, she added, "Are you ok to travel? You looked awful this morning."

"I rested. I was hoping your father would make his decision before I had to go. I'll be leaving this afternoon, provided you pass a distance test. If it's not safe for me to leave you..."

"I'm sure it will be. I felt fine walking around."

They chatted a bit longer before heading back to the dining hall for lunch. He went to sit with Mages Edgar and Crandall. Tabitha sat with her sister.

"A group of us students got together while the instructors were having their big discussion last night. We came up with some ideas that I think will make this whole argument moot." Melanie's conspiratorial tone destroyed Tabitha's appetite. Her eyes flicked involuntarily toward James and Melanie noticed. "You're right. We shouldn't talk about it until he leaves. That way he can't interfere. But follow me to the workroom after lunch, we can talk there."

Tabitha couldn't even formulate a response. She stared at her sister as if she were crazy.

"Don't worry," Melanie assured her. "The affinity looks much, much better."

"So, the spell is back to being like a necklace?"

"No, don't be ridiculous. It still covers all of you."

"So, it's like it was when it scared you before Cameron's wedding?"

"Well, no, it couldn't possibly improve that much in so few days."

"Give me a hint, Melanie. I can't see it myself."

"It's about halfway between when you first arrived at the college and when you showed up this time."

"So it's worse than when it was so strong it almost killed me?"

"You don't have a lot of options, Tabitha. He's leaving. So, you're either going to be trusting him or us, or the instructors-- and they've already failed."

"Melanie, if the people who taught you have failed, why do you think you will succeed?"

"Why do you think
he
even wants to break the spell? He's not the solution, Tabitha. He's the cause of the problem. Once we break his spell you won't ever have to see him again."

"You nearly killed me last time."

"Not really. You were just unconscious. Now that we know how to bring you back, it's not a problem."

"'Know how to bring me back'?" Tabitha repeated incredulously, dropping her voice so as to avoid attracting attention. "You say James isn't the solution, but he's the only one who can do that. You can't just ignore him, then call him in for emergencies."

"My friend has an idea for how to transfer the control of the spell. We'll figure out how to trigger it ourselves. Then we won't need him at all."

That was too much. For her sister to so casually mention having just any mage "trigger the spell". Like it meant nothing. Like Tabitha could stand to be passed around like a shared doll. Tabitha tried for a few moments to find some way to communicate what she thought, felt, about that plan, then decided she'd better leave before she caused a scene.

Melanie evidently had no such inhibition. As Tabitha started to stalk away, she pitched her voice loud enough to be heard over the other conversations.

"Don't you want to be free of him?"

Naturally, the dining hall fell silent. No one doubted to whom "him" referred. The spectators were splitting their time watching each of the three involved. Tabitha knew she couldn't just react and she didn't want to leave the question hanging. Not when everything was still in the balance.

She turned and looked only at her sister. "I want the spell broken. But not at the cost of my life or my freedom. You may not attempt to hi-jack the spell or hand it off to anyone else. It is enough to have to worry about the whims of one mage. No more."

"I would think that you'd rather have someone a little more trustworthy..."

Tabitha cut her off. "You'd be wrong. In two years he's never made me do anything I regret. He's earned my trust."

"Really? Because I could have sworn that two years ago he made you leave Valstadt to spend a few weeks alone with him in his hunting cabin."

"I walked with him. I talked with him. I ate with him. Just because I wasn't where I wanted to be, doesn't mean I did anything I ought to regret, as you well know."

Melanie demanded: "Do you want him to win? Are you really naive enough to believe he cares about you?"

Tabitha walked back to the table, leaning over the bench and resting her fists on the tabletop in the vain hope of reclaiming some privacy for the conversation.
 
She suspected their neighbors were holding their breaths so they wouldn't miss her reply.

"Has it occurred to you that he could've 'won' at any point these last two years if he'd wanted that? You do remember that he left Salbren to avoid 'winning' me when King Fenril first came up with his plan. Yet, he'd have a clear field to claim some beautiful, wealthy, politically savvy Xentian noblewoman if he'd just left me here to die last week. You saw how those women were falling over themselves vying for his attention when we were there. He would've starred in Xentia's romantic fantasies for decades if he'd pretended to mourn me for a few weeks.

"I'm letting him win? I don't know whether he thinks of me as a prize or a responsibility. He worked himself all day yesterday so that he could leave without me. Maybe it was because I asked him to. Maybe he's relieved to be able to do it. But if James thought taking me with him was 'winning', who could stop him?

"This isn't a contest, Melanie. I'm trying to salvage my life."

Tabitha left the dining hall to return to Melanie's room and pack. Her maid helped without asking questions. The tension between the sisters had been evident enough. The girl probably assumed Tabitha was merely switching rooms. But as soon as she heard from her father, Tabitha planned leave, either to head home or elsewhere. She couldn't stay here. They didn't understand. She couldn't trust them.

Eventually, she decided to seek out James. He'd be leaving soon. It seemed wrong to let him go without thanking him again. Also, he might have something to say about the scene at lunch. She wanted to apologize for the public spectacle it became, though she wasn't certain how she could have avoided it. Maybe she should have just walked away.

Instead
 
of James, Tabitha found Mage Crandall. "You and your sister put on quite a show at lunch," he said.

Tabitha sighed. "Everyone has been involved in one capacity or another already. By the way, I don't know if it was you or Melanie who informed Mage Edgar about the events
 
at Cameron's wedding, but ...."

"It wasn't me, your highness," Mage Crandall interrupted. "I know the man too well. No discretion. I heard he announced it yesterday. That does complicate things. Of
 
course, so does your pronouncement in the dining hall that you trust Mage James more than your sister."

"That's not what I said..."

"But it's what she heard. I doubt she's the only one. Do you think that was a wise thing to say in front of him?"

"He knows I trust him. That's why I asked him for help."

"Well, he's gone now anyway. Mage James left for the School of Magic after lunch. It's a few miles away. Since you're unaffected by his absence, he'll leave from there."

"Directly?"

"Is there some reason you need to speak with him again?"

"Not immediately. But we'll likely need some cooperation from him no matter what father decides."

"It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Come get me as soon as you hear. I'll be near the edge of the vineyards."

The day dragged on. Tabitha avoided her sister and the other mages, staying outside, glad of the clear day. Just before dinner, she saw Mage Crandall heading her way. She froze, heart pounding. Nothing he could tell her would be good news, but some could be worse than others.

FORTY-ONE

A Change of Plans

"Princess Tabitha," Mage Crandall greeted her, slightly out of breath from hurrying. "Your father has made his decision."

She just stared at him, holding her breath.

He continued, "It is a compromise of sorts. You are to remain here, where trustworthy mages can look after you."

"What does he mean by that?" Tabitha asked, alarmed.

"I'm not sure, your highness. The details will be worked out over the next few days."

"Why can't I come home? Aren't you trustworthy?"

"The king says I will be too busy with my usual duties, but I fear he does not trust me in this. He knows my opinion in the matter. But thanks to Mage Edgar's insistence, there will be no more attempts to break the spell on you until another time is set for Mage James to come and weaken the affinity."

"Would that be enough?"

"You already know I don't believe it will be, highness."

"Does Mage Edgar?"

The mage hesitated."Your father mollified his objections."

"How?" Tabitha demanded.

"By reminding him that you would be available for observation during your residency here."

There was silence for a moment. Then Tabitha asked, "Anything else?"

"I've arranged for you to have your own room, highness. I felt you should at least be allowed a measure of privacy."

"Thank you, Mage Crandall. Could you take me to it now?" She wanted out of her sister's room.

Tabitha insisted on moving her own things. Since everything from her year at Hinlith had followed her here, there was quite a lot. The exertion served as another reminder of how much weaker she still was than usual, but it distracted her from her growing despair. She had seen Melanie, and said nothing to her. Once her things were in her new quarters, she shut the door. Now was the time to act.

Her plans had changed several times since she'd heard her father's decision, but she'd finally settled on one. Tabitha took out her sparring gear and put on her simplest dress. She packed her gear and a few things that might be useful along the way and some of her jewelry for trade, in case of an emergency. Her foraging skills should be sufficient for the few days it would take to reach her destination. She was heading home.

At dinner, Tabitha sat by herself, but Melanie came over to join her.

"I'm sorry we argued this morning," Melanie said. "I was worried about you."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"I said I was sorry. But you know how furious Mage James makes me, and you insist on taking his part. We weren't trying to kill you, you know."

Tabitha rejected the first few responses that occurred to her. Finally she shrugged. "Father made his decision. Let's not argue."

"I see you have your appetite back," Melanie cheerfully changed the subject. They talked about the food, the weather and other small, safe things.
 

After the meal, they walked together back to the dorm. Having run out of meaningless topics, they fell silent. Once they reached her room, Tabitha excused herself. "I'm just going to grab my wrap. I'm going for a walk. I'd prefer to be alone."
 

Turning to her maid, Tabitha added, "I won't need you until morning." The girl looked to Melanie for approval.

"I wish you would realize that this is for the best," Melanie said, but dismissed Tabitha's maid.

Tabitha closed her door behind her. She picked a large, sturdy wrap. This would be her blanket, and would hide her satchel. Arranging everything carefully, she reopened the door and stepped into the hallway.