Enchanter (Book 7) Read Free Page B

parchmentwork.  That’s not what I want to do with my life.”
    “Exactly,” I agreed.  “I figured after you were wed you might want a short holiday from such business.  But if you are interested,” I said, casually, “there might be a position in which both you and your husband may find some level of contentment.”
    She studied me warily.  “What position?”
    “This Yule, the Orphan Duke plans a clandestine return to Vorone,” I confided.  “Count Angrial has agreed to serve as his Prime Minister.  Count Salgo, after his ‘retirement’ as Warlord, has accepted His Grace’s offer to become the Alshari Ducal Minister of War.  That’s going to irritate a lot of folk in the Royal Court, who wanted Salgo to go retire quietly to his palatial estates in Castal . . . but the Count likes a challenge.  Restoring order to northern Alshar is as much of one as he could ask, and one that’s safely away from the majority of people who might think he’d be of better service to the Kingdom posthumously.”
    “They can still reach him in Vorone,” she pointed out, skeptically.  “They reached the Duchess.”
    “He knows that,” I agreed.  “He wants more people around him he can trust to watch his back.  Which is why I am suggesting that you apply for the currently vacant position of Ducal Court Wizard.”
    “Ducal . . . court wizard?” she asked, skeptically.  “Me?”
    “In Vorone,” I agreed.  “That would put you close enough to the wilderness for Arborn to continue his skulking, yet civilized enough that you can raise a family without fear of them being unexpectedly eaten by bears.”
    “Just kidnapped by bandits,” she pointed out.  “Vorone is . . . not what it used to be.”
    “I know,” I agreed.  “Which is why I want you there.  When Angrial asked me to recommend candidates, there weren’t any I could think of who would be better suited for the demands of that position.”
    “Min, I’m a sex magician, mostly theoretical,” she reminded me.  “And I’ve got some small facility for telling other people what to do and signing important documents.  Other than that, there’s really no reason that I’d make a decent court wizard.”
    “I disagree,” I said, shaking my head.  “This won’t be a normal Court Wizard job.  Dunselen and Thinradel were bureaucrats, because that’s what the times demanded.  Now that we’ve changed the rules and gotten ourselves invaded the requirements are going to be more demanding.  For one thing, they’ll require a lot more actual magic being cast in the service of the Duchy.  Indeed, that may be one of the few resources that Anguin has at his disposal.  But he’ll need a court wizard canny, powerful, and creative enough to contend with the problems he faces.”
    “It’s . . . intriguing,” she agreed.  “But how could I help him get the place under control?”
    “That’s the thing,” I shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I’m not there, on the ground, and it’s not my job to do.  If it were your job to do, then you’d find out what needed to be done, and then you’d do it.  Because when it comes to pursuing your goals, you’re one of the most ruthless people I know.”
    My old friend blushed, which is rare in Pentandra.  “The thing is, Min, my goals have changed, I’ve discovered.”
    “Of course they have,” I nodded.  “So have mine.  Our lives have changed.  Neither one of us could have predicted what would have happened, when we first met.  But as they have happened, and as we’ve matured, we’ve changed our goals to match our circumstances.  And changed our approach as we have needed to.  It doesn’t diminish the importance of those early goals, to have changed them.  It merely indicates a level of sophistication that transcends the simplistic, enthusiastic, idealistic approach we had in our youth.”
    “I don’t know,” she said, guiltily chewing her lip, “it sounds an awful lot like giving