Spellbreakers Read Free

age, and one who apparently spent
most of his days in his library, the Master of Enchantments could walk fast. He
took the winding stairs of his tower two at a time, and Leal had to scurry
behind him in a most undignified way to keep up.
    “Your father is not marrying you off , Leal. He
undertakes that should the Challenge be lost , the heir to the Escarran
throne, whoever that may be, will wed the king of Hassia, sealing the union of
the two kingdoms. It is a reasonable political move. The Challenge is a symbol,
a ritual, but it is the only thing that held Hassia at bay for the last three
hundred years. The Challenge and fear. If we lose the
Challenge, and there appears to be no doubt that we will lose it this time,
Escarra will be nothing but loot for Hassia. A royal wedding may well be the
only way of maintaining a degree of sovereignty on the kingdom, Leal. If Admund
had not suggested the union, we might have had to do it ourselves.”
    While saying this, Dee reached the massive carved
doors of his library.   A valet stood in
front of them, and opened them, bowing obsequiously. As they went through the
doors closed softly behind them.
    In the padded silence of his room Dee turned round and
spoke again, in a much softer, lower voice. “That said , I am grieved to the heart that this weight should fall on you, my dear.”
    Leal hissed in pure revulsion and stalked to the
nearest window, and then back. But before she could answer Dee spoke again.
    “You understand of course, that this was never
intended to be your role. If things had been different one of your elder
sisters would have had to marry Admund. It is doubly tragic that they both
perished of the White Death.”
    His tone had an edge to it that suggested that while
he was sorry for her, he would not take any mewling, any tantrums, any
wallowing.
    He sat on the high chair behind his huge,
book-scattered desk, and stared at her expectantly.
    She sat down on the chair on the opposite side of the
table and banged both elbows on top of the desk. She put her face in her hands.
    “I am sorry. Of course. I was
extremely lucky to survive the White Death. I am grateful to be alive. I am.
And I am the heir to the throne now. I see that it is not all bread and
lollies. I see that I have ... duties. Responsibilities. You know I care about the kingdom and all that. I’d do anything to save
Escarra, anything. But he is a brute. I would be what, his fifth wife? And what
happened to the other four? Two died mysteriously, one was beheaded, and what
about the other one? Oh right, that one just died of childbirth because the
whelp was monstrously deformed. He is older than my father, and fatter than the
Lord Treasurer. I am a strapping strong mountain girl, but I won’t live to see
the dawn after my wedding night, Dee!”
    Dee smiled grimly. “It could be argued that with a bit
of effort and, uhm, application, he could be the one to not see the light of
dawn. Elderly, crapulous men of obese constitution are easily victim to
apoplexy, strokes, calenture and all sort of other interesting incidents when
subject to much excitement and physical exertion.”
    Leal groaned. “I am a royal princess. I was raised to
be virtuous and innocent, so I can pretend not to know what you are babbling
about. Please, Dee, tell me that you will save me from this. It is too horrible
to contemplate. And if I just throw myself from the highest tower of the
castle, or run away, the lot will just fall on Amata, and she is of delicate build.
The prospect does not bear thinking of.”
    “Leal, my darling, would that I could. But they have
the most formidable champion, as you know. They say Hristo Straightaim can core
an apple at two hundred paces. The king’s messengers have been scouring the
kingdom for the last five years. They sent messengers as far as Umbria and
Andalou, but not an archer they could find who could beat Straightaim. They will win the Challenge this time. And once that happens, there