Daughter of Regals by Stephen R. Donaldson Read Free Book Online Page B

moment of his rule all the laws and commands of
the Kingdom were altered. When word of his death reaches those who hold your
loved ones, they will not dare obedience for fear that they will lose favour
with the next monarch.” I threw my whole weight into the scales on Cashon’s
side. “And you will be the next monarch— should Thone fail to satisfy you here.”
    At the
door, I paused to look again at the king of Canna and smile. “I trust you will
enjoy the ball, my lord,” I said in my sweetest way. Then I left the
meeting-room and closed the door after me.
    There
my legs nearly failed me. Dismay at the risk I took made my head whirl with
faintness. If Cashon did not take courage from my display of confidence—if he
did not conquer his fear—I Hardly able to stand, I clung to the door and
listened and did not breathe.
    Through
the panelled wood, I heard the first muffled roar of Cashon’s magery—and King Thone’s
first shout of panic.
    A
servant nearby looked toward me in alarm. To calm her, I said. “Be not
concerned.” In an instant, my faintness became the light-headedness of relief “King
Thone and the Mage Cashon will resolve their differences well enough alone.” I
wanted to shout with jubilation. “And I wager that when King Thone emerges he
will be unscathed. Leave them to themselves”
    Turning
in the direction of the ballroom, I walked away. For the first time, I felt
that perhaps I was fit to become Regal over the Three Kingdoms.
    A
moment later, Ryzel appeared in the passage and came hastening toward me,
barely able to hold his dignity back from running. “Chrysalis,” he breathed
urgently, “are you well? There is power at work in that chamber.
    He was
unusually sensitive to the vibrations which spread from any exertion or
presence which touched upon the Real. Any magery or Magic anywhere in the manor
was known to him instantly. By that means, among many others, he bad determined
that I was no Creature. Now as he approached his alarm was briefly plain in his
face— concern for me, perhaps—or perhaps anxiety that something had transpired
to undermine his own intentions. But when he saw that I was unharmed—and that I
was grinning—he drew himself to a halt, stifled his haste. “My lady,” he asked
cautiously, “what has happened?’
    Before
I could consider my reply, the door of the meeting-room leaped open, letting
the reek of brimstone wash into the passage; and Cashon came out, alive with
energy and hope. In one hand, he gripped a scrap of paper. He waved it toward
me, then sped in the opposite direction, running to gain his horse.
    Firmly,
I took Mage Ryzel’s arm and turned him away from the aftersmell of Fire.
Despite my inexperience, I knew that it would be unwise policy to humble King
Thone further by forcing him to make his exit from the chamber before
witnesses. Let him repair his appearance and attend the ball as he saw fit; the
mere thought of how he had been weakened would give me hold enough over him. To
answer Ryzel, I said softly, “It would seem that Cashon is no longer bound to
the lord of Canna.” But I gave him no explanation. He had his own secrets; I
would keep mine. Also—to be honest—I was young yet and did not wish to give him
opportunity to chastise me either for the risk I had taken or for bragging.
    My
silence made him frown dourly, but he did not question it. Instead, he said, “Then
I am no longer chagrined that I learned nothing of Cashon’s circumstances to
aid you.”
    As we
walked, I asked, “Is it not the custom of Mages to talk at these rare
gatherings?”
    “It is,”
he replied. “But Cashon spoke no more than three words from first to last.”
    Something
in his tone alerted me. In an instant, I set King Thone’s defeat aside and
turned my attention to the Mage. “If Cashon did not speak, who did?”
    He
mulled his answer for sometime, chewing it around in his mouth as if he loathed
the taste of it but feared to spit it out. Then,