matter.”
“After undoubtedly informing the young lady of the trial yourself,” Lord Embisson commented dryly. “So the unifying member of the potential Blending doesn’t even have control of herself, not to mention everyone else. And you’re certain of that?”
“The observer at the trial said she nearly fainted when she heard the sentence pronounced,” Eltrina agreed with a nod. “Later, when she and her escort, the Water magic user, returned to the residence, she nearly snapped his head off for the condescending way he’d been treating her. She also accused the Fire magic user of breaking her work to keep silent about the incident which had culminated in the trial, and the Fire magic user ran to her apartment in tears.”
“The Water magic user, insulted over the way the Spirit magic user had denigrated his efforts to assist her, then turned on the Air magic user and started an argument. The Air magic user, having already had words with the Earth magic user, found no reason not to join the argument with enthusiasm. The observer felt that if the Spirit magic user hadn’t finally screamed at the both of them to be quiet, they might well have turned a verbal argument physical.”
“As it was they both stalked out of the room, leaving behind the definite impression that the matter wasn’t yet settled. The observer feels that they’ve all been harboring resentments toward one another, but the Spirit magic user has been smoothing things over. Now that she’s out of control, actual emotions are pouring out of the others. Even if she manages to regain control, things have been said that can’t possibly be forgotten—or forgiven.”
“So any change in the membership of the group can only strengthen it,” Lord Embisson mused, clearly having no trouble seeing the point. “Soon they may even be taking sides against one another, but that brings forward a different problem. If they despise each other so thoroughly, they’ll probably find it impossible to Blend.”
“If that happens we’ll replace them with the spare group, but I don’t expect it to happen,” Eltrina said, showing the last of her cards. “They knew about being formed into a Blending before they were told, you see, and made the expected decision to win the Throne. That decision should hold them together long enough to Blend, but afterward they’ll certainly get in each other’s way.”
“Yes, they certainly will,” Lord Embisson chuckled, which let the others show amusement as well. “And even if they don’t, it won’t really matter. They’ll be given very explicit instructions before they face Lady Adriari’s group, instructions they won’t be able to refuse. Let them try their best
then
, and see where it gets them.”
The amusement really spread and grew with that, and Eltrina joined in with a smile as she sat back. She had her own reasons for not wanting to break up that group, and they all came down to revenge. She would make those peasants sorry for the way they embarrassed her in front of the Five, and they had immunity only until the moment they lost. After that they were hers, and she knew exactly what she would do with them. She would enjoy it immensely, but the same could not be said for them…
Sweet daydreams kept the smile on Eltrina’s face until the committee finished laughing, and then she calmly went on with the rest of her report.
CHAPTER TEN
Dinner was an artistically silent affair, with everyone pretending to be either angry or insulted or both. I made sure to force myself into the emotion of feeling unjustly accused, so that any eavesdropping servant with Spirit magic would believe I actually felt the way I pretended to. The others must have been doing the same, as Warla became very upset when she came into the dining room to speak to me about some household matter. No one was any more pleasant or polite to her than they were to anyone else, and after spending a number of useless minutes trying
“After undoubtedly informing the young lady of the trial yourself,” Lord Embisson commented dryly. “So the unifying member of the potential Blending doesn’t even have control of herself, not to mention everyone else. And you’re certain of that?”
“The observer at the trial said she nearly fainted when she heard the sentence pronounced,” Eltrina agreed with a nod. “Later, when she and her escort, the Water magic user, returned to the residence, she nearly snapped his head off for the condescending way he’d been treating her. She also accused the Fire magic user of breaking her work to keep silent about the incident which had culminated in the trial, and the Fire magic user ran to her apartment in tears.”
“The Water magic user, insulted over the way the Spirit magic user had denigrated his efforts to assist her, then turned on the Air magic user and started an argument. The Air magic user, having already had words with the Earth magic user, found no reason not to join the argument with enthusiasm. The observer felt that if the Spirit magic user hadn’t finally screamed at the both of them to be quiet, they might well have turned a verbal argument physical.”
“As it was they both stalked out of the room, leaving behind the definite impression that the matter wasn’t yet settled. The observer feels that they’ve all been harboring resentments toward one another, but the Spirit magic user has been smoothing things over. Now that she’s out of control, actual emotions are pouring out of the others. Even if she manages to regain control, things have been said that can’t possibly be forgotten—or forgiven.”
“So any change in the membership of the group can only strengthen it,” Lord Embisson mused, clearly having no trouble seeing the point. “Soon they may even be taking sides against one another, but that brings forward a different problem. If they despise each other so thoroughly, they’ll probably find it impossible to Blend.”
“If that happens we’ll replace them with the spare group, but I don’t expect it to happen,” Eltrina said, showing the last of her cards. “They knew about being formed into a Blending before they were told, you see, and made the expected decision to win the Throne. That decision should hold them together long enough to Blend, but afterward they’ll certainly get in each other’s way.”
“Yes, they certainly will,” Lord Embisson chuckled, which let the others show amusement as well. “And even if they don’t, it won’t really matter. They’ll be given very explicit instructions before they face Lady Adriari’s group, instructions they won’t be able to refuse. Let them try their best
then
, and see where it gets them.”
The amusement really spread and grew with that, and Eltrina joined in with a smile as she sat back. She had her own reasons for not wanting to break up that group, and they all came down to revenge. She would make those peasants sorry for the way they embarrassed her in front of the Five, and they had immunity only until the moment they lost. After that they were hers, and she knew exactly what she would do with them. She would enjoy it immensely, but the same could not be said for them…
Sweet daydreams kept the smile on Eltrina’s face until the committee finished laughing, and then she calmly went on with the rest of her report.
CHAPTER TEN
Dinner was an artistically silent affair, with everyone pretending to be either angry or insulted or both. I made sure to force myself into the emotion of feeling unjustly accused, so that any eavesdropping servant with Spirit magic would believe I actually felt the way I pretended to. The others must have been doing the same, as Warla became very upset when she came into the dining room to speak to me about some household matter. No one was any more pleasant or polite to her than they were to anyone else, and after spending a number of useless minutes trying
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