a busy little wizard playing castle with his wife, possessing moderate ambitions of regional power and only a tepid interest in interfering in kingdom-level politics . . . despite your pissing off Tavard this summer,” she added with a pleasant smile. “That went over quite well in certain circles.”
“I have no doubt. He’s an ass. But I appreciate you keeping Mother’s thoughts off of me. That’s a level of scrutiny that would make any man uncomfortable.”
“She still sees you as useful,” Isily assured me. “Vital, even, if that’s any consolation. Now that she’s seen what some of our colleagues are capable of, you seem more and more like a moderate voice of reason, as opposed to a dangerous revolutionary. It is unlikely that she will order your death.”
“That’s . . . gratifying,” I said, truthfully, as I swallowed. Then something else occurred to me. “You haven’t been sent here to end anyone, have you?”
“No,” she admitted. “This is purely an information-gathering mission. I’m to assess your loyalty to the crown, the strength of your forces, and your possible ambitions.” She blinked. Then her eyes narrowed. “You have me under a truth spell!”
“I have both of us under a truth spell,” I corrected. “One that is nearly impossible to counter. I find it keeps communications clearer, when both parties cannot dissemble.” I knew that admitting that I was compelling us both to speak the truth was giving up an advantage, but I didn’t really have much choice. “So if there’s any burning question you really want to know about me, now is the time to ask.”
“That’s rather risky, isn’t it?” she challenged.
“It’s a calculated risk,” I replied. “I pride myself on being genuine, if not always forthright.”
“Interesting,” she grinned. “Well, there are a few questions I find I’d like to know. Do you love your wife?” she asked, unexpectedly.
“Deeply and passionately,” I replied.
“Pity,” she sighed. “I was hoping that you’d be willing to cast her aside, should anything unfortunate happen to Dunselen.”
“Why? Do you have feelings for me?” I asked, surprised.
“Every day,” she agreed, uncomfortably squirming in her chair. “You were one of the most captivating lovers I ever had. Charismatic, powerful, and strong even in your vulnerabilities.”
“Yet I love my wife . . .”
“Which makes you that much more attractive to me,” she said, with frustration. “To know you found me alluring, yet were more enchanted by the charms of . . . your wife,” she said, carefully, “was a great blow to me.”
“Found you alluring? You are still beautiful,” I found myself saying, uncomfortably. Then my tongue compounded my folly. “I still find you immensely attractive. Despite my love for Alya.”
“Then I feel somewhat better,” she sighed, smiling awkwardly. “I confess, when my . . . husband insists on his prerogatives, it is your face and body I imagine above me.”
“That’s flattering,” I said, swallowing painfully. I was very glad that Lesana could hear not a word of this conversation. “I’ve thought of you intimately many times myself. Yet it does not lessen the commitment I have to my bride. You should put aside any thoughts of disturbing that relationship. I would take such a move as an attack on that which I hold most dear.”
“Fear not, Minalan,” she assured me. “I have what I need from my marriage: title, position, wealth, even some power. And not a little bit of influence. I would not see all that taken from me due to scandal. I am not so obsessed with you that I cannot accept my destiny. I have what I wanted most from you, after all,” she said, pointedly.
My mouth went dry. “The child.”
“Our daughter,” she emphasized. “Her name is Ismina. She has your eyes,” she said. “She’s in one of my
“I have no doubt. He’s an ass. But I appreciate you keeping Mother’s thoughts off of me. That’s a level of scrutiny that would make any man uncomfortable.”
“She still sees you as useful,” Isily assured me. “Vital, even, if that’s any consolation. Now that she’s seen what some of our colleagues are capable of, you seem more and more like a moderate voice of reason, as opposed to a dangerous revolutionary. It is unlikely that she will order your death.”
“That’s . . . gratifying,” I said, truthfully, as I swallowed. Then something else occurred to me. “You haven’t been sent here to end anyone, have you?”
“No,” she admitted. “This is purely an information-gathering mission. I’m to assess your loyalty to the crown, the strength of your forces, and your possible ambitions.” She blinked. Then her eyes narrowed. “You have me under a truth spell!”
“I have both of us under a truth spell,” I corrected. “One that is nearly impossible to counter. I find it keeps communications clearer, when both parties cannot dissemble.” I knew that admitting that I was compelling us both to speak the truth was giving up an advantage, but I didn’t really have much choice. “So if there’s any burning question you really want to know about me, now is the time to ask.”
“That’s rather risky, isn’t it?” she challenged.
“It’s a calculated risk,” I replied. “I pride myself on being genuine, if not always forthright.”
“Interesting,” she grinned. “Well, there are a few questions I find I’d like to know. Do you love your wife?” she asked, unexpectedly.
“Deeply and passionately,” I replied.
“Pity,” she sighed. “I was hoping that you’d be willing to cast her aside, should anything unfortunate happen to Dunselen.”
“Why? Do you have feelings for me?” I asked, surprised.
“Every day,” she agreed, uncomfortably squirming in her chair. “You were one of the most captivating lovers I ever had. Charismatic, powerful, and strong even in your vulnerabilities.”
“Yet I love my wife . . .”
“Which makes you that much more attractive to me,” she said, with frustration. “To know you found me alluring, yet were more enchanted by the charms of . . . your wife,” she said, carefully, “was a great blow to me.”
“Found you alluring? You are still beautiful,” I found myself saying, uncomfortably. Then my tongue compounded my folly. “I still find you immensely attractive. Despite my love for Alya.”
“Then I feel somewhat better,” she sighed, smiling awkwardly. “I confess, when my . . . husband insists on his prerogatives, it is your face and body I imagine above me.”
“That’s flattering,” I said, swallowing painfully. I was very glad that Lesana could hear not a word of this conversation. “I’ve thought of you intimately many times myself. Yet it does not lessen the commitment I have to my bride. You should put aside any thoughts of disturbing that relationship. I would take such a move as an attack on that which I hold most dear.”
“Fear not, Minalan,” she assured me. “I have what I need from my marriage: title, position, wealth, even some power. And not a little bit of influence. I would not see all that taken from me due to scandal. I am not so obsessed with you that I cannot accept my destiny. I have what I wanted most from you, after all,” she said, pointedly.
My mouth went dry. “The child.”
“Our daughter,” she emphasized. “Her name is Ismina. She has your eyes,” she said. “She’s in one of my
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