Free Jinx's Magic by Sage Blackwood Page B

law,” Sir Thrip said. “You’re not king.”
    â€œNot yet.” Reven shoved Sir Thrip aside, knife and all, and grabbed Jinx. “Let’s go.”
    Out in the cold night air, Jinx’s head cleared. “Why did they just let us leave?”
    â€œBecause they need me,” said Reven. “Where do you think the Lady Elfwyn went?”
    â€œBack to the Urwald,” said Jinx.
    â€œPerhaps we can catch her. It’s terribly dangerous for her to go there alone.”
    â€œIt’s safe enough,” said Jinx. “For Urwalders.”
    Reven shot him a disbelieving look.
    â€œShe can handle stuff,” said Jinx. “You remember her and those wolves? And the werebear?” It was his personal opinion that Elfwyn was safer with monsters than with Reven. “You’ve got no right to use her curse.”
    â€œShe offered, very kindly, to tell people who I am since I have no way of telling them myself.”
    â€œBut telling people about her curse, and asking her questions in front of people—that’s not fair.”
    â€œBefore you leap to the lady’s defense, why not find out if the lady wants defending?”
    Jinx didn’t answer that, because he couldn’t think of anything sufficiently cutting to say. “I still don’t see why they let us leave.”
    â€œIf they accept that I am—” the blank seemed to fit naturally into Reven’s conversation now—“then they can hardly expect me to take orders from them.”
    â€œBut . . .” Jinx stopped walking. They were in the palace square. No one was around except a small yellow dog snuffling for scraps between the cobbles. “They want to use you. You heard them. They want you so they can overthrow this guy.” He jerked his head at the palace. “If you won’t cooperate—”
    â€œThen they’re stuck,” said Reven. “They have no revolution without me.”
    Jinx shook his head. He didn’t understand.
    â€œThey need someone to put in King Bluetooth’s place,” said Reven, in a very quiet voice.
    â€œBut they can put just anybody in his place!”
    â€œKeep your voice down, please. No, they can’t.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause.” Reven’s eyes glittered in the darkness. “People believe in kings.”
    â€œI don’t,” said Jinx. “I don’t think there’s anything special about—well, you. Okay, so I suppose you are this Raymond person. So what? He was a baby. How can a baby be better than some other baby?”
    â€œIf you can’t keep your voice down,” said Reven, “then we’d better get away from the palace.”
    They walked on, through an iron gate and down a dark street.
    â€œThere will be no more dancing in red-hot shoes,” said Reven after a moment. “They will have to accept that.”
    â€œWhat will you do to magicians?”
    â€œEmploy them,” said Reven. “There will be no boiling of people alive and no . . . rolling people down hills in barrels stuck about with nails.”
    There was a gray cloud of pain when he said this, and Jinx knew he was thinking about his stepmother.
    â€œI wish for no cruelty of any kind,” said Reven.
    â€œI don’t see how you’ll get to be king without being cruel,” said Jinx.
    â€œI may have to fight,” said Reven. “But I won’t kill unnecessarily.”
    â€œWhat about the trees?” Jinx demanded. They had come to a stop in a narrow street that led down to the river.
    â€œWhat about them?”
    â€œAre you going to stop the treecutting? If you’re king?”
    Reven looked down the street, which was lined with small stone houses. He looked back at Jinx. “You see how it is here. People are poor.”
    â€œNot especially,” said Jinx. “Not as poor as Urwald people. You didn’t answer my question.