Free Spellbreakers by Katherine Wyvern Page B

and two riding great cloaks, split at the back,
with sleeves and hoods. All these things were clean and in good condition, and
pretty much the right size, but they had obviously been used before. At the
very bottom of the pack were two long heavy daggers with plain sheaths and
belts.
    “I wonder who got robbed of all these clothes. It's
good that they look well-worn already,” said Daria, grinning. “Old Dee is as
clever as a brace of old foxes, I’ll give you that.”
    That night Leal dined with the king and queen, Amata,
and little Beatriç, who still lived in the nursery. It was very rare for the
royal family to dine together in something like privacy, and Leal wondered if
Dee had arranged it somehow, or if it had just happened.
    Daria was not there, of course. Queen Amara thought
she was a bad influence, and disliked the way Leal had always adored and
idolized her. When Leal had asked for Daria to be her “maid” the queen had
almost thrown a fit, and it had taken all of the king’s persuasive powers to
let the two girls be together. To be fair, Daria did not make a particularly
good chambermaid, since she was more at ease in the stable or in the mews than
at court, but she was the perfect companion for Leal, who was almost as good a
horsewoman as she was, and just as fond of large, fierce falcons, hawks and
hounds. They studied, messed, rode, hunted, hawked,
and, to all intents and purposes, lived together.
    Still, despite this and the thin blood relation, Daria
was not welcome at the royal table. Leal had always resented that.
    That night she didn’t know what to say. She had not
spoken to her father since the Ambassador had issued the Challenge. Guillem
looked old and troubled, but he made one or two awkward attempts at beginning a
conversation in their old comfortable tone. Leal had always been his
favorite daughter, despite her rebellious nature, or maybe because of it. She
had taken the place of the son he had never had. But Leal was wholly taken by
thoughts of her departure, and was grateful for Amata’s steady flow of vapid
talk.
    Princess Amata was the true beauty of the family. She
had inherited Amara’s dark coloring, but also, surprisingly, Guillem’s pale
green eyes, which shone out like peridots beneath her long black lashes. At the
age of fifteen she already was at the center of an intricate court of love.
    Amee would make such a perfect queen , thought Leal wretchedly. Her stomach was closed. She
barely toyed with her food, and did not take up the conversation.
    After dinner she ran up two stairs at a time to her
room.   She was not very surprised to find
Dee there. He was talking quietly to Daria over a smaller version of the map
they had been studying in the library.
    “This is the night,” said Dee as soon as Leal joined
them. “Guillem will be in council all day long tomorrow. I let a few complex
issues pile up to see to it. The queen and Amee will be busy with the Andalouan
silk merchants. If you leave tonight, you might have a good thirty-six hours
before anybody misses you.”
    “I am ready. We packed our things yesterday.”
    Dee nodded. “Very good. I had
my groom pick two horses for you which I hope you will approve. But if not,
there are others you can choose at the stable.”
    Leal was impressed by the respect Dee was showing for
Daria’s judgment. She had always known that Daria was as good a judge of horses
as anybody in the castle, but few men would admit that. Daria noticeably
swelled with gratification. Dee smiled down on both of them with fond pride. He
put a hand on a shoulder of each and squeezed.
    “If you can do this, my dears, your names shall be
counted among those of the greatest heroes of the kingdom. But if you let
something bad happen to you two, I will never forgive myself. So, be careful.
Come, get ready. In one hour I will come for you. We’ll leave by my private
door.”
    ****
    Daria nodded towards a chair and picked up a pair of
sharp shears.
    “Come, we