Read Online Bookworm II: The Very Ugly Duckling by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page A

pushed aside, Johan suddenly remembered everything . The Levellers, the rally, Jamal ... and something that had unlocked itself inside his skull. He reached up to touch his head, feeling it throbbing lightly, as a desperate hope suddenly blossomed to life inside his mind. What if ... what if he’d developed magic ? No matter how much he’d fought before, he had never broken out of any of Jamal’s spells. Even the weakest compulsion had held him in thrall until the spell was lifted.
    But it seemed too good to be true.
    “Jamal,” he said, suddenly. “He was at the rally and ...”
    The Privy Councillor leaned forward. “Your brother was one of those who attacked the rally?”
    Johan found himself staring at her. She was young – he doubted that she was much older than Jamal – yet there were lines on her mousy face that suggested that she was older than her years. It was hard to credit the fact that she was a Privy Councillor, but who else would dare wear purple outside the house? There were laws against wearing robes if there was no claim to them.
    “Yes,” he said, sourly. Memories of horror rose up in front of his eyes, mocking him. Jamal wouldn’t be punished, of course. He was never punished when he was cruel to outsiders, or even to his siblings. “He and his friends attacked the rally.”
    The druid waved his wand at Johan. “And what happened to you?”
    “I don’t know,” Johan admitted. He described what had happened as best as he could, ending with the sudden collapse of Jamal’s spell. “What do you think happened to me?”
    “I wish I knew,” the druid said. He looked at the Privy Councillor. “Medically, he’s fine, although I would suggest two more days in bed for observation. I don’t know enough about his ... other condition to comment. This is completely unprecedented.”
    The Privy Councillor didn’t seem surprised. “I’ll see to him,” she said, as the druid started to walk towards the door. “Do you have any other advice?”
    “Get a witness statement from him,” the druid said.
    Johan watched him leave the room, then turned his head so he could look at the Privy Councillor. “My Lady,” he said, carefully, “what happened to me?”
    The Privy Councillor seemed oddly bothered by the formality. Johan felt a moment of panic – his father had drilled etiquette into him, but he hadn’t really expected his powerless son ever to have to meet a Privy Councillor – and wondered if he had gotten it wrong, before pushing the thought aside. No doubt it was about to be explained to him in great detail just where he had gone wrong.
    “My name is Elaine,” the Privy Councillor said. Now the druid was gone, her voice seemed to relax slightly. “I don’t really need such formality.”
    Johan studied her for a long moment. There was none of the style his mother affected, none of the confidence that Charity strove to project at all times ... and there was no family name. That meant ... what? No family? But any family would be proud to have a Privy Councillor in the family. They were always powerful magicians as well as the trusted friends and confidants of the Grand Sorcerer. Or at least everyone took them to be the Grand Sorcerer’s friends. He had his doubts about how close his father was to the Grand Sorceress.
    But the name was oddly familiar ...
    Of course, he thought, remembering one of his father’s rants. The Head Librarian .
    “My name is Johan,” he said, finally. “What did he mean about my condition?”
    Elaine looked down at the floor, then back up at him. “There is magic in you,” she said, flatly. “But it is very odd magic indeed. You were tested before, I understand?”
    Johan found himself unable to speak. Magic! It was like a dream come true ... and that made him suspicious. One of his father’s more useful pieces of advice had been a warning that anything that sounded too good to be true probably was. He’d tried to send away for a potion that claimed