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Authors: Kate Elliott
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said. Chryse wondered abruptly whether it was a boy or a girl, or as indeterminate as it seemed. “You can’t go back in, not by that gate.” The bright gaze shifted from Chryse to her companions, quick and measuring. With the speed given hunted animals, the child darted suddenly away and before Chryse could do more than call out in surprise and rise, it had vanished in the constant flow of traffic.
Two women brushed by them. Chryse felt Sanjay’s hand on her back, a warm, comforting presence. She turned.
“Did you hear what the child said?” she asked.
He nodded. His face was grave. Behind, Julian and Kate reappeared from the direction in which the child had run. They were alone.
Sanjay’s face was still, hiding his feelings, but Chryse’s eyes held the brilliance that presaged tears. She sniffed and made a disparaging face.
“Look at me—this won’t get us anywhere,” she said. “I guess we’re left with Madame Sosostris.”
“We should have gone back that night,” said Sanjay in a fierce undertone.
“How could we have?” she replied. “We did look for it. We can’t blame ourselves.”
For a moment he said nothing. “At least we have two weeks,” he said at last, quiet. “Come on.” He took her hand and looked at Julian and Kate. “Shall we go back?”
No one spoke much on the return trip, although Kate pointed out a few more sights.
Aunt Laetitia greeted them at the entryway to Vole House and directed them into the parlour. Tea and warm cakes awaited them on the sidetable.
“I see,” said Aunt Laetitia once a decent interval had passed for them to warm themselves and drink and eat, “that your expedition met with little success. I have better news.”
Chryse and Sanjay both looked up.
“Usually Madame Sosostris only grants appointments months in advance,” continued Aunt Laetitia, looking pleased by the hopeful and attentive expressions on her guests’ faces. “But in this case, she writes that seeing the importance of a visit connected with such a rare deck, and given the delicate and urgent nature of the request, she has agreed to see you in only five weeks.” She smiled, benignly aware of their great good fortune.
“Five weeks!” cried Chryse. “We can’t possibly wait that long.” She turned to Sanjay, grasped his hands. “They’ll think we’re dead.”
“Surely if we went to this woman’s house she would agree to see us right away,” said Sanjay.
Aunt Laetitia frowned. “It would not do to offend her. Indeed not. No, you have been given every consideration. You must not ask too much or she won’t see you at all.”
“But then—” Chryse began. “You mentioned some others.” She met Kate’s sympathetic but unhopeful eye, and gave a little laugh. “No, I don’t suppose the earl would be a good choice.”
“And frankly,” added Kate, “you can’t possibly get an audience to see the Regent. She isn’t very—ah—open to petitions. It would be easier, in a manner of speaking, to see the heir, but she can’t help you.”
“Wasn’t there another one? Anyone else?” Chryse asked, feeling now as if she were grasping at straws.
“Chryse,” said Sanjay softly. “Maybe we’re just stuck.”
“I know,” she said, lowering her voice to match his, “but we’ve got to make sure we’ve tried every avenue. Otherwise we’ll keep feeling as if we might have done more.”
“There are other mages, to be sure,” said Aunt Laetitia. “But none others of sufficient power who live in or near Heffield.”
“If you meant Master Cardspinner,” said Kate, “I’m afraid that that was a bit of a joke. And in any case, he’s left town, as I found out last night.”
For a long moment Chryse and Sanjay simply gazed at each other. The others turned their attention elsewhere. Finally Sanjay shrugged and Chryse gave him a rueful smile and released his hands.
“It seems Madame Sosostris is the only choice left,” said Sanjay.
“But we haven’t any
Two women brushed by them. Chryse felt Sanjay’s hand on her back, a warm, comforting presence. She turned.
“Did you hear what the child said?” she asked.
He nodded. His face was grave. Behind, Julian and Kate reappeared from the direction in which the child had run. They were alone.
Sanjay’s face was still, hiding his feelings, but Chryse’s eyes held the brilliance that presaged tears. She sniffed and made a disparaging face.
“Look at me—this won’t get us anywhere,” she said. “I guess we’re left with Madame Sosostris.”
“We should have gone back that night,” said Sanjay in a fierce undertone.
“How could we have?” she replied. “We did look for it. We can’t blame ourselves.”
For a moment he said nothing. “At least we have two weeks,” he said at last, quiet. “Come on.” He took her hand and looked at Julian and Kate. “Shall we go back?”
No one spoke much on the return trip, although Kate pointed out a few more sights.
Aunt Laetitia greeted them at the entryway to Vole House and directed them into the parlour. Tea and warm cakes awaited them on the sidetable.
“I see,” said Aunt Laetitia once a decent interval had passed for them to warm themselves and drink and eat, “that your expedition met with little success. I have better news.”
Chryse and Sanjay both looked up.
“Usually Madame Sosostris only grants appointments months in advance,” continued Aunt Laetitia, looking pleased by the hopeful and attentive expressions on her guests’ faces. “But in this case, she writes that seeing the importance of a visit connected with such a rare deck, and given the delicate and urgent nature of the request, she has agreed to see you in only five weeks.” She smiled, benignly aware of their great good fortune.
“Five weeks!” cried Chryse. “We can’t possibly wait that long.” She turned to Sanjay, grasped his hands. “They’ll think we’re dead.”
“Surely if we went to this woman’s house she would agree to see us right away,” said Sanjay.
Aunt Laetitia frowned. “It would not do to offend her. Indeed not. No, you have been given every consideration. You must not ask too much or she won’t see you at all.”
“But then—” Chryse began. “You mentioned some others.” She met Kate’s sympathetic but unhopeful eye, and gave a little laugh. “No, I don’t suppose the earl would be a good choice.”
“And frankly,” added Kate, “you can’t possibly get an audience to see the Regent. She isn’t very—ah—open to petitions. It would be easier, in a manner of speaking, to see the heir, but she can’t help you.”
“Wasn’t there another one? Anyone else?” Chryse asked, feeling now as if she were grasping at straws.
“Chryse,” said Sanjay softly. “Maybe we’re just stuck.”
“I know,” she said, lowering her voice to match his, “but we’ve got to make sure we’ve tried every avenue. Otherwise we’ll keep feeling as if we might have done more.”
“There are other mages, to be sure,” said Aunt Laetitia. “But none others of sufficient power who live in or near Heffield.”
“If you meant Master Cardspinner,” said Kate, “I’m afraid that that was a bit of a joke. And in any case, he’s left town, as I found out last night.”
For a long moment Chryse and Sanjay simply gazed at each other. The others turned their attention elsewhere. Finally Sanjay shrugged and Chryse gave him a rueful smile and released his hands.
“It seems Madame Sosostris is the only choice left,” said Sanjay.
“But we haven’t any
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