backwards,
then?” the Councilman asks.
Time to tread carefully. He may be on our
side, but he's still on the council. “They are definitely different
than where I'm from. I find many of your people endearing and some
others who…” I'd like to punch in the nose. “…aren't as much.”
He laughs. “A good political answer. Don't
worry, I don't like a lot of the people here either, but it's home
for us too. We're doing what we can to help with that. When we can
get around the Grand Chancellor, that is.”
I don't think any of us realized just how
good of allies Annabelle and Daniel are. We should have. I'm
excited just thinking of adding their help. “How has that been
going for you?”
“ Lately, people have been more open to
speaking with me about changing things. It's been wonderful to see.
Unfortunately, the Grand Chancellor knows it and continues clamping
down on as many laws as he
can.”
“ Isn't there more you can do?” Tawny
asks. I'm sure this is harder for her to hear than it is to me. I'm
used to this, as much as I don't want to be. She's used to how
Envado rules.
“ I wish there was, but I'm just a
voice in a large crowd. One the Grand Chancellor doesn't have to
listen to.”
“ You do a good job, my dear,”
Annabelle says.
He takes a hold of her hand as he continues.
“It wasn't always this way, you know. There was a time when the
council was actually a council that worked together with the Grand
Chancellor. Too many years with too many men grabbing for as much
power as they can, has left the position of Grand Chancellor with
too much weight.”
“ Do you think anything can be done
about it?” I ask. Because there has to be. If not, all of this will
be for not.
“ As things are, I don't know. The
Grand Chancellor keeps making things stricter and
strict er . At this rate, the
entire country will be on lock down unless you're Chancellor Ryan
or Councilman Stephen.”
“ What? I though Chancellor Ryan was
kicked off the council after the tournament when he forced
Nathaniel to take the magic from those women. And Stephen hasn't
been on since Serena's ball when he tried to have Zade
murdered.”
“ I'm afraid the Grand Chancellor has
reinstated them both.”
“ But he got rid of Chancellor Ryan
because of the effect he was going to have on relationships with
other countries. Doesn't he care about that still?”
Daniel sighs. “Apparently, not any
longer.”
“ How are we going to hold any leverage
against him if he doesn't care what other countries think?” Tawny
says.
“ We'll just have to keep trying
different things,” he replies.
Annabelle yawns. “Excuse me. I'm not used to
staying up to this hour.”
“ It's getting late,” I say with a yawn
of my own.
“ I'm afraid time got away from us,”
Annabelle says as we all stand. “Thank you for joining us this
evening, Waverly.”
“ I was happy to. It was great getting
to know you both better. I really appreciate your
candidness.”
“ Anytime,” Daniel says.
As I pull the door shut behind me, I
catch a last glimpse of Annabelle and Daniel, still sitting side by
side holding hands, but now gazing at each other, perfectly content
just to be in one another's presence. If only we could get this
country to be so content with everyone else in i t . There has to be a way to rid the country of
the Grand Chancellor's poison.
Chapter Twelve
T he council
meeting should have started by now. I pace the short length of my
room, wishing there was more space to really stretch my legs. What
if they somehow figured out how to catch my spell before it
activated? They are council members after all. They're supposed to
be some of the best warlocks in Chardonia, even if the Grand
Chancellors, throughout the ages, have taken away their power.
Though I'm not sure if the “best” means the ones with the most
power or the ones with the most influence. Either way, it's
daunting to think about.
What's more, it's not just
then?” the Councilman asks.
Time to tread carefully. He may be on our
side, but he's still on the council. “They are definitely different
than where I'm from. I find many of your people endearing and some
others who…” I'd like to punch in the nose. “…aren't as much.”
He laughs. “A good political answer. Don't
worry, I don't like a lot of the people here either, but it's home
for us too. We're doing what we can to help with that. When we can
get around the Grand Chancellor, that is.”
I don't think any of us realized just how
good of allies Annabelle and Daniel are. We should have. I'm
excited just thinking of adding their help. “How has that been
going for you?”
“ Lately, people have been more open to
speaking with me about changing things. It's been wonderful to see.
Unfortunately, the Grand Chancellor knows it and continues clamping
down on as many laws as he
can.”
“ Isn't there more you can do?” Tawny
asks. I'm sure this is harder for her to hear than it is to me. I'm
used to this, as much as I don't want to be. She's used to how
Envado rules.
“ I wish there was, but I'm just a
voice in a large crowd. One the Grand Chancellor doesn't have to
listen to.”
“ You do a good job, my dear,”
Annabelle says.
He takes a hold of her hand as he continues.
“It wasn't always this way, you know. There was a time when the
council was actually a council that worked together with the Grand
Chancellor. Too many years with too many men grabbing for as much
power as they can, has left the position of Grand Chancellor with
too much weight.”
“ Do you think anything can be done
about it?” I ask. Because there has to be. If not, all of this will
be for not.
“ As things are, I don't know. The
Grand Chancellor keeps making things stricter and
strict er . At this rate, the
entire country will be on lock down unless you're Chancellor Ryan
or Councilman Stephen.”
“ What? I though Chancellor Ryan was
kicked off the council after the tournament when he forced
Nathaniel to take the magic from those women. And Stephen hasn't
been on since Serena's ball when he tried to have Zade
murdered.”
“ I'm afraid the Grand Chancellor has
reinstated them both.”
“ But he got rid of Chancellor Ryan
because of the effect he was going to have on relationships with
other countries. Doesn't he care about that still?”
Daniel sighs. “Apparently, not any
longer.”
“ How are we going to hold any leverage
against him if he doesn't care what other countries think?” Tawny
says.
“ We'll just have to keep trying
different things,” he replies.
Annabelle yawns. “Excuse me. I'm not used to
staying up to this hour.”
“ It's getting late,” I say with a yawn
of my own.
“ I'm afraid time got away from us,”
Annabelle says as we all stand. “Thank you for joining us this
evening, Waverly.”
“ I was happy to. It was great getting
to know you both better. I really appreciate your
candidness.”
“ Anytime,” Daniel says.
As I pull the door shut behind me, I
catch a last glimpse of Annabelle and Daniel, still sitting side by
side holding hands, but now gazing at each other, perfectly content
just to be in one another's presence. If only we could get this
country to be so content with everyone else in i t . There has to be a way to rid the country of
the Grand Chancellor's poison.
Chapter Twelve
T he council
meeting should have started by now. I pace the short length of my
room, wishing there was more space to really stretch my legs. What
if they somehow figured out how to catch my spell before it
activated? They are council members after all. They're supposed to
be some of the best warlocks in Chardonia, even if the Grand
Chancellors, throughout the ages, have taken away their power.
Though I'm not sure if the “best” means the ones with the most
power or the ones with the most influence. Either way, it's
daunting to think about.
What's more, it's not just
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