Read Online The Haunted Wizard - Wiz in Rhym-6 by Christopher Stasheff - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy fiction, Fiction - Fantasy, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction; American, Fantasy - General, Fantasy - Series, Wizards, American Science Fiction And Fantasy
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battlements, watching the Bretanglian royal family ride away from Bordestang surrounded by their entourage—knights, soldiers, servants, and ladies-in-waiting. "So the sorcerer gained what he wanted— war."
"Not the sorcerer alone." Alisande gazed after the departing party, saddened and troubled. "They came to seek an excuse for war, Drustan and Petronille both."
Matt stared at her. "You don't think they planned on their son being assassinated!"
"Of course not!" Alisande looked up, shocked that he could even think of such a thing. "They meant to rely on their own tempers and insults to provoke me into declaring war." She turned to look after her erstwhile guests. "Nonetheless, my heart is heavy with their sorrow. I have a son now, and know how Petronille must grieve."
"That heart is too good," Matt said softly.
She looked up and found his eyes doting, and smiled, taking his hand. "You are a greater comfort than you know, husband, and I have need of such reassurance now." She turned to look after the Bretanglians again. "Unpleasant though he may have been, Gaheris was my cousin, for so is his mother, though rather distant kin. I am overcome with guilt that he should have been slain in my capital."
"You couldn't prevent it," Matt assured her, "if someone in their own party was planning it all along, and just waiting for this trip to set that plan into motion."
Alisande turned to him with a frown. "Do you truly think so?"
"I do, but howls for me telling you about it inside? This spring wind is brisk, and a warm fire would be a great comfort, too, just now.”
Page 36
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Alisande smiled again and laid her arm on top of his. "Let us go down to the solar, by all means.” The huge clerestory windows justified the solar's name, letting the sun bathe the room in early morning light. With a roaring fire to warm them outside and spiced cider to warm them inside, they could relax with Mart's parents and mull over the nights events.
Alisande sat back with a sigh. "I confess it is a relief to have them gone, though that relief will be short-lived."
"Yes, you must prepare for war," Mama agreed, "though we hope you will not have to wage it."
"An honest, open battle would be better than this skulking in shadows and stabbing men in their backs," Papa huffed.
"Now, husband!" Mama reproved. "There has been only one man stabbed"
"Yes, but how many were waiting their turn?"
"Everyone in that inn has an alibi," Matt said, "even the two who managed to slip away. Sir Orizhan and Sergeant Brock questioned them with me, and each one remembers who he was fighting when the prince was killed. Their stories check out—both opponents remember each other, and the only two whose foe wasn't there, remember fighting one of the two men who escaped."
"Rather convenient," Papa sniffed "Who remembers fighting this man who went out the window?"
"No one. Boosts his chances of being the murderer."
"At whose command?" Alisande said quietly.
Mama and Papa turned to her in surprise, then looked apprehensive. Mama said, "Surely you do not mean someone in his own family hired the killer!"
"It's been known to happen," Matt said with a smile of irony, "and I don't see any great love lost between those siblings."
"Petronille does not seem all that fond of either her eldest or her youngest," Mama admitted. "Odd. The second child is usually the rebel, and rarely the favorite."
"Considering what Brion is rebelling against, any mother would favor him," Matt told her.
"Do Drustan and Petronille remember this sorcerer being with their party?" Alisande asked.
"I didn't think I should mention the issue," Matt said apologetically. "They were too upset."
"Upset? They raged as soon as you told them the man had escaped," Papa exclaimed, "and they kept raging! You had no chance to ask!"
"Well, I could have asked before I told them the bad news."
"Without the culprit there? Do you
"Not the sorcerer alone." Alisande gazed after the departing party, saddened and troubled. "They came to seek an excuse for war, Drustan and Petronille both."
Matt stared at her. "You don't think they planned on their son being assassinated!"
"Of course not!" Alisande looked up, shocked that he could even think of such a thing. "They meant to rely on their own tempers and insults to provoke me into declaring war." She turned to look after her erstwhile guests. "Nonetheless, my heart is heavy with their sorrow. I have a son now, and know how Petronille must grieve."
"That heart is too good," Matt said softly.
She looked up and found his eyes doting, and smiled, taking his hand. "You are a greater comfort than you know, husband, and I have need of such reassurance now." She turned to look after the Bretanglians again. "Unpleasant though he may have been, Gaheris was my cousin, for so is his mother, though rather distant kin. I am overcome with guilt that he should have been slain in my capital."
"You couldn't prevent it," Matt assured her, "if someone in their own party was planning it all along, and just waiting for this trip to set that plan into motion."
Alisande turned to him with a frown. "Do you truly think so?"
"I do, but howls for me telling you about it inside? This spring wind is brisk, and a warm fire would be a great comfort, too, just now.”
Page 36
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Alisande smiled again and laid her arm on top of his. "Let us go down to the solar, by all means.” The huge clerestory windows justified the solar's name, letting the sun bathe the room in early morning light. With a roaring fire to warm them outside and spiced cider to warm them inside, they could relax with Mart's parents and mull over the nights events.
Alisande sat back with a sigh. "I confess it is a relief to have them gone, though that relief will be short-lived."
"Yes, you must prepare for war," Mama agreed, "though we hope you will not have to wage it."
"An honest, open battle would be better than this skulking in shadows and stabbing men in their backs," Papa huffed.
"Now, husband!" Mama reproved. "There has been only one man stabbed"
"Yes, but how many were waiting their turn?"
"Everyone in that inn has an alibi," Matt said, "even the two who managed to slip away. Sir Orizhan and Sergeant Brock questioned them with me, and each one remembers who he was fighting when the prince was killed. Their stories check out—both opponents remember each other, and the only two whose foe wasn't there, remember fighting one of the two men who escaped."
"Rather convenient," Papa sniffed "Who remembers fighting this man who went out the window?"
"No one. Boosts his chances of being the murderer."
"At whose command?" Alisande said quietly.
Mama and Papa turned to her in surprise, then looked apprehensive. Mama said, "Surely you do not mean someone in his own family hired the killer!"
"It's been known to happen," Matt said with a smile of irony, "and I don't see any great love lost between those siblings."
"Petronille does not seem all that fond of either her eldest or her youngest," Mama admitted. "Odd. The second child is usually the rebel, and rarely the favorite."
"Considering what Brion is rebelling against, any mother would favor him," Matt told her.
"Do Drustan and Petronille remember this sorcerer being with their party?" Alisande asked.
"I didn't think I should mention the issue," Matt said apologetically. "They were too upset."
"Upset? They raged as soon as you told them the man had escaped," Papa exclaimed, "and they kept raging! You had no chance to ask!"
"Well, I could have asked before I told them the bad news."
"Without the culprit there? Do you
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