Wizard's Education (Book 2) Read Online Free Page B
released a spell.
Suddenly there was a loud bang and a large cloud of smoke appeared in front of Lorit. The crowd made appreciative noises as the smoke cleared. In front of Lorit lay a small pile of copper coins. He picked them up and handed them out to the servants who were attending him.
Chihon had felt the energy drain from Lorit when he did the conjuration. She pushed a reproach at him, warning him that he was attracting attention that surely they wished to avoid.
A sharp jab interrupted her efforts. "Did you see that?" the Princess demanded.
"Yes, I did." Chihon had to raise her voice to be heard over the sound of the band tuning their instruments.
"Isn't he amazing? You're so lucky." The Princess looked at her like a small child excited by a shiny new toy.
"Lucky is not how I describe the situation," Chihon said sarcastically.
Before she could finish, the Princess was out of her seat, and rushing for Lorit. She grabbed him out of his chair and hauled him to the center of the floor just as the band began to play a dance tune.
Servants quickly cleared the tables and hauled them away, leaving the room clear for the dancers. Chihon stood back against the wall, watching Lorit dance with Princess Ukina. The girl held on to him as if he were going to escape at any moment. He was not a strong dancer so their dance consisted mostly of the Princess dragging Lorit around the floor in time to the music. Chihon smiled, knowing how uncomfortable this made him, although he did seem to be enjoying himself.
She had never seen Lorit behave like this. He was usually so serious and reserved. She wondered why he was allowing the Princess to hang all over him, when he could have done something to cool her ardor. Chihon steeled herself to wind her way through the crowd, cut into their dance, and remind Lorit that they had an early start in the morning, when a strange voice interrupted her thoughts.
"She's quite the dancer, isn't she?" someone said. She looked over to see a young man standing next to her. He was dressed in court finery and wore a sword. Only members of the royal family were allowed weapons at a gathering like this.
"I'm Rothen, the King's nephew. My father was the King's brother." He offered her a chalice of wine.
Chihon accepted the proffered drink and took a sip. The wine was tasty, but she felt the strength of it as it went down and knew it was much more potent than the ale she was used to. She took a second swallow, not wanting to appear ungracious, and set it on the table nearby.
"Do you know the Princess well, then?" she asked.
"We grew up together, right here in the castle." He nodded towards the hallways adjoining the banquet room. "She's quite a handful. Your friend isn't going to get a chance to dance with anyone else tonight."
"I was just deciding if I should try to cut in and rescue him," Chihon said glancing over at the couple. The Princess had a death grip on Lorit. He caught Chihon's eye and smiled a silly smile at her as they swirled by.
"I wouldn't advise getting between the Princess and her conquest. She's very protective."
Rothen extended his arm. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
Chihon considered his offer. She was only a slightly better dancer than Lorit, and didn't actually feel comfortable around the royals. She considered making an excuse that she had to make an early start and was tired, but dancing with Rothen might give her the opportunity to intercept and rejoin Lorit.
"I don't bite." Rothen looked at her with sad eyes that begged her indulgence.
"I guess one dance won't hurt." Chihon took his hand and stepped into the throng.
Rothen whirled her around the floor in time to the music until she thought her legs were going to give out. Chihon caught occasional glimpses of Lorit and Princess Ukina as they danced by, but she was unable to make her way over to them.
She must have drunk more wine than she'd planned, or it was a lot stronger than it appeared, or maybe it was
Suddenly there was a loud bang and a large cloud of smoke appeared in front of Lorit. The crowd made appreciative noises as the smoke cleared. In front of Lorit lay a small pile of copper coins. He picked them up and handed them out to the servants who were attending him.
Chihon had felt the energy drain from Lorit when he did the conjuration. She pushed a reproach at him, warning him that he was attracting attention that surely they wished to avoid.
A sharp jab interrupted her efforts. "Did you see that?" the Princess demanded.
"Yes, I did." Chihon had to raise her voice to be heard over the sound of the band tuning their instruments.
"Isn't he amazing? You're so lucky." The Princess looked at her like a small child excited by a shiny new toy.
"Lucky is not how I describe the situation," Chihon said sarcastically.
Before she could finish, the Princess was out of her seat, and rushing for Lorit. She grabbed him out of his chair and hauled him to the center of the floor just as the band began to play a dance tune.
Servants quickly cleared the tables and hauled them away, leaving the room clear for the dancers. Chihon stood back against the wall, watching Lorit dance with Princess Ukina. The girl held on to him as if he were going to escape at any moment. He was not a strong dancer so their dance consisted mostly of the Princess dragging Lorit around the floor in time to the music. Chihon smiled, knowing how uncomfortable this made him, although he did seem to be enjoying himself.
She had never seen Lorit behave like this. He was usually so serious and reserved. She wondered why he was allowing the Princess to hang all over him, when he could have done something to cool her ardor. Chihon steeled herself to wind her way through the crowd, cut into their dance, and remind Lorit that they had an early start in the morning, when a strange voice interrupted her thoughts.
"She's quite the dancer, isn't she?" someone said. She looked over to see a young man standing next to her. He was dressed in court finery and wore a sword. Only members of the royal family were allowed weapons at a gathering like this.
"I'm Rothen, the King's nephew. My father was the King's brother." He offered her a chalice of wine.
Chihon accepted the proffered drink and took a sip. The wine was tasty, but she felt the strength of it as it went down and knew it was much more potent than the ale she was used to. She took a second swallow, not wanting to appear ungracious, and set it on the table nearby.
"Do you know the Princess well, then?" she asked.
"We grew up together, right here in the castle." He nodded towards the hallways adjoining the banquet room. "She's quite a handful. Your friend isn't going to get a chance to dance with anyone else tonight."
"I was just deciding if I should try to cut in and rescue him," Chihon said glancing over at the couple. The Princess had a death grip on Lorit. He caught Chihon's eye and smiled a silly smile at her as they swirled by.
"I wouldn't advise getting between the Princess and her conquest. She's very protective."
Rothen extended his arm. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
Chihon considered his offer. She was only a slightly better dancer than Lorit, and didn't actually feel comfortable around the royals. She considered making an excuse that she had to make an early start and was tired, but dancing with Rothen might give her the opportunity to intercept and rejoin Lorit.
"I don't bite." Rothen looked at her with sad eyes that begged her indulgence.
"I guess one dance won't hurt." Chihon took his hand and stepped into the throng.
Rothen whirled her around the floor in time to the music until she thought her legs were going to give out. Chihon caught occasional glimpses of Lorit and Princess Ukina as they danced by, but she was unable to make her way over to them.
She must have drunk more wine than she'd planned, or it was a lot stronger than it appeared, or maybe it was
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