Crown of Danger (The Hidden Mage Book 2) by Melanie Cellier

Author:Melanie Cellier [Cellier, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Published: 2020-11-04T05:00:00+00:00

The next morning I was recovered enough to return to class, so I didn’t see Ida again for some days. But when Bryony visited my suite the next rest day afternoon, she spilled a bottle of juice she had somehow managed to purloin from the kitchen all over my rug.

I surprised her by responding with enthusiasm, and when she realized I saw it as a prime opportunity to summon Ida, her exclamations of apologetic dismay changed to veiled hints that it had all been part of her superior strategy. When Ida actually appeared, however, Bryony was full of humble apologies, and the servant was soon laughing and smiling while she cleaned up the mess. Few could resist Bryony’s bright and irreverent manner when she chose to turn on the charm.

“So, what did you think?” I asked Bryony, when the spill was at last cleaned to Ida’s satisfaction and the servant had departed.

She grinned. “I think we’ve had it wrong all along, and it’s not Duke Francis who runs the Academy at all. Clearly it’s Zora.”

“I suppose you haven’t met her.” I tried to remember the times I had spoken with her the year before while arranging my Midwinter Ball. I couldn’t remember Bryony being present at any of them. “She really is a wonder, though. The most efficient woman you ever met.”

“No wonder the duke hired her then.” Bryony returned to the cake she had been eating before the juice accident. “He seems the type to admire efficiency.”

“He certainly appears to have enough wisdom to let her run the servants as she sees fit.”

“Well, if you need me to spill something else, it’s a task I’m willing to undertake for the good of the cause.” Bryony polished off the final bite. “As you can see, no sacrifice is too great to assist your noble quest, Princess.”

I laughed and assured her I’d let her know if I needed her services, but I was the one to knock over a vase less than a week later. I wasn’t usually so clumsy and even wondered if my subconscious was creating an accident on purpose. Whatever the cause, I once again summoned Ida.

But when I finally dared to ask the mildest of questions about the politics of the capital, using my most nonchalant voice, she instantly went quiet. We had no more conversation that day. Which left me with a burning question. Was Ida scared or was she hiding something?

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