The Twelve Kingdoms by Jeffe Kennedy

Author:Jeffe Kennedy [Kennedy, Jeffe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2015-04-07T16:00:00+00:00

She had a right to be proud. Our mother’s homeland was as extraordinary as the stories she’d spun about it. Her voice whispered in my head, her longing as palpable now as then.

The horses had been unsaddled and turned out while Harlan and I argued, so we all walked to the lakeside camp, a short distance away. Relieved for some distraction from my ragged state of mind, I took refuge in observing the landscape.

Near the barrier, the forest seemed much like the one along the pass we’d ascended, except that late summer in Annfwn felt softer, with more moisture in the air. The pine needles grew longer, more luxuriant, and flowers in astonishing colors gleamed under the trees and swelled into profusions of jewel tones in the meadows. Birds flitted overhead, some natural to Mohraya and its surrounds, others with trailing feathers like rainbows or the richest gowns of the court ladies.

As I watched, a flock of birds landed in the meadow and—in an undetectable transition—became a herd of white deer, falling on the acid-green grasses with enthusiasm. Harlan made a surprised noise next to me and Andi turned, giving him an impish smile. “Staymachs,” she said, as if that explained anything. “Ursula—you may recall them as the ratlike creatures that participated in the attack on Ordnung. You killed more than a few in that battle.”

“It was necessary.”

“I’m not criticizing,” she replied in a mild tone, the one she used to indicate she thought I was being unreasonable. “I know full well you were protecting me and the castle. They change shape, but out of instinct or when directed by a handler. About as intelligent as horses.”

Which meant Andi would have an affection for them. Of course she did for all animals. “I’ll try to refrain from slaughtering any more of them,” I told her, gratified when she flashed me a more natural grin.

“I appreciate that. They are, incidentally, the creatures that spirited away your Hawks and Captain Harlan’s men. Useful for performing minor magics such as that.”

“I take it that you’re using ‘minor’ as a relative term,” Harlan commented in such a dry tone that I snorted out a laugh, despite everything. He slid me a glance full of ironic humor and touched me on the small of my back, so lightly I almost didn’t feel it. I didn’t know how to handle his concern for me, but at the moment I appreciated having him there.

Most disconcerting.

“Well, when compared with the magic that keeps Annfwn tropically warm while winter rages an arm’s length away? Yes, relatively minor,” Andi agreed.

“How does that work, anyway?” I asked her.

“Not telling.”

“Is that how it is?”

She gave me a considering look. “Shall we trade answers for answers? Because I have a few questions for you.”

“You can ask,” I replied, feeling on more sure footing now.

“That’s what I thought.”

Andi and I exchanged a smile, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed and we were back at Ordnung, before Rayfe came into our lives.

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