Bookworm II: The Very Ugly Duckling (43 page)

“Good,” he said. “And his conduct?”

“Improved after a dose of the stick,” the Sergeant informed him, bluntly. “But he is still sullen and impolite whenever he thinks he can get away with it.”

Duncan sighed. There were spells that could change a person’s personality permanently, but using them on his own family would have been a breach of the family oaths he’d sworn when he’d taken over from his father. Besides, such spells often had unanticipated side effects that would make Jamal ineligible to take over when Duncan died. Not for the first time, Duncan cursed the poor timing. If Charity had been a few years older, he could have simply moved her into Jamal’s place and disowned Jamal completely.

And if she hadn’t been born a girl
, he thought, sourly.
If she were Prime Heir, I would have to be far more careful about choosing her husband. He would have to understand that she would keep all the power
.

“I may wish to offer him the carrot in a few days,” the Sergeant added. “There have been some traces of improvement.”

“But how many of them,” Duncan asked, “stem from something more fundamental than fear of punishment?”

He scowled. His own father had believed in using hexes and curses on his children, rather than his belt or a cane. Apparently, the old man had thought it was more humane to use magic; besides, it provided an incentive to learn how to block the spells. But Duncan had been taught, patiently, the importance of being firm, but fair; it had been a necessary lesson for when he’d taken over the helm of the family. Jamal, on the other hand ... would his behaviour remain changed when the fear of punishment was removed?

“It requires careful work over a year to ensure that his behaviour remains improved,” the Sergeant admitted. “Indeed, he must come to understand
why
his prior conduct was so appalling and, sir, you gave him some awfully mixed messages. You never taught him the difference between right and wrong.”

“I know,” Duncan said, bitterly. “By all the gods, I know.”

There was a tap on the door. May entered at his command.

“Sir, Lord Rendang and his daughter are here to see you,” she said, holding out a card. “I believe that they are invited?”

“Show them into the sitting room,” Duncan said, rising to his feet. The papers he needed were in one of his locked cabinets. “Sergeant, you may hand out rewards as you feel necessary, but there is to be no opportunity for backsliding.”

“Yes, sir,” the Sergeant said.

Duncan walked through the door, locking and warding his study once it was empty, then walked into the sitting room. It was intended to receive guests who came as equals – or members of the family. Meeting Lord Rendang there was a powerful message; Duncan already considered him part of the family.

Jayne didn’t look
that
pretty to him, although it was clear that she would be a beauty as she grew older. Long dark hair framed a face that was angular, shaped by cheekbones that seemed too narrow to be classically beautiful. But her face was marred by a sulky expression that did nothing for her. Clearly, the news of her betrothal hadn’t come as a welcome surprise; instead, she seemed furious. Duncan’s own sister had looked the same way when their father had betrothed her, although she’d come to terms with it. And the marriage had been surprisingly happy.

“Lord Conidian,” the Rendang said. “May I present my daughter Jayne?”

“Charmed,” Duncan said. He bowed to the girl, who merely glared at him. “I believe that my son and yourself are already acquainted. That will make it easier.”

“I do not wish to marry,” Jayne said, in a low voice. “I have a career ahead of me.”

“We have already discussed this,” the Rendang said, sharply. “The choice isn’t yours.”

Duncan smiled. The Rendang thought he was getting the better part of the bargain – and he might well have been, although Johan was still a wild card. Jayne wasn’t the Prime Heir, or even the eldest daughter; her marriage couldn’t be expected to bring the family much in the way of wealth or influence. Having a match with Duncan’s family would bring them all of that and more. And they got to keep their eldest children for other matches. Everyone won ... even Jayne. If she wanted to have a career, it was unlikely that Johan would stand in her way.

“You promised me that I could find a tutor,” Jayne insisted, bitterly. Her voice was rising, becoming anger. “You promised ...”

“Times change,” her father said. He’d had no reason to expect Jayne to become important, so making such promises had been easy. Now ... Jayne was suddenly wanted. What was the value of such promises when the family’s fortunes could be saved by her sacrifice? “The family gave you everything. You will repay it.”

Duncan sighed, inwardly. If Charity had made such a public scene, she would have had trouble sitting down for a week. Everyone born to the aristocracy knew that their marriages would be arranged by their families; it was just the way things were, the way things had been since the formation of the Empire. The marriages blended together magic, wealth and influence ... and if the couple didn’t get along, all they really had to do was produce a handful of children and then their duty would be done. They could have as many outside relationships as they liked and, as long as they were careful, no one would care. It was just the way things were.

“I won’t give up my future,” Jayne insisted. There was a grim desperation in her tone that would have been shocking, if Duncan had been in the mood to care. “I
won’t
.”

“You will,” her father said, with quiet menace. “Or I will disown you.”

Jayne stared at her father, then glared at Duncan, magic crackling over her fingertips. The house wards shifted, ready to contain any magic she threw at him, but somehow she held herself back from casting a spell. Instead, she slumped, tears flowing down her cheeks. She knew, as well as everyone else, that she couldn’t survive without her family’s backing. What choice did she have, but to submit?

Duncan was largely unmoved. He’d been shocked when his father told him who he was going to marry, as had his siblings ... why should Jayne be spared from her duty merely because it upset her? She liked Johan, she knew him ... it was a far better basis for a relationship than the one Duncan had shared with his wife. Now ... he had his lovers and his wife had hers. It was the way things should be.

“Sign here,” he said, holding out the papers. “Please.”

The Rendang signed his name, then passed them to Jayne. She glared down at them, her fingers twitching as if she wanted to crumple them up in her hand, but didn’t quite dare. Instead, she reluctantly took the pen and wrote her own name. Duncan signed below hers, asserting his authority as Johan’s father. The papers glowed with a brief golden line as the magic inside them came to life. Johan was now formally engaged to Jayne.

“Thank you,” he said, to Jayne. He tried to gentle his voice, although it was apparent that it didn’t have any real effect on her. Her sobbing only grew louder, her father awkwardly patting her back as if he thought it would make her feel better. “I look forward to welcoming you into the house.”

And hope that you can help control Johan
, he added silently.
If it fails, they’re going to want to kill him
.

Chapter Thirty-Six

“Breathe in,” Elaine instructed. “And then breathe out.”

Johan, his eyes closed, did his best to obey. It was hard to quiet his mind, even just before sleep, but he had to try. After what had happened to Hawthorne, Elaine had suggested that he might be able to get in touch with his magic after all ...but, so far, all that had happened in three days of attempted meditation had been him falling asleep twice. Elaine had laughed and admitted that had happened to her too more than once.

“I can hear my heartbeat,” he announced, after a moment. It was true; his heartbeat suddenly seemed to be pounding away. “But I can’t feel anything else.”

He opened his eyes. Elaine was facing him, sitting cross-legged with her own eyes closed. She looked oddly sweet and yet vulnerable in that pose, even though he knew that she had insisted they walk extensively until she was used to walking again on her rebuilt leg. And, for that matter, that she’d been casting spells with her new wand until she knew precisely how best to use it. She might have told him that wands were largely unnecessary, but she clearly hadn’t been happy to lose the wand Hawthorne had snapped.

“No worries,” Elaine said, opening her eyes. She hadn’t bothered with the glamour; the red light that seemed to be burning inside her skull was as disconcerting as ever. Johan had wondered if he could get rid of it, but Elaine had flatly refused when he’d offered. Spells intended to repair eyesight might go spectacularly wrong when used by an untrained magician. “We can try again tomorrow.”

Johan felt his eyes narrow as she stood up, smoothing down her shirt. “How long did it take you to master it?”

“Months,” Elaine said. “But then, I was never a very powerful magician ...”

She broke off, glancing around as if she’d heard something. “Someone is coming,” she said, reaching for her wand. “A ward was just triggered, right by the bog.”

Johan rose to his feet as she walked over to the window, wand in hand. They’d talked about what to do if the cabin was attacked, but in truth he knew that escape would be difficult, no matter how quickly they ran. If they stayed on the paths, they were likely to be tracked down with ease; if they went off the paths, they were quite likely to get lost. And if the enemy had werewolves or tracking spells, it would be very hard to break free.

“It’s Dread,” Elaine said, relaxing slightly. “And he’s carrying a large bag.”

Johan smiled as the Inquisitor stamped up to the cabin and stepped inside, after taking off his shoes. Dread still bothered him – he
was
an Inquisitor, after all – but he was clearly Elaine’s friend, perhaps more than a friend. Elaine didn’t seem to have a social life; Dread was the only person, apart from Light Spinner, she met on a regular basis. But he was still an Inquisitor.

“Hawthorne will be going back to the capital,” Dread stated, as Elaine passed him a mug of hot Kava. “There are several druids who wish to take a look at him.”

Elaine nodded, seemingly unsurprised. “You’d think they didn’t trust the druids up here.”

“They don’t,” Dread said. His tone was droll, almost sardonic. “The Golden City is the epitome of magical learning and research in the Empire. There is no possibility that anyone from outside the city can match the druids inside the city.”

Johan smiled, remembering Charity’s stories from the Golden City. There had been many social barriers between the students – and those who had come from outside the city often faced a hard task in being accepted by their peers. Jamal had never complained, but then Jamal had had the arrogance to brush his way through any mocking sneers. And besides, loath as Johan was to admit it, his brother was a powerful magician. He could have handled a few sneers.

“I have letters for you both,” Dread added, opening his bag. Johan was impressed to note just how many protective spells there were on the leather, protecting the material inside from prying eyes. “Elaine, one of them is from the Grand Sorceress.”

Elaine took a gold-edged letter and carried it over to the table to read. Johan watched her go, then took a letter Dread offered him. It seemed to have been enclosed in a white envelope that was expensive, but not as expensive as the ones his father used. And the hand that had addressed it was unfamiliar ... yet definitely feminine. He realised, with a thrill of delight, that it had to come from Jayne. It was suddenly hard to open it carefully, rather than tearing it open.

Inside, there was a single piece of paper. He read it ... and felt the bottom drop out of his world.

Johan.

I thought you were a decent guy. I liked you. Now you’ve ruined my future. I had my life planned out, a life where I would accomplish something of my own. Now it has been taken from me by you. Your father made that quite clear to me.

I will not marry you. I will not sleep with you. I will not have children with you.

I swear to you that if we are forced to marry, I will make every day of our shared life a living hell.

Burn in hell.

Jayne, of no House.

Johan stared down at the letter, unable to understand. What had happened? What the hell did she think he’d done? He hadn’t cheated on her; they’d barely even started their relationship!

Elaine looked over at him. “Johan?” she asked. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Johan said. He was too shocked to be angry or sad, even though he knew he would be sooner or later. What had happened? “Jayne ... Jayne wrote me this letter.”

He passed it to Elaine, then looked at the second letter Dread offered him. One look was enough to tell him that it came from his father; the envelope was expensive, the address written in his father’s own hand. Feeling his shock gradually being replaced by anger, he tore the letter open and scanned it quickly. It was worse than he had dared fear.

Johan.

As a son of House Conidian, you are in need of a wife. I have taken the liberty of arranging for your betrothal to Jayne, of House Rendang. She is a younger daughter, but it is clear to me that you like her and care for her. The wedding will take place as soon as reasonably possible ...

Johan crumpled up the rest of the letter, wondering just how his father thought he would react to such a suggestion. There were so many subtle insults in the handful of paragraphs that it was hard to imagine that his father didn’t know that they were there. Calling Jayne a younger daughter was a snide reminder that she wouldn’t inherit much from her family – and thus she might not be a suitable wife for the Conidian’s second son – but if Johan liked her, it might not matter. And besides, it would make them more dependent on Johan’s father.

Someone must have been spying on us
, he realised. Someone had seen them when they were eating and taken the news to his father. His father, not one to miss an opportunity to get his hooks in someone, had made a deal with Jayne’s father, effectively
buying
the man’s daughter for Johan. But
Jayne
hadn’t consented ...