Page 10 of To Catch a Prince

She shrugged. “Everyone who was brought to be Blessed withme.”

She soon discovered that her wish was law now. The Tutor was the first tocome.

Talia was still baffled and unsure of what it all meant; so, apparently, she’d mastered her shadow. What was the big deal? Surely, others had done it before her. She asked just that, and the Tutorlaughed.

“Of course some have,” the Tutor replied, amused. “Those we call Enchantress andSorcerer.”

She frowned, confused and a little unimpressed. So that was it? No great, secret power? But then again, what legend did ever live up to thehype?

“Let’s squash this disappointment right off your shoulders,” the Tutor suggested, handing her a little elemental trainingball.

These were made for children who had yet to master the art of focusing their energy and calling to the elements. Her look seemed to say, ‘really?’ because this exercise was well below herskills.

“Humor me,” said he, and shedid.

The fire ignited in her hand, just like it always did, but, within an instant, she was surrounded by flames; her arm, the air around her, the very floor she walked on had been set ablaze. The first lesson she’d ever learned was to be careful of the element she called to her aid; they had been summoned to do her bidding, but they were still dangerous. This ought to have burned her to a crisp, yet while she felt the fire, it was nothing more than a teasing, tickling sensation on herskin.

“Dragon’s scales,” she whispered the curse, shocked. This made very little sense to her practical, well-educatedmind.

“The limitations you take for granted? Forget them. Being trained to harness your Aether, and yet reaching out to your inner darkness, your Shadow? You yield a power few could ever dream of. Now it’s up to you to use itwisely.”

Then, her friends made it, wishing herwell.

“So what now?” Guillaumeasked.

“You’ll all be Blessed. What we’ve seen of you over this season told us much of your character - you’ll be given official titles as servants of the NorthernVar.”

“And what of me?” Talia bit her lip, anticipating that the answer would be different in hercase.

“All kingdoms of men made a pact long ago. No Enchantress is bound to any one land. Every kingdom will contribute to your pay and may call upon you should they need assistance against great evils. You’ll be free to go where you please and do what you deemright.”

She frowned at the unexpectedly civilizedarrangement.

“What if there’s a war between, say, the Var and theHighlands?”

The Tutor shrugged. “Such foolishness doesn’t have to do with mages, in general, and Enchantresses inparticular.”

That sounded too good to be true, and she saidso.

“Not quite. You still need to paytaxes.”

Typical.

The Blessings were grander than any ceremony she’d ever attended, weddings and funerals of holy men included. They were all presented with a kingly gift, as well as a parchment citing their new station: Talia’s was an armor that made her blush from head totoe.

“Why isn’t this covering anything?” she whispered, once the king had moved on to the nextvictim.

“The silvery metal is Maille,” Trudy whispered back. “My uncle has some. It deflects most spells, and even dragonfire, from what I’ve heard. Just a little bit in contact with your skin isenough.”

“Right. So why does it look likethis?”

It wasn’t an armor as much as a tunic, basically open at her crotch, paired with the smallest of shorts and high boots. She’d only consider wearing that if death was thealternative.

“Because,” said Guillaume, “the tailor is aman.”

That was as good an explanation asany.

They laughed, drank, and promised to stay in touch. The next morning, they all went different ways, going back to the world of proper plumbing after months of using chamber pots. Talia didn’t expect to regret it half asmuch.

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