Page 26 (1/2)

An hour ago Cutwell had thuh the index of The Monster Fun Grimoire and had cautiously asseredients and put aabout eyebrows, he one

Red around the eyes, and shtly of smoke, Cutwell aed in whatever it was maids did, which always seemed to take at least three of theo silent, hurry past with their heads down and then break intothe corridor This annoyed Cutwell Not – he told himself quickly – because of any personal considerations, but because wizards ought to be shownat hihts

Truly, he thought, the way of enlightenlass

He knocked on the door of Keli's suite A maid opened it

'Is your e

The maid put her hand to her mouth Her shoulders shook Her eyes sparkled A sound like escaping steaers

I can't help it, Cutwell thought, I just see effect on women

'Is it a lazed over and she tilted her head, as if not sure of what she had heard

'It's ht, then You can coirl and tried to ignore the hter as the maid fled the room Of course, everyone kneizard didn't need a chaperon It was just the tone of the princess's 'Oh, that's all right then' thatat her dressing table, brushing her hair Very few men in the world ever find out what a princess wears under her dresses, and Cutwell joined them with extreme reluctance but with re of his adam's apple betrayed hiic for days

She turned and he caught a whiff of talcum powder For weeks, dammit, for weeks

'You look a bit hot, Cutwell Is so'

'I'm sorry?'

He shook himself Concentrate on the hairbrush, , ma'a?'

'I am afraid so'

Keli turned back to the ot ti He'd done everything he could The Royal Astrologer had been sobered up long enough to insist that tomorroas the only possible day the cerein one second after ht He'd ruthlessly cut the score of the royal truods and then subedited heavily; there was going to be a rohen the gods found out The cere with sacred oils had been cut to a quick dab behind the ears Skateboards were an unknown invention on the Disc; if they hadn't been, Keli's trip up the aisle would have been unconstitutionally fast And it still wasn't enough He nerved himself

'I think possibly not,' he said 'It could be a very close thing'

He saw her glare at him in the mirror

'How close?'

'Uht reach us at the same time as the ceremony?'

'Um More sort of, um, before it,' said Cutretchedly There was no sound but the drue of the table Cutondered if she was going to break down, or smash the mirror Instead she said:

'How do you know?'

He wondered if he could get aith saying sos, but decided against it The last time he'd said that she'd threatened hiuards about that inn Mort talked about,' he said Then I worked out the approxi at a sloalking pace, and I reckon his stride is about --'

'As siic?'

'Only co run'

She reached out and patted his hand

'Poor old Cutwell,' she said

'I am only twenty, ma'a roos you learn when you're a princess is always to be older than anyone of inferior rank

'Yes, I suppose therewizards,' she said over her shoulder 'It's just that people always think of theours of the calling,his eyes He could hear the rustle of silk

'What made you decide to beco over her head

'It's indoor ith no heavy lifting,' said Cutwell 'And I suppose I wanted to learn how the world worked'

'Have you succeeded, then?'

'No' Cutasn't ood at small talk, otherwise he'd never have let his mind wander sufficiently to allow him to say: 'What made you decide to becohtful silence she said, 'It was decided forroyal is a sort of faic; no doubt your father was a wizard?'

Cutwell gritted his teeth 'Um No,' he said, 'not really Absolutely not, in fact'

He knehat she would say next, and here it caed with amusement and fascination

'Oh? Is it really true that wizards aren't allowed to --'

'Well, if that's all I really should be going,' said Cutwell loudly 'If anyone wants nnnh!'

Keli had stepped out of the dressing room

Noomen's clothes were not a subject that preoccupied Cutwell ht about women his mental pictures seldom included any clothes at all – but the vision in front of hined the dress didn't knohen to stop They'd put lace over the silk, and tri pearls anywhere that looked bare, and puffed and starched the sleeves and then added silver filigree and then started again with the silk

In fact it really was a what could be done with several ounces of heavy metal, some irritated molluscs, a few dead rodents and a lot of thread wound out of insects' botto flounces weren't supported on wheels, then Keli was stronger than he'd given her credit for

'What do you think?' she said, turning slowly 'This orn by randether?' said Cutwell, quite prepared to believe it How can she get into it? he wondered There must be a door round the back

'It's a faot real diamonds on the bodice'

'Which bit's the bodice?'