Мор - ученик смерти

           Insteadshesaid:

           ’Howdoyouknow?’

           Hewonderedifhecouldgetawaywithsayingsomethinglike,I’mawizard,weknowthesethings,butdecidedagainstit.Thelasttimehe’dsaidthatshe’dthreatenedhimwiththeaxe.

           ’IaskedoneoftheguardsaboutthatinnMorttalkedabout,’hesaid.ThenIworkedouttheapproximatedistanceithadtotravel.Mortsaiditwasmovingataslowwalkingpace,andIreckonhisstrideisabout—’

           ’Assimpleasthat?Youdidn’tusemagic?’

           ’Onlycommonsense.It’salotmorereliableinthelongrun.’

           Shereachedoutandpattedhishand.

           ’PooroldCutwell,’shesaid.

           ’Iamonlytwenty,ma’am.’

           Shestoodupandwalkedovertoherdressingroom.Oneofthethingsyoulearnwhenyou’reaprincessisalwaystobeolderthananyoneofinferiorrank.

           ’Yes,Isupposetheremustbesuchthingsasyoungwizards,’shesaidoverhershoulder.’It’sjustthatpeoplealwaysthinkofthemasold.Iwonderwhythisis?’

           ’Rigoursofthecalling,ma’am,’saidCutwell,rollinghiseyes.Hecouldheartherustleofsilk.

           ’Whatmadeyoudecidetobecomeawizard?’Hervoicewasmuffled,asifshehadsomethingoverherhead.

           ’It’sindoorworkwithnoheavylifting,’saidCutwell.’AndIsupposeIwantedtolearnhowtheworldworked.’

           ’Haveyousucceeded,then?’

           ’No.’