Again there was a general ripple of surprise, but a royal order was a royal order, and the various retainers bowed or curtsied to the throne and began making their way out.
“You too, General. I would speak with Massha alone.”
Badaxe began to object, but Massha nudged him in the ribs with an elbow, a blow which would have been sufficient to flatten most men, but was barely enough to gain the general’s attention. He frowned darkly, then gave a short bow and left with the others.
“So, you’re a friend of our lord Magician,” I asked after we were finally alone.
“I have that . . . honor, your Majesty,” Massha replied cautiously. “I hope he’s… well?”
“As a matter of fact, he’s in considerable trouble right now.”
Massha heaved a great sigh.
“I was afraid of that. Something to do with his last assignment?”
I ignored the question.
“General Badaxe seems quite taken with you. Are you sure you want to stay in the magik biz? Or are you going to try your hand at a new lifestyle?”
Massha scowled at me.
“Now how did you hear that? You haven’t been torturing your own magician, have you?”
I caught the small motion of her adjusting her rings, and decided the time for games was over.
“Hold it, Massha! Before you do anything, there’s something I have to show you.”
“What’s that?”
I had already closed my eyes to remove my disguise spell… faster than I ever had before.
“Me,” I said, opening my eyes again.
“Well, I’ll be … you really had me going there, hot stuff.”
“It was just a disguise spell,” I waved off-handedly.