The Wizard's Gambit
Page 26
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said. “It’s not like I have a home to go back to. You, on the other hand, do. If I were you, that’s where I’d go.”
“An’ if ye waur me, yoo’d regrit it th’ moment ye crossed th’ threshauld.” She snorted. “Ah’m nae mair welcome back than ye.”
“So what are you going to do?” he asked her.
“Ah daen’t knoo.” She shrugged. “Thooght Ah micht jist tag alang wi’ ye.”
“But I don’t know where I’m going.”
“’At’s aw reit,” she said. “We’ll figure it oot together.”
She offered him a smile. Eventually he returned it, and together they headed out the gate into an unsuspecting world.
Mongrel searched the crowd for his friends, only to bump into someone unexpected. However, as his pulse quickened, he couldn't deny that he’d wanted to see her.
“Margo.” He offered her an apologetic smile as the young wizard’s apprentice dabbed at the wine he’d just spilled on her robe. “Here, let me get that.” He reached into his pockets for a handkerchief. He’d heard rich people carried those sort of things.
“It’s all right. See? It doesn’t even show.” She laughed. True enough, the fabric was too dark to show any sign of soiling.
“All the same, I should’ve been watching where I was going,” he said. “I was looking for Littlehammer and Laerilas. Maybe you’ve seen them?”
“Sorry, but I haven’t,” she said. “But to be honest, I wasn’t looking for them. She blushed. “I was looking for you.”
“Oh, really?” He felt the heat rise in the back of his neck. He reached back to rub it away. “W-why is that?”
“I thought we could talk. In private.”
“Of course,” he said, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the ballroom and into the outer courtyard. The others’ voices followed them outside but were carried away on the breeze. In the quiet, it was easy to pretend the others weren’t there and that it was just Margo and him. Oh, if only.
Holding his arm, Margo strolled beside him, admiring the statues and the topiaries. But she seemed distracted.
“So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” he asked her as they stopped before the statue of a woman who, at one time or another, would have been holding a vase if not for her lack of arms. What remained of her arms and the vase were scattered on the ground.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory,” she said, staring at the statue. “Thanks to you, the fighting will finally end.”
“I didn’t do it alone,” he said, embarrassed by her praise. “I had a lot of help—yours especially.”
She lowered her head, but not before he caught her blush.
“I didn’t do anything special really,” she said. “Just doing what wizards do best.”
“What’s that?”
“Um, well . . . it’s hard to explain.”
“I’ll bet.” He laughed nervously and then said, “So, what happens next?”
“What do you mean?” She rested her violet gaze on him, and Mongrel felt his breath freeze in his lungs.
He swallowed. “I mean, now that there’s an alliance. Now that I’m a king. What happens now?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
He smirked. “I thought wizards were supposed to be all-knowing.”
“Well, I’m only a wizard’s apprentice,” she reminded him playfully. “If you want answers to questions like that, you’ll have to talk to Wizard White Beard—not that he’ll give you a straight answer.”
“Yeah, all right.” He chuckled. “So now what?”
“Now what do you mean?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it’s just the two of us, and we’re at a party, and it’s such a pretty night, and I’d really like to kiss you, but I don’t know if wizards—”
“I’m not a wizard yet, remember?” She fiddled with the ends of her hair. “You can kiss me if you want.”
“Well, in that case . . .” He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.
She slowly kissed him back, and when they pulled apart, she retreated behind her hair.
Mongrel parted it so he could see her face.
“I’ve never kissed a girl before,” he admitted.
“Neither have I—a boy, I mean.”
They shared a laugh. Then Margo’s face became serious.
“Of course, you’ve never ruled a kingdom before either.”
“Can’t say I have.”
“It’s going to be quite the challenge,” she said, gazing up at the stars. “You’ve won your peace and your throne, but now you must maintain them. The real work has only begun.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I just hope I’m cut out for it.”
She squeezed his hand and offered him an encouraging smile. “If anyone can unite these kingdoms, it’s you.”
“I know, I know. It’s my destiny.”
“Destiny?” She laughed. “Do you honestly think it was fate that brought your group together? No, it was your charisma, your determination, your hope. Forget destiny. It was you, Mongrel, who brought everyone together, and it’s you who’s going to keep us together.”
“You think so?”
“I do.”
“So, what happens next?”
“Seriously, Mongrel?”
He nodded.
“I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Comedian. Blogger. Coffee junkie. Incurable nerd. And author, of course. The titles she is most proud of are sister, auntie, and friend.
Growing up in a small town surrounded by cornfields, Kylie had nothing better to do than fantasize about unicorns and elves. As an adult, she still refuses to grow up, and spends most of her time creating stories of comedic fantasy. When she is not writing, which is hardly ever, Kylie enjoys reading, drinking coffee, and creating elaborate costumes for cosplay events. She also runs, although she does not enjoy it so much.
Kylie currently resides in Indiana with her sister, nephew, horde of cats, and one very silly dog. If you would like to contact Kylie in regards to her writing, please follow her on:
https://twitter.com/kbbetzner
http://litchicblog.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/25993393-kylie-betzner
kyliebetzner@gmail.com
She’ll be glad you stopped by!
Did you enjoy The Wizard’s Gambit?
If so, please check out Kylie Betzner’s Amazon Author Page for more titles, including her debut novel, The Quest for the Holy Something or Other, an Arthurian parody centered on the misadventures of the bumbling Sir Kay and his page, Pig, as they search for the elusive Holy Gift—er—Bread Box. Paperback and Kindle Edition available exclusively on Amazon.
And watch for upcoming titles in The Six—Er—Seven Kingdoms Series. Book Two to be released September 2016!