Magician's Gambit Read Online Free PDF

and sweet conversation."
    "A beautiful countess?"
    "One of the great beauties of the kingdom."
    "I see." Ce'Nedra's voice was like ice.
    "Have I given offense, Highness?"
    "It's not important."
    Mandorallen sighed again.
    "What is it now?" she snapped.
    "I perceive that my faults are many."
    "I thought you were supposed to be the perfect man." She regretted that instantly.
    "Nay, Highness. I am marred beyond thy conception."
    "A bit undiplomatic, perhaps, but that's no great flaw - in an Arend."
    "Cowardice is, your Highness."
    She laughed at the notion. "Cowardice? You?"
    "I have found that fault in myself," he admitted.
    "Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed. "If anything, your fault lies in the other direction."
    "It is difficult to believe, I know," he replied. "But I assure thee with great shame that I have felt the grip of fear upon my heart."
    Ce'Nedra was baffled by the knight's mournful confession. She was struggling to find some proper reply when a great crashing rush burst out of the undergrowth a few yards away. With a sudden start of panic, her horse wheeled and bolted. She caught only the briefest glimpse of something large and tawny leaping out of the bushes at her - large, tawny, and with a great gaping mouth. She tried desperately to cling to her saddle with one hand and to control her terrified horse with the other, but its frantic flight took him under a low branch, and she was swept off its back to land unceremoniously in the middle of the trail. She rolled to her hands and knees and then froze as she faced the beast that had so clumsily burst forth from concealment.
    She saw at once that the lion was not very old. She noted that, though his body was fully developed, he had only a half grown mane. Clearly, he was an adolescent, unskilled at hunting. He roared with frustration as he watched the fleeing horse disappear back down the trail, and his tail lashed. The princess felt a momentary touch of amusement - he was so young, so awkward. Then her amusement was replaced by irritation with this clumsy young beast who had caused her humiliating unhorsing. She rose to her feet, brushed off her knees, and looked at him sternly. "Shoo!" she said with an insistent flip of her hand. She was, after all, a princess, and he was only a lion - a very young and foolish lion.
    The yellow eyes fell on her then and narrowed slightly. The lashing tail grew suddenly quite still. The young lion's eyes widened with a sort of dreadful intensity, and he crouched, his belly going low to the ground. His upper lip lifted to reveal his very long, white teeth. He took one slow step toward her, his great paw touching down softly.
    "Don't you dare," she told him indignantly.
    "Remain quite still, Highness," Mandorallen warned her in a deathly quiet voice. From the corner of her eye she saw him slide out of his saddle. The lion's eyes flickered toward him with annoyance.
    Carefully, one step at a time, Mandorallen crossed the intervening space until he had placed his armored body between the lion and the princess. The Lion watched him warily, not seeming to realize what he was doing until it was too late. Then, cheated of another meal, the cat's eyes went flat with rage. Mandorallen drew his sword very carefully; then, to Ce'Nedra's amazement, he passed it back hilt - first to her. "So that thou shall have means of defending thyself, should I fail to withstand him," the knight explained.
    Doubtfully, Ce'Nedra took hold of the huge hilt with both hands. When Mandorallen released his grip on the blade, however, the point dropped immediately to the ground. Try though she might, Ce'Nedra could not even lift the huge sword.
    Snarling, the lion crouched even lower. His tail lashed furiously for a moment, then stiffened out behind him. "Mandorallen, look out!" Ce'Nedra screamed, still struggling with the sword.
    The lion leaped.
    Mandorallen flung his steel-cased arms wide and stepped forward to meet the cat's charge. They came together with a