No Place for Magic Read Online Free PDF

few times we'd gone anywhere on horseback, we'd ridden Bright Country together. The stallion was a destrier, bred for carrying knights in full suits of armor, so carrying Eadric and me in ordinary clothes was easy for him.
    "I'd love to," I said, taking his hand. Eadric hauled me up behind him, turning Brighty toward the gate. "We're ready to go now," I called to the coachman, who was watching us open-mouthed. Although my mother had a row of coaches ready and waiting, I hoped we could take just one and still avoid a large entourage.
    "Very good, Your Highness," he said, although I noticed that he'd raised an eyebrow.
    Brighty hadn't taken more than a few steps when my mother came rushing out the castle door followed by a dozen knights, a flock of servants, and two ladies-in-waiting. "Stop right there," she commanded, glowering at me. "I knew you'd do something like this! I told you that you needed a full retinue and I'm going to see that you get one, even if you don't think it's necessary."
    My mother had been right about the carpet, but I hated traveling with large groups of people. I'd done it, of course, when I'd gone places with my parents. My mother never traveled any distance without taking half the court. With so many people, however, we couldn't travel very fast or far in one day, and we had to take so many extra carriages and food and luggage that it felt as if we were moving an army. And forget about being spontaneous. My mother always planned everything in advance, so if it wasn't already scheduled, we didn't do it.
    Mother hurried across the courtyard to where we still sat astride Bright Country. "So, you weren't even going to take a carriage?"
    "Actually, one was supposed to follow us," I said, feeling sheepish.
    Mother sniffed. "You have your own palfrey to ride if you want to enjoy the fresh air. I expect you to conduct yourself with decorum, which is why I selected two ladies-in-waiting to travel with you." She nodded toward the women waiting behind her. I knew both of them, of course, although not very well.
    The older woman curtseyed first. 'Your Highness," she said. It was Hortense, one of my mother's older ladies-in-waiting. Everyone knew better than to do anything unseemly when Hortense was around for fear of receiving one of her famous tongue-lashings. I'd always suspected that one of Hortense's duties was to act as my mother's spy.
    The other lady-in-waiting curtseyed so low that she had a hard time getting back up. Her name was Lucy, and she was the plumpest of my mother's ladies as well as the best at doing my mother's hair. My mother never traveled without Lucy, so I was surprised she was sending her with me. 'Your Highness," Lucy said, panting from exertion.
    "These ladies will accompany you. Even so," Mother said, looking thoughtful, "I don't think this is enough. To make the right impression, one must be impressive."
    "Mother, I'm not waiting for anyone else. Eadric and I want to get started today."
    "And you will. The rest will leave tomorrow. Your father is busy or he'd have come to see you off. Be careful on the road and listen to your ladies. They can advise you on etiquette in foreign courts."
    "Of course, Mother," I said. Why hadn't Eadric and I left sooner? "But if I have to have more people along, I'll take an extra carriage. I'd prefer to ride alone in mine."
    "If you must," my mother conceded.
    Hortense and Lucy climbed into the second carriage while I slipped off Bright Country's back. The horse whuffled my hair as I patted his neck, knowing that no matter how uncomfortable riding him might have been, the carriage was going to be much worse.
    I glanced at the palfrey my mother had mentioned. She was tethered to another horse that one of the servants was riding and seemed like a nice enough mare, but I didn't know her and didn't feel like getting acquainted just then. Instead, I climbed into the first carriage and sat back with a sigh.
    "Hi!" said Li'l once the door was shut. Carriages