sorcery and science 04.5 - masquerade Read Online Free PDF Page A

wear.
    “They’re just going to get dirty,” Jason protested. And it would be impossible to walk across the slushy grass without the heels sinking into the mud. Why did a pair of boy shoes even have heels to begin with?
    “No, they won’t, because you’re going to sit nicely and politely as we all have our tea in the winter garden,” replied Father.
    “Sounds dull,” Jason grumbled.
    His mother, who had just finished pinning Lana’s braided hair on top of her head, smiled. And there was sympathy in that smile. “Yes, well, formalities must be observed once in awhile. Even by you, Jason.”
    Lana stood up, brushing the wrinkles from her emerald green dress. The skirt was adorned with twinkling stones, as were her accompanying shoes, which looked even more uncomfortable than Jason’s boy heels. Her smooth soles tip-tapped across the wooden floor as she followed Mother into the next room.
    “Ok, Jason,” Father began seriously, staring him straight in the eye.
    Jason clamped his mouth together and resisted the urge to glare back. There was something about people staring him in the eye that revved up his temper.
    “You will meet King River on the front lawn,” Father continued, oblivious to Jason’s urge to hit something. “And when he pauses in front of you, you will...”
    Jason took a deep breath to calm himself. “Bow.”
    “And?” Father prompted him.
    “And what?”
    “And what will you say?” Father asked.
    Jason felt the hum of a portal opening. They were there, right at the edge of the Chrysalis grounds.
    “Um, nothing?” Jason guessed.
    He was finding it difficult to concentrate. Terra was there. Soon, the two of them would be running through the woods… Jason looked down at his suit and shoes. No, not running. Instead, he would be stuck sipping tea and making small talk and spewing formalities like some ninny.
    “You will say, ‘Your visit honors us, Your Majesty.’ Got it?”
    “Why?”
    “Why what?”
    “Why do I have to bow and call him ‘Your Majesty’? I’m a prince, right? Then he should have to bow too and call me ‘Your Majesty’.”
    “It doesn’t work that way,” Father told him.
    “Why not?” demanded Jason.
    “First of all, he is a king and you are a prince. Second of all, King River is the husband of the high queen of Elitia. We all owe our loyalty to them. And finally, you are yet but a child, and he’s your elder.”
    Those sounded like pretty stupid reasons to Jason. “Then does Davin have to bow to me?” he asked. “He’s not my elder. I’m even a month older than he is.”
    “No, you’ll bow to Prince Davin as well and say, ‘An honor to meet you, Your Highness’,” Father instructed him.
    “But I already know Davin Storm, and it’s no honor. He’s such a twit. Why do I have to call him ‘Your Highness’?” Jason complained.
    “You just do. Now, let’s go back. When King River pauses in front of you…”
    “I bow and say, ‘Your visit honors us, Your Majesty’,” said Jason, monotone.
    “Good. Now, onto Queen Lyrica. As the high queen and Terra’s mother, it’s very important that you impress her.”
    “But she already knows me. And likes me. She gave me cookies when I was at Laelia last weekend,” Jason recalled.
    “Yes, well this ritual assumes the families are not already friends,” Father admitted.
    “That’s stupid. Why would anyone betroth two people who had never even met?”
    “It’s an old custom.”
    As far as Jason was concerned, it was a custom that should have stayed buried in the past.
    “Now, Queen Lyrica. As I said, she’s the real one to impress here. You will bow even lower than you did for King River—”
    “How low?”
    “As low as you can without falling over,” Father told him. “And then you will kiss her hand—”
    “ Kiss her?” Jason choked out in disgust.
    Father’s eyes narrowed in warning, like a mean old tiger. “Yes, kiss her hand lightly and make eye contact. Then you say, ‘Your