Fake Princess
CHAPTER 54
At first I was worried Devan would judge me in a different way after knowing my new strength. Fearing that Devan would quickly run away to the palace while imagining the possibility of being burned alive when I was angry.
I shouldn't have to worry about that. Devan's tongue runs between his lips. I've seen that expression hundreds of times, usually right before an action that got him, or the two of us, into trouble. “ Magic,” guman Devan. “ You, a witch. A dangerous witch.” His gaze swept over me, then fixed on my face. “ Do you realize how much fun all this is?”
After being with Devan again, I started to think, maybe, my life finally started to get organized again. Maybe this isn't the life I originally imagined, but it's not bad. I became excited about the task Paula was asking for; copying out the old books & scrolls, translating her experimental notes into a neat script, visit shops in the city to search for materials not found in the nearby countryside, and help with his experiments.
Many times Paula was too confused to care about my next assignment, so I was allowed to study magic. Sometimes that doesn't mean it's any good. I still had to fight to control my magic, and sometimes I was desperate to feel like I could never learn enough things to claim to be a true witch.
However, I gained rare success while using message spells. It took me two days to get it right, I finally managed to make a little green glowing ball that after I spoke in front of him, would deliver a short message to whoever I wanted. It's more useful & faster than a letter, & I'm likely to tell Devan in no time whenever I have free time in the afternoon.
“ What did you say to them?” I asked at our fourth meeting. We were sitting in a tavern in Guil, where for years Devan found himself bored with all the luxuries of Sapphire. I rarely visited the tavern until I could not help but quietly stare at every new person who entered the tavern. I felt quite determined just by being in this place, but I tried to be mediocre.
I frowned while looking at him. “ Your parents, palace, everyone. In their eyes you disappeared for four days in the past week and a half. You must have said something to them.”
“ I told them I met the fishmonger's daughter & she's an expensive sell-off,” Devan said flatly. “ I told you so far my approach was futile, I was pelted with fish, nets were dropped from the roof over my body, horrible things, & I had to spend more time to make it conquer.”
I tapped my nails on the side of the cup, my expression frowning. “ No, you didn't do it.” My words sounded more like a question than I meant. I don't think he could have really told anyone, but you could never have guessed Devan.
Devan sipped his cup slowly, then put it down. When he rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand, I think he tried to hide a smile.
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