Kat laughed. “I don’t blame you,” she said, fondly. “And to be honest, this couldn’t have come at a better time. People are going to be concentrating on this, and not on Father’s bad news.”

Some of Abi’s elation drained away. “Bad news? What bad news?”

“That expedition you all went on—it was all for nothing,” Kat explained, leaning her arms on the balustrade and looking out over the river. “Father just got their answer today. A very politely worded refusal. They are very sorry to have put us to all that trouble, and grateful for the work you and the other Masters did, but they have determined they have more to lose than to gain by joining Valdemar, and are going to be sending a delegation to the Court of Menmellith.”

It took Abi a moment to process this—and then those particular words, “more to lose than to gain,” echoed in her mind. The Mages! Of course! All those people in the area who depended on their Mages, weak and strong, and so very useful in everyday life—the Mages had talked to them and to each other and had convinced them. “More to lose than to gain.”

And rather than feel like a defeat, this just felt like one more victory, at least to Abi, although she was sure Master Vance, Master Padrick, and Master Beyrn would feel differently.

“Well, I bet in their eyes, they do,” she said. “After all, there is no one true way.”

Kat laughed. “I’ll be sure to remind Father of that if I find him still grumbling when we get back. Goodness, even your bridge is a reminder of that. If we’d stuck to ‘one, true way’ it wouldn’t be standing there now.”

Abi could only smile harder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mercedes Lackey is a full-time writer and has published numerous novels and works of short fiction, including the bestselling Heralds of Valdemar series. She is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator.

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