***
The next day, Mairelon seemed very busy, and Kim hardly saw him a few moments all day. When they did speak, Kim felt awkward, unsure how to apologize for letting him down the day before.
That evening, Kim decided to read in the library in the hope that she might see Mairelon. After an hour of reading one of the books Mairelon had suggested recently, she was nearly ready to quit when she heard the library doors drawn open.
Mairelon came into the library, but looked surprised to find Kim there. He said hello and dropped into a chair across from Kim with a sigh. Kim set her book aside; she could see the worry on his face and wondered where he'd been all afternoon.
Mairelon looked up at her, and the worried look on his face failed to disappear.
"Long day?" Kim said uncertainly.
At that, she got a smile. "Quite." His smile faded quickly, and he leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees and stare down at the floor. Kim realized his hair looked as though he'd been running his hands through it.
Mairelon seemed to consider his words before going on. "Shoreham asked me to help him and the team of wizards working on the rookery wizards still caught in Mannering's spell. Their condition was worsening, as Mannering slipped further into insanity. We... determined it would be best to try to release them from the spell now before it became too late."
Kim waited for him to go on, but when he failed to, she couldn't help asking, "What happened?"
Mairelon's eyes closed. "Two of them seem perfectly fine; they have their magical abilities back and seemed quite coherent. They were very grateful for our help. Shoreham's making sure they receive medical attention."
"And the others..." Kim said quietly.
Mairelon shook his head. Kim had to bite her lip hard to keep from saying anything unnecessary. But she'd known Jemmy and Wags and some of the others personally. While they might not have been friends, they'd lived on the same streets all their lives together. "I'm sorry, Kim," she heard Mairelon say. Kim nodded distractedly. More than mourning for the frogmakers, Kim was remembering with a sick feeling how close she came to losing Mairelon to the same fate.
Mairelon was looking at her with undisguised concern. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
Kim looked up at him, surprised he'd asked. Mairelon normally wasn't one to talk about feelings. For that matter, neither was Kim. She surprised herself when she found herself admitting, "I'm just glad you got your magic back." Then she added quietly, "I was real worried about you when I found you'd started drinking when it seemed like you'd never get it back."
Mairelon looked puzzled. "Drinking? I don't think I was ever *that* upset over that spell. I thought I kept a rather cool head about it, all things considered..." He gave her a curious look, but Kim found herself equally confused.
"Come off it," she said with a slight laugh, "You weren't so foxed that you've forgotten that night, have you? When Lord Starnes tried to break into the library, sauced on gin?"
Mairelon's face fell. "I don't think I could ever forget that day," he admitted quietly. "But my lack of magic was the least of my concerns."
Kim blushed as she realized that was the day Lord Franton had made her an offer for marriage. Her eyes widened as she realized what had really driven Mairelon to drinking that night. He'd thought he would lose her to Lord Franton! 'Bufflehead,' she thought sadly. Her heart ached as she realized the pain she'd caused him. It seemed she could never do anything right where Mairelon was concerned.
Kim glanced at Mairelon to find his gaze intently elsewhere. She swallowed hard.
The library doors opened to admit Mairelon's aunt, who gave them each a sharp look before inquiring whether now would be a good time for Kim to help get the wedding invitations ready. Kim glanced at Mairelon, who was still leaning forward with his arms propped on his knees and studying the floor. Kim had no choice but to leave.
***
The next day, Mairelon seemed very busy, and Kim hardly saw him a few moments all day. When they did speak, Kim felt awkward, unsure how to apologize for letting him down the day before.
That evening, Kim decided to read in the library in the hope that she might see Mairelon. After an hour of reading one of the books Mairelon had suggested recently, she was nearly ready to quit when she heard the library doors drawn open.
Mairelon came into the library, but looked surprised to find Kim there. He said hello and dropped into a chair across from Kim with a sigh. Kim set her book aside; she could see the worry on his face and wondered where he'd been all afternoon.
Mairelon looked up at her, and the worried look on his face failed to disappear.
"Long day?" Kim said uncertainly.
At that, she got a smile. "Quite." His smile faded quickly, and he leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees and stare down at the floor. Kim realized his hair looked as though he'd been running his hands through it.
Mairelon seemed to consider his words before going on. "Shoreham asked me to help him and the team of wizards working on the rookery wizards still caught in Mannering's spell. Their condition was worsening, as Mannering slipped further into insanity. We... determined it would be best to try to release them from the spell now before it became too late."
Kim waited for him to go on, but when he failed to, she couldn't help asking, "What happened?"
Mairelon's eyes closed. "Two of them seem perfectly fine; they have their magical abilities back and seemed quite coherent. They were very grateful for our help. Shoreham's making sure they receive medical attention."
"And the others..." Kim said quietly.
Mairelon shook his head. Kim had to bite her lip hard to keep from saying anything unnecessary. But she'd known Jemmy and Wags and some of the others personally. While they might not have been friends, they'd lived on the same streets all their lives together. "I'm sorry, Kim," she heard Mairelon say. Kim nodded distractedly. More than mourning for the frogmakers, Kim was remembering with a sick feeling how close she came to losing Mairelon to the same fate.
Mairelon was looking at her with undisguised concern. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
Kim looked up at him, surprised he'd asked. Mairelon normally wasn't one to talk about feelings. For that matter, neither was Kim. She surprised herself when she found herself admitting, "I'm just glad you got your magic back." Then she added quietly, "I was real worried about you when I found you'd started drinking when it seemed like you'd never get it back."
Mairelon looked puzzled. "Drinking? I don't think I was ever *that* upset over that spell. I thought I kept a rather cool head about it, all things considered..." He gave her a curious look, but Kim found herself equally confused.
"Come off it," she said with a slight laugh, "You weren't so foxed that you've forgotten that night, have you? When Lord Starnes tried to break into the library, sauced on gin?"
Mairelon's face fell. "I don't think I could ever forget that day," he admitted quietly. "But my lack of magic was the least of my concerns."
Kim blushed as she realized that was the day Lord Franton had made her an offer for marriage. Her eyes widened as she realized what had really driven Mairelon to drinking that night. He'd thought he would lose her to Lord Franton! 'Bufflehead,' she thought sadly. Her heart ached as she realized the pain she'd caused him. It seemed she could never do anything right where Mairelon was concerned.
Kim glanced at Mairelon to find his gaze intently elsewhere. She swallowed hard.
The library doors opened to admit Mairelon's aunt, who gave them each a sharp look before inquiring whether now would be a good time for Kim to help get the wedding invitations ready. Kim glanced at Mairelon, who was still leaning forward with his arms propped on his knees and studying the floor. Kim had no choice but to leave.
***