Modern Magick

Music and Misadventure: 19

It was too cruel to abandon my mother to her new role among the Yllanfalen straight away, though I was sorely tempted, for her sudden accession to rank and privilege had only soured her temper further. But Jay and I agreed to stay for a day or two, to see that she received suitable care.

We needn't have been concerned. The sprites may have treated my father with indifference, but for some reason they adored my mother. They flocked around her, plied her with curatives and pillows and sweetmeats and every good thing, and played her lullabies until she fell asleep (or hurled her pillows at their heads, which she tried once and never attempted again, for the immediate and predictable result was a mass pillow fight).

Ayllin conducted her, very late that night, to a sumptuous suite of rooms near the top of the King's Halls (henceforth to be termed the Queen's Halls, no doubt). Whereupon, she disappeared into the depths of the largest, most ornate bed I have ever seen, and for the next two days thereafter spent little time awake.

My father was not disposed to await her waking. He consented to spend a night among the Yllanfalen, but no more, for bright and early the next morning he appeared in the Queen's Breakfast Parlour (where Jay and I were dining in mother's place) with the brisk air of a man desirous of immediate departure.

'She'll do fine,' he told me, then hesitated. 'Won't she?'

'Once she's got used to the idea. You haven't seen Delia when she's got a project in hand. The Yllanfalen won't know what hit them.'

'My commiserations to the Yllanfalen.'

I smiled. 'No, I think this is just what Ayllin and the rest were hoping for. It might take them a while to get used to my mother's methods, but she'll get the job done.'

'And what's the job?'

'Overhaul?' I shrugged. 'If they want to survive, well, no one survives the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune like my mother.'

'With or without a full set of hands.'

'You see my point.'

He smiled, faint and wintry. 'Maybe the lyre got it right, the second time.'

'It must've seen some qualities in you, Dad.'

'Goodness knows what they were. Anyway, I depart.' He nodded at Jay in friendly enough fashion, who nodded back, and added a wave. 'Take care of Cordelia,' said Dad.

'It's Ves,' I said.

Jay grinned at me. 'I will, sir, but you should have realised by now: Ves is more of a chip off her mother's block than she likes to think.'

'I don't know what that is supposed to mean,' I said, with a flinty look.

He pointed a chunk of fresh bread at my face. 'That, right there.'

I composed my features into an expression of sunny serenity. 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Dad hesitated. In fact, he positively dithered. 'Cordelia—' he began.

'Ves.'

'Ves, then.' He dithered some more, then gave up whatever the point might have been, and shook his head. 'It was good to meet you.'

'Mm. You too.' I watched as he walked away, dithering a bit myself.

Jay was busy buttering another roll. He said, without looking at me, 'You'll regret it if you don't.'

'Curse it.' I launched myself out of my chair and ran to the door, just as my father disappeared from view. 'Dad?'

He returned. 'Yes?'