won't have time for any of that. You'll be far too busy ferrying wedding guests.”
“Can't you and Fluffy do it?”
Jenny sighed. “You left me to do all the planning and then you complain about the schedule. Mother's right. You're a pig-headed swine.”
I felt like putting my hands on my hips and shouting 'I was in hospital, remember?' but thought better of it. Jenny knows all that.
“You think it'll be wise to let Bronwyn come at us?”
Jenny smiled sweetly.
“At least that way I know you'll still be alive for the wedding.”
“And a magical duel during the wedding is good?”
“You'll have Retnor, Urda, Esmeralda and me at your side. And Esmeralda has driven Bronwyn away all on her own. Not to mention that her parents will be at the wedding as well, I invited them as two of your guests.”
Jenny pouted, which looks very cute on her, “Besides, you're always at your best when your loved ones are threatened. She doesn't stand a chance.”
I smiled for a second and then frowned. “I need to know what she knows or she'll defeat me.”
Jenny put her book on the table with a thud and gave me her most serious expression. “You need to face her as you, Jake. Not as her clone. You don't need those books.”
I grinned at the coincidence of her words. “Esmeralda said almost the exact same thing last night.”
Jenny looked smug. “Some of me is finally rubbing off on that girl. She might make something of herself one day if she works at it.”
I'll never know if I could have found a suitable answer because at that moment Grimaldi entered the room and strode to the wardrobe, flinging open its doors.
“Don't you ever knock bef— Grimaldi?”
“The King wants you dressed in your finest wizard clothes, Jake. Chop-chop, we don't have any time for nonsense.” He waved his arms about flamboyantly to emphasize the point.
“You're dead.” I pointed at him, lest there be any confusion as to whom I was referring.
Jenny pulled my arm down. “It's the other one, his brother.”
I must have looked incredulous, because this was Grimaldi down to the hair and everything. And he knew me.
“Honest, Jake. It's his brother.”
“Then how come he knows where my Wizard clothes are?”
Grimaldi took out my suit, the one Jenny likened to Zorro when she wasn't using the gay waiter comparison and laid it out on the bed. He gave me a severe look and I checked to see if he was carrying his hairbrush. The man did not suffer fools gladly.
“Jake, my brother is dead. He thanked you just before he died for releasing him from pain. But a Grimaldi has served the royal families of Salice for over a thousand years and I am both the latest in that line and the same one. Do you understand? Now you must get dressed quickly for the King.”
I gave up on understanding and subjected him to the same stare I gave Urda and Esmeralda. There was a magic about him like nothing I knew. He wasn't a wizard, but then I wasn't sure exactly what he was. While I was at it, I gave Jenny the once over as well. Two wizard children. How was I going to survive?
Grimaldi harried me into my costume. It always felt like a costume. And then he placed the Zorro style hat on my head at a jaunty angle. I look good in black and the cape was cool. Jenny's snigger stopped me from striking any poses in the mirror.
“You must both go. Court is in attendance and the country has unexpected visitors.”
“Bronwyn?”
Grimaldi shook his head impatiently. “Much more dangerous than that. You must hurry.”
“I'm a bit underdressed.” Jenny wore elasticized jeans and one of those shapeless top things pregnant women wear. It looked good on her. Almost anything does.
“It does not matter. You are the Wizard's consort and from another world. It will help convey a sense of power, as if you flout Salice's convention whenever you choose.”
I grabbed the new Grimaldi by the shoulders and made him look me in the eye.
“Who is waiting down
“Can't you and Fluffy do it?”
Jenny sighed. “You left me to do all the planning and then you complain about the schedule. Mother's right. You're a pig-headed swine.”
I felt like putting my hands on my hips and shouting 'I was in hospital, remember?' but thought better of it. Jenny knows all that.
“You think it'll be wise to let Bronwyn come at us?”
Jenny smiled sweetly.
“At least that way I know you'll still be alive for the wedding.”
“And a magical duel during the wedding is good?”
“You'll have Retnor, Urda, Esmeralda and me at your side. And Esmeralda has driven Bronwyn away all on her own. Not to mention that her parents will be at the wedding as well, I invited them as two of your guests.”
Jenny pouted, which looks very cute on her, “Besides, you're always at your best when your loved ones are threatened. She doesn't stand a chance.”
I smiled for a second and then frowned. “I need to know what she knows or she'll defeat me.”
Jenny put her book on the table with a thud and gave me her most serious expression. “You need to face her as you, Jake. Not as her clone. You don't need those books.”
I grinned at the coincidence of her words. “Esmeralda said almost the exact same thing last night.”
Jenny looked smug. “Some of me is finally rubbing off on that girl. She might make something of herself one day if she works at it.”
I'll never know if I could have found a suitable answer because at that moment Grimaldi entered the room and strode to the wardrobe, flinging open its doors.
“Don't you ever knock bef— Grimaldi?”
“The King wants you dressed in your finest wizard clothes, Jake. Chop-chop, we don't have any time for nonsense.” He waved his arms about flamboyantly to emphasize the point.
“You're dead.” I pointed at him, lest there be any confusion as to whom I was referring.
Jenny pulled my arm down. “It's the other one, his brother.”
I must have looked incredulous, because this was Grimaldi down to the hair and everything. And he knew me.
“Honest, Jake. It's his brother.”
“Then how come he knows where my Wizard clothes are?”
Grimaldi took out my suit, the one Jenny likened to Zorro when she wasn't using the gay waiter comparison and laid it out on the bed. He gave me a severe look and I checked to see if he was carrying his hairbrush. The man did not suffer fools gladly.
“Jake, my brother is dead. He thanked you just before he died for releasing him from pain. But a Grimaldi has served the royal families of Salice for over a thousand years and I am both the latest in that line and the same one. Do you understand? Now you must get dressed quickly for the King.”
I gave up on understanding and subjected him to the same stare I gave Urda and Esmeralda. There was a magic about him like nothing I knew. He wasn't a wizard, but then I wasn't sure exactly what he was. While I was at it, I gave Jenny the once over as well. Two wizard children. How was I going to survive?
Grimaldi harried me into my costume. It always felt like a costume. And then he placed the Zorro style hat on my head at a jaunty angle. I look good in black and the cape was cool. Jenny's snigger stopped me from striking any poses in the mirror.
“You must both go. Court is in attendance and the country has unexpected visitors.”
“Bronwyn?”
Grimaldi shook his head impatiently. “Much more dangerous than that. You must hurry.”
“I'm a bit underdressed.” Jenny wore elasticized jeans and one of those shapeless top things pregnant women wear. It looked good on her. Almost anything does.
“It does not matter. You are the Wizard's consort and from another world. It will help convey a sense of power, as if you flout Salice's convention whenever you choose.”
I grabbed the new Grimaldi by the shoulders and made him look me in the eye.
“Who is waiting down
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