SAND TRAP

XII

Mainu leaned close to the marble floor of Ipris's study and struck the chisel one more time. Satisfied, he got to his feet and put his hands on his hips, admiring his work. "Done?" Ipris asked from her seat at the coffee table.

"Just about." He blew the dust off the worn iron chisel and turned it to read the inscription on the handle one more time. 'Build bridges,' it read, with Weshirel's signature at the very bottom. He smiled.

Ipris kicked her feet up and patted the couch cushion next to her, and Mainu joined her. "Why not carve it with magic?" she said.

"Tradition," he shrugged. "That's a good question, though. You're thinking like a mage."

She beamed. "Tell me the spell again. The one to activate it."

"You can't summon magic consistently yet," Mainu replied, smirking in confusion.

"So?"

Mainu sighed. "Hareket Kohtar," he said at half speed. "You won't need it, though. I'll come to you."

"You promise?" She raised her right pinkie and gave him an expectant look. "You can't just leave me hanging for a week."

He chuckled and locked pinkies with her. "Twice a week, then. I promise."

Ipris shoved him playfully. "Only twice?"

Mainu caught himself with his staff, leaning just far enough to sneak another glance at the teleportation rune on the ground as if he expected it to disappear. "Yes, on the weekends," he told her as he sat back up. "I thought we talked about this."

"I didn't think you were really serious!"

"I do have a job to get back to, Ipris."

"Father can fix that," she said with a nearly malicious grin.

"Now, now, let's not drag your father into this," Caecia called from across the room. She elegantly crossed her legs and rested her hand on Enri's arm, glowing with the same joy that had arrived on her face when the king had first told her the story of the fateful night. Or, morning, really.

Enri frowned and considered. "No, it's a fair point," he said. "Why should I not give my daughter's magic tutor a full-time job?"

Mainu clicked his tongue. "Because that would verge on nepotism?" he pointed out, taking Ipris's hand.

"Ah, true," Enri sighed.

"Anyway, I'm not in any need of a position at the castle, your Majesty. Weekends are enough." Ipris reluctantly nodded along.

King Enri gazed up at the family portrait. His image stared back down at him, cold and unfeeling. "You're quite lucky to be in a position where you don't have to worry about other men courting Ipris while you're gone, you know. I'm the only thing standing between her and countless other suitors."

"What are you talking about?" Ipris snorted. "There aren't any others."

"That would be because they've all been bribed or threatened to stay away."

Somehow, that idea had never occurred to Mainu. "Of course," Ipris groaned, apparently equally frustrated by her own obliviousness.

"That's the one mess of Torval's that I'm not in a hurry to clean up. Speaking of which," Enri said, getting to his feet, "I need to speak with the High Constable about arranging the transportation of supplies to Aschel." He puffed his chest with a sigh. "That feels good to say."

Mainu replied, "It feels good to have someone in charge who cares about more than showing off and collecting pets."

Enri's face fell. "I do have quite a few, don't I? Figuring out what to do about them is my next order of business. And exercising. Curse Torval's laziness."