Denouement

“I see you kept your end,” Niamh said quietly, looking her own body over. As promised, Niall had trained to keep Niamh’s body strong all year.

Niall nodded. “And you.” He accepted the spellbook.

“What did Declan say?” Niamh asked.

“We must return immediately.” Niall frowned; for one moment, Niamh thought she was looking in a mirror.

“You’d better say my goodbyes,” Niamh said.

“I’m sorry.” Niall squeezed her hand.

“Me too.” Niamh nudged him in the direction of the knights’ hall. “Your princes await.”

“I’ll make it brief so no one notices.” Niall returned the spellbook and ducked out of the alcove, drew the curtains closed behind him so Niamh could hide.

Only before the heavy velvet fell shut, a hand thrust into the gap and pulled the curtains wide.

“Hello there.” Aurelius, grinning, stepped into the alcove. Ambrosius came up behind him; his expression was grim.

“Your Highness.” Niamh started to bow, then fumbled into a curtsey.

“Did you really think,” Aurelius said, “that Ambrosius wouldn’t notice such powerful magic going on right under his nose?”

Niamh’s eyes went wide; she clutched the spellbook close. “I’ve done no magic, My Lord --”

“I daresay you have,” Ambrosius said. “This entire time, you were a girl?”

Niamh cursteyed again. “My Lord, I am Niamh, sister to Niall, your page --”

“The boy who just left is no page of ours,” Ambrosius said. “The entire time you served us, I could sense something was off, that your magic was disjointed, but now it’s back in place, and I see why.”

He knew? Niamh lifted her head. “There’s a good explanation for this, My Lord.”

Aurelius arched an eyebrow.

“All right, not a good one as much as one day I woke up and Niall had switched us and I wanted to be a knight anyway, and no one would have known, only now father is dying and Niall is to inherit, and I --”

“And you’re going to deprive us of the best page we’ve ever had?” Aurelius said. “Come along - we’ve bribed one of the barbers to cut your hair and a scullery maid to help disguise you. Quick - before Father notices.”

Niamh blinked. “My Lord --”

“When this is all over, maybe one of us will marry you,” Ambrosius said, and he grinned. “I’ll give that book to Niall. He’ll be interested to know that Father’s accepted my proposal for battle mages.”