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"Then I trust we'll have a satisfactory outcome. I'll have the men and supplies ready in half a day. Come
back here and we'll all ride together for Rud."
"Agreed," Morvin said.
"Then why don't you take these young folk sight-seeing? Take them to see The Flaw."
"I had it in mind," Morvin agreed. "Come, Knights."
They trooped out. Kelvin, however, felt less than satisfactory. "You know we haven't tried using Hein
for spying yet," he said. "It may not work."
"And then again, it may," the ruddy man responded. "If we can spy out their plans ahead of time, we can
lick them every time. I'd call that a good edge."
"Still ." Kelvin said.
Hein put a fine fair hand on his arm. "It will be all right, Kel," she said. "Those berries didn't hurt me
before, and now we have plenty of them. I'm sure I can do what needs to be done."
Kelvin was silent, still not liking the risk either to her or to their effort if this ploy failed. But again, what
choice was there? He seemed to be fated to participate in things he didn't like or trust, again and again.
Was this a hero's lot?
"The Flaw," Jon asked brightly. "It's near here?"
"Very near," Mor said.
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"It's just a big old crack without a bottom," Jon said, giving Mockery's neck a pat as they walked past.
"Who wants to see that?"
"You do," Lester said. "And so does your brother. Believe me, it's something you're never going to
forget."
Jon snapped a rock from her sling into a tall oaple tree, disturbing a squirbet who was packing off a
sugary nut high amid the branches. It was a for-fun shot, Kelvin knew, and not one that Jon intended to
score.
"Schoolmaster used to tell us that when he brought out the strap," Jon said. "And you know, he was
right: I never forgot. But maybe you're right. Maybe a dumb old hole in the ground is worth seeing."
"It's behind that high board fence over there," Mor said, "It's got slits you can see through. You can poke
an arm and your head through if you've a mind to, but there's no sense in that. I've heard of women
who've been jilted by soldiers dropping their engagement rings down there. Waste of good metal and
precious stones."
In a moment they were at the barrier, some distance from others who had come to see The Flaw. Like
the others, they approached the nearest openings in the fence. The sawn-out viewing place was chest-
high on Morvin and Les, head-high on Kelvin, and chin-high on Jon. Hein was just the right height for
it. Hesitantly and just a bit fearfully, on Kelvin's part, they looked.
Down, down at twinkling stars set amid velvety blackness. Now and then a bright object such as was
seen in the night streaked through the black, trailing a long tail: a luminous tadpole in a froogpond of
space.
Kelvin shifted his feet, half fearful that the solid ground would disappear beneath them. Then he looked
over at open-mouthed Jon and Hein, and the big eyes of Mor and Les.
"The metaphysicians say it's a tear or a rip in the physical universe," Les said. "It's said that two
universes, two realities, are here joined; that one bleeds or oozes into the other."
"And sometimes something or someone manages to cross," Hein murmured. "Like my mother "
"Or my father," Kelvin finished, awed.
If the mood touched Jon, she flung it off. "I'm going to get a star," she said briskly. She hurled. The rock
flew over the barrier and plummeted. A quick flash and it was gone.
"Didn't lead it enough," Jon said, and tried again. Again the flash in the adjoining starfield.
"You really think you'll hit a star?" Les asked, sounding amused.
"I will if I keep trying," Jon said.
"Not a star, Jon. They're too big and too distant. You haven't a chance."
"You sound like a schoolmaster," Jon said.
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"I might have been," Les said. Then, giving Kelvin a nudge he felt in his back, he pointed to two dark-
haired tourist girls a short distance away. "I bet those two are from the Kingdom of Aratex," he said.
"Let's go talk to them."
Heln's hand clamped firmly on Kelvin's hand. She didn't say a word, but he received the message.
"Some other time, maybe," he said.
Morvin laughed. " 'Maybe never, eh, son?"
But Kelvin didn't reply. He was too conscious of Heln's hand on his. He would be satisfied, he realized,
if she never released it. But he couldn't say so. Maybe this was another flaw in his character one that
faintly echoed the amazing Flaw they had just experienced.
Chapter 14 Messages
"Now, I want," Morvin Crumb said, leaning over Kelvin at the writing table, "for this to be just right.
Read what you've written."
Kelvin looked at Jon and Lester and the odd dozen or so Knights crowded around their outdoor table. He
cleared his throat and read.
"To Her Imperial Majesty, Queen Zoanna of Rud. Your Majesty: Whereas you have seized power
without popular mandate, and whereas your rule has become oppressive in the extreme, I, Kelvin Knight
Hackleberry of Rud, the Roundear of Prophecy, call upon you to abdicate the throne and restore to it
your rightful consort, King Rufurt, should he live, or someone of the people's choice, should Rufurt be
presently slain or incapacitated beyond ihe ability to rule. You have seven days from the receipt of this
message to announce your abdication. Should you not abdicate within that time, the Knights of the
Roundear shall attack with all their magic-supported strength and fury, seize the imperial palace, and
force your abdication, if need be, by sword point."
Morvin frowned. "It seems right, but "
"It should be more insulting," Jon said. "Say, perhaps, 'Your Imperial Majesty, Usurper, Hag, and
Meanie.' "
Les laughed; but his father seemed to consider it. "Perhaps," the elder said, "usurper might fit..."
"But we want her to agree!" Kelvin protested.
"Hmm, quite right. She won't, of course, but oh, hang it, Hackleberry, just write 'In the Name of
Freedom, I am.' "
"In the Name of Freedom, I am," Kelvin said, writing.
"There. Hold it. You got the wax ready, Les?"
"I have. Father."
"Then affix his signature."
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Lester leaned over and deposited a drop of wax on the paper.
"No, no, not there, you idiot! Quick, scrape that off."
Lester scraped, using a knife blade. The wax came off cleanly.
"There, above where the wax was, write 'Kelvin Hackleberry, Roundear of Prophecy.' "
Kelvin did so, feeling uncomfortable about the prophecy part.
"Now date it. Anybody got the date?"
"It's June twenty-first of twenty twenty-four," Lester said.
Kelvin marked the date.
"Now fold in past the middle and overlap the edge."
Kelvin followed instructions.
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