Copyright
HarperCollins Childrens Books is a division of HarperCollinsPublishers
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www.harpercollins.co.uk
Copyright © Diana Wynne Jones 1998
Cover artwork © Duncan Smith.
Design by James Fraser
Diana Wynne Jones asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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Source ISBN: 9780007507573
Ebook Edition © August 2013 ISBN: 9780007507597
Version: 2017-01-30
To Robin McKinley
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
About the Author
Also by Diana Wynne Jones
About the Publisher
ill you all be quiet! hissed High Chancellor Querida. She pouched up her eyes and glared round the table. I was only trying to say a king, an emperor and several wizards began. At once, said Querida, or the next person to speak spends the rest of his life as a snake! This shut most of the University Emergency Committee up. Querida was the most powerful wizard in the world and she had a special feeling for snakes. She looked like a snake herself, small and glossy-skinned and greenish, and very, very old. Nobody doubted she meant what she said. But two people went on talking anyway. Gloomy King Luther murmured from the end of the table, Being a snake might be a relief. And when Queridas eyes darted round at him, he stared glumly back, daring her to do it. And Wizard Barnabas, who was Vice-Chancellor of University, simply went on talking trying to say, Querida, that you dont understand what its like. Youre a woman. You only have to be the Glamorous Enchantress. Mr Chesney wont let women do the Dark Lord. Queridas eyes snapped round at him with no effect at all. Barnabas gave her a cheerful smile and puffed a little. His face seemed designed for good humour. His hair and beard romped round his face in grey curls. He looked into Queridas pouched eyes with his blue, bloodshot ones and added, Were all worn out, the lot of us. window.yaContextCb.push(() => { Ya.Context.AdvManager.render({ "blockId": "R-A-435267-32", "renderTo": "yandex_rtb_R-A-435267-32" }) }) Hear, hear! a number of people round the table muttered cautiously. I know that! Querida snapped. And if youd listen, instead of all complaining at once, youd hear me saying that Ive called this meeting to discuss how to put a stop to Mr Chesneys Pilgrim Parties for good. This produced an astonished silence. A bitter little smile put folds in Queridas cheeks. Yes, she said. Im well aware that you elected me High Chancellor because you thought I was the only person ruthless enough to oppose Mr Chesney and that youve all been very disappointed that I didnt immediately leap at his throat. I have, of course, been studying the situation. It is not easy to plan a campaign against a man who lives in another world and organises his tours from there. Her small green-white hands moved to the piles of paper, bark and parchment in front of her and she began stacking them in new heaps with little dry rustling movements. But it is clear to me, she said, that things have gone from bad, to intolerable, to crisis point and that something must be done. Here I have forty-six petitions from all the male wizards attached to the University and twenty-two from other male magic users, each pleading chronic overwork. This pile is three letters signed by over a hundred female wizards, who claim they are being denied equal rights. They are accurate. Mr Chesney does not think females can be wizards. Her hands moved on to a mighty stack of parchments with large red seals dangling off them. This, she said, is from the kings. Every monarch in the world has written to me at least once protesting at what the tours do to their kingdoms. It is probably only necessary to quote from one. King Luther, perhaps you would care to give us the gist of the letter I receive from you once a month? Yes, I would,
have you thought of a way to stop them? Barnabas asked eagerly.
No, said Querida. There is no way.
What? shouted almost everyone round the table.
There is no way, Querida repeated, that I can think of. Perhaps I should remind you that Mr Chesneys decisions are supported by an extremely powerful demon. All the signs are that he made a pact with it when he first started the tours.