Shadowrun - Novel - 18 - Worlds Without End.pdf

Shadowrun Caroline Spector - Worlds Without End
as blue. Not as stunning as she'd been, but part of
that was due to the changes in the magic. Now her
beauty was more human.
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WORLDS WITHOUT END
"You are an annoyance," she said. "But you are
my cross to bear. Isn't that an amusing expression?
Tell me, aren't you curious as to why I am visiting
you?"
I didn't answer. I knew it would annoy her. How
odd that even after all this time we fell back into our
old patterns.
"Well, I'll tell you," she said. Her voice was gleeful
and fairly danced with excitement. "In a fortnight,
I am again to gain a throne. Admittedly, not as
impressive as those I've left behind me, but it will
do in the meantime."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Haven't you heard?" she asked. "Mary is dying
and Elizabeth is to be crowned queen. Don't you
think Henry is turning over in his grave? Killing off
that poor girl's mother because she couldn't give
him sons. Brutal bastard."
"What has that to do with you?"
"Why, my dear, haven't you guessed yet?"
I stared at her for a moment, then, through the
dullness of my mind, comprehension.
"Are you mad?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" she said coyly.
I was staggered. She'd been interfering for years
in things that weren't our business—but this—this
was too-much.
"How do you propose to achieve this miracle?" I
asked. "Don't you think people will see the difference
between you?"
"Ah, I have been planning this for years," she
said. "It has taken an immense amount of time and
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Caroline Spector
energy. Do you think that I just popped up yesterday?
Oh no, I have been Elizabeth for quite some
time."
"But her servants, teachers, surely someone .. ."
"A simple enough matter to arrange. A spell here,
a spell there .. . and patience. Such patience as you
have never known. And now, at last, I'm in a position
where I can do something."
I could only stare at her. It was madness—sheer
and utter madness. How she could possibly think she
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