A Sudden Wild Magic

“That’s all right, Lawrence,” her voice answered. “I’ve been a widow for years. But you’ll have your stomach cared for. I hope you like cats.”

The going of Gladys deprived Marcus of someone to talk to. He was warm now, and no longer frightened, and beginning to feel lively. He looked hopefully at Tod, but Tod, for some reason, was doubled over in fits of laughter. He looked at Philo and Josh and saw they were in the not-just-now-I’m-tired mood. Aliky didn’t know enough; nor did the serious men holding lights. He looked at Zillah. No, she and the man who walked on ceilings were not-now-I’m-busy. That left only one. Marcus pulled the king’s sleeve and pointed a starfish hand at the busily galloping centaurs.

“Ort bake ow,” he remarked. “Bad doubt.”

The king stared at him. “I do beg your pardon. I didn’t quite catch that.”

Diana wynne jones is the critically acclaimed author of several charming novels for younger readers. She lives in Bristol, England.

[an article DWJ wrote for Medusa about writing this first fantasy for adults — hilarious! http://www.suberic.net/dwj/medusa.html]

[scanned anonymously in a galaxy far far away]

[A 3S Release- v1, html]

[October 20, 2007]

An AvoNova Book William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York

a sudden wild magic is an original publication of Avon Books. This work has never before appeared in book form. This work is a novel. Any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. AVON BOOKS A division of The Hearst Corporation 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 Copyright © 1992 by Diana Wynne Jones Published by arrangement with the author

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 92-10860 ISBN: 0-688-11882-8

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the u.S. Copyright law. For information address Avon Books.

library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: Jones, Diana Wynne.

A sudden wild magic / Diana Wynne Jones, p. cm. ISBN 0-688-11882-8: $22.00 I. Title.

PR6060.0497S84 1992 92-10860 823’.914—dc2 °CIP

First Morrow/AvoNova Printing: October 1992 AVONOVA Trademark REG. u.S. PAT. OFF. And IN

other countries, marca registrada, HECHO EN u.S.A.

Printed in the u.S.A. ARC 10 987654321