Creates duplicate

“Uh-huh,” said Jaya. “And in the meantime, what happens when they check my cell? Do I leave a little note — ‘sorry, out collecting gossip?’”

“Let me take care of that,” said Jodah. He closed his eyes and let his fingers dance through the air.

Jaya leaned back, half-expecting to be the target of the spell. Instead the air thickened to the left of her, as if all the dust was being pulled to the center of the room. A bluish ball formed in the middle of the dust cloud and spread outward, stopping only to form a silhouette of Jaya’s profile. As Jaya watched, the blue smoke thickened and gained color, until a duplicate of the task mage stood besides her, its wrists still in their manacles.

Jaya stood up and circled her magical duplicate. “Her hips are too big,” she said at last.

“It will be sufficient to fool the guards,” said Jodah, “and much better than stuffing your bed with straw.”

Jaya looked at the figure again. “Are my hips that big?”

“It will do in a pinch,” said Jodah, trying not to be drawn into the discussion. “Now we should go.”

“She looks nothing like me,” said Jaya.

“Of course not. One more thing,” said Jodah, and snapped his fingers. The figure sprang to life and immediately began pacing the room, cursing a blue streak.

“There,” said Jodah, “the resemblance is perfect. Shall we go?”

***

The Eternal Ice, Chapter 10