Drat it. I wish I hadn’t opened my mouth and just smiled like a good little Apprentice!Angelique cleared her throat. “Usually.”
Clovicus’ furrowed eyebrows drooped until he looked at her with something akin topity.
At least Angeliquethoughtit was pity, until Clovicus sighed and said, “Evariste is a stupidgit.”
Angelique’s jaw dropped. “I beg yourpardon?”
Before Clovicus could say anything more, Evariste was there, placing his hand on Angelique’s lower back to direct her towards the gorge. “Come, Angelique. I’ll show you where tostand.”
“But—um.” Angelique twisted slightly to look over hershoulder.
Lovelana raised her hands to her blushing cheeks and shook her head slightly before she twitched her shoulders back and regained her elegant demeanor. Clovicus scratched his stubbled jaw and watched her—or Evariste?—with narrowedeyes.
“You remember how I taught you to release your raw magic?” Evaristeasked.
“Yes,” Angelique confirmed. She mentally cursed when she stubbed her toe on a rock she didn’t see thanks to her unnecessary gawking.Stop staring like an idiot—this evaluation isimportant!
“Good. This next part is important, Angel: this is not just an evaluation of the amount of magic you have but of your ability to control it,” Evariste explained. “Specifically, the test is searching to confirm you can control a certain ratio of your magic. The more magic you have, the higher amount it expects you to be able to control at any givenmoment.”
This is going to be as fun as rolling in glass.Aloud, Angelique said, woodenly, “That’sunderstandable.”
They neared the edge of the gorge, but Evariste herded her along the rim of it, obviously aiming for a peninsula that jutted almost all the way to the center of thecanyon.
The canyon reminded Angelique of a snake, the way the walls curved in and out and slithered through the formation of the flatplateau.
“You see those crystals?” Evariste pointed out a giant jade crystal easily taller than hewas.
Angelique nodded. The crystals—scattered around the top of the plateau and the shadows of the ravine—glittered in the blisteringsunlight.
“They’re magic,” Evariste explained. “Or rather, theyhavemagic. The magic found in these stones is multi-purposeful, but what you mostly need to be aware of is that they are highly attuned to the ratio of strength and control that is required to be made an Enchanter orEnchantress.”
Rocks with magic—nothing strange about that at all.“I see,” Angeliquesaid.
Evariste moved his hand from her lower back to her shoulder. “Angelique, if you don’t pour out your raw magic fast enough to fulfill the required ratio, the crystals will yank it out of you to do it foryou.”
Fantastic! Rocks with magic that also call judgements!Angelique clamped her jaw shut so tightly she wondered if her teeth might crack. “And how am I supposed to know if I’m pouring enoughout?”
“The stones will sing,” Evaristesaid.
Even better! Judgmental magic rocks that sing!“Oh?” She askedweakly.
Evariste squeezed her shoulder. “It’s more scientific than one would think: when the rate at which you pour out your magic matches the necessary speed-to-power ratio, your magic resonates with the magic in the stones. It’s the resonation of two magics that creates thesound.”
“These seem like very unusualcrystals.”
Evariste stopped by one of the rocks—which stood about as tall as if Angelique sat on Evariste’s shoulders. “They are older than you or I, and their magic is mentioned in records that pre-date the Snow Queen by centuries,” hesaid.
“They’re also why this area is left alone,” Clovicus added from directly behindthem.
Both Evariste and Angelique jumped and spunaround.
“They have a powerful spell on them that disorients anyone who enters this area that doesn’t have power equal to at least a fairy godmother or godfather,” Clovicussaid.
Evariste raised both of his eyebrows. “Is there a reason why you followedus?”
“Yes,” Clovicus promised. “You need to hurry up. Old man Lazare is going to get half-way to the mountains before you catch up with him and make a portal forus.”
Angelique frowned. “Portal?”
