Angelique blinked.Traveling?
Before she could inquire, Evariste knelt down next to the desk the cat had taken over. “You should attempt a book or something similar next, but for now, let’s review your cat. You did a magnificent job with the fur and the cat’s mannerisms—that’s partially why animals are so tough to make illusions of: they each have different ways ofmoving.”
“It’d be more life-like if it wasn’ttransparent,” Angeliquesaid.
“I imagine you’ll have better luck with the book,” Evariste said. “But if you see here, the right back paw is a little blurry. You need your illusions to be sharp and crisp, or they’ll give themselves away straight off. Do you recall the spellwork forthat?”
Angelique leaned over her desk and flipped a page in her textbook. “It means I twisted my magic wrong towards the end of the spell since it’s the back foot.Right?”
“Correct. You want to get an even texture to your magic, and use more of it next time—that will help some with thetransparency.”
“Yes, MasterEvariste.”
* * *
Amonthand a half into his new role as teacher, Evariste was forced to admit that Angelique was decidedly not what heexpected.
I knew she was diligent and powerful, but she’s learning illusions nearly as fast as I did.He sat on his desk as he watched hisapprentice.
She was kneeling in front of the empty fireplace, her tongue sticking out slightly in concentration as she worked on creating an illusion of a toy shipwhilekeeping three illusionary mugs of ale and an illusionary burning candlegoing.
Feeling like he ought to offer some sort of moral support or encouragement, Evariste let a smile ease over his lips. “Neatly done, Apprentice! The candle is an especially tidy piece of magicwork.”
Angelique smiled brightly and replied in a sugary tone. “Thank you, Master Evariste! It is only possible because of the lessons you have taughtme.”
Evariste chuckled. “Not at all. I only supply the know-how. Your dedication and the power of your magic is all yourdoing.”
Angelique’s smile didn’t budge. “Thank you.” Despite the shape of her lips, Evariste could still see it: the glittering light in hereyes.
Before, he thought it was just her intelligence. But now, having worked closer, he could recognize the signs of her determined personality—no matter how she tried to disguiseit.
When he said nothing more, she returned to her work, her eyes narrowing inconcentration.
Yes, not what I expected atall.
When Evariste had first heard news of the war mage with the power of an enchantress several years ago, he had looked in on her lessons with curiosity. (After all, to have that much power meant that at the very least she rivaled him—a thing he would eagerlywelcome.)
At the time, she had been bright and happy. When Evariste finally thought to look in on her again in her last year of schooling, he was shocked to find her worn-down andwary.
It angered him to see how differently Angelique had been treated by Luxi-Domus, when—given her power—they should have welcomed her as warmly as they had him when he was a merechild.
Even before the Council made it clear they would seal her, Evariste had decided he would take her on as his apprentice—both to rescue her from such a possibility and because, selfishly, Evariste knew if he inserted himself into her life this way, he would always have a relationship withher.
It’s surprisingly lonely being a legend. But with her power, she could become a legend in her ownright.
Angelique hissed out a breath as she compared her small illusionary ship to a sketch in a book and went about fixing several small details that frankly no teacher would careabout.
It was something Evariste had noticed about her, her drive forperfection.
He wasn’t entirely certain what caused it, but it seemed that she had decided that perfection was the only way to keep from beingsealed.
When he first decided to take her as his apprentice, Evariste worried she might look at him the same way everyone else did—with hearts in their eyes or a face alight with hero-worship.
It was everywhere he went. With the exception of his old master, nearly everyone from fellow enchantresses and enchanters to mages toroyaltylooked at Evariste with expectation andadmiration.
Angelique, however, watched him the way a wolf watches a herd of animals, seeking out the right one to pounceon.
(He knew she’d be horrified at the comparison, but he couldn’t think of it any other way. Other mages looked at Evariste and saw his power. Angelique saw a teacher she believed she had to deceive, or at the very least, an oblivious man she had to keep in an ignorant state. There were no hearts in her eyes, only sharp cleverness that she tried to disguise with her smiles andsweetness.)
