“So you think—whenever we can—we ought to help the common people as well?” Angeliqueasked.
Evariste nodded as he studied the map. “Yes—as long as it does not impose on your morals, as I said earlier. Of course, sometimes that aid goes beyond thephysical.”
“Beyond the…pardon?” Angelique repeated,confused.
“Sometimes we must act as teachers and help a soul reach an understanding of their actions,” Evariste continued. “And that’s what you’re going to do today. If we can ever find the village of Boyne, thatis.”
“We’re lost?” Angelique asked insurprise.
“Not exactly, I just can’t seem to get us where I want us to be.” Enchanter Evariste glanced at her, his eyes full of mirth. “Would you like to give it a try?” He held out the map—which was a fairly detailed image of the human woods that surrounded AlabasterForest.
Angelique reluctantly took it and brushed the slightly faded ink that recorded the area. “Where did you mean for us togo?”
“This village down here, Boyne.” Evariste pointed to a small village squatting in a brief gap in the trees. “It’s a town built around forest industry—they have many carvers, carpenters, loggers, and the like. But they have some livestock and agriculture to support thevillage.”
Angelique nodded. She glanced up at the sky—barely able to make out the position of the sun between the thick branches that stretched high over her head—and used the zing of elf magic that radiated from Alabaster Forest to help place herself before she turned around and led themnorthwest.
They fell into companionable silence as Angelique rotated between glancing down at the map and carefully studying the forestterrain.
“What did you mean?” Angeliqueasked.
“Pardon?” Enchanter Evariste pushed his hood off his head. Even in the muted light of the forest, his blonde hair seemedshiny.
Not that I’m jealous.“You said that sometimes we have to help people reach an understanding of their actions. What did you mean bythat?”
“Ahh, yes. Sometimes folk become misguided. They act in ways that will bring harm to those around them—and eventually themselves. Occasionally—not often mind you—it is our duty to help a soul reachenlightenment.”
“So…we have to lecture them into acting better?” Angeliqueasked.
Evariste laughed. “That’s a rather frank way to put it, but yes. Most often, we’ll be asked to teach or guide a child, but there have been a number of times I’ve had to talk with an adult—particularly if their selfishness or greed is affecting their entirevillage.”
“But we wouldn’t dare to do such a thing to rulers, yes?” Angelique found a break in the trees and took a moment to study her shadow, giving herself a better idea of what direction they were traveling in, before course-correcting abit.
“No, even attempting to teach a monarch a harmless lesson would be meddling in the affairs of a country. That’s something we cannot do as magic users,” Evaristesaid.
“That’s a bit odd, isn’t it?” Angelique asked, only half thinking of her words as she finally found the big rock they had wound around before. At the rock, she turned sharply, setting themwest.
“In what way?” Evaristeasked.
“The Veneno Conclave considers the Snow Queen to be the founder of the modern mage, don’tthey?”
“Yes.”
“And she rallied an army and fought a war to free Verglas from invasion. That seems to muck around in some pretty big politics.” Angelique froze in the middle of her step when she realized what she had blurted out. “Imean…”
Evariste patted Angelique on the shoulder. “You’re not wrong—though the enemy she saved her country from was an organization of evil—and misled—magic users, which is where the Conclave’s oath to protect the continent from misused magic comesfrom.”
Panic made Angelique’s heart beat twice as fast as they started walking again.You dolt! Those are the kinds of observations I need to avoid making if I want to ever make the rank of Lady Enchantress!She cleared her throat and smiled widely. “Yes, of course!” She was careful to pitch her voice as happy and carefree. “It was just a sillyobservation.”
“It wasn’t silly,” Enchanter Evaristesaid.
Angelique raised the map higher and snapped it as loudly as she could, desperately trying to change the topic. “We should be headed in the right direction. I don’t think it will be much longer before we reachBoyne.”
“Did they teach you how to read maps in your classes?” Evaristeasked.
Angelique relaxed, overjoyed he was letting the previous conversation die. “I believe most people can read maps,” Angelique said, “regardless of whether or not they havemagic.”
“Yes, but most mages can’t read a terrain map as well as you are,” Evaristesaid.
