The enchanter grimaced in pain. And as the troll bellowed—laid flat by Angelique’s attack—blood started to stain Evariste’s finejacket.
Something in Angeliquebroke.
She opened her mouth to scream—to call for help, to give voice to her horror, anything!—but not a single sound could claw its way from herthroat.
I hurt Enchanter Evariste—I hurt my instructor! The man who has only shown me kindness I don’tdeserve!
Her magic started to boil with her terror, and Angelique ruthlessly shoved it deep—so deep she couldn’t evenfeelitanymore.
I really am amonster.
Her legs gave out, and she couldn’tsee. Everything was darkening rapidly—though she was faintly aware of Enchanter Evaristeshouting.
I’m a monster. A monster!The thought rammed her in tandem with the throb of her heart, and it was hard tobreathe.
She heard sounds of a struggle—but they were muffled as if the encounter was faraway.
The troll roared in pain, and there was a bone-vibrating thud that reverberated through theground.
They were right about me. My instructors, the Council. I am a danger of the worstsort.
“Angel!” Warm hands grasped her shoulders and shookher.
Angelique blinked dazedly and slowly raised herhead.
Evariste gazed worriedly at her, his eyebrows furrowing as his green and blue eyes traced her face. “I’m fine, Angel,” he said. “You didwell.”
Behind him, the troll was collapsed on the ground—motionless and likelydead.
Angelique’s eyes strayed from the defeated creature to Evariste’s bleeding shoulderwound.
Before she could get a good look at it, Evariste yanked her against him so her face was mashed into his good shoulder. He encircled his arms around her in a rather forcefulembrace.
“I’m fine, Apprentice,” he said in his soothing, musicalvoice.
Angelique shook herhead.
“I am,” he insisted. “You werefantastic.”
The metallic scent of blood assaulted Angelique’s nose, and her stomachheaved.
Enough—I’m not the one hurt! We have to get Evariste back to Sideralis, or he might bleed out! I will have plenty of time to dwell on this later.“We have to get you help,” she said, forcing her jaw to workagain.
“It’s nothing to worry about, Angel,” Evariste said. “I felt you yank back on the trajectories right before they hit me—they barely nickedme.”
The increasingly overwhelming scent of blood disagreed with hisclaim.
“We still need to seek aid for you,” Angelique said. She tried to pull away, but Evariste kept her sandwiched against his chest as they sat in thedirt.
The enchanter didn’t answer but patted herback.
Angelique wanted to scream at him.What is he doing? Why is he trying to pacify me when he is bleeding from two woundsIgavehim!
She shifted her face slightly so she could see his woundedshoulder.
The stake was no longer there, but the bloodstain was growingrapidly.
Angelique succeeded in prying herself from his grasp. “Can you make a portal back toSideralis?”
