Angelique followed obediently, trying to take inventory of hiswounds.
The troll attack had taken place a mere two days prior, and Enchanter Evariste was already moving as if his wounds did not hurthim.
She suspected this was more a testament to elven healing arts than the gravity of the wounds, but she was thankfulregardless.
Enchanter Evariste hadn’t treated her any differently since the troll. Rather, he had repeated the entire talk she had with King Themerysaldi—albeit in a far nicer way. She believed him even less than she believed the Elf King, but she took it as a sign that he planned to keep her on as hisapprentice.
Fornow.
“I’m going to summon Pegasus to carry us home,” Evariste explained as they drew a little farther away from the elf party that was still waiting to send them off. “He is anunusualsteed to say theleast.”
“In what way, Master Evariste?” Angeliqueasked.
“In the way that he is a strange mash of pure magic and animal,” he said. “Technically, he’s a star constellation. But he has magic and can take a bodily form aswell.”
A constellation?“Oh?” Angelique said since he seemed to expect aresponse.
“He’s quite temperamental and doesn’t care much for humans, but he owes me a favor, and in exchange lets me ride him whenever I call,” Evariste explained. “But you have to be careful around him. He’s wild and unpredictable—much like rawmagic.”
“And he can carry both of us?” Angeliqueasked.
Evariste nodded. “At the speed of a shooting star. He’sfast. But I don’t like summoning him too often, or he might one day decide no favor is worth this and choose to kick me.” He laughed, but Angelique suspected he didn’t mean it as ajoke.
“I want you to take shelter behind this tree.” Evariste gestured to an ancient oak tree that was thick enough Angelique would have been hard pressed to hug its trunk. “And come out when Icall.”
“Yes, Master Evariste.” Angelique moved behind the tree and leaned against it, pressing her forehead into the rough bark as shewaited.
Evariste smiled, then raised his hand and gazed at the sky. “Pegasus! It is I—Lord Enchanter Evariste of Fire Gates. I summon you from the skies to carry me across the lands. Come!” heshouted.
Something thundered overhead—like an explosion of magic. Evariste stared up expectantly at what bits of the bright blue sky were visible through the canopy oftrees.
A black streak shot across the sky in a mixture of stars and wings. It hurtled towards them, flexing its wings when its front hooves struck the ground with a boom loud enough to force Angelique to herknees.
Carefully, as she scrambled to her feet, she peeked around thetree.
Pegasus, the living constellation was…indescribable.
His mane and tail were made of dark blue flames that flared and flickered as he tossed his head. His black body seemed insubstantial, because his coat was the night sky molded into the shape of ahorse.
With every prancing step he took, thunder crashed and shook the ground. His black wings broke down into thousands of black feathers—like a log rapidly turning to ash—that spiraled away into thesky.
“Pegasus!” Evariste smiled as the heavenly equine approached him—his hoofbeats turning quieter until they were muffled thumps. “It is so good to see you again. I’d like a ride to my home in Wistful Thicket in Torrens,please.”
Pegasus arched his neck, making his musclespop.
“Wonderful, thank you. I have another passenger I’d like you to carry—she’s my apprentice, actually. Please allow me to introduce you. Angelique!” Evariste’s voice was all sunshine and joy, but Angelique could tell he was carefully measuring his words and interactions with theconstellation.
How promising. Angelique grimaced, then lifted her chin and fixed a smile on her face as she left the protection of the large tree and joinedEvariste.
“Pegasus, this is my apprentice, Angelique,” Evariste said. “Angelique, make yourgreetings.”
“Good day to you, Pegasus,” she said in a pleasant tone. She was proud that her voice didn’t falter, even when Pegasus gazed at her with eyes as black as the darkest parts of the nightsky.
Pegasus snorted, and the red of his nostrils flared, glowing like coals. He tossed his head and swished his flamingtail.
Inspiredby the mount’s obvious rejection, Angelique threw in a curtsy for goodmeasure.
The constellation briefly moved his muzzle closer to her—close enough that she could feel his hot breath fan her hair. Just as abruptly, he moved away, the flaming fringe of his manesparking.
