“How perfect: Pegasus approves!” Evariste saidbrightly.
“Thatis what his approval looks like?” Angelique asked,shocked.
“Oh, yes,” Evariste nodded. “If he hadn’t liked you, he probably would have broken one of yourlimbs.”
The Lord Enchanter strode after Pegasus, leaving a shocked Angelique in hiswake.
Perhaps it’s a good thing I’m Master Evariste’s first apprentice, she thought.It’s not a loss if I am injured, and maybe he will learn on me so as to keep his future students from being…impaled.
“Come along, Apprentice. We’re leaving!” Evariste called in his obstinately cheerfulvoice.
“Coming!” Angelique hurried after him, hovering awkwardly just behind his shoulder as Pegasus lowered himself to theground.
“You’ll get on first, and I’ll slide on behind you,” Evaristesaid.
“What?” Angeliquesqueaked.
Evariste motioned to the constellation’s broad back. “You get on first.” His eyebrows slanted with sympathy. “Or do you not know how to ride ahorse?”
“I know how to ride ahorse,” Angelique had to work hard to keep the hiss out of her voice. “What I do not know is how to ride aconstellation!”
“Everything all right?” King Themerysaldi called tothem.
“Just fine, thank you, Your Majesty!” Angelique curtsied to him because it seemed like a good idea with all the powerful beings in thearea.
“Riding Pegasus is just like riding a horse,” Evariste told her confidently. “Except you don’t steer at all; you can’t ever use a saddle since he wouldn’t stand for it, and you have to hang on a bit better. Believe me, you don’t want to fall off at the speeds heruns.”
Angelique stared at him for a moment.He is my instructor and master, she reminded herself.Not to mention that I injured him—badly, I think. I have lost all right to question him, even over his admittedly dubious ideas.“Very well,” she said,finally.
Angelique felt a sweat break out on her back as she slowly approachedPegasus.
He watched Angelique with his uncomfortably dark eyes, and snorted again when she drew close enough that the skirts of her dress touched hisside.
Angelique flinched but made herself slide onto his back, adjusting her gown so she could more easily sitastride.
He wasn’t warm or solid like a usual horse. Instead, Angelique felt as if she sunk a bit into his coat, and he gave off a sort of frosty,bitingheat.
Evariste slipped on behind her and snaked his arms around her waist so he could grab a thatch of Pegasus’ flamingmane.
When Angelique cautiously copied him, she found Pegasus’s mane was warm and made her fingers tingle, but did not burn herskin.
She had her jaw clenched shut in apprehension, but a squeak still escaped when Pegasus rocked into a standingposition.
“Hold tight,” Evariste advised. “He’ll spend a moment getting his bearings, and then we’ll beoff.”
Angelique nodded and adjusted her grip on the mount’smane.
Evariste disentangled one hand from Pegasus’ hair long enough to pat Angelique on the arm. “You’re doing great,” he said. He twisted slightly—knocking one of his shoulders into Angelique’s as he addressed the elves behind them. “Take care, Emerys. We’ll come again soon,” he called as the constellation walked in a tightcircle.
“Safe travels,” Emerys said. “And remember, don’t be stup—” the Elf King’s words were cut off when Pegasusbolted.
He galloped through the forest at a speed that made it hard to breathe—and impossible to see due to tears gathering in Angelique’seyes.
Somehow, the constellation didn’t collide with any trees, and instead veered wildly as he charged through theforest.
Angelique clamped down on the animal’s body, half frozen between fear and awe as the wind stung herface.
The world was a blur as Pegasus chargedahead.
