Madam Quarrellous took the papers Evariste handed her—the monthly report of Angelique’s progress as a student. “You claim you have not had any difficulty in teaching Angelique illusion magic. Is that true?” sheasked.
“Yes. Angelique has grown quite skilled at it and is ahead in her lessons.” Enchanter Evariste smiled and took the teacup Angelique offered him with a wink as he sat down on thesettee.
“Has she tried to use these illusions in any nefarious way?” Quarrellousasked.
Thinking of the wolves she had woven to frighten Wybert, Angelique froze, guilt making herstiffen.
“Really, Quarrellous. Nefarious? They’re illusions! What do you think she’s going to do with them?” Sybillascolded.
“Angelique has shown great diligence and wisdom inalluses of her magic,” Enchanter Evariste said. “Most often, she has done so for practice, but she also rather ingeniously used illusions when aiding a village this past month,” Evaristesaid.
Angelique focused on keeping her hands steady as she poured a cup of tea for herself.He knows about Wybert and the wolves? How? He never went back to Boyne—he was too injured and told me if I thought I had successfully schooled Wybert that he believedme!
“Has she used her core magic?” Quarrellousasked.
Angelique seated herself on the settee next to Enchanter Evariste and tried not to rattle her teacup as her guiltdeepened.
“Yes, once—under my direction when a troll attacked us,” Enchanter Evaristesaid.
“A troll?” Sybilla asked. “Where were you poking around that a troll foundyou?”
“Farset—we were near Alabaster Forest at the time,” hesaid.
Sybilla set her teacup down on an end table with a clack. “You were close to the elves, and you wereattacked?”
Quarrellous’s frown morphed from disapproval to concern. “That is very grave news indeed; I assume you included it in yourreport?”
“Yes—on the final page,” Evaristesaid.
Quarrellous nodded absently as she flipped to the last page and briefly skimmed the information. “I’ll see to it that the Council is informed.” She slightly shook her head. “Trolls venturing so close to elven civilization, that cannot have been a randomchance.”
“Will the Council dispatch someone to investigate the area?” Sybillaasked.
“I should assume so,” Madam Quarrellous said. “It is a seriousmatter.”
“I am close friends with King Themerysaldi. He has led several bands of his warriors on several different tracking and hunting sessions outside their woods, but he said he was unable to find any evidence of additional trolls. I mentioned that in the report aswell.”
Madam Quarrellous nodded and gathered up the papers. “Thank you for your diligence and work, Lord Enchanter Evariste.” She smiled, and a kind light—which Angelique had never witnessed before—warmed hereyes.
“There is no need to thank me,” Enchanter Evariste said. “We all guard this continenttogether.”
“Yes, but it is still very strange,” Sybillamuttered.
“What other questions did you want to ask, Madam Quarrellous?” Evariste stopped the unicorn when it tried to climb into the open spot on the settee between him andAngelique.
“Ah, yes, I beg your pardon for the interruption.” Madam Quarrellous settled back in her stiff chair, the frown making its triumphant return when she peered in Angelique’s direction. “Has your apprentice refused to follow yourinstruction?”
“No,” Evariste said. “She’s been an eager student in all the subjects we haveexplored.”
“She has not refused to use her magic when told?” Madam Quarrellouspersisted.
Enchanter Evariste shook his head. “No.”
Only because Master Evariste hasn’t asked me to use my war magic since we got back from Farset, Angelique thought glumly.If I refuse next time he asks, he might not be quite so pleased with me. Though if he can take a wooden stake to the shoulder and still consider me a “bright” and “good” student, perhaps it is safe to say he has a very broad definition of the termgoodstudent?
“Has she improperly used her core magic? Or perhaps she played with it when you were not present?” Madam Quarrellousasked.
“No. The only time she has used her war magic was under my direct request and supervision,” Evaristesaid.
