“Indeed,” Sybillasaid.
The princess and prince consort turned to King Giuseppe. The stately king inclined his head to the magic users—thanking them—then opened his mouth to address thecrowd.
The sunlight that streamed in through stained-glass windows dulled as sudden thunderclouds covered the sky. The glittering candles of the chandeliers were blown out by an icy, damp wind, and a set of giant doors were thrown open with such force they were almost torn off theirhinges.
A man stepped into the darkened room with a hint of a smirk on his lips. His skin was alabaster white, his hair a shiny black, and he wore costly robes embroidered in black and gray. While he was handsome, it was a skin-deep shallow mask, for his eyes were dark as an abyss, and a red mark—the brand of those exiled from the Veneno Conclave—was carved into the skin of hisforehead.
Breeza gasped. “Carabosso.”
The utterance sent a shiver down Angelique’s spine, and she found it was suddenly hard to breathe. Carabosso had once been a promising magic user on the fast track to becoming a fairy godfather—perhaps even an enchanter. But after his schooling…hecracked.
He forsook all the vows he had made, all the promises to abide by the laws and rules of the Veneno Conclave, and had lashed out with his magic and killed aninnocent.
The Veneno Conclave had excommunicated him, thrown him from their ranks and turned him into an outcast. They had also sealed his magic, but—if that were the case—how had he made hisentrance?
Carabosso chuckled. “I’m hurt. How did it come to be that I was not informed of this wonderfulcelebration?”
Evariste hadn’t yet put his gloves back on, so Angelique could see his blue magic wrap around his fingers. “What are you doing here, Carabosso?” The usual gentleness and warmth that colored his voice was gone; instead it was as sharp as the blade of asword.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve come here so that I, too, might welcome little Princess Rosalinda to the world,” Carabosso drawled. He sauntered across the hall, approaching the goldencradle.
Sybilla strode in his direction. “Don’t you touch her—youfiend!”
“Sybilla, don’t!” Breeza grabbed her by the arms and yanked her backwards. “Conclave law forbids the use of magic againsthim!”
Sybilla—despite her plump, motherly appearance—shook the weather mage off with ease. “Only if his powers aresealed.”
Angelique’s magic crept up her arms, and she found herself agreeing with Sybilla. As her cold, sharp magic tried to ooze around the death grip she held on it, she highly doubted Carabosso was entirelysealed.
“Leave, Carabosso,” Evariste said. A blue ring of light flared to life beneath hisfeet.
Carabosso rolled his eyes. “You’re such a spoil-sport, Evariste. Fine, I will leave. But first, since all of you have, I ought to give the princess agift.”
“No!” Prince Consort Filippo leaped in front of the cradle and unsheathed hissword.
Carabosso backhanded him, sending him flying. He hit a marble wall with an ominouscrack.
Princess Alessia screamed. “Filippo!” She scrambled to pick up Princess Rosalinda, but Carabosso flicked his fingers at her and blew her backwards towards herhusband.
“Magic Knights, assemble!” King Giuseppeshouted.
Carabosso tilted his head back, laughed, and folded his arms across his chest. “Oh, yes. Please do assemble your littleprotectors.”
The Magic Knights grouped up and stalked towards Carabosso while Evariste threw his hands out in front of him and started murmuring, calling his magic to him so it pooled around hisfeet.
The act seemed to rob Carabosso of some of his nonchalance, for he leaned over the cradle and spoke very quickly. “All the gifts given to the princess shall indeed come true—she will be blessed with grace, a beautiful voice, great skill in dancing, and more. But! By her eighteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and she shalldie!”
During the pronouncement of the curse, Evariste shouted a word in the tongue of magic that crackled. Bolts of blue magic sizzled around Carabosso, but he was too late. A flicker of red magic had already dusted the tiny princess’s cheek, sealing herfate.
Carabosso grimaced under Evariste’s attack, but he still managed to laugh. He ran from the room—his robes streaming behind him and several Magic Knights of Sole chasing after him,shouting.
“Surroundhim!”
“Activate yourshields!”
“Close off thatgateway!”
Breeza and the shifter mage gave chase as well, brandishing theirmagic.
