Angelique cocked her head. “But you’ve already taught me to meld two magics together—water, ice, and even weathermagic.”
“True,” Evariste said. “But you haven’t tried to do so with your war magic yet, which is much more complicated as it requires twisting and channeling some of your magic—for the elemental bit—while releasing your coremagic.”
No. Absolutelynot.
Angelique bit her lip as she started sifting through possible excuses, trying to figure out which one would make the most sense and leave Evariste the least disappointed. “Are you sure this isn’t too advanced for me, Master Evariste?” she tried. “If I make a mistake, my war magic won’t fizzle out the way my practice blizzards and thunderstormswould.”
“You’ll be fine,” he assuredher.
No, Iwon’t.
“You are an excellentstudent.”
No, I’mnot.
“You have amazingcontrol!”
I definitelydon’t!
“Now,” Evariste began. “First you’ll need to pull enough of your magic that you can power both pieces ofmagic.”
“No,” Angeliquesaid.
Evariste stopped and tilted his head. “No?”
“I’m not going to do this,” shesaid.
Evariste hesitated. “Angelique, I am aware you find your war magic frightening, but if you useit—”
“Use it for what, tokillsomeone?” She was unable to totally dampen the fire of her words, but she was proud that she could speak despite the lump forming at the back of herthroat.
Evariste carefully put the weapons down. “It’s part of you,” he said. “You have to learn to acceptit.”
“It isnot—” Angelique cut herself off and cleared her throat so she could speak without growling. “It is not part of me.” She managed to say at a much softertone.
Evariste studied her for several long moments. “You really hate your core magic, don’tyou?”
Angelique looked away,angrywith herself when tears burned her eyes. “I hate what it represents. And what it means aboutme.”
In the time Angelique wasn’t watching, somethingchangedin Evariste. It was like an icy coolness seeped into the corners of hissmile.
“Take the day off today, Angel,” he said in a cold voice Angelique hadn’t heardbefore.
Angelique dragged her eyes back to her teacher. “Um, Master Evariste?” sheventured.
“You’ve earned it.” Though his words were reassuring, the frigid look in his eyes was anythingbut.
You’ve done it now, Angelique. You haven’t just disappointed him, you made him angry. Possibly for the first time in the history of the world. Well done. Excelling at the unwanted, asusual.
“Um,” Angeliquesaid.
“I’m going to run an errand,” he continued as his magic pooled around his feet. “I’ll be back bydinner.”
As Angelique watched, he made the familiar stone gate that served as the portal for the VenenoConclave.
That he made one, instead of using the one he had recently constructed in the house, wastelling.
Wherever he was going, he was in ahurry.
