“Master Evariste, this is too much!” Angelique babbled. “The dresses were within reason—perhaps, though the level of craftmanship you insisted upon was not necessary. But a talkingcat?”
“I am magic, too!” the tiny voiceventured.
“M-magic, too?” Angeliquestammered.
Evariste laughed and slightly ruffled her hair. “He’s meant to be a bit of a companion and a reference for you. As he grows, he’ll learn spells and charms and will be able to assist you and teach you unusual bits of magic. He can be an assistant, ofsorts.”
“Assistant?” the little kittenventured.
Evariste used a pointer finger to rub the kitten on the top of his fuzzy head. “It means you’ll help her with herwork.”
“But, you can’t just—talking cats cost a lot!” Angeliquebabbled.
Evariste chuckled. “Not much for anenchanter.”
When he noticed Angelique bulging her eyes at him, he was quick to add, “At least not one on my paygrade. Besides, this seems like the perfect time to tell you that I’m going to start outsourcing some of my easier work toyou.”
Evariste stood and started gathering up the rest of the packages. “You can open these later, on your birthday,” he toldher.
Angelique had to shake her head to stop dumbly staring at him. “Yourwork? Won’t people get mad when they realize they aren’t receiving your spells, but the charms of yourapprentice?”
The kitten made a noise of distress, and Angelique cuddled it closer. Evariste watched her do so with a grin, and Angelique was filled with the sense that each moment she hugged the creature, she was losing her battle of complaining that he cost toomuch.
“They won’t mind—you’remyapprentice after all.” Evariste started up the staircase, taking the steps two at a time as though the parcels he carried were light as feathers. “Which means you’re legendary, too,” he called over hisshoulder.
“I amnot,” Angelique said emphatically.And I don’t ever wish to be! That would be the worst-case scenario—to be famous for my ugly magic!She hurriedly started up the stairs after him, jostling thekitten.
“Galloping troll,” the young felinecomplained.
“I haven’t even been your apprentice for two years, Master Evariste. Isn’t that too early to begin doing work for the general public?” sheasked.
“Nonsense,” Evariste said in a laughing tone as he reached the second floor of the house. “You’ve been able to keep the illusion on your eye color and add in one for your hair color for a good year now. If you can hold spells that long, you’re more thanready.”
Of course I can hold the illusion that covers my silver eyes. I’m doing everything in my power to blot out any sign of my war magic—but I won’t have that kind of do-or-die encouragement for other spells!Safely out of the enchanter’s sight, Angelique grimaced before she reached the top stop. “Might it be hoped you will give me the absoluteeasiestjobs?” she asked. When she realized how that sounded, she was quick to add—to help her image, “for I am surely not worthy of working on anything that might cast a shadow over yourname.”
“Yes, I have two jobs for you,” Evariste set the packages down outside his door and fished in an inner pocket of his cloak. “It seems a mage’s spell went awry in a little border town between Sole andTrieux.”
“What sort of spell?” she asked suspiciously. When Roland mewled as she resettled him in her hands, she kissed him on the top of his head. (He protested,loudly.)
“The mage was trying to make a puppet move and perform for a crowd ofchildren.”
“And?”
“He bungled the spell and gave the puppet sentience, so now it’s running around, bothering thevillagers.”
If Angelique had not been holding Roland against her chest, she would have dropped him. “A livingpuppet?”
“It sounds quite terrifying,” Evaristeagreed.
A living puppet—that’s more than terrifying; that requires holy water!Not liking her options thus far, she shivered. “What’s the second job?” she asked, hoping for somethingeasier.
“Ahh, yes. A Loire duke is holding a birthday celebration and wants special clothes for the occasion. It will be a simple matter for you to use your alteration or illusion magic to whip something up for the night,” Evaristesmiled.
Angelique rapidly blinked as she tried to figure out if she had heard him correctly. “Creating an entireoutfitout of magic is markedly more difficult than changing a person’s eye color,” she finallysaid.
“You’ll do fine.” Evaristewinked.
Terrorist puppets and vain dukes, these were not the type of missions I ever thought I would have when I was first accepted into Luxi-Domus.
