Evariste leaned a forearm against the doorframe. “You don’t have a desk for your work, but there’s not really room for one, I’m afraid to say. I cleared away a space for you in the workshopinstead.”
Angelique set the first of her rucksacks down. “For me?” she carefullyenquired.
Evariste ruefully grinned. “Yes, you, Angelique. I’d heard of you before, and I had an inkling of what was going to happen to you. There wererumors.”
“Youwantedme as an apprentice? You planned for this?” Angeliqueasked.
Evariste laughed. “I can’t say I’ve been looking forward to having an apprentice—I was hoping to skate by another decade before the Council finally realized I haven’t had one. But I couldn’t let you slip through the system. You’re a powerful mage, Angelique. The Veneno Conclave is lacking sense to seriously consider allowing someone with your amount of magic getsealed.”
The concept that someone wouldwantto see her become an enchantress was so foreign, it took Angelique a moment to mull it over. “But I have warmagic.”
“Yes, but if those instructors of yours actually examined our history instead of sticking to official Conclave records, they would remember Farrin—the Snow Queen’s consort.” Evariste stepped only far enough into the room to set Angelique’s bags down, then retreated to the door again. “Farrin likely had enough power to be considered an enchanter. The term simply wasn’t around until years after he died, and folk tend to forget about him as he mostly stood in the Snow Queen’s shadowanyway.”
“Farrin had that much power?” Angelique cocked her head. She was aware of the story of the Snow Queen—she was considered to be the founder of the Conclave, though the organization hadn’t become official and created the ranks and oaths that magic users still followed today until long after she had passed on. She was aware, even, of Farrin’s part in the tale. He was among the first recorded war mages, after all. But she had not heard much mentioned of the strength of hismagic.
“As far as I can tell by my readings, Farrin could have snapped the Snow Queen in half if they fought one-on-one—though I am certain the thought never would have occurred to him,” Evaristelaughed.
“But…he’s considered a hero,” Angelique said. “To have war magic and that much power,” she hesitated, unable to saymore.
Enchanter Evariste smiled. “The kind and amount of magic a person has doesn’t determine their actions, Apprentice. You have great potential to be a force for good. It will be my duty to help you realize that potential. And when you’re made enchantress, it will be my honor to stand with you and poke fun of the Council when they realize how silly their concernswere.”
His laugh was contagious, and Angelique found herself smiling slightly in response, even if she didn’t quite believehim.
At least now I understand why he took me on: he’s as mad as a loon, even if he is nice. Who could think there is the potential for good in the powers ofbloodshed?
“Unpack your things, and freshen up as you like. I’m going to change and then head upstairs to my workshop. Come find me when you’re finished—or when you gethungry.”
Enchanter Evariste unfastened the throatlatch of his cloak and tugged off his hood, giving Angelique her first good look at hermaster.
Simply put, he wasdazzling.
Enchanter Evariste’s butter, almost platinum, blonde hair was slightly mussed from the hood, but it still looked silky and nice. His fine nose, high cheek bones, and full lips—which made his smiles extra generous—looked like they had been masterfully carved by a genius craftsman. He had different-colored eyes—the left was a forest green while the right was bright blue, which only added to theeffect.
Angelique almost staggered under the full onslaught of his smile, but she had steeled herself in advance. (Most magic users were good-looking, and the more magic they had, the more breath-taking they became as their magic made them almost magical innature.)
Enchanter Evariste seemed oblivious to her observations as he carefully folded hiscloak.
With the cloak off, Angelique could see that his shoulders were broader than she realized, and he was a hand taller than she was—a true accomplishment, as she was quite tall for afemale.
Angelique mashed her eyes shut and cleared her throat. “Meet you in your workshop, I understand. Thank you, EnchanterEvariste.”
Evariste nodded. “Welcome home,Apprentice.”
“Thank you, sir.” She watched as he strode across the floor landing, disappearing into a room on the other side of thehouse.
Slowly, Angelique shut her door and set her bags on the floor. Glancing around the room once more, she shook herhead.
How can he be so positive about my magic when nearly every instructor and most magic users I’ve encountered have taught me otherwise? He can’treallybe cracked in thehead.
But Evariste was a prodigy—or he had been. Now he was more of a legend. It seemed improbable that he would be ignorant of suchmatters.
Which means he must be fixing to put in a lot of work to keep me on the straight andnarrow.
Angelique brushed against the bed curtains, marveling over the soft and shimmerycloth.
I don’t want to be sealed. I don’t care about my core magic—if I could change it, I would. But if I can become an enchantress, I can use my good-for-nothing core magic to learn otherabilities.
The thought made Angelique stand taller. She had always been proud to be a mage—even if she despised her own core magic. It was a noble calling, one she had genuinely wanted topursue.
