Angelique shook her head and held her hands up to forestall him. “Master Evariste, I am not good with children. Trying to talk to the boy who cried wolf in Boyne very nearly had an ugly ending, and I traumatized a number of children when I ‘fixed’ the animated puppet. I amnotthe welcoming, motherly type of person who can easily sooth frightenedchildren.”
“But you are kind and sweet,” Evaristesaid.
I don’t know if I should be grateful he believes the persona I’ve been desperately trying to project or dumbfounded that he hasn’t figured it outyet.
Evariste set his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “You can do this, Angel. You’ve shown your brilliance in your magic, but I am just as confident in yourcharisma.”
By charisma do you mean the ability to hold back sarcasm? Because with magic as deadly as mine, I’m about as charismatic as aguillotine.
But as Angelique met his oddly colored eyes, her shoulders drooped, and she nodded. “I will try, Master Evariste,” she agreed, unable to refuse herteacher.
Evariste smiled. “Then success will be ours. Come, let’s retrieve him from MasterDimi.”
Angelique sighed once his back was turned, but she obediently slouched after him. She set her hands on her hips when they reached the woodcarver and street urchin and tried to smile benevolently. “Please set him down, Master Dimi,” shesaid.
When the boy gaped at her, Angelique turned on all the fake charm she had as she set a hand on his arm. “Now, you wouldn’t fight a woman, would you?” she asked with a sweetsmile.
The boy mutely shook hishead.
Okay. If I’m going to convince this boy, it’s not going to be with sweetness and cooing praise, unlike Master Evariste seems to think. I’ll have to press him into this so he realizes that this isn’t just the best option, it’s hisonlyoption.Angelique glanced over her shoulder. “If you would give me a moment,Master.”
“Of course. Come, Master Dimi. We can safely leave this to Angelique,” the Lord Enchanter said, beckoning to thecraftsman.
“Are you certain? He’s an unruly one,” the woodcarver said, gently smacking the boy upside thehead.
Evariste chuckled. “I’m well assured that Angelique can handle it.” He winked before he slipped out of the market, the flickering flames of his tailcoat snapping in thebreeze.
The woodcarver gave the boy and Angelique an appraising look before he, too,left.
Before the brat had a chance to twist out of her grip, Angelique set his back against a wall withjustenough force that the boy would feel it but wouldn’t behurt.
Angelique kept her warm and practiced smile on her lips as she started to speak. “Based on your performance over the past few weeks, you have been invited to join the ranks of the magical and attend the renown and honored Luxi-Domus, the Veneno Conclave academia of magic. Congratulations!” She kept her voice pleasant—which was hopefully a slight reassurance to the boy given that she held him with an irongrip.
The boy tried to wriggle out of her hold. “Don’t wanna, let mego.”
He’s still not listening.Angelique ignored the protest. “It’s a great honor. You’ve been identified as possessing magic, specifically craft-relatedmagic!”
The boy grunted. “Don’t care, leggo.” He finally succeeded in twisting enough that he got away from the wall and tried to kickher.
Fine, let’s try a different tactic.Angelique slammed him back against the wall and leaned in, her patience snapping. “Listen, you snot-nosed brat,” she hissed. “Master Evariste asked me to recruit you, and I amNOTgoing to let him down. You are going to become the best craftmage there is, and you will be an upright and outstanding citizen of magic! Do youunderstand?”
The boy quieted in her grasp and meeklynodded.
“Angel?” Evariste called somewhere behindthem.
Angelique slapped a smile back on her face and slipped an arm around the boy’s elbow. “He’s agreed to come with us, MasterEvariste.”
Evariste ventured closer and beamed. “Excellent!” he said. “Welcome into the ranks of the magical,boy.”
The boy merely shrugged until Angelique elbowed him. “Thank you, sir,” hesaid.
Angelique relaxed marginally as she watched Evariste introduce himself to theboy.
Well. I guess thatworked?
Angelique looked back at the market, frowning a little. She could have sworn she felt the faint shiver ofdarkmagic.
Perhaps Master Evariste is right. Maybe it’s a good thing we’re taking this boy withus…
