A part of him wished she’d get a little flustered or maybe blush.But that’s a dangerous wish, especially given my position as her teacher. Still…sometimes…
He glanced at her again, looking up just in time to see hersnort.
“Is too,” shesaid.
“Is not,” Pestsaid.
“It is.” Angelique flicked Pest with the ends of the reins. “Darkness and unruliness throws everything into chaos. Being calm and tranquil—free from turbulence—lets a person think and be strong of heart andmind.”
“Hmm,” Pesthummed.
“Think about it,” Angelique said. “You’ll see.” She ended her promise with a brilliant smile, and something in Evariste’s chesttwisted.
She is sobeautiful.
Angelique glanced back at him and noticed his attention. “I apologize, Master Evariste, were we disruptingyou?”
Back to all politeness now that she’s talking tome.
“Not at all!” Evariste said cheerfully. “But you have intrigued me. What were you two discussing with suchpassion?”
“Names,” the boysaid.
“I was just telling Pest that a name of peace is the strongest sort of name there is,” Angeliquesaid.
Evariste nodded slowly. “Peace is one of the greatest gifts humanity can give one another—second only tolove.”
Angelique shot the young boy a look. “I told youso!”
The phoenix crooned itsagreement.
“Worry not, Pest,” Evariste said. “You have time to choose a name. We have a long while before we reach Luxi-Domus.”
A long while, he warned himself.Long enough to remember it’s not a good idea to make calf eyes at your student—even if she is only a few years younger thanyou.
* * *
“There it is,”Angelique pointed out a large building made of white and onyx-colored stone. “That’s theschool.”
She smiled as she watched Pest’s eyes bulge and recalled how awed she had been when she first set eyes on Luxi-Domus.
The school was mostly towers, each competing to poke the highest into the sky, although there was a massive main building that was four or five stories tall and was checkered with white and black marble like a chessboard.
The gates of the school were pearl white and sparkled in the sunshine, and the landscaping was a wash of flowers and lush greenery despite the cool fallweather.
Evariste stepped out of the cart and tapped the trunk Angelique was perched on. “These gentlemen will take your trunks for you,” hesaid.
“What ‘gentlemen’—YIKES!” Pest shouted when two large, muscled butlers appeared behind thecart.
He shot past Evariste—who held out a hand toAngelique.
These notions of Evariste’s, Angelique internally sighed as she let him guide her from the cart.Perhaps I should talk to him about it.But wouldn’t that seem rather prideful of me to think I could correct his manners? Even if I’mright?
A quick glance at her white, airy dress that was studded with rubies (nothing less than the best for Evariste’s “cute little Apprentice.”Ugh.) revealed the dirt-warding spell wasactive.
She glanced at Evariste and performed another weary, mentalshrug.
Evariste, of course, wore an outfit that matched hers—a white jacket and trousers with ruby accents—and today he had adjusted his hair length so it was once againshort.
