“No need,” Evariste repeated more firmly. His smile briefly turned sly, and he wrapped the loose lock of her hair around his pointer finger, then winked as he leaned in so close their foreheads almost touched. “You can divvy out thepaperwork.”
Angelique gulped at the close quarters, but he was gone with a chuckle before she couldreact.
That man. Angelique would have shaken the papers at his retreating back if she had been alone. Instead she forced herself to smile at Firra and Donaigh—both of whom were smirking ather.
Just perfect. That hadn’t caused some severemisunderstandings.
Angelique shook her head and cleared her throat. “Here are the papers,” she said as she set about giving each mage the requiredforms.
Internally, she was not so dutiful.I had thought the increase in his…ideas would wane. It’s been years, and they haven’t gotten better. I can only hope he mellows withage.
Chapter 24
He didn’t.
That is to say, Evariste did not decrease the amount of affection he bestowed upon her or stop saying things that reallyshouldn’thave been uttered. He might have, in fact, grownworse.
In the spring of Angelique’s eighth year of her apprenticeship, they stopped to visit the elves in AlabasterForest.
“Lady Alastryn, it is so good to see you.” Angelique curtsied, inwardly crowing with glee that her years of attempting to copy the elegance of the elven lady were finally payingoff.
“I am glad to see you brighten the halls of our ancestors once again, Lord Enchanter Evariste and Enchantress-in-training Angelique.” Alastryn smiled warmly. “I know King Themerysaldi will be particularly heartened to hear of your visit, Enchanter Evariste. He has been positivelysulkingsince you have not come here for manymonths.”
Evariste laughed and threaded his hand through Angelique’s. “Hopefully he will forgive me, but while I have missed the glory of Alabaster Forest, I do not regret our absence. I have been showing Angel thecontinent.”
“Yes,” Angelique meekly agreed, until she realized Evariste was raising her hand up, seemingly with the intention of setting it over hisheart.
Why is he—his master utterly FAILED to teach him proper conduct!Angelique was forced to fake a sneeze to get him to relinquish her hand before he could achieve his endgoal.
Lady Alastryn merely raised an eyebrow. “This way, if you will. I shall show you to a parlor forrefreshments.”
* * *
His behavior continued,even when Stil—who was no longer a street urchin but a proper young man who had taken the rather puzzling mage name of Rumpelstiltskin—graduated.
“Any news from Stil?” Evariste asked as he joined Angelique in thelibrary.
Angelique—who sat in an armchair in front of the fire with a dozing Roland on her lap—looked up from her letter. “Yes, in fact. He’s graduating early from Luxi-Domus—he’ll be finished in two months. He already has an apprenticeship lined up with acraftmage.”
She frowned thoughtfully at the letter.I need to get him a gift, but what would he finduseful?
“That’s impressive; he’s only been a student for four or five years, hasn’t he?” Evariste leaned against herchair.
Angelique adjusted the way she held the letter so he could see it for himself. “Indeed.”
Evariste whistled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he snags himself the title of Master Craftmage by the time he’s finished with hisapprenticeship.”
Angelique nodded slowly at the thought. “He is exceedinglybright.”
Evariste shook his head. “I know time moves slower for us enchanters and enchantresses as we age more like elves, but it still seemsshocking.”
“Yes,” Angelique blithelyagreed.
“Our little son, all grown up!” Evaristeexclaimed.
“What?” Angeliqueasked.
Evariste was out the door before she could say anything more. “Ahh, but such is the life of parents,” he said as he disappeared into thehallway.
