She shivered.But I can control it. I can stifle it until my magic loses its edge, and I can spin it into somethinggood.
“Is everything all right, Angel?” Evaristeasked.
“Hm? Yes. Thank you, MasterEvariste.”
He nodded. “Finish up whatever project you and Roland were working on. Tonight, I’ll explain to you how the power evaluation works and what you need to do to passit.”
“Thank you, Master Evariste,” Angelique repeated. She started to go but hesitated in the doorway. “Master Evariste, if it’s not forbidden, can you tell mewherethis power evaluation takesplace?”
“Of course.” Evariste grinned. “On the edge of Baris’ AurumDesert.”
Chapter 25
Angelique’s stomach churned.She would have scuffed her foot in the grass, but as she was wearing leather boots, it would have ruined Evariste’slawn.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come, Roland?” Angelique askedhopefully.
“How can I make my refusal any clearer?” Roland asked. “Must I go kill a rodent and present its carcass to you to show you just how little I would like tocome?”
But it’s my practice evaluation…The words died in her throat, and she could only manage a strangledsmile.
The black and white cat sighed and sat on the toe of one of her boots. “Cheer up. You are going to an evaluation—Evariste isn’t sending you to yourdeath.”
“But there are supposed to be enchanters or enchantresses there to observe,” Angeliquesaid.
“So?” Roland demanded. “You’ve rubbed elbows with plenty of other magic users over the past decade, and this is merely for practice. Stopworrying!”
“Sorry, Angel!” Evariste called as he jogged across the pond bridge, a satchel thumping against his side. “All set, now.” He grinned as he halted next to her and placed a warm hand on the spot between her shoulder blades. “Don’t we look sharp, MasterRoland?”
In a move that Angelique wascertainhad political undertones to it, Evariste and Angelique wore matching trousers and dove-tail jackets. The jackets sported wing designs on their shoulder blades and feathers at the hems and cuffs, but where Angelique’s was white with blue embroidery, Evariste’s was white withred.
He uses clothing as a weapon. It had taken Angelique most of her apprenticeship to realize this, but she was grateful for the subtle act that showed how he clearly supported her as her master andteacher.
Roland sniffed. “Good luck, Angelique,” he said, ignoring Evariste’s question. “I await news of your success.” The cat then turned around and presented them with his butt, his tail high as he trotted back to thehouse.
“Are you ready?” Evariste asked as he motioned to the already-open portal—a structure of white marble pillars and baked goldenlight.
Angelique pressed her lips together butnodded.
Evariste cradled her face, his thumbs lightly dusting her temples. “You’ll do fine, Angel.” He bent over until his forehead rested against hers. “Breathe. This isn’t a test; it’s an evaluation of your power. They can’t keep you from shining, even if they wantto.”
His closeness made it a bit hard to swallow, and she had to fight the urge to leap backwards, but his ever-constant warmth that he radiated broke through the icy clamp terror held on her heart, and despite herself, she relaxed a little. She exhaled, and her eyes briefly slidshut.
“That’s my Angel,” Evariste chuckled. “Come on, this is going to befun,” he promised. His grin showed more teeth than usual as he pulled back and motioned for Angelique to step through the portalfirst.
Angelique barely thought about it as she did, swapping the cool spring air and the smell of wet soil for the hot, arid winds that blasted her when she stepped intoBaris.
The portal did not dump Angelique out at an oasis budding with life or near the hustle and bustle of Fillia, but on a large, red plateau that overlooked the golden dunes of Aurum Desert and sat huddled at the foot of the Arkane Mountains that separated Baris fromErlauf.
A jagged gorge split through the center of the plateau, creating a black gaping mouth in the otherwise flat and lonesomeplateau.
The area rather reminded Angelique of a warm sunset—from the golden hues of the desert to the red rock of the plateau that shifted up into the browns of the parched mountains. (On this side, at least. Angelique knew from experience that the mountains on Erlauf’s side of the range were covered with green trees and topped with whitesnow.)
“Ahem,” someone said, yanking Angelique’s attention from the landscape. Three people—the beautiful Lady Enchantress Lovelana, a lord enchanter who looked like he was in his early forties, and a bent, elderly man who had a thick monocle and the expression of a sour pickle—stood in a cluster, gazing expectantly atAngelique.
Evariste bumped her when he came through behind her and closed his portal with a casual gesture. “Enchantress Lovelana, Enchanter Lazare, thank you for coming,” hesaid.
Enchanter Lazare—of the Veneno Conclave Council—pointed his cane at the other man, who wore a splendid green cloak. “What’shedoing here?” hegrunted.
