Up went Dylan’s chin in the continental sign of stubbornness. “This is the onlyway.”
Angelique sighed. “As you wish—although I will not pretend to agree with your methods. I would like to help you more, but I am needed in Sole. I can seal your voice, but I haven’t much time to do anything beyond that. I’msorry.”
Dylan shook her head. “If you seal my voice, you will have done more than I could ever repay you for, Lady Enchantress. I am strong. I can handle thisalone.”
Angelique squinted, already second-guessing the decision, for Dylan sounded dangerously similar to Angelique when she fought with Evariste before he was captured. “It has been my experience that when we believe we are capable of handling it ourselves, it becomes a situation that is so very much bigger than we are. I will seal your voice, though I hope you won’t regretit.”
“I would much rather be able to swim as a sea lion in the ocean than sing,” Dylan assuredher.
Angelique relaxed slightly. “Oh, I won’t seal your voiceforever.”
“What?”
“I can work a counter spell into it, so your voice will return to you when you fulfill therequirements.”
“Oh. What will the requirements be?” Dylanasked.
Thatmade Angelique wince.In a situation like this, it’s the more powerful counters that are best—the same way it is for curse modification. And of course I’m terribly limited in my abilities in this area. It is a failing of my schooling—though in all fairness, curses are not very common, and the rate at which they’ve popped up over the past few years is alarminglyunusual.
Angelique cleared her throat and kept her expression calm. “True love’s firstkiss.”
Dylan blinked. “What?”
Angelique smiled at Dylan, although she was unable to contain all the bitterness she felt about the subject, and the smile felt a little flat. “I apologize, but it is the most powerful counter spell I know. In something as powerful as this, love is the only key I canuse.”
Dylan shrugged, unbothered by the requirement. “As yousay.”
“You agree soswiftly?”
“It is my mess. Getting my voice back is more than I deserve,” Dylan shrugged. “Someday I’ll find someone to break the curse. The bigger threat is that seawitch.”
I don’t know whether to be horrified she impulsively decided that giving up her voice forever was a good idea, or admire her for seeing the bigger threats at play and moving to stop them.Angelique stared at Dylan for a moment. “You are…unusual.”
“My father says that all the time. I think it is merely that most folk don’t know how to take responsibility for themselves,” Dylanscoffed.
Angelique managed another weak smile. “There’s a difference between being responsible and beingbrash.”
“So I have heard. Is there anything I must do for you to seal my voice? Do you need ingredients?” Dylanasked.
“No,” Angelique said. “It’s an easy enough spell. It is the results that are potent and dangerous.” She hesitated. “Are youcertainyou do not wish to tell yourfamily?”
“Yes. Please, seal my voice, LadyEnchantress.”
Angelique pressed her hands together.What else can I do? This is too big for me to handle alone. If Dylan’s voice is sealed, the sea witch can’t use her, and she might be able to uncover moreinformation.
Lacking any other idea, Angelique stood. She started to gather up her magic, molding it into the necessary form. She checked her work twice, grimly ignoring her silvery magic as it brushed around her and tugged at her clothes. But when she couldn’t delay it any longer, Angelique looked atDylan.
“Dylan, daughter of King Murron and Queen Gwenllian, guardians of the seas, I bind your voice and seal it from now until the day that a kiss of true love touches your lips,” Angelique said, her voice deeper and sharp from the magic filling her voice. “You shall not speak; you shall not sing. You will besilent.”
Light laced with twirls of pale blue and green encircled Dylan, swirling closer and closer to her. The light encased the base of her neck in a thin ribbon, encircling it like anecklace.
Angelique could see the faint glyphs and symbols of the spell settling into place with her magic. She held her breath, but Dylan’s eyes were bright and unafraid as Angelique’s sharp, cool magic tightened around the selkie’s throat before soaking into herskin.
Her magic hummed when the seal settled in, and Angelique could feel the moment the spell took, sealing Dylan’s voice. (It was a gentle tug at the pit of her stomach, followed by a ringing feeling in herchest.)
A deep thrum—similar to the slam of a great door closing—and the last bits of the spelldisappeared.
Angelique exhaled, relieved the spell had worked. “I will carry your message of the sea witch to other mages and magic users.” She rejoined Pegasus, dropping his reins over his neck so they wouldn’t droop onto the ground. “And if I hear no news from Ringsted by next spring, I will return and see if I cannot help you. Don’t worry; if you reclaim your pelt but not your voice, I have associates who can break off my magic.” Angelique smiled. It dimmed when she realized it would have to be Enchanter Clovicus rather thanEvariste.
