Angelique whirled around. “What?” she asked inhorror.
“Essence de Fox,” Gabriellerepeated.
Angelique grimaced. She recognized the name as one of Stil’s early creations meant to inhibit all olfactory abilities. (It was a rousing success, but Angelique would never want to actuallyusethe stuff.) “Do you know what’sinthat?”
“She doesn’t want to know,” Roland was quick to say. “Come, Mistress. While Angelique gets started with her magic, we should continue searching for your newsubjects.”
“Butwhat—”
“Hush. We’ve already wasted hours, and the residents of Carabas deserve to learn that they’ve been setfree!”
* * *
By the time night fell,Angelique felt like a frayed dishtowel.
She had spent the afternoon walking through the ruined castle and city, doing her best to mend the direst of the wreckage. (She had never used so many building- and construction-based spells in herlife!)
At least I’ll have a solid case if the Council lectures me for this. It’s a wonder the castle didn’t fall down on top of the residents yearsago!
Angelique sagged against a stone support pillar as she stared up at the wooden ceiling beam she was repairing. Her magic came at a slow trickle—not because it was running low, but rather because she was so tired she couldn’t muster any greateramount.
She stood in the shadows, apart fromLadyGabrielle’s subjects, who scurried through the great hall, cleaning and setting furniture and ornaments right. Though they had only been at it for an afternoon, already the castle seemed lighter—andsmelledbetter. The air was fresh and scented with ocean brine rather than the rotten smell of ogre or the pungent scent ofEssence deFox.
“This is pathetic,” Angelique grumbled as her eyes drooped with exhaustion. “I took rests throughout the day—why can’t I domore?”
“Because you’re doing bigger spells than you’re usedto.”
If she had been any less tired, Angelique would have jumped in place. Instead, she looked down at Roland, who was fastidiously licking a paw and using it to clean hisface.
“What do you mean?” Angeliqueasked.
“Evariste taught you a great deal, and you used many spells,” he conceded. “However, you normally didn’t fire off so many spells in a row. It’s the same reason you were tired yesterday—you defeated goblins and then worked a major healing spell. Besides, Evariste taught you spells to strengthen wood timbers and reform broken stone inNoyers, not a crusty city that is little better thanruins.”
Angelique sighed and watched a rather determined-looking woman roll up her sleeves and attack a fireplace with enviable exuberance. “Normally I’d argue with you and say it’s just proof of my deficiencies, but I suspect you are right. It’s still disappointing.” She pushed a little more of her magic into the spell she was using to strengthen the ceiling beam. “Otherwise, do you think I’m finally reaching myprice?”
“Hardly,” he scoffed. “You’ve used a bucketful compared to the ocean of magic you possess. No, you just need practice. Evariste taught you well and gave you a great framework, but what you are experiencing now is the messy-ness of the world that those without magic mustface.”
Safely hidden in the shadows, Angelique pursed herlips.
“You will find that you’ll improve—rapidly, if you keep this pace up.” Roland purred as he briefly rubbed against her skirts, making the coins on her hem jingle. “A year from now, you’ll be as stalwart as any scruffymage.”
“We’ll see,” Angelique said, unconvinced. “But Roland—do you want me to call you that, or Puss,now?”
Roland flicked his tail. “Both names are special to me,” he said. “Either willdo.”
Angelique smiled. “Then I shall call youPuss.”
He twitched his whiskers. “You hope to irritateme?”
“No. Because I think it’s proper—to acknowledge this new life that you’ve embraced,” Angelique said. “Though I might mess upsometimes.”
“I’m still your Roland.” He again pushed against herskirts.
His words made her throat ache a little with emotion, but she swallowed it. “I know, and I’m thankful. But I won’t hold you back.” The last part almost came out as a whisper, but she managed to say it. And that was the importantthing.
She tested the wooden beam with her magic but wasn’t yet satisfied, so she twisted some more of her powers, further reinforcing the timber. Once she had it going, she let her attention wander and spottedGabrielle.
She was at the far side of the room, helping a footman roll up a moth-eaten, hole-riddled rug. When they finished, she shouldered the rug with ease and walked over to the open window, flinging it into the courtyard where they were temporarily throwing all unusableitems.
