Stars above, give me patience, Angelique grumbled. “But yourcurse—”
“The curse broke becauseIfell in love with her! My servants know it; I know it. Our curse was removed not because Elle loved me, but because I loved her, and she does not return my love,” Severin said, clenching his hands. “I didn’t fall in love with any of those other women, although Heaven knows I tried. But Elle…I knew I loved her the moment before I realized she was aliar.”
Angelique pinched her eyes shut as she prepared to make Severin carefully repeat his tirade, when she finally realized what he said andfroze.
Wait…he said the curse broke not because she loved him, but because he loves her. Did he not understand—did I not explain it properly tohim?
Guilt circled Angelique as she tried to remember exactly how she had explained the boundaries of his curse to him.“By falling in love, by another falling in love with you.” That’s what I should have said. Is that what I said? Perhaps I could have been a bit clearer. He must have interpreted it as one or the other, notboth, as I meant for it tobe.
Angelique eyed Severin with great remorse.This will teach me. I’m just a bit careless with my words, and apparently it has made two people—and an entire household—miserable. Ionly hope I can right it—and remember this for the rest of mylife!
“Oh, Severin.” She rested her hand on his shoulder, her regret coloring her voice. “I am sosorry.”
“Yes. Now you know.” Severin squared his shoulders, putting his emotion behindhim.
Goodness, he is unknowingly twisting the knife of my incompetence—but I only have myself to blame.“No.” Angelique shook her head. “I am sorry. I must not have explained your curse well enough. In order to break the spell that doomed you to live as a beast, you had to fall in love with a girl,andshe had to fall in love with you. It was not one or theother.”
Severin hesitated. “Youmean…?”
Angelique almost stooped in relief.Thank goodness; he’s going to take this news well.“Because your curse broke, I know Elle must love you deeply aswell.”
The shock that flooded his handsome face and the dismay in his voice made another dagger of guilt stab Angelique. “What have I done?” hemurmured.
Time for me to clean this mess up.Angelique rubbed her hands together as she sifted through possible plans. “Oliver tells me she has gone on ajourney?”
The shocked prince stared at his feet. “A mission. She’s a Ranger, anintelligencer.”
“You don’t know where she is?” Angeliqueasked.
He shook his head. “I know what she was sent to do, but I’ll never be able to findher.”
That’s easy enough to solve!Relieved she could perhaps make amends for her verbal flub, Angelique nodded when she espied the prince’s magic looking glass leaning against the wall of the study. “Ridiculous. Of course you will. You have a magicmirror.”
Severin stirred behind her. “I’m not certain it works anymore. I tried having it display Oliver, but itwouldn’t.”
Angelique thoughtfully scanned the mirror from top to bottom. “That’s because he was with me, and I shield my presence from all kinds of magicaltools.”
Ever since Evariste was captured,anyway.
Angelique pushed the thought aside and continued, “But Elle will not have that same protection. Mirror, show me this Elle girl that Prince Severin is in lovewith.”
The moment the glass surface started to swirl, Severin was at Angelique’s side, almost bumping her out of theway.
Angelique hid a grin at such an obvious sight of his devotion, until she noticed the disheartening image the mirrordisplayed.
A pretty young lady with black hair and bright and intelligent eyes leaned against a skeletal tree, panting as she clutched one of her legs. She peered around the tree—seemingly watching for something—then darted to a bush, quickly crawling beneathit.
Flattened against the ground, she pulled cloth bandages out of a pouch tied to her belt and started wrapping a nasty gash on herarm.
Angelique studied the image for a moment. “Is thather?”
“Yes,” Severin tightly said. “But how can I find her? She could beanywhere.”
What does he mean? We are looking at a magic mirror, a tool built for this sort of purpose.A tiny frown spread on Angelique’s lips. “You mean you don’t know how to use this?” She gestured at themirror.
Severin hadn’t peeled his eyes from the image of his lady love. “I apologize; I don’tunderstand.”
Ah, well. He’s not a magic user, and it’s not like books titled “How to Use Your Magic Mirror: The Beginner’s Guide” are floating around.Angelique turned back to the mirror. “Mirror, show me the area this Elle girl Prince Severin loves isin.”
