Angelique waited impatiently for his return, hoping that whatever he had unearthed wasuseful.
He ambled back a few minutes later, carrying a book with a blue leather binding that was so faded, it was more of a watery gray. The pages were tattered, and a few were torn, and the ink words on the page had faded withage.
“Here we are.” Stil set the book on the table and flipped it open, making a small cloud of dust. “It’s an old spell, and it requires a lot of power, but since it’s you, I think you might be able to make itwork.”
Angelique sipped her tea—which tasted, now with the cream, like blueberry cobbler—then set it aside so she could join Stil on a settee. “What kind of spell isit?”
“It’s another location spell, but it’s rather advanced and uses a different method—one I believe would be harder for the black mages to block out.” Stil sat back as he rubbed his chin. “Most location spells are set loose on the continent and seek out a person. Since they’re very general, they’re also very easy todeflect.”
“And this spell isn’t quite so general?” Angeliqueasked.
Stil shook his head. “It uses the bond between two people to locate the other one. The spell follows the tie of the relationship, and there you find the missing companion. It’s rather complex—I think even Evariste might find it challenging—but I’m sure with a bit of practice, you can completeit.”
Angelique frowned slightly. She wasn’t too concerned about the complexity—she could keep trying the spell for as long as it took to master it, but… “It sounds like a better option, but how close of a relationship does itrequire?”
Stil frowned at her. “Does itmatter?”
Angelique rubbed at her temple as she carefully chose her words. “My claim on Evariste might not be strong enough. I would take it to King Themerysaldi of the elves, but I still can’t reach him or hispeople.”
“Angelique, you were Evariste’s student for fourteen years. He jokingly referred to me asyour jointchild. If your bond isn’t strong enough for the spell to work,norelationship would be able to weather it.” Stil used the scoffing tone he occasionally trotted out whenever he thought she was acting dense, but Angelique was not quite socertain.
She didn’t doubt that Evariste cared for her—he showered her with endless affection and gifts—or even that she had a bond withEvariste.
Her voiced worries were a cover, really, for Stil wouldn’t understand the true problem—which wasn’t so much the emotional tie, but the magic of it. How would she affect the spell? She had seen her powersdevourthe magic of others. Could it actually work on such an old and advanced spell without self-imploding before findingEvariste?
I guess I will just keep trying until I reach him, then. It’s a lead, and I’m desperate enough to try anything rightnow.
“Thank you, Stil, for finding the book—and the spell.” Angelique smiled at him, carefully taking the tattered book when he offered it toher.
“I’ll keep looking,” Stil promised. He rested his hand on top of hers and squeezed. “We’ll find him, Angelique. We won’t stop until we bring himhome.”
* * *
Angelique frownedas she carefully re-read the spell from the book Stil had brought her, peering from it to the circuit of magic she had twisted her powersinto.
It’s shaped oddly. I must have done something wrong…butwhere?
Her silvery magic twined through a complex weaving pattern that was shaped like a flower with defined petals. Glowing glyphs and scripts—words of magic—glittered around the edges of the petals, completing thespell.
But it couldn’t be right, for her spell had turned out rather domed, whereas the book insisted it was meant to remainflat.
A door opened, and Angelique froze. She strained her ears for footsteps or conversation, but there wasnothing.
Suspicious, she narrowed her eyes and peered around one of the large bookshelves, but it appeared she wasalone.
Prince Severin had returned from Verglas with his lovely lady, Elle. Given that she had apparently injured herself while in Verglas, he had taken her to his Chateau until her health improved, and they had only recently returned toNoyers.
Severin had invited Angelique to the palace to meet this Elle, but when she arrived, the prince and his lady were still meeting with the royalfamily.
Having no wish to intrude on what was clearly an important time, Angelique had opted to wait for the happy couple in the library…because she thought it was the room Lucien would be least likely to enter if he “happened” to wander away from the familyvisit.
Even so, Angelique was suspicious that the handsome prince might have accounted for her actions and would outmaneuver her and corner her in the library with his smarmy attitude and ridiculouscompliments.
Angelique shook her head slightly as she returned to her work, comparing her spell with the book’sexample.
I got the words of magic correct—for my glyphs and symbols are right. But why, then, does it have this funnyshape?
Angelique frowned as she drummed her fingers on the table. “I,” she announced, “am not the student I oncewas.”
