They didn’t know the depth of Angelique’s power—no one did, really. They suspected, of course, but if they learned itstrueextent…
They’d hunt her like an animal. She’d never be safe, and she wouldn’t even know they were coming for her! He turned his back to the spell and stared, anguished, into the horrifying gray of the mirror. It made his heart shudder to think of staying there, in the smothering gray.It doesn’t matter.I can’t let them find out it’s her.Even if it means she doesn’t locateme.
Evariste took a deep breath and let his hope of escape die.“Angel, you have to stop this! It’s too dangerous,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice low so Acri and the others wouldn’t hear him over their shouts and the sizzle ofmagic.
He could mentally feel Angelique’s shock, and he had the faint impression she bolted into a sitting position.“Evariste? Where areyou?”
Evariste shut his eyes. He’d rather see darkness than the gray that only served as a reminder of his future. “You have to stop thespell.”
“Are you crazy? No! Not after I finally foundyou!”
Her familiar squawk was a dagger to his heart, and Evariste smiled and grimaced at the same time. Stars, he missedher.
“Cut the spell off!” heordered.
He peered over his shoulder and saw Suzu pressing a black flame into Angelique’s spell.If she succeeds in burning through Angelique’s spellwork, they’ll be able to trace herlocation.
His heart rate ratcheted up, and he stopped breathing. “Cut it offnow!”
* * *
Angelique clenchedher jaw as she ignored the order. She could feel the spell straining, but she wasn’t certain what the problem was.I’m feeding it plenty of power, so why does it feel like something is holding itback?
“Where are you?” she repeated, louder. “Can you describe what you hear or have seen?” The spellisn’t—”
A quiet crack filled theworkshop.
Angelique opened her eyes to see the glass bead on her bracelet disintegrate, and the magic surrounding it snuff out. “NO!”
Without the bracelet, the spell began tofalter.
“Thank you for trying, and tell Clovicus everything. Keep alert; stay safe. If you are safe, I can survivethis.”
Angelique barely heard him. She was struggling to keep the spell going, but she couldn’t stabilize it. In her panic, she tried shoving a glob of her raw magic into it, but that only made the spell shatter into a million tinyfragments.
But before the spell faded into nothing, Angelique got one clear picture: a mirror—one that was full length and simple but had mint-green magic circling around itsframe.
“A mirror,” Angelique whispered as she collapsed in her chair. “They’re keeping him in amirror.”
* * *
Evariste saggedin relief when he felt the connection sever.She’s safe. They can’t track hernow.
Behind him, Funus roared in anger when the last flickers of Angelique’s magicfaded.
Suzu sighed in aggravation. “It must have been Clovicus—he likely figured out we were on tohim.”
Funus raised an eyebrow. “That spell looked poorly constructed for someone of Clovicus’experience.”
“Thenyoutell us who it was,” Suzusaid.
“He doesn’t have to,” Acri drawled. “Lord Enchanter Evariste knows who it was. Don’tyou?”
Evariste took several steps into the murky gray of the mirror before he turned around to face the glasspane.
Acri stood just outside it, smirking as he pressed the flat of one of his daggers to hislips.
I don’t know that there is a word foul enough to describe what he is. Evariste narrowed his eyes as he studied the warmage.
