Angelique nodded slightly. “Iapologize.”
Clovicus waved her off. “Just know that next time—because you seem unusually prone towards walking into these kinds of situations—if you send me a letter, I can smooth things out for youbeforethey start taking unnecessary offense at your actions. It’s given me a taste of what Evariste endured with your unusual…shall we call it…luck?”
Properly scolded, Angelique peered into her half-empty mug. “It is my fault and my short-coming. Next time I will dobetter.”
His head half-tilted, Clovicus studied her for a few long moments before his expression shifted into a relaxed and barely-there grin. “It wasn’t too much trouble. You’re an excellent apprentice—the Council’s blindness is not your doing. Besides, Evariste wasfar worsethan you’ve everbeen.”
Angelique straightened in her chair. “But Evariste was aprodigy.”
“And the nosiest brat I had ever come across.” Clovicus set his pint down with an emphatic thump. “Being a prodigy made him greatly admired at Luxi-Domus. By the time he came to me, his head was so big his skinny neck could barely keep itupright.”
Angelique felt her eyes pop from her head. “I don’t believe…really?”
Clovicus’ smile deepened into a smirk. “On the first day of his lessons, we covered weather magic. He informed me he knew all about twisting his core magic into other types of magic. I pointed out he had never doneit.”
Angelique leaned closer as she tried to picture a young Evariste. “Whathappened?”
Clovicus shrugged. “He was insistent he knew what he was doing, so I told him if he was so confident, he should make an attempt. He struck himself with lightning and then passed out when he couldn’t figure out how to stop channeling his magic into thespell.”
A bark of laughter escaped Angelique before she guiltily slapped a hand over hermouth.
Clovicus chuckled. “Youshouldlaugh—me laughing is the only way the little monster made it through his first month of training instead of getting strangled in the middle of the night.” He shook his head. “After that incident, he was a little better about listening to me—though in recent years hestillwillfully ignores me. I don’t understand why, for it always comes back to bite him.” He rolled his eyes, but Angelique could tell the second he remembered Evariste was gone, for some of the light went out of hiseyes.
A moment or two passed before Angelique awkwardly cleared her throat.I guess it’s my turn to say something.“He was lucky to have you as ateacher.”
“Maybe,” Clovicus said. “During his first year with me, he didn’t know his boundaries, and his previous instructors and fellow students had talked him up so much, he thought he could do anything.” Clovicus narrowed his eyes as he studied Angelique. “He was the opposite of you. Your previous instructors urged you to use restraint or to lock up your magic altogether, even though you are just as powerful as he is. Perhaps moreso.”
Angelique shook her head. “Given how miserably I’ve been failing at magic lately—failing to defeat Clotilde, taking months to get that advanced location spell to work—I am beginning to doubt I am as powerful asbelieved.”
“You’re confusing power with experience,” Clovicus said. “Even after their apprenticeship, nearly every Enchanter or Enchantress is practically useless for a decade or two until they have more experience. Living with Evariste has perhaps misled you there. The truth is, Angelique, you were tossed into an ocean after Evariste left. It’s impressive that you’ve been able to think on your feet fast enough to react, much less keep yourself from getting killed in yourencounters.”
“Perhaps,” Angelique reluctantlysaid.
“You said in your message Clotilde had two artifacts—you had no way of predicting that given their rarity. It was a mistake even I likely would have made,” Clovicusadded.
Angelique watched a pair of soldiers demonstrate a grappling hold. “Perhaps,” sherepeated.
“Speaking of Arcainia, is there no way for its people to take care of Clotilde on their own?” Clovicusasked.
Angelique slowly shook her head. “I don’t believe so. As you said, magical artifacts are rare and powerful, and the black diamonds Clotilde used….” She mashed her lips together and stared at her mug. “There is one possibility, though it’s a longshot.”
“Oh? Do share,” Clovicusprompted.
“It’s Elise—the foster-daughter of King Henrik. I think shemighthave magic, and it might possibly be a kind that either reflects or deadens another mage’spowers.”
Clovicus whistled. “Rare stuff. Andpowerful.”
“I can’t say for certain that she has it. I’m not quite sensitive enough to gauge another mage’s magic,” Angelique said. “But it seems rather unlikely given her age and her homecountry.”
Clovicus shook his head. “Not necessarily. Rumor has it Ingrid sought her out and made her the royal foster-child. Though the Veneno Conclave required that Ingrid set her title of Enchantress aside and refrain from using her magic in Arcainia when she married Henrik, she had some natural foresight magic. I imagine she didn’t pick Elise out on awhim.”
The soldiers who were still demonstrating wrestling skills staggered away from the clearedarea.
Angelique, seeing that they were stumbling in their general direction, lifted her mug off the table. “What do you recommend I do, then?” sheasked.
“Track down Sybilla,” Clovicus advised. “If you describe what you felt, she’ll have a better idea—it’s her specialty, after all.” Both of his eyebrows arched when the wrestlers jostled into their table, spilling some of Clovicus’drink.
“Sorry,” one of the soldiers watching from the other side of the roomcalled.
