“I’ll let you know if I find anything more,” Clovicus said. “Take care, Angelique. And don’t take too manyrisks.”
Angelique nodded automatically and was surprised when Clovicus flicked her on theforehead.
“I mean it,” he said. “If you hurt yourself, Evariste will be devastated.” Though his words sounded like a private joke, his voice was steady and his expression serious. He nodded once at her before he strode off into the street, effortlessly throwing up a spell that blocked the rain so it trickled around him and didn’t so much as dampen the hem of hisrobes.
Angelique frowned slightly.I never know quite what to make of him, she thought.But at least I have a clear idea of what my next move is. I need to find Sybilla and check into that rumor of magicglass.
* * *
The hoodof Angelique’s cloak threatened to slide off her head. Angelique tugged it down as she strolled through the marketplace of Werra—or Arroux, as it used to be called under Trieux rule. There was the typical market fare for a city as large as Werra: produce, livestock, ceramics, carpentry, and more. Unfortunately, there were no stalls for glassworkers.
I’ve already talked to the two glassmakers in the city, and they assured me they knew nothing of magic glass. But all the rumors I heard insisted an object of magic glass was inWerra.
A slight breeze stirred Angelique’s cloak—which would have been stifling if not for the charms worked into her gown. She wore the cloak not for warmth or shelter—for it was sunny and not a single cloud lingered in the sky—but to at least partially hide herface.
She had run into two mages during her search for Sybilla and the fabled magic glass. Neither of the meetings were particularly pleasant—though only one of the mages threatened to tell the Veneno Conclave where she was so she could be properly “schooled.” The other merely fled, though Angelique was fairly certain he had tattled her location, for she narrowly missed running into Mage Finnr and his stout companion not a few dayslater.
I don’t know that Clovicus cleared my name as well as he thought—for could it really be a coincidence that brought Finnr through Erlauf at the sametime?
Angelique stopped in front of a stall selling bright yellow flowers. She turned a circle—trying to see any sign of glasswork, and sighed.Nothing.
“May I help you,Mademoiselle?”
Angelique rotated to face the flower stall, blinking a little when she saw the woman who was addressingher.
Her voice sounded more sophisticated than the haggling folk around her, and she held herself with accustomedgrace.
“I apologize—I’m blocking your stall,” Angeliquesaid.
“Not at all, Mademoiselle. But can I help you? You seem as though you are looking for something,” the womansaid.
Angelique mashed her lips together and nodded. “Yes, I heard rumors of magic glass here in Werra. I’m trying to findit.”
“Magic glass,” the woman repeated slowly. “Yes, I might know what you speakof.”
Angelique brightened. “Truly?”
The woman nodded. “There is a cobbler’s shop past the market, up two streets. It has a pair of magic glass shoes—the likes of which none have seen. The glass itself is enchanted, for the shoes are able to support human weight and are said to be comfortable. They caused quite an uproar when the cobbler displayed them, but of course no one of Trieux can afford them, and such a thing would never interest someone fromErlauf.”
Chapter 16
Angelique’s heart fell.Ahhh, yes. That makes sense why I could never confirm if the glass was a mirror.She should have known better than to hope by now, but the disappointment still left a bitter taste in her mouth. She rolled her shoulders back and tried to bolster her sagging spirits.But the shoes must be forged out of special glass to hold an enchantment, so I had better follow through. The cobbler might be willing to reveal hissupplier.
“I see,” Angelique said. “Thank you for your help. By chance, do you happen to know if a fairy godmother has been throughWerra?”
The woman shook her head. “I apologize, Mademoiselle, but I have heard of no suchrumor.”
“No, there is nothing to apologize for. Rather, I must express my thanks for your aid.” Angelique smiled—though it felt a little forced in her disappointment. “Good day toyou.”
“Good day,Mademoiselle.”
Angelique made her way through the market, heading in the direction the woman had indicated.I’ll follow this lead, and then perhaps make a discreet appeal to the palace. I’ve been receiving invitations to this victory ball Queen Freja is soon throwing at the former Trieux palace since the day I arrived. If palace officials are aware I’m present, then perhaps they will know if Sybilla is aswell.
Angelique reached the edge of the market where she narrowly missed colliding with a person who swept around the side of a stall. (She would have smacked straight into the woman if her years of combat practice hadn’t made her jerk backwards at the lastmoment.)
“I beg your pardon.” Angelique busied her hands with brushing off her cloak so as to hide the faint flicker of magic that had leaped to her fingertips at the possibility of a threat. She shoved her magic down.I’m fine. There’s no need to be sojumpy.
“No, not at all, the fault was all mine…Angelique?”
