Angelique looked up and felt the blood drain from her face.Perhaps I’m not so fine after all.“Hello, Lady EnchantressLovelana.”
“Apprentice Angelique, greetings.” The beautiful enchantress nodded politely. “I didn’t expect to see youhere.”
Angelique furrowed her browquizzically.
“I heard about your experience in Arcainia,” shesupplied.
“Ah, yes. Well, Clovicus took the matter to the Council and explained everything,” Angeliquesaid.
“I see.” Lovelananodded.
Angelique bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to gauge the enchantress’ reaction. Lovelana was infatuated with Evariste, which meant she inherently was not warm to Angelique. (Oddly, it seemed all women who fancied Evariste shared the feeling. Angelique could never grasp why. She was Evariste’s student, not his partner. And Angelique would have gladly used her insider knowledge of Evariste’s life to forge connections with the other females if she hadn’t thought they’d hiss at her for suggesting such athing.)
Lovelana, however, had softened some after Evariste was kidnapped. She was the enchantress in charge of the committee that searched for Evariste, so it was important to stay on polite terms withher.
But is she feeling polite enough that I can inquire after the committee’s activities?Angelique nudged her hood off and straightened. “Do you have a lead you’re following in locating Lord EnchanterEvariste?”
Lovelana slightly pursed her lips. “Not just yet. In reviewing all cases of reported black mages, the committee uncovered four abandoned shops and workrooms. One of my agents did capture a black mage in Loire, but he has barely any skill and received his orders by paper. Though he’s been questioned extensively, he knew nothing besides the locations of a shop—which was already closed by the time we uncoveredit.”
“You’re still going through old reports?” Angeliqueasked.
Lovelana smiled. “Yes.”
“Have you spoken to Prince Severin and Prince Lucien about the night Prince Severin was cursed?” Angeliqueasked.
Lovelana shook her head. “No. Given that the prince was cursed after Evariste was captured, it was determined the two events wereunrelated.”
“Then what about Arcainia?” Angelique asked. “Clotilde—the woman King Henrik married—is clearly a witch of some variation. She cursed the Arcainian princes with twoartifacts.”
“I left the Conclave before details of your excursion were fully reported.” Lovelana’s voice was perhaps a little stiffer now. “I’m heading north to Farset next so I won’t be able to look into Arcainia just yet. But if it is as you say, I imagine the Council will dispatch someone else to take care ofit.”
Angelique wasn’t so convinced, but she could see what little rapport she had with Lovelana was fading fast. “Yes, I suppose you’re right,” she agreed—even though she was hardly convinced. “Where are you comingfrom?”
I bet she was investigating the Ringsted storms—though it would make more sense to send a weather magethere.
“Torrens,” Lovelanasupplied.
Angelique blinked. Torrens was where she and Evariste lived. (Orhadlived, as a twitch in her chest reminded her.) “Oh?”
“Yes. According to our reports, many years ago, there used to be several black mages who lived in Torrens but have since gone missing. I went to investigate thefacts.”
Angelique smiled mildly when she really wanted to groan.Of course they went missing. King Channing married warrior queen Lisheva from Baris! The year they were married, she went and hunted all those mages down for the fun of it! How does no one know this?Angelique held in a sigh.The committee is never going to find Evariste if they are investigating incidents thatold.
“Did you find anything of note?” Angelique was proud she kept her tone inquisitive rather thansnappy.
“Alas, no. It seems the Royal Family took care of the mages long ago, so there was nothing to uncover.” Lovelana slightly tilted her head back as she studied Angelique. “And what brings you here to Erlauf? I would have assumed you would be prepping for yourevaluations.”
“I cannot take my enchantress examinations until Evariste is found,” Angelique remindedher.
“Oh, I suppose I forgot that. Why, then, are you here?” Lovelanaasked.
Angelique weighed her options.Given the rather narrowed look she’s giving me, now is likely not the best time to inform her that I’m searching for Evariste myself.Angelique straightened slightly. “I’m searching for Fairy Godmother Sybilla, actually. Do you know if she’s in thearea?”
Lovelana tapped her lips. “No, I don’t believe so. But we only arrived thismorning.”
“We?” Angeliqueasked.
“Yes, Mage Finnr, Mage Walf, and myself. Mage Finnr and Mage Walf were sent to accompany me on my travels out of fear that black mages might be targeting all enchantresses,” Lovelanasaid.
