Angelique blinked very slowly.Finnr? Out of all people, Finnr is here? And how much money could I make if I bet Walf is his stout companion who came after me at Castle Brandis?“Is that so?” she finally managed to say. “Well, I shouldn’t waste any more of your time. Thank you for all your work.” She started edgingaway.
“Oh, and there’s Finnr!” Lovelana smiled beautifully as she looked beyond Angelique—who was now scooting at double thepace.
That’s just my luck—grump-face himself is here. Lovely, just lovely.Angelique positioned herself so she could easily flee up the street and angled herself so she could keep an eye on Finnr as heapproached.
The daunting man bowed slightly and muttered, “Lady Enchantress.” He rocked to a stop when he saw Angelique. “Apprentice,” he said in a deep and icyvoice.
Angelique sucked a breath in and made her smile even bigger. “Whyhello,Mage Finnr! Fancy meeting youhere!”
Finnr narrowed his eyes slightly and spread his fingerswide.
Yep, it is necessary to get out of here quickly if I don’t want Finnr to ponder whether or not the Council would like to talk to me regardless of the warrant beingcanceled.
“It was such a lovely time to see both of you, but if you excuse me, Imustbe leaving,” Angelique said. “Lady Enchantress, Mage Finnr.” She was in the process of scurrying away when Mage Finnr called afterher.
“If you wish to avoid such unpleasantries in the future, Apprentice, you’d be wise to more carefully choose youractions.”
Angelique stopped mid-step and swung around. “I beg yourpardon?”
“Arcainia,” he said. “You need not fear other mages if you acted according to thelaw.”
Perhaps, but the law didn’t account for a power-hungry witch who enchanted a king and attempted to kill his children! And even if I hadn’t done it, I’d still fear other mages because other mages fear me!Though the sarcasm burned in her throat, Angelique didn’t let it claw free. “Mmm,” shesaid.
Lovelana frowned delicately. “What were you doing in Arcainia at that time anyway? And why are you now here inErlauf?”
That line of questions doesnotbode well for me.Escape!
Angelique threw on a smile, acting as if she hadn’t heard the question. “I wish you both luck in your endeavors!” She waved wildly and skipped off, hurrying up the street at a fast pace she knew Lovelana would not attempt tomatch.
She only looked over her shoulder twice to confirm Finnr wasn’t following her before she found the cobbler’s shop that the flower vender hadmentioned.
It was a tiny shop with walls lined in varying styles, colors, and sizes of shoes. Though they had everything from beaded ladies’ slippers to leather riding boots, there was barely enough room for the cobbler—a short, scrawny elderly man who had a mustache so long it nearly touched his chest. He peered through tinted glasses as he tapped away on the sole of a beautifulboot.
As there was no room for customers, the store instead had three large, open-air windows through which customers could inspect goods and haggle with the cobbler’s apprentice—a young lady with lovely, russet brown hair and a spattering of freckles that made her appear innocent even though her eyes sparkled withintelligence.
“Good day, Mademoiselle,” the apprentice greeted as she eyed Angelique’s dress—probably trying to gauge her position. “How may I helpyou?”
“I heard rumors throughout Erlauf of magic glass and was told by a flower vendor you have shoes made of such athing?”
The apprentice tilted her head. “Ahhh yes, you must have spoken to Vitore—she minds the market stall that belongs to Duchess Cinderella of Aveyron. I know just what shemeant.”
“Duchess Cinderella? I thought all Trieux nobles were deposed in the Erlauf take over,” Angeliquesaid.
The apprentice shook her head as she retrieved a wooden chest from under a counter. “No—a few families were allowed to keep their titles and powers. Our Duchess Cinderella Lacreux is one ofthem.”
Lacreux—I don’t believe I met any Trieux nobles by that name, but it soundsfamiliar.
The apprentice dug a necklace from the shirt of her dress, revealing a key that she stuck into the locked chest. “Mademoiselle Cinderella is a marvel, for she cast off her riches and now works her lands with her servants.” The lockclicked.
Ahhh, yes, that is how I have heard the name. I heard rumors in Erlauf of the scarlet-haired duchess who works as a servant, yet owns more land than anyone inErlauf.
“Here, this is what Vitore spoke of when she mentioned shoes of glass.” The apprentice reached into the small chest and pulled out a pair of glass slippers, which she set down in front ofAngelique.
They were multifaceted to make them sparkle more like diamonds than true glass. Even as she stared at them, a rainbow hue seemed to glide up and down the shoe. Tiny roses were etched into the toe and heel of the slippers, and if Angelique stared long enough, she could have sworn the petals actuallymoved.
They werebreathtaking.
The detail and craftsmanship—Angelique had never seen anything like them!Perhaps theywillbe able to help me, if they’re able to create something likethis!
