Angelique licked her lips as she faced the enchanted mirror once again. “Mirror, show me Lord EnchanterEvariste.”
She held her breath…but nothinghappened.
Angelique’s heart fell. “Mirror, show me Lord Enchanter Evariste’s home, Wistful Thicket,” shesaid.
Instantly, the glass surface swirled before showing a front image of Evariste’s house. The thicket was dark, but the windows were cheerfully lit, and the magic balled at the apex of the roof cast a silver light across thehouse.
“Mirror, show me Lord Enchanter Evariste of the Fire Gates,” Angelique tried oncemore.
The mirror’s surface returned to her reflection, leaving no doubt in her mind that the mirror couldn’t find hermaster.
Angelique’s legs trembled, and she sat down heavily in front of themirror.
I knew there was a chance this wouldn’t work—the Conclave must have similarly searched for him when I first got news to them that Evariste was captured. But…I hadhoped…
The mirror’s inaction was possibly the worst news possible, for it meant one of two things: wherever Evariste was, the black mages were magically shielding him so he could not be found…or he wasdead.
He can’t be dead. Angelique took a deep breath as she tried to combat the despair that threatened to engulf her.He’s too powerful. If black mages went through the effort of capturing him, it must mean they intend to use him for some terrible purpose. They wouldn’t toss aside a magic user of his caliber soeasily.
Angelique stretched so she could brush the edge of the mirror with a fingertip. She paused, then cleared her throat. “Mirror, show me Roland Archibald Whisperpaws theFifth.”
When the mirror swirled, Angelique scrambled to herfeet.
He’s alive! Roland is alive! If I can findhim—
She blinked rapidly as the image sharpened into somethingrecognizable.
Roland peevishly peered off into the distance, his bronze eyes glowing in the moonlight. Though it was dark, Angelique could still see the way he twitched his black tail as he walked down what looked like a city street. The wretched and bespelled black leather collar with the aqua jewel Angelique had made for practice and put on him was still fastened around hisneck.
I was such an idiot to ever put that on him! But where ishe?
Angelique frowned as she tried to make out more of hissurroundings.
The magic cat paused under a flickering torch before he jumped onto a hitching post outside what appeared to be an inn ortavern.
She squinted and leaned forward, trying to make out the furled flag that hung from a flagpole by the window. A gold, double-headed phoenix on a field of deep reddish purple marked the cloth. That was theBarisflag!
Angelique grabbed the edges of the mirror and peered at the image. “What is Roland doing inBaris?”
She opened her mouth, intending to tell the mirror to show her the city Roland was in, before she realized it was night, and she’d only get a view ofdarkness.
Angelique backed away from the mirror, and the image of the black and white cat faded as the reflective surface returned. She barely noticed as she pursed her lips and turned to the door, her eyes settling on the floor as she thought. “I’ll have to track him myself…but how did he get all the way over toBaris?”
“Who is in Baris?” Lucien asked as he strolled back into the room. Severin stalked in behind him, walking with a man wearing an eye-catching peacock blue jacket and waistcoat and a black mask over hisface.
Angelique felt the spark of her own magic as she studied the masked man.He must be one of Severin’s servants.“Have you spoken to your servants, Your Highness?” Angelique asked, choosing to ignore Lucien, who was smirking at her with the confidence of one who is used to having his appearance muchadmired.
“I have.” Severin’s cat ears swiveled as he glanced back at his servant. “It seems I did not understand how terribly the curse affected them. Thank you, Lady Enchantress, for saving my household.” He bowed deeply to her, and it struck Angelique that he was more grateful to her for his servants’ sake than hisown.
Even so, Angelique had to smile to keep herself from screaming,Enchantress-in-Training! GET IT RIGHT! If the Conclave thinks I’m presenting myself as a full enchantress, I’m going to get in trouble!“As an Enchantress-in-Training, I am glad it was within my abilities to aid you,” Angeliquesaid.
“Who is in Baris?” Lucienrepeated.
“A particular friend of mine,” Angelique said, choosing to keep things vague. (She did not want to involve the smarmy prince in her life more than necessary.) She brushed her skirts as she thought of the black and white cat. “I believe he means to travel north to the Veneno Conclave inMullberg.”
It was a logical thought. It had taken Angelique some days to get back home after Evariste had pushed her through a magic portal that spat her out in a northern country just as he was captured. Roland might have taken it upon himself to seek out help from the magicalcommunity.
“But I don’t understand why he went east to Baris instead of going north through Erlauf and winding through Loire,” shemurmured.
