“Greetings, princes and princess of Arcainia.” Angelique turned Pegasus in a circle so he stopped prancing. “Allow me to extend my happiest of congratulations in breaking the curse. It was fortuitous timing, might I add. I was almost to Loire when I felt your curse shatter; it made finding you an easy task. Elise, your dedication and sacrifice are to be commended.” She slid from Pegasus’ back—mostly because it was easier to keep up her pleasant mask when she wasn’t trying to contain the wildconstellation.
“Have you been cleared before the Veneno Conclave?” one of the princesasked.
“Not quite. But I do not think it will matter. I spoke to a close friend of mine, a fairy godmother from Erlauf.”Here comes the pitch—hopefully they don’t throw a fit.Angelique clasped her hands together and put on a winning smile. “We concluded that outside aid would beunnecessary.”
“You can defeat Clotilde on your own?” the youngest-looking princeasked.
Angelique almost laughed but successfully covered it with a cough. “No. Not even close. However, there is one closer to you who can do such a thing,” She swiveled, turning in the princess’ direction. “Elise can—good heavens! What happened to you, princess?” She covered her mouth with a hand to keep from revealing her droppedjaw.
Princess Elise, frankly, looked terrible. Her tattered dress was an ashy black color and had numerous burn marks. Her face had smears of soot, her hair was wild, and her hands looked puffy and sported angry welts. The eye-stinging scent of smoke wafted from her like acloud.
The princess dipped her head in respect. “I was almost burned at the stake. You were saying?” She looked attentively to Angelique, as if being burned at the stake were a common and trivialtrial.
Angelique glared at the princes.What a bunch of lugs. How could they drag her through Verglas when she’s just recently broken their curse—and survived almost being burned alive!She had to physically pry her mouth open and forcibly brighten her voice so she didn’t sound as disgruntled as she felt. “No, no. This is unacceptable. We must get you properly cleaned up and fed. I would have thought your brothers would see to that.” Shewantedto take the princes by their ears and shake them, but she settled for waggling a finger atthem.
“It isn’t their fault,” Elisesaid.
Steffen shook his head. “Itis.”
“We were, perhaps, overzealous in our desire to leave Verglas,” another one of the brothersrumbled.
“You noticed that justnow?” Angelique snapped.The princess needs rest, or she’ll never be able to face Clotilde. And didn’t Stil recently send a message that he was in southern Verglas?She paused to take in a breath and settle another warm smile on her lips. “However, you are in good luck. It just so happens that a companion of mine has set up camp nearby. We may seek refuge in his house and draw up plans for your stepmother.” Angelique clambered onto Pegasus’ back. “This way, if youwould.”
Within an hour, Angelique had the princess and princes settled inside Stil’s large tenthome.
He wasn’t around, and based on the latent magic present, it seemed like he had been gone for a day or so, but he wouldn’t mind Angelique inviting the royals in. (Particularly if she fed and cared for Pricker Patch while theyintruded.)
Angelique abandoned the princes in the sitting room and delivered Elise to Stil’s frankly over-the-top washroom. Although she really wanted to take the tea tray to the princes’ heads for unnecessarily pushing their sister, she made herself serve them drinks and food from Stil’s amplepantry.
It was then the princes explained what had been the catalyst for their rapid exit from Verglas. Apparently Prince Toril of Verglas had stumbled upon Elise as she silently knitted and invited her north to the capital city. Once there, the prince’s mad father—King Torgen—heard about Elise and proceeded to make life miserable for her through escalating meetings that ended with the princess almost being burned at thestake.
I guess it’s more understandable that they were in a rush to leave the country,Angelique mused as she poured more tea forherself.
She heard light footsteps down the hallway and smiled when Princess Elise peered into the sitting room. Already she looked more rested. Her hair was tidy again, and the clothes Angelique had set out for her were a perfect fit. (And as an added bonus, she no longer smelled like achimney.)
“Perfect timing, princess. Your brothers were just asking after you,” Angelique greeted her. “Please, come have some tea andscones.”
“You look much better. You were quite bedraggled and scruffy before.” The prince with goldenrod hair inspected her from head to foot. “Not that you didn’t have reason to be,” headded.
The brother Pegasus had almost run down smiled fondly and slid a hand beneath Elise’s chin. “You lookbeautiful.”
Steffen crowded that brother, forcibly parting him from Elise. “Doesn’t shethough?”
Angelique offered the princess a steaming cup of peppermint tea, sweetened with honey and a little milk, as she sat next to Angelique on thesettee.
Elise’s stomach growled, and one of her foster-brothers passed her a plate laden with scones and teasandwiches.
Elise selected a sandwich and smiled. “Thankyou.”
“I do not mean to rush you, Lady Enchantress, but you said you knew of someone who could break the curse?” Steffenasked.
Angelique topped off Elise’s tea and watched her devour her food. “I do: FürstinElise.”
Elise choked on hersandwich.
“Pardon?” Steffenblinked.
“No, I see where this is going. We cannot ask Elise to do more for us,” said the prince Pegasus had almost run down. (Privately, Angelique was starting to think of him as the touchy-feely one, because whenever he spoke, he reached for Elise, even just to rest a hand on her shoulder as he wasnow.)
