Elise squinted a little. “Oh?”
Angelique studied the princess and her silent guard.Elise was awfully angry to hear about the state of Arcainia. I’d bet my most priceless book that they’re trying to sneak out so the princess can face Clotilde regardless of whether her foster-brothers agree with her ornot.
Elise fidgeted under the scrutiny, then blurted out, “Do you really believe I can take onClotilde?”
I’m getting better at reading people! Or perhaps it’s just that everyone has less…hidden depth than Evariste. I could never really pin him down.The thought renewed the festering ache inside Angelique, so she pushed it away and forced her attention on the princess. “Ido.”
“What do I need to do?” Eliseasked.
Angelique tapped her lower lip as she thought. “Your bare touch should be enough. It seems that you do not toggle your powers on and off, but you constantly use them. As a result, you do not need to worry about activating anything on your end. Clotilde keeps her tools for her dark magic on her at all times. If your magic is strong enough, your touch will cancel her magic, as well as the artifacts’ magic. It will be herend.”
Elise narrowed in on Angelique with impressive single-mindedness. “If my magic is strong enough?” she bluntlyasked.
Angelique tried to come up with a more polite way of phrasing it, but nothing came to mind. She eventually gave up and nodded. “I have no way of measuring your magic, so I cannot tell you if your powers are enough to smother everything. The way you attack her would make a difference, I suppose. Skin-to-skin contact would provide the best channel for your magic to reach her. The more contact, thebetter.”
Elise fussed with the sleeves of her dress. “Isee.”
Brida spoke, perhaps for the first time since she was officially introduced. “Your powers were enough to keep you from being cursed, Fürstin. I am certain you are strong enough to defeat that witch.” She slid a pack off her shoulders as she approached her tetheredmare.
“Thank you, Brida. I wish I had your confidence,” Elise said. “We are leaving tonight, before my brothers wake. They will never let me face Clotilde, and I feel that I musttry.”
Angelique patted the skirts of her iridescent dress, trying to smooth them so they didn’t puff quite as much. “I think you underestimate your powers of persuasion over your brothers, Princess. If you tell them you feel strongly on the matter, I suspect they will bow to yourwishes.”
Elise’s gaze went glassy. “Perhaps,” she agreed. “But, but…I cannot risk them again. I almost lost them, and I could not live with myself if Clotilde cursed them a second time.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper when shefinished.
Angelique studied Elise.Because she is so stoic and quiet, I find it hard to connect with her. But really…she understands the pain of losing someone. Even if she knew where her foster-brothers were, for all practical purposes, they were still lost toher.
But is it wise to let her go alone? Gabrielle and Puss will be on-hand to help her…Angelique glanced at the sky again.I would do anything to be given the chance to face those mages again, to stop them from takingEvariste.
“I understand,” Angelique finallysaid.
Elise perked, her bright eyes and shining face a sharp contrast to the solemn little thing she usually was. “Youdo?”
Angelique’s smile felt painful. “More than I wish I did. You must leave now if you are to have a chance of confronting Clotilde without your brothers. When they wake, I will hold them off as long as possible, but they know you. The instant they realize you have left, they will set out afteryou.”
Brida handed Elise the reins of her mare, having tacked it up during the princess’ exchange with Angelique. “Then we’ll have to make the best use of our head start,” the guardsaid.
Angelique reached for the bracelet Evariste had given her, frowning slightly when she remembered she had broken it. “You will need to go slowly. It is dangerous to ride in the dark. It is your good fortune that tonight is a fullmoon.”
Brida picked a different horse out of the line—this one Angelique vaguely remembered as the mount Elise had with her when she first encountered her in Arcainia. “We’re a stone’s throw from Loire. Arcainia isn’t far beyond that. What time we gain by leaving tonight should be enough to keep us ahead,” Bridasaid.
“One can hope,” Angelique said, unconvinced.Based on the way they fussed over her, I’m surprised none of them have realized she’s out here already.Reminded of the squabbling princes, Angelique turned towards the tent. “If you excuse me, I will take my leave of you here. If your brothers ask, I can truthfully say I did not see you leave. I wish you a safe journey and great luck in yourventure.”
“Thank you for everything, Lady Enchantress,” Elisesaid.
Angelique offered the pair one last smile. “I am glad I can be of assistance.” She slipped inside the parlor and carefully navigated her way around the sleeping princes, heading to her favorite (and best) of Stil’s guest quarters, the FrostRoom.
The hues of blue décor and warm honey tones of the room’s furniture always struck Angelique as calming. When she slipped inside it, she sagged slightly and leaned against thewall.
“I have a duty,” she reminded herself, “to help those in need. Even if I am growing a little weary ofit.”
Chapter 19
Angelique was hidingin the dining room of Stil’s rather large home, surrounded by several musty books, when the princes discovered their foster-sister wasmissing.
Magic mirrors, magic mirrors—nope. Nothing. You’d think a book of craft magic would have information on the steps done to create a magic mirror. She set another book aside with a sigh, having decided to take advantage of Stil’s impressive book collection of craft magic to research magicmirrors.
Thus far, her efforts had been invain.
