Angelique was silent because both she and Puss knew theywouldcomplain regardless of thesituation.
Their silence was oppressive, until Angelique decided to break it. “Enchanter Clovicus was able to smooth things over with the Council when I used magic against Clotilde. Perhaps he can do the same thing again,” she bleaklysaid.
Roland’s tail pulled loose from the curve of his body, and he violently flicked it. “They’refools.”
“They’re concerned with the entire Continent,” Angelique corrected. “I’d be suspicious of me aswell.”
“You acted to save the princes of Arcainia who only recently ended their careers as wild fowl.” Roland’s voice was hot with anger as his tail lashed up anddown.
A ghost of a smile settled on Angelique’s lips. “Thank you,Roland.”
Roland scooted closer to her so he could rub his cheek against hers. “Thank you, Angelique,” he said. “You didn’t have to help Gabrielle or the Arcainian royal family. It was a sacrifice—one I’m thankfulfor.”
Angelique squirmed when his whiskers tickled her. “I didn’t domuch.”
Puss rested his head against hers. “You did. And you face persecution from your own people for it. But the royal family knows, and Arcainia is grateful.I’mgrateful.”
Angelique had to raise her hand at an awkward angle to be able to pat his back. “Even if I were to ignore my duty as a magic user…you’re my friend, Puss. If you—or Gabrielle—ever need help, I will stand withyou.”
“And we will stand with you,” Puss said. “If the Council gives you too much guff, send for us. Gabrielle can bequiteconvincing and commanding when properlyincentivized.”
Angelique laughed. “Do you need to leave for Brandis right away in themorning?”
“Oh goodness, no. I hope you were joking, or shame on you for wishing such a horror on me. Gabi hasn’t seen that Bumpkin Head of hers in months, and I very much wish to escapeallof their reunion. It’s sure to be a sickeningly sweet encounter.” Puss shuddered inrevulsion.
“So you are saying we should take our time in riding Pegasus back to Castle Brandistomorrow?”
“Have you not been listening to a word I’ve said? I mean we shouldn’t leaveat allfor at least threedays!”
Angelique laughed, and finally the last nauseating twist in her stomachdispelled.
The Council would send for her, but she didn’t regret aiding Arcainia, and she wouldneverregret protectingPegasus.
She only wished she could have done the same forEvariste.
* * *
Evariste staredat the pile of canvases Liliane had recently painted to summon several different goblin packs.How has she made an alliance with those creatures? And to what end?He sat on the ground, his arms resting on his knees as he stared out through the glasspane.
Liliane and her cronies kept him in the empty chamber that Liliane used—it seemed—to summon differentcreatures.
Goblins, harpies, trolls, and more had traipsed through the cavern. The presence of so many creatures was not a good sign, for it meant Liliane and her people were more than a rag-tag bunch of blackmages.
In fact, based on the numbers of dark creatures he had seen, it seemed Liliane was more like a general waging awar.
But why? Who has the power and fortitude to spend so much time readying plans and waging secret battles? The Chosen, the only magical enemy the world has ever faced, were stamped out centuriesago!
Evariste watched them stubbornly, trying to ingrain any and all details in his memory.It will be useful to know when I getout.
He tried to keep his hope alive, though he hadn’t heard from Angelique nor any other mage since she nearly succeeded in tracking him with a location spell, and he was fairly certain it had beenmonths.
His eyes drifted shut, and the grayness of the mirror invaded him, making his mouth taste like cobwebs as he felt the muted haze of the area threaten to swallow himwhole.
No.
Evariste opened his eyes again and took a deep breath.No,he repeated. His fingers twitched, and he forcibly dredged up memories of complex spells he had learned as a young apprentice, mulling them over as he tried to match the spell Angelique had used with one heknew.
He didn’t particularly care if he figured out what she had done, but the act gave his mind something to fixate on and beat back a bit of the drab grayness of the mirror. Of course, remembering some of Emery’s muttered curses or one of Angelique’s funnier expressions did the same, but the mental activity made him feel marginally more useful. So he spent his hours pondering the spell, saving up questions he’d ask Angelique about what she had done to power it, where she had acquired the spell, how long it took her to create something so advanced, and if she missed him as keenly—no—as wholly as he missedher.
