“You were smart to do so.” Angelique knit her fingers together as she considered what this meant. Anightmare…with arider.
There’s no getting around it. Some evil force is at work—though we don’t rightly know what it is, yet. But securing a nightmare and a being dark enough to ride it is no easy task for a blackmage.
Angelique directed her gaze to Gemma. “Is the rider chasing you aswell?”
Gemma did not hesitate. “No. Absolutelynot.”
Stil glanced worried at her. “Gemma is fleeing the country with me. She’s in a spot of trouble with KingTorgen.”
“Ah, him.” Angelique pressed her lips together with understanding.No wonder she’srunning.
“With all respect, Craftmage Stil, you were going to take me to the border, and then we were going to part ways,” Gemmasaid.
Stil swung his hand that held Gemma’s wrist and smiled at her. “Yes, but now we don’t have to. Angelique will take care of the rider for me, won’t you?” He turned back to Angelique with a trustingsmile.
If he was anyone else, I would consider striking him with lightning. Just about every soul I meet seems to assume I can do something for them. But this is Stil, which makes it acceptable. But that doesn’t address the matter of the nightmare and itsrider.
She sighed as she considered the problem. “Sometimes you overestimate mycapabilities.”
“No, I don’t. If your learned magic fails, you will just have to rely on your core magic. The rider is no match forthat,” Stilsaid.
Angelique considered boxing his ears for the stupid idea, but Gemma spoke up, curiosity lining her voice. “Coremagic?”
Angelique took a moment to fix a properly serene smile back in place. “Enchanters are the highest rank of magic user there is,” shebegan.
Gemmanodded.
“This is because we are able to use two types of magic: core magic and learned magic. Core magic is something all magic users have. It is what decides their focus. Stil’s core magic is craft related. Weather mages have weather core magic, and so on. All enchanters and enchantresses have core magic as well—although the kind and strength varies from enchanter to enchanter. It is our learned magic that gives us a higher rank. Learned magic—things like curse breaking, enchantments, working with elements, charms, general magic—are things only enchanters and enchantresses display the ability tolearn.”
Angelique paused for a moment.I hope that wasn’t too much to dump on her in onego.
“For instance, no matter how hard I study, I can never control rain,” Stil said. “But Angelique—to a certain extent—can.”
Gemma’s expression turned thoughtful. “Isee.”
“There are checks and balances of course,” Angelique said. “As an enchantress, I will never be as powerful in weather magic as a weather mage. And no enchanters are capable of infusing magic into weapons like Stil is—although that is to be expected as he is a genius in his core magic.” Angelique smiled proudly at thecraftmage.
Stil, predictably, blushed a little. (Though he was as prideful as a rooster, it had always embarrassed him whenever Angelique or Evariste remarked on his skills. Evariste had claimed it had to do with their parental pride, and though Angelique wished he would phrase it differently, she suspected he was close to themark.)
Angelique grinned a little as Stil cleared his throat, then glanced atGemma.
The seamstress had an eyebrow lifted slightly as she stared at Stil, but Angelique couldn’t properly label what the lookmeant.
“Enchanters and enchantresses generally have highly specialized types of core magic, too, and they are typically very powerful,” Stil finally continued. “Angelique’s master is considered to be one of the greatest magic users since the Snow Queen. He was the youngest enchanter ever approved.” He glanced from Gemma back to Angelique. “But we are getting off topic. Angelique, I know you can destroy the rider with your coremagic.”
Boxing his ears isn’t harsh enough. I should like to throttle him if I can get him away from Gemma. I may have told the Council I wasn’t going to listen to any stupid rules that got in the way of helping someone, but using my war magic is a line I still have no desire to cross.“Perhaps if I was approved tousemy core magic. The Conclave still hasn’t agreed to it.” For Gemma’s benefit she added, “My apprenticeship was and continues to be unusual because my core magic makes most…squeamish.”
“I see,” Gemma politelysaid.
Angelique could see the questions in her eyes, but when the seamstress refrained from asking more, Angelique relaxed a little.She’s a good girl—er, young lady. I think I rather like her. It would seem Stil’s interest in her is warranted.The idea felt a little foreign to Angelique—given that she and Evariste had found Stil when he was a snot-nosed kid, it seemed strange that he was old enough to pursue a younglady.
She cleared her throat. “Regardless, I am certain I could drive the rider off for a time. Although we will have to be careful. The area is crawling withsoldiers.”
“Pardon?” Gemmasaid.
“They’re King Torgen’s men. At first I wondered if they were the followers you referred to in your letter, Stil. But I suppose they are searching for you, Gemma?” Angeliqueasked.
Gemma shifted uncomfortably. “Yes.”
